[PCT] Kraftwerk Man Machine 2020 - Season Review
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 15-09-2020 09:44
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Kraftwerk Man Machine
Welcome to the Head Quarters of Kraftwerk Man Machine Cycling Team riding in PCM Daily's Management Game 2020 Season.
The management are looking to rebuild after our 13th place in PCT in 2019 due to our sprint and hills leaders being in their second year of decline.
This season will be dedicated to the memory of Kraftwerk founder member Florian Schneider who sadly passed away in May this year.
Kraftwerk and Trivago are continuing their sponsorship and we will be riding in the same iconic shirt.
Main Sponsors
Kraftwerk https://www.kraftwerk.com/
The Dusseldorf based Pioneers of Electronic Music and big cycling fans are stepping up from their cycling club Radsportgruppe Schneider, to sponsor a professional team. Here is a great article by Jack Thurston from 2005 that describes Kraftwerk's history and love of cycling following the release of Tour de France Soundtracks in 2003 (eagle eyed members will have spotted my avatar is from the cover of this album ).
Trivago https://www.trivago.com/
The travel tech company also based in Dusseldorf.
Equipment Sponsors
Background
Spoiler
Dusseldorf base with international mix
Kraftwerk Man Machine are based in Dusseldorf riding on a German licence. The team is comprised of an international squad to reflect the international appeal of Kraftwerk's music, although Germany will always be the best represented nation. The management will look to recruit riders from Germany, France, Japan, Russia and Great Britain. This reflects the fan base and mix of languages sung on various Kraftwerk songs as you can hear on the track Numbers from their 1981 album Computer World.
Here is a live version from the Minimum-Maximum tour (its playback restricted if embedded).
https://www.youtu...3f-JwOGO1A
As Kraftwerk were pioneers in developing new sounds and instruments, the Kraftwerk Man Machine will look to develop new talent. We are open to developing riders on loan from other teams if they fit our nationality profile.
The Kraftwerk Man Machine team name is taken from Kraftwerk's 1978 album The Man Machine. The concept of the Man Machine is of humans, technology and nature combined in harmony with the Rider, Bicycle and Parcours being a prime example. The youtube link below is the live version of The Man Machine from the Minimum-Maximum tour (its playback restricted if embedded).
https://www.youtu...kd7LbQnfIQ
Kraftwerk are as much about image as music and the shirt design was inspired by the iconic cover of the same album.
A BIG thankyou to the_hoyle for the shirt design and for his guidance in keeping the design pure and elegant.
Pre Renewals Squad
Our Squad before Renewals looks like this.
Edited by DaveTwoBob on 06-09-2021 22:41
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 15-09-2020 09:45
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Final Squad
Kraftwerk Man Machine Man Game 2020 Goals
Tour of America | Top 5 | Achievable | Chrono d'Arenberg | Top 5 | Outside chance | Barbados Cycling Festival | Win | Impossible | Int. Osterreich Rundfahrt | Top 10 | Achievable | Team Standings | Top 15 | Outside chance | Total 14 points |
Edited by DaveTwoBob on 22-10-2020 13:43
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 15-09-2020 09:45
