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[CT] Kenya Airways - Barclays
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 01-01-2014 13:29
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
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Latest Racing
 Challenges Phosphatiers - 1.2
Next up for the team in September was the Challenges Phosphatiers - a tough classic held in Morocco. We sent local hero Chaoufi as leader along with a strong squad, in the hope of getting a good result and increasing our promotion chances.
The race got off to a good start, with Ghafari managing to get into the early break, which gave the sponsors some camera time.
However, our chances then took a big turn for the worse. Our leader Chaoufi, one of the pre-race favourites, was dropped! The whole team dropped back to help but he just wasn't strong enough, our chances of a result seemed over.
In the end though Ghafari rode a great race, remaining in one of the front groups and keeping his chances of a top ten alive right to the end. He couldn't beat eventual winner Niyonshuti though, who took a great victory for fellow Affrican squad MTN.
Ghafari hung on to take a great eighth, salvaging at leasta decent result here for us. However, we thought we could have done much better, if Chaoufi had been on form.
The Moroccan wasn't though and finished 50th, over 29 minutes behind Niyonshuti. Definitely a performance to forget for him.
Result
| 1 | Adrien Niyonshuti | MTN - World Bicycle Relief | 6h40'25 | | 2 | Pieter Weening | Team Gazelle | s.t. | | 3 | Juan Sebastian Tamayo Martinez | PFG-Armavia | + 35 | | 4 | Tyron Giogieri | Die Berg Komt Er | + 58 | | 5 | Marconi Durán | Allianz-BMW Cycling Team | + 3'28 | | 6 | Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez | Iberia - Communidad Valenciana | s.t. | | 7 | Idan Shapira | PFG-Armavia | s.t. | | 8 | Vahid Ghafari | Kenya Airways - Barclays | s.t. | | 9 | Dennis Van Niekerk | MTN - World Bicycle Relief | + 4'24 | | 10 | Chun Kai Feng | PFG-Armavia | + 10'25 |
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 01-01-2014 20:16
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Classics Specialist
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Chaofi was quite disappointing. Like I mentioned before, I think his low mountain stat dragged him down. At least Ghafari really saved the day for you - promotion is still looking good 
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 02-01-2014 12:38
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Grand Tour Specialist
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aidanvn13 wrote:
Chaofi was quite disappointing. Like I mentioned before, I think his low mountain stat dragged him down. At least Ghafari really saved the day for you - promotion is still looking good
He'll have to do better at the Cauberg Classic as that's a goal, but hopefully the mountain stat won't affect him as much. Ghafari did do well above expectations, him and Khalilikhosroshani have been great for us this season and I'll be sad to see them go back to Armavia.
As far as promotion is concerned I'm not sure, our terrible Tour of Britain could have helped us slide down the rankings a bit. The next couple of races could be crucial for us, with strong teams sent to Alsace and Cauberg. |
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 02-01-2014 14:05
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
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2014 Sponsor Changes Publicised
With 2014 approaching fast, the team management at Kenya Airways has finally finalised it's backing for 2014, in whichever division the team ends up. With the team showing interest in moving towards a more African focus overall, plenty of sponsors from this area wanted to get behind the team and get their brand shown through sport.
It had already been rumoured that Barclays were moving away from the team, and those rumours proved to be true, with the banking company unhappy at the lack of British riders secured in the transfer window. This left room for more sponsors to move in. Below are the companies that will sponsor the team in 2014!
 Kenya Airways - Main Sponsor Kenya Airways have decided to stay on as our main sponsor, and have even decided to increase their contribution to the team with Barclays leaving to become our sole title sponsor, such has been the benefit they have gained from the team this year. With extra focus on Africa next year, they were very willing to keep sponsoring and we look forward 2014, where the team will be called Team Kenya Airways!
 EcoBank, Telkom Kenya - Secondary Sponsors Joining the team as new sponsors offering financial support are two companies from Africa that will be secondary sponsors and will appear on the team's jersey. Both were interested in coming into cycling to broaden their companies and support the team, so we welcome EcoBank and Telkom Kenya to the team.
