McCormick and Ulriksen Sports are pleased to announce the return of Baltimore-based McCormick & Company as the primary sponsor of McCormick Pro Cycling. McCormick Pro Cycling is a long-term project to build a significant American cycling team.
Team manager Ulrich Ulriksen welcomed the news, "We are thrilled to continue with McCormick as sole major sponsor. Both the team and the sponsors are pleased with our first PCT season and our results were consistent with our growth plan". He continued, "Given initial positive feedback from their South American operations our sponsors have indicated a desire to bring more star power from key Latin American counties into our squad. That will be a primary offseason goal."
The team also announced rider renewals. While most riders will return, the team agreed with Ian Boswell that he should seek opportunities elsewhere in the free agent window. Also not renewing were Canadian veterans Patrick Naud and Guillaume Boivin as well as stagiares Jean Claude Nzafashwanayo and Michael Garrison. Ulriksen said of Boswell, "Ian was a key member of our promotion squad and we appreciate all his work for the team.", he also thanked Naud and Boivin, noting that "We brought on Patrick and Guillaume with the intent of filling specific roles for the 2023 season and they did all that we asked of them."
McCormick looks forward to the rest of the offseason and a successful 2025 season.
Edited by Ulrich Ulriksen on 04-09-2024 02:16
Affini - was a late pick up in transfers and doesn't really fit the team approach. Figure there is a market for a solid 28-yo TTer.
Kuss - Don't think PCT is the right level for him, proven CT leader so maybe there will be some interest there.
Could be on the market:
Bagioli - Signed him with the intent to sell him. But despite his poor nationality match have become fond of him. Also need to replace him as a leader if I sell. But if the right offer comes in he could definitley go.
Walscheid - Pretty similar situation to Bagioli except I have been trying to sell him for years without success. Since I see him more as a secondary leader less worried about nationality focus
Rest of the team:
Not actively selling but will never say never.
Edited by Ulrich Ulriksen on 14-08-2024 03:55
Definitely a (short) era coming to an end, with Boswell (expectedly) released... Bagioli and Narvaez have taken over - a young generation of pretty different, more well-rounded puncheurs. If I didn't have Schmid, I'd definitely be interested in Bagioli, but I guess I'll leave him for someone else... Affini, however, who knows ^^
For Walscheid, maybe there could be some interest this year (not by myself, having 3 sprinters already ^^), as sprinter stat deflation really seems to be kicking in. If I'm not wrong, there are "only" 20 78+ sprinters in Free Agency this year, compared to 34 the year before, and we'll again have quite a lot of new teams. Maybe we're finally getting to an era where renewing a sprinter could be as "cheap" (they're still too expensive for my liking) as getting him from FA?
Speaking of your renewals, McNulty was pretty greedy it seems. He must be anticipating some training - of course, he had a nice season, but an 85k raise is quite a lot tbh. (Still way cheaper than Schmid, though, which I personally find ridiculous for a 80/77 Mo/TT rider, compared to a 76/79 Mo/Hi puncheur...)
Bagioli took a wage cut despite maxing, obviously the "FA effect" kicking in. Again, if I compare to Schmid who's 110k higher, you did a good job negotiating I guess.
Narvaez and Walscheid with some raises after pretty successful seasons, sounds fair. Daniel, up to you to decide whether that raise is justified or if you'd rather let him go
Good luck for transfers & the upcoming season - wouldn't be surprised to see you enter the promotion fight this year!
Looks like a pretty successful renewal period overall although will be strange not to see Boswell in your lineup going forward. Bagioli was a smart little investment - one season with that large wage on your cap and you should now easily be able to bankroll a decent chunk of training money/another leader type quite easily I would think.
I'd echo others in praising Bagioli as an investment. If memory serves, he already performed rather well despite being unmaxed last season. The perfect advertisement for his sale this time round. McNulty obviously still the centrepiece, although he'll suffer slightly from the lack of U25 points. The availability list suggests that there might be some training in his future however...
@Fab - Was pretty pleased with McNulty renewal, think he is still well within the range for similar riders. Probably Narvaez and Walscheid I lost my nerve and gave maybe 10k extra to get it done. But agree that the market for sprinters is thinning so wanted to retain Walscheid and Narvaez is our lone South American.
@Eden - yup with the core roster set and pretty young have a fair amount of cap and money to spend.
@lief - Yes, Bagiolio was pretty successful unmaxed and is still U25 eligible. So figure either I get good money for him or I have a nice point scorer.
pretty cool seeing you had a couple of the old RBC riders Matte, Naud and Boivon and previously Luke Keough. I imagine we will be butting heads a lot in the transfer market and look forward to it
I can clearly understand why you became fond of Bagioli, really a nice rider. On the other hand, if you sell him, that might help towards becoming even more fond of McNulty
Kuss going will feel like the end of an era for sure, but think you are right to let him spread his wings in the CT once more
Such a solid base you've built, really a fan. Even if RES' properties have been transferred to STA (ruining years of me and jph's work ), it still makes me happy to see a team all green in RES! Some cap space to work with already and sounds like a bit more to come, with some finishing pieces on top (or even more depth) this could be a very very strong team to look out for in the PCT
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
Kuss going will feel like the end of an era for sure, but think you are right to let him spread his wings in the CT once more
Such a solid base you've built, really a fan. Even if RES' properties have been transferred to STA (ruining years of me and jph's work ), it still makes me happy to see a team all green in RES!
Definitely count myself in the RES cult although a mere acolyte compared to the high priests like yourself and JPH. I keep hearing the STA thing but I haven't seen the testing to prove it.
@Abhi - Lots of room to play with, I am used to having one main goal for transfers, a little worried I may be paralyzed with indecision.
McCormick Pro Cycling are pleased to announce their first signings of 2024. Chilean stage racer Nicolas Alejandro Cabrera joins from EA Vesuvio with Edoardo Affini moving in the other direction while Johannes Staune-Mittet signs as a neo-pro.
Said manager Ulrich Ulriksen, "We have been tracking Nicolas for a while and were glad to be able to get him this year as we look to expand our presence in South America. Conversely, we hadn't really heard of Johannes until 5 minutes before our bid, but he seemed like a strong talent on a good price. We look forward to trying to sell him sometime in the future."
McCormick Pro Cycling have reached a tentative deal to send team talisman Brandon McNulty to King Power for Ivan Sosa plus cash. The deal is expected to be finalized in the next 24 hours.
Said team manager, Ulrich Ulriksen, "We feel like Brandon's future, as the natural successor to Taylor Phinney, was in grand tours, and that his growth was best accomplished with a pro tour team. With our increased commitment to the South American, and particularly Colombian market, a deal with King Power made sense, as we view Sosa as one of the few Colombian riders in McNulty's class. We are thrilled to have a standard bearer for our Colombian focus on the team. We look forward to working with Ivan. We are also exited to see the continued development of Quinn Simmons, as he works towards becoming a leading rider, and welcome Adam Yates to the team as a veteran presence while our younger leaders develop.
We expect to release a complete introduction to the 2024 squad once the transfer window closes.
