As their development programme begins to bear fruit, Tryg - Gobik is aiming to make a triumphant return to the ProContinental Tour. Their previous visit was a brief one, with the dual leadership of Tim Wellens and Toms Skujins not enough to avoid relegation in their sole season at a higher level. That opportunity was a disruptive one, ill-fitting the development plans laid out at the beginning of the project; the team is much better placed to take advantage of this opportunity, with their young stars now ready to take up leadership roles.


There are some questions as to what the goals of this season might be. Are the initial graduates of the Tryg development programme prepared for the ProContinental level? Are they willing to take those first uncertain steps into leadership under the Tryg - Gobik banner? How much is the management willing to invest in securing the next generation of talents when that might deprive the current squad of necessary resources? Is management prepared to sacrifice the core culture and concepts of the team if it means survival? These are the questions that we will aim to answer throughout this coming season.

Establishing a new team from the ground up, rather than merely taking over a pre-existing one, meant signing an entire squad in a single transfer season. Weeks of meticulous scouting meant that many of the incoming cohorts greatest talents had been identified. Tryg was quick to pounce on their targets, quickly bringing future greats such as Jonas Vingegaard, Max Kanter, and Niklas Larsen into the fold. Although the likes of Marc Hirschi and Tadej Pogacar went elsewhere, the majority of Danish and German talents joined the Tryg family.


That wasn't all however; as talented as they may be, the neo-pros weren't ready to lead the team, and instead more regional talent was brought in from free agency. Local stage racer Magnus Cort Nielsen, Norwegian puncheur Daniel Hoelgaard, and Belgian Nikolas Maes formed the core of the team's leadership. Genki Yamamoto and 2019 Chilean RR Champ Wolfgang Burmann also joined to support Cort Nielsen. Together, they formed a squad which saw great success in the hills and cobbles; Cort Nielsen also did well to pick up points in stage races, despite the lacklustre performances of his supporting cast.

Although discussion between management and the sponsors did not see Tryg - Ritter Sports' remit expanded beyond development, there were promising signs heading into the 2020 season. Genki Yamamoto and Wolfgang Burmann were out, and coming in to replace them were Sindre Skjostad Lunke, Alexander Krieger, and Andris Smirnovs. These signing were, however, somewhat dwarfed by the announcement that the extremely talented Andreas Kron had reached a deal with the team. Management seemed rather pleased with themselves at the post-window press conferences.


That pleasure proved well-founded come the seasons end. Although there had been period of quite some concernation, it all came together in the closing rounds. Although all of our riders mustered good efforts throughout the season, it looked as though Project: Africa were to take the final automatic promotion spot thanks to an inspired performance by Thibaut Pinot. However, Alexander Kriger's victory at Course de Solidarnosc and Mathias Norsgaard's shock podium at the Herald Sun Tour were more than enough to leap frog the hapless African team. The scenes as Tryg - Ritter Sports's promotion were ecstatic.

A move to the ProContinental Tour meant that there was going to be a significant amount of expansion required for the team. Legendary flandrienne Nikolas Maes made the decision to retire, whilst Alexander Krieger failed to reach an agreement with the team. Cort Nielsen and Lunke were also out, as part of the deal which saw Scandinavia Open RR winner Toms Skujins join the squad. The other big name joining the squad was Belgian stageracer Tim Wellens; whilst Tobias Halland Johannessen was brought in as one for the future.


It was always going to be an interesting season for Tryg, with their fortunes wholly dependent on the duo of Skujins and Wellens. If the pair were on form then the upper reaches of the division were a possibility, if either of them fell flat then relegation was a certainty. Wellens struggled early on, but gradually found his feet well enough to produce a handful of stellar results: capped off with an overall victory in the Tour d'Andorra. Skujins suffered from an influx of excellent puncheurs into the ProContinental Tour, making for stiff competition at both PTHC and HC races. The loss of several riders who had defined Tryg's early years was made all the harsher by the reality of relegation.

The good thing about reaching the bottom of the pyramid is that there is only one way to go from there: up. Neither Tim Wellens nor Toms Skujins were overly keen on spending their entire year dominating .1 and .2 races and so were shipped off to the Pro Tour. Given that the lacking performance of a single leader was enough to sink the entirety of the previous year's campaign, the decision was made to put the team's eggs in as many baskets as possible. Georg Zimmermann and Max Kanter stepped into leadership roles upon returning from their developmental year in the PT and Daniel Hoelgaard was kept on for the hills. Alexander Krieger made a return to the team and Michal Schlegel was brought in as part of the deal that saw Wellens depart.


For a team with so much promise, for the longest time it appeared that they would fail to deliver. The decision to diverge Schlegel and Zimmermann's respective calendars meant that they were often left quite isolated in the high mountains, with the former struggling to find the consistency necessary to live up to often being the ostensible favourite. Other teams would refuse to cooperate with Max Kanter, which left him to be lead out by our frankly inadequate sprint trains. Krieger was, unfortunately, Krieger but, fortunately, Hoelgaard was Hoelgaard: a constant presence in the .2 hilly classics. Only a late surge headlined by an excellent Tour of America was enough for the team to scrape into 5th and secure automatic promotion.