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Race | Class | Month | Race Days | Leader 1 | Leader 2 | Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | HC | Feb | 2 | Eugert Zhupa | | Volta a Catalunya | C1 | Feb | 6 | David De la Cruz | Willi Willwohl | Pro Hallstatt Classic | PTHC | Feb | 2 | Dominik Nerz | David De la Cruz | Geraardsbergen-Bosberg | HC | Mar | 2 | Eugert Zhupa | | Barbados Cycling Festival | HC | Mar | 4 | Mark Cavendish | | Circulo de Juarez | C1 | Mar | 5 | Mark Cavendish | | Vuelta a Colombia | PTHC | Mar | 6 | Dominik Nerz | Marco Haller | Strade Bianche | HC | Mar | 2 | Pello Bilbao | Arvin Moazemi | Tour of Uppsala | C1 | Mar | 5 | Mark Cavendish | Lucas Schädlich | Jan/Feb/Mar | | | 34 | Tour of California | HC | Apr | 7 | David De la Cruz | Dominik Nerz | Baltic Chain Tour | C1 | Apr | 5 | Mark Cavendish | Eugert Zhupa | Tour de Pologne | HC | Apr | 7 | David De la Cruz | Pello Bilbao | Corsica International | HC | Apr | 3 | Dominik Nerz | Marco Haller | Tour of Cyprus | HC | Apr | 4 | David De la Cruz | Marco Haller | GP Wallonie | PTHC | Apr | 2 | Pello Bilbao | Arvin Moazemi | Tour of Ukraine | HC | Apr | 3 | Pello Bilbao | Arvin Moazemi | Veenendaal - Veenendaal | HC | Apr | 2 | Mark Cavendish | Eugert Zhupa | Apr | | | 33 | Windhoek ITT | C1 | May | 2 | Lucas Schädlich | | Chrono d'Arenberg | PTHC | May | 2 | Lucas Schädlich | | Int. Osterreich Rundfahrt | HC | May | 7 | Dominik Nerz | David De la Cruz | Giro del Trentino | C2 | May | 3 | Robert Kiserlovski | Domenik Klemme | Olympia's Tour | C1 | May | 6 | Mark Cavendish | Lucas Schädlich | Tour of Norway | PTHC | May | 5 | Marco Haller | Pello Bilbao | Hanko Classic | C1 | Jun | 2 | Mark Cavendish | | Grands Prix Cyclistes | HC | Jun | 2 | Pello Bilbao | Arvin Moazemi | Franceville Classique | PTHC | Jun | 2 | Eugert Zhupa | | Berlin ProRace | HC | Jun | 2 | Mark Cavendish | Marco Haller | May/Jun | | | 33 | Torshavn GP | C1 | Jul | 2 | Mark Cavendish | Marco Haller | Tour of the Middle East | HC | Jul | 4 | David De la Cruz | Marco Haller | Celtic Chrono | C1 | Jul | 2 | Lucas Schädlich | | Kenya Mountain Classic | C1 | Jul | 2 | Dominik Nerz | David De la Cruz | Tour of Chile | C2 | Jul | 3 | Robert Kiserlovski | Domenik Klemme | Nakhon Ratchasima Trophy | PTHC | Aug | 2 | Mark Cavendish | | Tour d'Andorra | C1 | Aug | 5 | Dominik Nerz | David De la Cruz | SAA Tour d'Afrique | PTHC | Aug | 4 | Mark Cavendish | Marco Haller | Arab Tour | HC | Aug | 5 | Lucas Schädlich | Willi Willwohl | Ronde van Het Ijsselmeer | C1 | Aug | 2 | Marco Haller | | Jul/Aug | | | 31 | Paris Tours | PTHC | Sep | 2 | Marco Haller | Gianni Vermeersch | Tour of America | C1 | Sep | 21 | Dominik Nerz | Marco Haller | Deutschland Tour | PTHC | Sep | 5 | Mark Cavendish | Lucas Schädlich | Rheden GP | PTHC | Sep | 2 | Eugert Zhupa | | Tour of Lithuania | HC | Sep | 4 | Pello Bilbao | Arvin Moazemi | Tour du Maroc | PTHC | Oct | 8 | David De la Cruz | Mark Cavendish | Giro dell'Emelia | HC | Oct | 2 | Pello Bilbao | Arvin Moazemi | Sep/Oct | | | 44 |
Edited by DaveTwoBob on 26-10-2020 21:07
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 26-09-2020 18:15
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Kraftwerk Man Machine Renewals and Transfer Availability
Renewals
Rider | Wage 2019 | Wage 2020 | Difference | Availability | Mark Cavendish | € 475,000 | € 280,000 | -€ 195,000 | No | Marco Haller | € 140,000 | € 130,000 | -€ 10,000 | No | Dominik Nerz | € 160,000 | € 130,000 | -€ 30,000 | No | Wesley Kreder | € 122,000 | € 100,000 | -€ 22,000 | Possible | Daniel Teklehaimanot | € 180,000 | € 120,000 | -€ 60,000 | Possible | Aberlardo Ablenado | € 80,000 | € 90,000 | € 10,000 | No | Willi Willwohl | € 80,000 | € 85,000 | € 5,000 | No | Nico Denz | € 70,000 | € 70,000 | € 0 | No | Lucas Schädlich | € 115,000 | € 90,000 | -€ 25,000 | No | Alexandre Geniez | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | Yes | Josue Gonzalez Cortes | € 55,000 | € 50,000 | -€ 5,000 | Possible | Jocelin Maillet | € 65,000 | € 50,000 | -€ 15,000 | Yes | Westley Gough | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | No | Florian Scheit | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | No | Gennadiy Tatarinov | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | No | Laurens De Vreese | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | No | Johann van Zyl | € 55,000 | € 50,000 | -€ 5,000 | Possible | Aleksandar Flügel | € 390,000 | 0 | -€ 390,000 | Released | Aiman Cahyadi | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | Yes | Sang Hong Park | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | Yes | Alexandre Shushemoin | € 50,000 | 0 | -€ 50,000 | Released | Max Walsleben | € 50,000 | € 55,000 | € 5,000 | Yes | Fabien Grellier | € 50,000 | € 50,000 | € 0 | Yes | | | | -€ 787,000 | |
