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[PT] Aker - MOT 2015
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| roturn |
Posted on 14-01-2015 12:06
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Another change here?
I heard a German beer company might be free. 
But indeed EBH was disappointing all season and in especially in his home race, which should have suited him perfectly. |
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| ember |
Posted on 14-01-2015 21:00
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Team Leader
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I suspect that won't go down too well with our second name sponsor MOT, who's an organization working to improve the environment for youth and make it safer, but also their attitude |
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| ember |
Posted on 25-01-2015 19:59
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Contador and Other Foreign Stars Will Leave
As the team manager has been down with pneumonia the last week, and with one more week of antibiotics waiting, a lot of serious planning and off the road work have been made for 2015.
Very intense meetings have seen Aker confirmed to continue as the team's main sponsor, thus very little will change thinking of the team's existence in 2015. Aker - MOT will continue with the same name. It's a big relief.
We're both very happy and proud to see us continue with two Norwegian sponsors in 2015. It's just great, the team manager was quoted after a final meeting.
However, there will be several major changes looking at the riders in the team. Aker has been very clear they want the team to turn even more Norwegian, and so it does. The team hopes to have 25 riders contracted in 2015, and of those 22 should be Norwegians if everything goes according to the detailed plans that have been made.
It's obviously a huge, huge task, which I right now can't guarantee we'll be able to make, due to riders availability and such. But it's definitely a big challenge, and it should make for an interesting and very hectic period after we're done with this season and the Nationals, the team manager says.
Thus, several riders have been informed they're not part of the team's future plans. The riders who has been told they're free to look for another team next season are Alberto Contador, Igor Antón, Juan Van Heerden and Michael Sibilla, leaving Daryl Impey, Guillaume Levarlet and Steven Kruijswijk as the three foreigners for 2015.
Of course it will be heartbreaking for the team to say good bye to them as they're all great riders, but also great persons who have been of great value to our team. But luckily we're not quite there yet, and we have eight races where both we and them look forward to make the most of our co-operation, both to make them attractive for other teams, but also because they really want to secure as many points as possible for our team.
Giving them a clear message already about their future in the team should also help them find the best way possible to continue their careers, as they've now got several months to think about where they want to go in the future, the team manager comments.
A FINAL DANCE: Alberto Contador only has GP Liechtenstein left in the colours of Aker - MOT.
To honour the fans of the riders that won't continue in Aker - MOT in 2015, we can reveal their schedules for the final months.
Contador and Antón only have the GP Liechtenstein left. Van Heerden will continue his hunt for a stage podium in Northern Europe Tour before he finishes his season with Praha - Karlovy Vary - Praha. The same schedule counts for Sibillia, who will do his best to support Van Heerden's hunt, but we also hope he'll show some aggressive racing like he has done in previous races this year and try to attack.
Aker - MOT
Edited by ember on 25-01-2015 20:00
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 25-01-2015 20:03
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Grand Tour Champion
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Hmm... Interesting news. I'm surely in the market to take Anton back and add the aging Contador to newly forming Movistar team for next season.
Hit me up when the time comes. 
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 13:28
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 25-01-2015 20:08
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Great news Impey is available. Expect some contact for us come transfers. |
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| Roman |
Posted on 25-01-2015 20:47
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Nice to see your interest to make your team even more Norwegian, I like that way of thinking. I wonder where you are going to spend all the money you are going to get for all these riders you are about to sell though.
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| jph27 |
Posted on 25-01-2015 20:51
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Sibilla you say? I'm glad to hear that |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 25-01-2015 21:24
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FroomeDog99 wrote:
Great news Impey is available. Expect some contact for us come transfers.
I think he is the exact opposite of available. Same as Kruijswijk... 
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| ember |
Posted on 25-01-2015 21:36
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Mresuperstar wrote:
Hmm... Interesting news. I'm surely in the market to take Anton back and add the aging Contador to newly forming Movistar team for next season.
Hit me up when the time comes.