TryghedsGruppen are the primary shareholder of Tryg Forsikring, the largest Danish insurance company. They also own interests in Falck Healthcare and SATS, a Nordic fitness chain. The membership of TryghedsGruppen is formed primarily from policyholders with Tryg Forsikring or alternative Danish insurance broker Alka. The acquisition of RSA Insurance Group means that Codan A/S is now owned by Tryg as well.


The name Tryg is synonymous with the team at this point, with TryghedsGruppen having been with us since the beginning. Their focus has always been on the development and growth of Danish cycling, a goal that management has pursued with quite some rigour. Although the return to the PCT is an opportunity to wipe clean the stain of 2021, attention must remain on the possibilities it presents for the emerging stars of Denmark.

Founded in 2010, Gobik are a Murcian cyclingwear company which will appear on, and manufacture, the Tryg - Gobik jerseys through the 2023 season. They have grown into an internationally recognised brand, sold across a variety of nations. With the absence of Spanish sponsors in the previous season, a deal was struck in order to foster talent development in the nation.


Gobik manufactures sportswear for cyclists, so it only stands to reason that they would look to be involved at the professional level. Unlike TryghedsGruppen, they lack the loyal customerbase established by decades of service, and will be looking to use this as an opportunity to forge relationships with their core customerbase. That isn't to say that they will be entirely inward-looking, instead Tryg - Gobik will form a key part of their expansion into new markets.

The presence of TryghedsGruppen and Gobik mean Tryg - Gobik will be looking to build upon their already established squad of young riders. Primarily this will involve Danish and Spanish riders, although both sponsors now have concerns outside of merely the domestic market.


TryghedsGruppen primary concern is Danish and Norwegian riders. With the number of Danish riders in Tryg colours last season dwindling to one full-timer and a pair of stagiaires it will come as no surprise that the sponsors are looking for greater representation of the home nation. In Daniel Hoelgaard and Tobias Halland Johannessen, should they renew with the squad, there is a sufficient Norwegian presence.


Gobik were none too amused by the fiasco involving Roger Adria during the previous off-season. Neither Azparren nor Lazkano were offered full-time contracts in 2022 either. Their aim might be to extend their profile internationally, but what better way to do it than to offer a home to a prominent domestic talent... improvement may well be necessary in the relationship between Tryg - Gobik and Spain.


Outside of the primary areas of interest are Germany, where TryghedsGruppen operates some subsidiaries, as well as Mexico, Korea, and Belgium: which are emerging markets for Gobik's operations.

	Provide a pathway to the ProTour for Danish Talents	Ongoing
	Expand the development programme's Iberian reach	Failed
	Continue developing Nordic cyclists	Complete

A host of future stars currently ply their trade with Tryg - Gobik. This was the greatest desire of the title sponsor in the previous seasons, and they now look forward to the continued growth of these riders within the Tryg programme. It is the mission of TryghedsGruppen to ensure a pathway for young Danish cyclists from the local amateur scene into fully professional outfits in the ProTour. Gobik was disappointed with the lack of expansion into their focus regions, and are now clamouring for some signings.

	Produce a leader from Denmark	Complete
	Expand the palmarès of our graduates	Complete
	Sign a leader from Spain	Failed

Georg Zimmermann and Max Kanter came into their own last season, opening an account of their respective palmarès. With another host of riders graduating this season TryghedsGruppen is hopeful that their youth investments are beginning pay off. More victories, more TV time, more points; that's all they demand. Promotion to the ProContinental Tour means that additions will need to be made, potential for a Spanish rider to end up in Gobik gear?

	Provide employment to riders from Denmark	Complete
	Finance continued development of talents	Complete
	Limit wages for riders outside target regions	Failed

Promotion to the ProContinental Tour means that there is space to take on more wages and the team's sponsors might look to pump more money into the squad. Despite this, financial policy remains largely the same as previous seasons, although garnering money in excess of the salary cap is necessary for the continued development of the team's upcoming stars.

¹ Sponsors expect victory in this race.
² Sponsors expect a Top 5 finish in this race.
³ Sponsors expect a Top 10 finish in this race.

Expand the development programme's Iberian reach

[...]

Sign a leader from Spain

AbhishekLFC: Many thanks! I'm looking forward to racing against you again too, although it won't be quite the same now that it looks like your puncheur troubles have been solved.

Laurens147: Sorry to have missed you as we crossed paths on the pro/rel ladder. Given the team you've managed to keep together we ought to finally race together next year in the PCT.

baseballlover312: I'd say its a shame I won't see you here, but I'm too excited for your own promotion for that. I need PT loans, you have PT spaces; there are most certainly conversations to be had.

whitejersey: I certainly hope the guys we've brought with us can score, although I'm not as confident about it as you seem to be. The imminent arrival of THJ definitely mandates the wage cap of the PCT, so we'll be striving our hardest to stay up this time round.