With our Hills and Sprints leaders in their second year of decline Manager DaveTwoBob needed to be create some cap space for a rebuild so offers were less than generous. Faithful servants Aleksandar Flügel and Alexandre Shushemoin were released with thanks for their great service to the team.
Sprinter Mark Cavendish was given a tight offer barely more than half his demand and it was quite a surprise that he agreed to the final offer. Nine riders agreed to pay cuts and only 3 needed small increases which has resulted in a decent cap space to try and recruit much needed hills and cobbles leaders.
Possible
Hill sprinter Wesley Kreder and stage racers Daniel Teklehaimanot, Josue Gonzalez Cortes and Johann van Zyl may be available for swaps or sale if we need funds to seal a deal.
For Sale
Sprinter Sang Hong Park, domestique Alexandre Geniez, climbers Jocelin Maillet and Aiman Cahyadi, cobbles domestiques Max Walsleben and Fabien Grellier.
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cunego59 |
Posted on 26-09-2020 19:02
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Team Manager
Posts: 6508
Joined: 14-09-2008
PCM$: 1090.00
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I'll just wait patiently for the day that my boy Dominik starts to regress and you don't want him anymore so I can give him a nice home for the final stages of his career Or maybe we'll talk about other people earlier than that, who knows. I wish you the best either way of course, as a fellow German team (well, partly at least on my end)
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 26-09-2020 19:12
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@cunego59 Your interest is noted but Nerz only joined us last year so not quite ready to let him go just yet. Good luck to you too, always happy to talk
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cunego59 |
Posted on 26-09-2020 19:19
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Team Manager
Posts: 6508
Joined: 14-09-2008
PCM$: 1090.00
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Oh I wouldn't want to drag him into CT right now anyway, he's too good for that of course. Maybe in two, three years, when his legs get a little heavier ...
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Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-12-2024 10:58
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 10-10-2020 22:56
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Kraftwerk watch as their team manager’s transfer plans fly out of the window.
Main Targets Missed
Kraftwerk needed a puncheur to replace Aleksandar Flügel and wanted to fill the ever present vacancy for a cobbles leader. With an aging team it was important to target younger riders.
We targeted Festina’s top cobbler Maxine Daniel and free agent puncheur Petr Vakoc . After narrowly being beaten to Daniel by Valio - Viking Genetics we switched targets to Aussie puncheur Jay McCarthy who was leaving Farfetch. After some bidding up the deal was posted and we didn’t need to bid on Vakoc anymore.
However our old friends at newly promoted cycleYorkshire were looking for riders to keep them up in a very difficult market and we were overbid late at night with about 8 hours to go. We decided a bidding war with a PT team was only going to go 1 way so switched to panic buying mode.
Sales
Kraftwerk Management set modest goals for the season so needed to sell some riders to get sufficient cash in. Wesley Kreder, Daniel Teklehaimanot and Johann van Zyl were sold early in the transfer window. Kraftwerk thank them for their service and hope they do well for their new managers.
Free Agents
In a very tight market Kraftwerk were lucky to get a couple of targets for only slightly stupid money and a 50k bargain.