 Vermarc,  Specialized,  PVM Nutrition - Team Providers Finally, we also welcome three new sponsors that will provide the team with Kit, Equipment and Snacks over the 2014 season. Vermarc replace Adidas as Kit makers, while Specialized replace Pinarello as bike makers, and PVM Nutrition join to help keep our rider fuelled. They will no doubt provide us with great products and we are very happy to have signed deals with them.
Designing our kit for 2014 was done by well-known designer aidanvn13. As you can see, he has done a fantastic job in creating our kit for next season, and we thank him for his greak work in creating a jersey which will hopefully be worn during a successful year. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 18:17
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 10-02-2014 19:27
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
Joined: 07-10-2012
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End of Season Roundup
The team came into the final five races of the season with still quite alot to do to launch the team into the top ten Continental teams a poor month or two has seen us struggling to keep our spot. We also had some important races, with the Cauberg classic being a goal race and the Tour do Faso potentially being crucial in securing an Africa Tour top five.
We began with the Tour Alsace, a mountainous stage race in the French Alps which also has time-trials, so it fit the GC specialists. Martinez lead us, being a strong climber. We hoped for a top five overall which would bring a decent points haul.
Martinez rode a good race, eventually taking 4th overall after a good time-trial on stage 5 and a 2nd place on stage 6 atop the Ballon d'Alsace, which was the highlight of our race (above). A good race overall. Rohregger took the race, propelling Magna into a promotion position.
Next up for us was our goal race, the Cauberg Classic. A top five was the goal, with Chaoufi leading the team. After a poor season so far, he was hoping to put in a great performance on the Dutch hills around the hill that is a big feature of the PT Amstel Gold Race.
Despite us setting the pace over the day though and Chaoufi making the decisive move towards the finish, he couldn't find the energy to sprint well and had to settle for a disappointing 9th, so we miss yet another goal. Ilias won, carrying on Magna's fantastic form!
A race steeped in history, Paris-Tours promised to be an interesting race. Not for us though, with us bringing a weak squad for this classic. The less said the better, with our best finisher being Brammeier in 68th! Comfortably our worst race of the season. Kozontchuk surprised for PCT leaders Tinkoff with a race win.
Two races finished our season, with the Tour do Faso and Tour of Utah deciding whether we will finish in the top ten or not.
First to finish was Faso, where we would take any points we could get with the PCT startlist providing tough opposition. They left little scraps, but we didn't go by anonymously with a few top tens. The highlight was a 4th place on the TTT on stage 6, which helped Schinker to a lowly but decent 19th overall. 13 points wasn't a great turnover, though.
Utah meanwhile was a total disaster. Things started well on stage 1 with Rijntjes (above) and Martinez both setting good times to put Martinez into GC contention. However on stage 3 he crashed, and although there was no coverage we saw him lose over 3 minutes! The GC hopes were over and so was our race.
We await the final rankings, but with racing over it is almost certain that we will end up in 11th, just one spot off out top ten standings goal! The amazing start inevitably couldn't be continued this season and we dropped off towards the end. Hopefully in 2014, in whichever division we end up in, we can be more consistent.
 Tour Alsace | 4th |  Yasmani Martinez |  Cauberg Classic | 9th | Tarik Chaoufi | | Paris-Tours | 68th |  Matthew Brammeier |  Tour do Faso | 19th |  Nico Schinker | | Tour of Utah | 22nd | Yasmani Martinez |
Edited by FroomeDog99 on 10-02-2014 20:07
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 10-02-2014 20:47
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Team Leader
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I wasn't aware of your new kit. It's a great design. Will be looking forward to spot in on the road next season.
I felt terrible for your team when Martinez lost the chance for a good GC in Utah. Shit happens but this was just a horrible timing for your top10 aspirations 
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-02-2014 20:50
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
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HTC reloaded 
(mind you I loved that one, and yours looks really nice as well!)