Imladrik: I prefer to think of it as cooperation aimed at furthering the cause of Spanish cycling. Doesn't that seem like a much nicer idea?

Amy Sedghi: Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today, Nikolas. Can you tell us about your recent appointment as the manager of Tryg - Gobik?

Nikolas Maes: Yes, of course. I am very excited to have joined the team! I really enjoyed my time with Tryg in 2019 and 2020, so when the team-owner approached me about this opportunity of course I was going to say yes. I am looking forward to bringing my experience and knowledge to this new role.

Amy Sedghi: Obviously you were previously a cyclist, one the bike, racing against the very best.How do you feel about returning to the cycling scene in a management role?

Nikolas Maes: It’s a great feeling to be back in the cycling scene, albeit in a different capacity. After retiring from professional cycling I took some time away from the sport. But I always knew that I wanted to return in some way and this opportunity to manage Tryg - Gobik was the perfect fit for me.

Amy Sedghi: What do you bring to the team as their new manager?

Nikolas Maes: With a decade-long career at various levels of professional cycling, I have a lot of experience and knowledge that I can bring to the team. I hope to use my understanding of the sport and its demands to help our riders achieve their full potential. I also want to foster a strong team culture and create an environment where everyone can thrive.

Amy Sedghi: As the build up to the 2023 MGUCI season continues, it's renewals time. Can you tell us what your first time handling that process was like? Hopefully you secured some good deals for Tryg - Gobik.

Nikolas Maes: The renewals process is always an important time for our team, as it allows us to assess our current roster and make decisions about the future. This year, we were able to successfully renew the contracts of several key riders: Max Kanter, Michal Schlegel, Daniel Hoelgaard, and Georg Zimmermann. We also welcomed back several riders who had spent their final year of development on loan to the Pro Tour: Andreas Kron, Frederik Rodenberg, Mikkel Honore, and Mathias Norsgaard.

Amy Sedghi: There were some murmurings of discontent coming out the camp during the process. Given the names that you didn't mention just now I assume that there were some difficulties involved?

Nikolas Maes: Yes, negotiations can be challenging at times. We always strive to find a balance between offering fair compensation to our riders and staying within our budget. In the case of Max Kanter and Michal Schlegel, both required quite extensive periods of negotiation before we were able to come to an agreement on their compensation. Unfortunately, we were unable to strike a deal with Alexander Krieger and he will be leaving the team.

Amy Sedghi: Krieger gone? Tell us more.

Nikolas Maes: Alexander Krieger has been a valuable member of our team in the past, having participated in both of our promotion campaigns. However, during this year’s renewal process, he demanded an exorbitant wage; we felt that our counteroffer was more than fair, we even went so far as to concede to a minor wage rise. Despite his achievements in the Tour of Vancouver and Tour of America, where he won a single stage in each, and his 5th place finish in the Uppsala Classic, we felt that his overall performance in 2022 was not inspiring enough to justify such a significant increase in his wage. Additionally, with the graduation of Frederik Rodenberg from our development programme and the expecting other sprinters of similar calibre to become available with lesser demands, we decided that Alexander would be better served by the free agency process.

Amy Sedghi: Let’s move on to those who stayed. Can you tell us more about Max Kanter’s performance in 2022 and how it affected his renewal?

Nikolas Maes: Max had a fantastic season in 2022. He really proved himself as a top sprinter, winning Frankfurt Eschborn against PCT opposition and achieving success in many CT races as well. He was also awarded the Fans’ Young Rider of the Year award, which is a testament to his talent and hard work. As a result of his strong performance, we were happy to offer him a €20,000 wage increase. We truly believe that he will reward our trust in the upcoming season.

Amy Sedghi: And what about Michal Schlegel? There have been several rumours swirling around him.

Nikolas Maes: Michal had a decent season in 2022 as well. Michal had some great results in the Tour of the Middle East and the Volta a Catalunya, but wasn't exactly a like-for-like replacement for Tim Wellens. His performances against PCT opposition at the Tour de Romandie and Milano - Torino left much to be desired. In spite of this, our investment into his continued development meant he was a far stronger rider than he had been when negotiated that previous €130,000 wage, so the increase was expected. As much as we've enjoyed his presence, there is uncertainty as to whether Michal fits into the plans for next season. Given he's a rider in the mold of Sergio Higuita and Enric Mas we expect there to plenty of interest, although he might yet stay put.

Amy Sedghi: What are your plans for the upcoming season?

Nikolas Maes: Our primary focus for the upcoming season will be to continue developing our young talent while also competing at a high level in the PCT. We have a strong team with a lot of potential; with a few key signings we are confident that we can achieve success in 2023.

Amy Sedghi: Thank you for speaking with us today, Nikolas, and best of luck in the upcoming season.

Nikolas Maes: Thank you, Amy.

knockout wrote:
Wouldnt have minded a few more dots in the availability list at certain riders but we'll talk for sure.

knockout wrote:
Wouldnt have minded a few more dots in the availability list at certain riders but we'll talk for sure.