Eugert Zhupa | | 4.100 | € 175,000 | Age 30 | Cobbler/Rouleur
Originally planned to be a lieutenant for Maxine Daniel the Albanian is Kraftwerk’s best ever cobbler and will be trying to improve our few cobbles races from the usual zero point affairs. His good flat speed and sprinting ability will be put to use supporting our sprinters.
| FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 75 | 56 | 67 | 65 | 78 | 74 | 67 | 77 | 74 | 68 | 67 | 59 | 65 |
Gianni Vermeersch | | 4.50 | € 150,000 | Age 28 | Cobbler/Rouleur
Gianni is another versatile cobbler and rouleur who can be maxed out this season while on the team. His 77 Flat and 78 Res will be a powerful combination we hope.
| FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 75 | 63 | 70 | 61 | 72 | 77 | 65 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 60 | 78 | 63 | 2021 stats | 77 | 63 | 70 | 61 | 74 | 78 | 66 | 75 | 74 | 72 | 60 | 78 | 63 |
Burr Ho | | 4.100 | € 50,000 | Age 28 | Stage Racer
Burr Ho is a useful support rider on minimum wage.
| FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 68 | 73 | 73 | 73 | 68 | 73 | 71 | 61 | 65 | 71 | 65 | 66 | 71 |
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knockout |
Posted on 10-10-2020 23:09
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7753
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 400.00
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Gianni Vermeersch looks so damn cool. He looks like the kind of guy that i will try to get every single year and fail with that every single year
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters!
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redordead |
Posted on 11-10-2020 07:31
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4910
Joined: 18-10-2017
PCM$: 200.00
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Will very much follow how Swisslion hero Eugert Zhupa does as a leader in PCT
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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jandal7 |
Posted on 11-10-2020 08:24
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World Champion
Posts: 11406
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1120.00
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Oh Versmeesch - that resistance <3
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2
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Shonak |
Posted on 11-10-2020 08:43
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
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Vermeersch is a great signing; if he had a bit more hill, he could wreck the plans of many top cobblers but even so, he looks like a powerhouse for many years.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 11-10-2020 13:17
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@knockout Cheers, landing Vermeersch was the highlight of my transfers
@redordead Top 20s would be an improvement for Kraftwerk, anything more will be fantastic from Zhupa
@jandal Yeah he should have loads of energy left for the last few km
@Shonak Thanks and you raise a dilemma I have - train him for classics (+1 Hill) or cobbles (+ 2 sprint +1 stamina). Its the cobbles version I have shown.
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 11-10-2020 13:59
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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When the Free Agent market started to go crazy Kraftwerk abandoned the youth policy and went for cheap experience. We are delighted to welcome back Robert Kiserlovski and Domenik Klemme. Klemme was sold to fund us buying Aleksandar Flügel but he has the last laugh as Flügel doesn’t have a contract for 2020 so far. Both these riders are C2 eligible so might be able to grab us some minor points in those races.
Robert "Jake" Kiserlovski | | 4.100 | € 100,000 | Age 34 | Stage Racer
Robert scored 233 points for Kraftwerk in 2017. He will be supporting Nerz and De la Cruz in the mountains and leading the team in our C2 races. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 68 | 78 | 73 | 70 | 69 | 72 | 69 | 50 | 55 | 63 | 69 | 64 | 69 |
Domenik "Elwood" Klemme | | 4.100 | € 70,000 | Age 34 | Puncheur
Domenik was part of our CT promotion winning team and returns to help in the hills and support Kiserlovski in the C2 races. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 69 | 72 | 78 | 65 | 71 | 67 | 68 | 52 | 64 | 63 | 57 | 60 | 65 |
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 11-10-2020 23:28
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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After being overbid on McCarthy and it being late in transfers Kraftwerk went into panic mode. Thanks to all the managers who offered riders, it was tricky to make the right choices for the team in a short space of time.
Given the age profile of the current squad we didn’t want another rider who would decline as next years transfers would be very challenging so we agreed € 300,000 for 30 year old puncheur Arvin Moazemi from Evonik and € 1,000,000 for 31 year old stage racer David De la Cruz with useful hilly rouleur Jetse Bol included in the deal with Isostar.