Seeing our history thinking of previous transfer seasons, we will obviously talk. If not about transfers, then about anything else 
FroomeDog99 wrote:
Great news Impey is available. Expect some contact for us come transfers.
As the release said, he basically isn't. But you never know, Aker is acting tough at the back room trying to convince us all foreign riders should leave.
Roman wrote:
Nice to see your interest to make your team even more Norwegian, I like that way of thinking. I wonder where you are going to spend all the money you are going to get for all these riders you are about to sell though.
The plan and big goal has from the first season (were we only had two Norwegians) been to develop into a team with only Norwegians. After this season looks like a good opportunity to take another big step towards that. Haven't thought much about potential money from the transfers, after all I'm targeting a couple of guys as well...
jph27 wrote:
Sibilla you say? I'm glad to hear that
Hope to hear from you in a couple of months, then!
alexkr00 wrote:
FroomeDog99 wrote:
Great news Impey is available. Expect some contact for us come transfers.
I think he is the exact opposite of available. Same as Kruijswijk...
Yeah, transfers must really go too well for me to allow myself to let those two go. Which they never do for anyone |
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 25-01-2015 21:40
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Wow big news. Assume there must be a plan involving a whole heap of money being spent on training; you have a lot of good Norwegians coming through the levels but fail to see many PT strength leaders emerging (would be whole lot different if PCT!). Will follow how this progresses with interest. Good luck with the national focus.
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 25-01-2015 21:43
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Hmm, I don't know if I like this. Will probably be helpless for the norwegians with this focus, but I am of course glad to see a strong Norwegian team. Watch out, tsmoha, I might have to go all Aussie now!
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 25-01-2015 21:44
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ember wrote:
Which they never do for anyone
You should check out my first transfer season. To be honest though, I was bidding pretty much on everyone.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 25-01-2015 22:11
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I sense an offer for Galta may be incoming in transfers Cool move to be aiming to go all in on your nation though, or as much as possible. 22 does feel like a very specific number though.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 25-01-2015 22:19
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| ember |
Posted on 25-01-2015 22:27
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Scorchio wrote:
Wow big news. Assume there must be a plan involving a whole heap of money being spent on training; you have a lot of good Norwegians coming through the levels but fail to see many PT strength leaders emerging (would be whole lot different if PCT!). Will follow how this progresses with interest. Good luck with the national focus.
Can't say there is. Guess I'll have to try to use much/all of them making interesting offers for the Norwegians I want. And yeah, you're absolutely right, it looks like a safe way to relegate, and it might very well be.
But then I will have a brilliant time seeing Dyrnes, Bystrøm, Stake Laengen and Nesset lead the team. As you say, they should have lots of opportunities there. Though, that said, we will obviously not go down without a fight, which after all was the attitude I also had for our first season in the Pro Tour, which went surprisingly well.
tastasol wrote:
Hmm, I don't know if I like this. Will probably be helpless for the norwegians with this focus, but I am of course glad to see a strong Norwegian team. Watch out, tsmoha, I might have to go all Aussie now!
The last part I like very much!
SportingNonsense wrote:
I sense an offer for Galta may be incoming in transfers Cool move to be aiming to go all in on your nation though, or as much as possible. 22 does feel like a very specific number though.
Thanks! And I suspect your senses to be correct Yeah, 22 is a pretty wild guess. It just felt like I should target more than the minimum of 20 riders in total, and 22 felt nice to make it 25 in total. Could've written 20 or 25 Norwegians as well, the main point was that we'll only have maximum three foreigners left, that's for sure. |
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 25-01-2015 22:30
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tastasol wrote:
Watch out, tsmoha, I might have to go all Aussie now!
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 26-01-2015 09:01
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Well, interesting to see Contador and Anton available.
Contador would be a nice target but Anton is probably more realistic.
I shall be in contact with you.
