After Xero came crashing back down from the Pro Tour in 2021, it was a tough off-season which saw the smaller cap force the team to sell on beloved riders, most notably team legend Luke Rowe, as well as 2020 promotion hero Xandro Meurisse and the team’s first Grand Tour stage winner Sergio Higuita. The team was ultimately unable to replace their scoring to achieve promotion avoid a repeat of that cap nightmare, leaving them in a similar position going into the 2023 off-season. Despite career-best rankings finished from the team’s remaining leaders, thanks to a lack of depth scoring and a truly horrific final day showing, it wasn’t enough for more than bang on mid-table - tied for twelfth, at the bottom of the scrum chasing promotion.
However if it wasn’t going to be some miracle season that could save some of the team’s long-term future by bouncing straight back up, it will certainly still go down as of the team’s most memorable campaigns. Team legends George Bennett, Hugo Houle and Joseph Areruya notched up a team-record 11 victories in a season all on their own, with each recording a brilliant GC win (Tour of America, Euskal Bizikleta, and Tour de Pologne respectively) to double the team’s historic total in that department. Bennett added a classic victory, his first since 2017, while Areruya further demonstrated his credentials as one of the best in the world, adding four stage wins on his way to 2nd in the Individual Standings, in a season in which he didn’t always show his top form.
Coming out of renewals the team looks like one of the division’s very strongest - but there is almost no chance they don’t look significantly weaker post-transfers. As the young core the team has been assembling over the past five years matures and begins to deserve higher wages, the salary cap becomes an issue once more going into the 2022-23 off-season - the plan was to be established in the Pro Tour right now and after last year’s disappointing standings finish that hasn’t happened, and the team face another large renewals fine and the need to shed a significant amount of wage from the roster.
It will therefore more than likely be another year of many departures and no major arrivals in the Xero ranks. The challenge for 2023 will be for the developing riders who stay to repay the team’s faith and investment, and for the management to keep enough firepower in the squad to get back to cycling’s top tier, and escape what could become a nightmarish cycle of constantly having to sell riders to meet the salary cap conditions year-on-year. On paper this roster looks like they may have a better chance at doing so than they did twelve months ago - but this is by no means going to be an easy job. All the team's major sponsors have kept the faith - but faith doesn't last forever, and neither will the talents of George Bennett (32) and Hugo Houle (33), or the wages of still-growing future stars such as Thomas Pidcock and Florian Vermeersch.
The best time for Xero to promote was 2021. The second best time was 2022. It's all downhill from here.
About: The overnight success that is Xero is now a international company still based in little ol' NZ. They develop online accounting software for small businesses but are moving into larger clients as well. Sponsor Since: 2016 Contract Until: 2023 Focus Nations: New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain (minor), United States (minor)
Xero stepped in at the last minute in 2016, and since then have been a great asset to the team and are now nearly synonymous with us after seven years as title sponsor. They had publicly noted their disappointment in our lack of impact on the young blood of New Zealand cycling and with only two full-time New Zealand riders left in the team, there were always serious questions as to whether Xero would want to continue, with rumours their renewal for 2021 had more to do with PT exposure than local interest. However recent corporate reshuffling and aggressive international expansion led higher ups to see the team in a new light, and 12 months ago they renewed their title sponsorship for a two year stay, which we enter into the second year of in 2023.
About: Qhubeka is a non-for-profit, the South African programme of World Bicycle Relief, distributing bikes to help connect people to schools, clinics and jobs. Sponsor Since: 2018 Contract Until: 2024 *new contract Focus Nations: South Africa
A charity which helps use bicycles to support communities in poverty, as well as as a tool to help people of any age move forward in life. Not a sponsor by any means, quite the opposite. We ride for Qhubeka to increase awareness and taking part in fundraising, both of them increasing their funds and reach. We recently were delighted to affirm our partnership with Qhubeka will continue until 2024.
About: Visit Rwanda is a premier tourism company operating in, you guessed it, Rwanda. Sponsor Since: 2019 Contact Until: 2023 Focus Nation: Rwanda, The World (minor)
The Rwandan tourism company stepped up their involvement in the team after local hero Joseph Areruya established himself as a star in 2021 with his 27th-placed finish in the Pro Tour, including gaining huge exposure and popularity with an aggressive Giro d'Italia, where he won the white jersey. Their contract was a two-year one but early signs must be pretty good after his 2nd place finish in the PCT last season, notching a fair few victories including the Tour of Pologne, his first GC title.
The Secondary Sponsors
Spoiler
About: Octagon is the sports and entertainment marketing division of the Interpublic Group (IPG). The IPG is one of the "big four" advertising companies and so being sponsored by the South African arm of the sports arm of the IPG is a smaller deal but with big background. Sponsor Since: 2016 Contract Until: 2023 Focus Nations: South Africa, The World
Octagon help us get our name on the backs of buses, billboards, wherever, in our target countries. Good for publicity, finances and fans. They have stepped down from their title sponsor role (2016-18) but maintain a solid presence within the team as our marketers and talent representatives. We are very pleased with the work they do and proud to have them onboard for an eighth year - with Xero our only remaining sponsors from our inaugural season.
About: Castle Lager is South Africa's favourite beer and is now available in over 40 countries worldwide. Sponsor Since: 2019 Contact Until: 2023 *new contract Focus Nations: South Africa, The World (minor)
Castle Lager continues their long association with South African sport as they extend for another season with us.
About: Expedia is an American online travel shopping company - from flights to hotels and cars. Sponsor Since: 2022 Contract Until: 2023 Focus Nations: The World
Expedia joined us as a new sponsor last season and we are very pleased with our work with them as a secondary sponsor and also our travel partner! They continue for the second of the two-year contract.