Can these three riders score the same points as McCarthy and keep Kraftwerk in the PCT?
Arvin Moazemi | | 4.100 | € 110,000 | Age 30 | Puncheur
Moazemi joins from Evonik and possesses a decent mountain stat that is so important for puncheurs these days.
| FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 67 | 73 | 78 | 69 | 72 | 72 | 75 | 62 | 65 | 73 | 65 | 63 | 67 |
David De la Cruz | | 4.100 | € 225,000 | Age 31 | Stage Racer David joins the team as part of a deal with Isostar after riding with relegated team Europcar last season. He will be supporting Nerz and leading some stage races himself. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 69 | 78 | 75 | 74 | 72 | 76 | 75 | 56 | 60 | 73 | 65 | 73 | 74 |
Jetse Bol | | 4.100 | € 50,000 | Age 31 | Hilly Rouleur Jetse joins the team as part of a deal with Isostar. His good flat and hill stats are quite unusual and as well as supporting our puncheurs we hope he can grab a few points from breakaways. | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 75 | 68 | 76 | 68 | 71 | 70 | 74 | 62 | 62 | 67 | 73 | 64 | 68 |
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Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 12-10-2020 01:33
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 3301
Joined: 02-11-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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Wow a Dad's Army reference, kind of a throwback. Not something they know about in the US so as I transplant I can't use tha heret. Hope the signings mean you aren't doomed.
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling
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AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 12-10-2020 03:51
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11709
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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Some solid pickups right at the end should ensure great depth scoring for the team. Nerz has very good support on the mountains with Kiserlovski.
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redordead |
Posted on 12-10-2020 07:51
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4910
Joined: 18-10-2017
PCM$: 200.00
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Yes, depth will be crucial, but all the riders you signed are good riders
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 12-10-2020 09:22
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@Ulrich Showing my age and nationality with that reference, for those who don't know the show the character Corporal Jones would frequently run around panicking while shouting "Don't Panic" which is a little bit how I felt at the time. Here is a short montage on youtube,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcZe2...cZe2jJdgcU
@Abhi Kiserlovski was a bit of a sentimental choice but should be a good helper and minor scorer
@redordead I am hoping for lots of top 20s from the squad to keep points ticking along
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DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 12-10-2020 10:04
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2434
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Or Are We?
Kraftwerk stepped back from the FA madness and tried to make something of the resulting cap space but with very little cash nothing was happening. Then out of the blue Carlsberg suggested a cobbler swap, Laurens De Vreese for Remco Broers. Broers had scored more points than De Vreese last year and expecting to be in a relegation fight we needed every point so agreed. BBL added € 100,000 which would prove essential in getting 79 Hill puncheur Pello Bilbao to join from Swisslion in a swap with fellow Spaniard 78 Mo Aberlardo Ablenado. The deal included support stage racer Gabor Kasa. Could these deals save Kraftwerk from relegation? Only time will tell.
Remco Broers | | 4.100 | € 50,000 | Age 30 | Cobbler
Remco will be a great support to Eugert helping him bring in those rare points from cobbles races that Kraftwerk have been missing in previous seasons.
| FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 76 | 54 | 60 | 63 | 76 | 71 | 69 | 75 | 65 | 69 | 66 | 76 | 63 |
Pello Bilbao | | 4.100 | € 120,000 | Age 30 | Puncheur
Pello is our rider with the best Hill stat but he is a bit challenged in the Mountains so we are not expecting more than top 20s from him. Kraftwerk have minimised the number of hilly races they have requested meaning there is not a lot of pressure on Pello to deliver big points.
| FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 71 | 67 | 79 | 65 | 77 | 71 | 71 | 51 | 71 | 75 | 67 | 66 | 61 |
Gabor Kasa | | 4.100 | € 50,000 | Age 31 | Stage Racer
Gabor joined on the same deal as Bilbao and we think he will be a valuable minor point scorer, for example he beat Bilbao in Milano Torino last year grabbing a top 20 finish.
| FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CO | SP | AC | FT | DH | PR | 2020 stats | 70 | 71 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 70 | 71 | 58 | 63 | 66 | 67 | 65 | 74 |
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