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 26-01-2015 17:03
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Whoops, misread that  Anyway, its good to see you are going towards a more national focus. Will be interesting to see if you can replicate your successes. |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 18-02-2015 21:36
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jph27 wrote:
Sibilla you say? I'm glad to hear that
Not just you, believe me
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| ember |
Posted on 09-03-2015 22:55
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Editor's note: Per Mandagsfjord has now been given permission to also follow Aker - MOT close, as well as the continental team Risa - Ergon
Aker - MOT finished the season in 8th place in the overall ranking after Giro di Lombardia where Edvald Boasson Hagen was close on a top 10.
8th place is better than last year's 10th, but manager ember admitted it wasn't a brilliant season for the Norwegian team when I spoke to him this week.
8th is pretty good just looking at the placing, but we must admit our best paid rider and leading star Edvald Boasson Hagen was slightly disappointing throughout 2014. He won a stage in California, but we after his amazing 2013 in the classics, we had our eyes set on the monuments and classics once again, but he couldn't really cope with the pressure there. Lesson learned, and we'll try even more next year. Also, his young Norwegian team mates are only getting better and better, and Hoelgaard, Bystrøm and Dyrnes will all be able to play vital roles for our team in the quest for glory.
But there were certainly highlights during the season for the Norwegian team. Vegard Breen's sensational podium in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad stood out, but Kristian Dyrnes and Sven Erik Bystrøm both won a stage after racing aggressive.
Impey winning another Grand Tour stage in Italy must also be considered a plus, showing his consistency as one of the better sprinters in the world after his win in la Vuelta in 2013.
The young Norwegians really made a note of themselves. Breen's podium was just insane, not even the most otimistic fan would have guessed that! Seeing both Bystrøm's and Dyrnes' win were touching as they are two guys we really have faith in for the future. l'Avenir was a highlight in the last couple of months where our riders were great, and also Hoelgaard won the Queen stage and got second in the Mountains competition.
But despite the young Norwegians great results, an uncertain future is looming for the team as my sources close to the team tell me many of the Norwegian talents currently not being contracted struggle to take that final step in their own development and thus be good enough to join a professional team in the top three divisions.
That could see Aker - MOT have no clue about what to do looking at the upcoming transfer season.
All I can say is that our sponsors are well aware of the situation and are working on a plan B if it turns impossible to turn the team (almost) completely Norwegian before next season. But I will do my best to make it happen as I really believe in the young Norwegians close to make that huge step. Except for that, I have no comment.
We must admit we don't have any confirmed information on the transfer controversy being played out in Aker-MOT's headquarter, but sources have told us this latest development could open the door for more than three foreigners being allowed to ride for the team in 2015. That is yet to be confirmed, though.
That was all from Norway, see you next time for more rumours and breaking news on Aker - MOT and Norwegian cycling.
Yours truly,
Per Mandagsfjord |
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| ember |
Posted on 10-03-2015 11:35
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Norwegian Talents - Development
We must admit we are very proud of our young Norwegian talents. Such riders was the main reason Aker decided to let us chase the dream and create a professional cycling team, and here we are today with all 13 Norwegians contracted to the team looking to extend it.
Of those 13, 11 have taken significant steps during 2014. Thus, we present their latest development:
And the best thing for us is that seven of them seem to just have started their adventure as they should be able to become even better in the future as well.
Some of them already have the potential to lead the team in big races, like Vegard Stake Laengen and Vegard Breen, with the latter also set to become even better in 2016.
They will definitely get to lead the team already in 2015, and Breen is already dreaming of following Spartacus to the Velodrome in Paris-Roubaix. Though, we must admit the odds are against it ever happening before the great Swiss retires, but you won't make it far without big dreams.
Kristian Dyrnes had a huge season, winning the mountain jersey in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya after a big breakaway on the final day, and he also came second on a stage in Deutschland Tour and won a stage in Tour de l'Avenir:
It has been a season above all expectations for me. I feel confident I'm developing well, and the environnement we've got in the team really makes it easy to progress. We're great friends, but we also push each other to the meaximum as we train a lot together. Hopefully we can play a key role for the team's and Boasson Hagen's dreams in the Ardennes and the classics, but also take the chances we get in other races as well, just like we've done this season.
Aker - MOT
ember |
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