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 10-02-2014 22:01
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
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Thanks guys, it's a great effort from Aidan indeed. Should look nice in 2014 in the bunch. Happy to bring back the HTC design as well, always liked that kit
As for Utah, it wasn't ideal, but 1 off still brings a nice reward I think so about 2/5 goals achieve overall, which I'll take. Hopefully promotion is still on the cards with all the disbanding teams and SN saying it stretches down to 12th-17th, but we'll have to see. |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-02-2014 22:05
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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FroomeDog99 wrote:
Hopefully promotion is still on the cards with all the disbanding teams and SN saying it stretches down to 12th-17th, but we'll have to see.
I'd be ecstatic if it went all the way to 17th!
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 11-02-2014 06:19
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World Champion
Posts: 14236
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17? I doubt that, we dont have so many inactive PCT managers.
Really nice work from Aidan, the jersey will look great and that is what your cool team deserves.
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| Heine |
Posted on 11-02-2014 06:34
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4116
Joined: 08-04-2007
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We got some inactive PCT manager, that we might have 2 extra promoting, then we got inactive CT managers and 5 already promoting, without looking at any lists its not impossible to promote with a 15/16/17 place, though not likely.
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 12-02-2014 20:31
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
Joined: 07-10-2012
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After we released our jersey design for next year, soon following is the equipment! Keeping with the design, the frames go very nicely with the jersey I think, so a big thanks to designer fintas who's designed the Specialized bikes we'll ride on next year. I'm sure they'll look great in the peloton!
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 13-02-2014 20:38
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
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Transfer Targets Revealed: Impey and Samwel
With our season at a close bar the national championships, transfer speculation is already sweeping over the peloton. The upcoming off-season promises to be a good one, and with our team in the promotion hunt we feel it's time to state our intentions with two of our biggest targets which we'd love to have onboard next year!
Firstly, probably our biggest target is South African Daryl Impey. Firstly, he's South African so he fits our African focus for next year, and also he is a very fast finisher in a sprint, a terrain we'd like to improve in next season. He also has a great capacity for hills for a sprinter, and can hang on for the tougher finishes so we feel he would be a great fit for us next year!
Although it may be hard to attract a rider of this calibre from Norwegian team Aker-Mot, we believe that our talent Fredrik Strand Galta could provide a makeweight for Impey, if team manager ember was interested. We'll have to see if a move can happen.
Impey sprinting to victory at La Vuelta
Another of our targets is Kenyan climber Mwangi Samwel! We feel this would be a less likely move with the riders availability unknown, but being the strongest Kenyan rider around we think he's tailor-made for our squad, especially if we can move into a Pro-Continental status for next year.
After being a super-domestique for a few years at Pro Tour team Vesuvio-Acculamux, and time ticking on, Mwangi is reported to want a shot at leading a team before his career ends, and where better than here, at a team based in his home country? We'd be overjoyed if a deal could be completed, even if it's probably a long shot.
Samwel attacking in the African Championships last year
As the season comes to the close over the next couple of weeks expect more action in the HQ as the season comes to a close and the off-season nears, one of the most exciting times of the year. |
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 16-02-2014 17:32
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As expected, our October performances weren't good enough to secure us a top ten in the rankings, and we had to settle for eleventh in the end! An average performance really, which really should have been more considering our start to the season.
We will wait to see if it will be enough to promote us into the Pro Continental tour for the 2014 season.