The Minor Sponsors
About: Cell C are a South African mobile operator and telecommunications company. Sponsor Since: 2022 Contract Until: 2023 Focus Nations: South Africa
Cell C, much like Castle Lager, have a long-time involvement with South African sport, and after MTN and Telkom used to sponsor Project: Africa, Cell C are the third such company to be involved with South African cycling teams. They extend with us for another season.
About: Stoney Creek are New Zealand's most trusted brand in outdoor clothing. Sponsor Since: 2022 Contract Until: 2023 Focus Nations: New Zealand, Australia (minor), Great Britain (minor), United States (minor), Canada (minor)
Stoney Creek make amazing products which keep our team warm and protected off the bike, and the riders have been very happy with their first foray into cycling-specific gear and are very pleased they have a three-year deal as clothing supplier (only one more as a sponsor though).
About: Telkom Indonesia is a majority state owned telecommunications company, the largest in Indonesia. Sponsor Since: 2017 Contract Until: 2023 *new contract Focus Nations: Indonesia
Jamalidin Novardianto is an absolute fan favourite and nowhere is this more clear than in his home country of Indonesia. Not investing too much money, the state-owned telecommunications firm wanted in and are essentially sponsoring the team, just so they know we're tight and all, as long as he rides for us. So until he retires, then. They are the third of our sponsors to have been on this journey since the CT days, having signed on in our second season!
Why change perfection? It's another year in our absolutely stunning kit, by prolific and super-talented designer the_hoyle! Special thanks to Ezeefreak for updating the logos to reflect sponsor changes in 2021.
And of course, there are also three National Champion's jerseys on the team this year:
You'll for sure have an interesting transfer season, having to decide on who to let go eventually, and how to try to replace that as good as possible with lower wage riders/possible training etc. Have to say once again I love your HQ and the way you showcase the different statistics. Also amazing you've been riding in the same jersey for years now, one of my favourite jerseys in the MG peloton!
@Abhishek - Thanks a lot And same with you of course, always a pleasure. Hope we can catch up to you and both move up this year. And keep an eye out for the renewals post soon then
@Nemolito - For sure, I think we're in a better position than last year but it's going to be tough again and need to do it a lot better than we did that time. Thanks a lot for the kind words about the HQ. And indeed I love that jersey so much (and also still like the bwiggins one from 2016, a design I'm still repping in orange in ICL), the_hoyle did a great job and it's as beautiful as the day I first saw it. Glad it's a favourite for some others and become a part of the team identity.
@Croatia - Obviously I resent the Schomber hate but can agree he doesn't feel part of the team's long-term history in the same way Jams or even Bennett does given he's only been relevant the last two years (well, only 2021 really) despite joining in 2016. If the calendar works out to not have many prologues and TTTs then I'd definitely love to try work Jams back into the RD lead, though it's hard with a 22 day difference in their max RDs.
quadsas wrote:
Might be doing a bit of fighting this transfer window, get ready to feel DA PAIN
It will certainly be painful saying some goodbyes, but hopefully we have enough depth to come out of it feeling relatively good. Much like last year I don't really think it will be a "fight" to sell the riders we will be looking to sell, expect a lot of demand really.
As expected it was a tough renewals for the team. Areruya, Stannard, Pidcock, Fouche, Nikiema, and Kipkemboi had all gone through major developments earning higher wages, while George Bennett, after accepting a wage cut last year after his poor 2021, is back up to around his standard bracket. Daniel Habtemichael got a small increase for his solid 2022, while every other rider either remained at the minimum or took a pay cut, a fact we are very pleased with.
Obviously the team is once again over the salary cap heading into transfers and will have a fine to deal with - however this was a decision they knew they were making due to the quality of riders who will be available in the window and surely recouping that fine in incoming transfer fees. The team will unfortunately have to have a large amount of talented riders available in transfers - the annual transfer availability press release will be posted in this HQ at a later date.
Some tough decisions to be made there on which of your prized young riders you're going to keep and which will have to go. Whichever way you go, I'm sure plenty money will be coming your way that you'll surely find good use for And who knows if some of that money won't come from a humble team in green and white.
Ok having to let riders go is never nice, but when it'll generate the amount of cash you're about to get to train with it hurts a lot less.
Despite the increase overall, actually a nice renewals for you. It really could have been worse (you avoided insulting, which a few other managers fell foul of by the looks of things).
Xero Racing 2023 
Australia, 
Great Britain (minor), 
United States (minor)
Rwanda, 
The World (minor)
Daniel Habtemichael
Bachirou Nikiema
Darren Young
Thomas Pidcock
Stanislau Bazhkou
Jordan Schleck
Luke Rowe
Syver Waersted [Loaned In]
Arvid de Kleijn
Carl Ngamoki-Cameron
Mingrun Chen [Stagiaire]
Than Tung Huynh [Stagiaire]
Akramjon Sunnatov [Stagiaire]
Abofazl Gilanipoor
Marvain Tognama Kossouhorou
Peter Velits
Geremie Nzeke
Rei Onodera [Loaned In]
Egidijus Juodvalkis
Jonathan Salinas
Aleksandr Efimkin
Ok Cheol Kim [Stagiaire]
Hong Kong Challenge
Viana do Castelo
Strade Bianche
GP Izola
Tour de Pologne
Tour de Romandie
Hanko Classic
Pro Hallstatt Classic
Torshavn GP
Arab Tour
Betonexpressz GP
Tour d'Andorra
Tour du Maroc
Ras Taillteann
Balkans International
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