| 1 | 1 |  | Team Gazelle | 3005 | | 2 | 2 |  | Iberia - Comunidad Valenciana | 2435 | | 3 | 3 |  | Kappa - ENI | 1913 | | 4 | 4 |  | Die Berg Komt Er | 1788 | | 5 | 5 |  | Magna-Ryanair | 1686 | | 6 | 6 |  | Allianz-BMW | 1616 | | 7 | 7 |  | Banco Nacional de Costa Rica | 1501 | | 8 | 8 |  | Ekspla-Cision | 1397 | | 9 | 9 |  | Team PrivatBank | 1362 | | 10 | 10 |  | Mobil - Castrol Cycling | 1339 | | 11 | 11 |  | Kenya Airways - Barclays | 1301 | | 12 | 12 |  | Vattenfall Cycling | 1153 | | 13 | 13 |  | MTN - World Bicycle Relief | 1126 | | 14 | 14 |  | Futbol Club Barcelona - Estrella Damm | 1109 | | 15 | 15 |  | Adira Isq-Project | 1083 | | 16 | 16 |  | Risa - Ergon | 1038 | | 17 | 17 |  | Boeing-Vivacom | 1009 | | 18 | 18 |  | Team Cadbury-Schweppes | 942 | | 19 | 19 |  | Sauber Petronas | 790 | | 20 | 20 |  | Team Credexbank | 664 | | 21 | 21 |  | Japanese - Korean Cycling Project | 626 | | 22 | 22 |  | ANC Halfords | 542 |
Coming up: a few highlights of our season, our division for next year (once it's announced) and more transfer rumours!
Edited by FroomeDog99 on 16-02-2014 17:33
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 17-02-2014 13:49
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
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A Look Back: 2013 Highlights
Camano taking our first ever victory, Stage 5 Vuelta a Tachira. He took the leaders jersey and eventually took 11th overall.
Schinker taking our first race victory, the Trofeo Luis Puig, also in January.
Martinez celebrating atop the Materhorn, Stage 4 Tour of the Middle East. This helped him to 2nd overall.
Ndbri sprinting to 12th in our home race, the HC Kenya Mountain Classic.
At La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Kangangi took stage 3 from a break...
Before Khalilikhosroshani won stage 5, propelling him into 3rd overall. Not bad, considering it's a C1 race!
Martinez riding to victory on stage 5 of the Giro del Capo. That secured our only achieved goal of 2013, with him finishing 5th overall. |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 17-02-2014 15:57
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Classics Specialist
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Loving the jersey, and the Kenyan flag on the wheel of the TT bike is certainly a nice feature too.
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 17-02-2014 16:01
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4573
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Dippofix wrote:
Loving the jersey, and the Kenyan flag on the wheel of the TT bike is certainly a nice feature too.
Thanks! Fintas and Aidan certainly did great jobs on the equipment and jersey, hopefully they look good in the peloton next year |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-02-2014 18:32
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Team Manager
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Samwel: An unrealistic target?
Mwangi Samwel, in the Kenyan National jersey, in the middle of the Giro di Lombardia peloton
Riding this season in the Kenyan colours, it is no surprise that Vesuvio rider Mwangi Samwel has been feeling particularly nationalistic - and a Kenyan squad now promoted to PCT will potentially appeal to him. It his the level where he won the Vuelta Chihuahua International, and a stage of the Tour de Slovenie, back in 2011.
But whether he is able to leave Vesuvio-Accumalux is another matter altogether. He is a key part of the support team for Andy Schleck, riding to 21st in the Tour de France this year while helping Andy, as well as an occasional leader himself - 11th at the Vuelta a Colombia. But Alex Kirsch is still one season away from approaching that level of support - so Vesuvio could only allow Samwel to leave if they already have a replacement line up.
As always with the transfer season though, never say never.
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 17-02-2014 19:03
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Classics Specialist
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Dammit SN!  You're making life really hard for us! I hope you compensated by adding a lot of over-powered African FAs 
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 21-02-2014 11:06
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Grand Tour Specialist
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With our promotion being confirmed, I thought it was time we did one of these.
Staying at all costs
| Zakayo Ndbri | | Daniel Njoroge | | Suleiman Kangangi | | Hillary Kiprotich |  Riadh Ghdamsi | | Tarik Chaoufi |
Renewed, could go for the right price
| Yasmani Martinez |  Fredrik Strand Galta | | Nico Schinker | | Matthew Brammeier |
Probably renewed, will leave
| Daan Rijntjes |  Henrique Madeira Casimiro |
Going to the free agency
 Iker Camano | | Alejandro Marque |  Yusuf Abrekov |
Edited by FroomeDog99 on 21-02-2014 15:55
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
