All domestiques, but very valuable ones.
Kocjan is rather known. He's a 26 year old uphill sprinter, with a great ability to accellerate. You might think: 'Another uphill sprinter'? Well, yeah, there are plenty of uphill sprints on the calendar. (1 year contract)
Lindeman is less known, but a big Dutch talent. 22 years old, and a great hilly rider. Also a good fighter. (2 years contract)
Markus is just 20 years old, and potentially a great sprinter. He will be the leadout for Veenhof in the NC too, as we promised to sign a good leadout for him in the NC. Here it is Johan (3 years contract)
Further he strenghtens our sprinters squad.
Stefan Van Dijk(35) signed an one year contract. He's a good cobbler with a great sprint. And it even makes Johan even more happy, since Van Dijk is one of the Netherlands best sprinters, and will be a great leadout at the NC. Vladimir Karpets(31) is a strong climber, but stronger at the TT. He might join a GT with a Team TT, since he won't be the first to be dropped at the mountains, but can win a lot of time with his TT ability at the TTT. He has Top 15th the GT's a lot of time, and won several Pro Tour races, like Suisse and Catalunya. Dirk Bellemakers(27) He has always raced in a PCT team, but was close to a step to the WT. Dirk is a great fighter, with a good ability on the hills. He isn't extraordinary, just a domestique, but he's a very valuable addition to the team.
Koen de Kort(29) A allrounder. He's a puncher I guess, but is capable of more things. He's also a good leadout in case we don't have a real sprinter with us.
He signed for 1 year. Serge Pauwels(28) A strenghting, probably the last one, for our climbers squad. He's a good climber, and will get the role Domestique. He won the KoM ranking in a WT race once.
He signed for two years Tom Leezer(26) Young, but hasn't got the status of Talent anymore. He was considered a big one in the U23 races, winning many races, and achieving a fourth place on a U23 WC. He's a sprinter with a good cobbled ability, and he's very valuable.
He signed for three years.
We now did complete all of the things the sponsor asked us;
5 Belgians and 11 Dutchies.
Yeah, Guess so...
Everyone, except Goos(from the AVG 69- draft) from the whole team is Average 71 and higher...
Edit: That's a lie... Just saw that Pauwels is AVG 70...
Edited by Jesleyh on 13-01-2013 09:54
Hello, here is a new edition of the ING Cycling Magazine. It’s the sixth already. We already got 29 riders, and want 1 or 2 more.
We will present our signings again, just no pictures of them, but you will see them enough, in the races. Of course, we have an updated team roster for you. There is going to happen something big, so it’s not going to be our final roster. Our NC jerseys are also ready.
And Of course, an interview is waiting for you again. This time with upcoming talent Marc Goos.
Part 1: A big thing
Part 2: The NC jerseys
Part 2: Our new signings
Part 3: Team Roster
Part 4: Interview
A big thing
You would say, oh, 29 riders, the team roster is almost complete. But no. There is a guy (we won’t name him) who might leave our team, even though he signed a contract already. We don’t like that he wants to do that, but the new UCI rules aren’t that bad. If he does that, we may get a replacement for him from any WT team. Of course some of the absolute leaders are not possible… It will change our team roster drastically, I guess.
NC Jerseys
Finally, great jersey designer Jakstar22 finished our jerseys. Some minor changes will be made, but this are basically the jerseys Schleck and Bole are going to wear.
Here’s our updated team roster. We think we accomplished the goal of the sponsors, we can now win every race and have at least 8 more than capable men on every kind of stage.
Interview
The interview was with Marc Goos this time. Many people don’t know much about him, but he’s a big talent. + Thijs could just stay in the Netherlands, just a small journey to Breda. Thijs Zonneveld: Hi Marc, how are you?
Marc Goos: Incredible. It feels so good training with a team of this quality. TZ:Yes, it’s two steps up. Can you keep up?
MG: Yes, although I admit I’m having a hard time. I don’t try to keep up with guys like Ruiter and Voeckler, that’s simply impossible. But keeping up with guys like De Greef, Zaballa and Pauwels is possible. Not easy, but possible. TZ: The manager said that you will only have a domestique role, for maybe your whole contract. Are you okay with that?
MG: Well, yeah. I’m definitely not ready for more yet. And the manager said to me that it’s almost certain that my contract will be extended. Starting then, I can get at least free roles. Believe me, I’m very happy to be on this team. TZ: Any races you aim for this season?
MG: I will focus on Continental races. I can’t do anything in WT races yet, not even be a good domestique I guess. TZ: Okay, good luck with that. Can you handle with the extra media attention you got, now you signed for a WT team?
MG: Well, it’s hard. From 3 interviews per year to 5 interviews per month is quite a step
I’ve got media training though. TZ: Thanks, that was all. Good luck with your season! Bye.
MG: See you later.
Next up in ING Cycling Magazine
- News about the last signing(s)
- A review of our team roster
- Tommy, our mascot, returns
- An interview
- And more.
As promised, you get a price.
A question about the team. It can be anything, as said, except things like 'Who will be your next signing' etc. I will decide whether I answer a question or not, but most of the questions will be accepted anyway.
So 2000th visitor, claim your prize here, and send your question in a PM.
Bram Tankink joins, but sadly enough, Van Avermaet leaves
Bram Tankink(33) signs for 1 year. He's a climber, especially on the hills, and can also do something on the cobbles...
Still, a very sad thing happened. Greg wasn't really happy at the team, and thus transfered to Allianz - BMW. It has been a very bad day for us.
In other news, nobody claimed the reward, so no prize...
Here's the prize of the 2000th view.
Ollfardh's question: What is your start list for the Giro going to be?
Right, we didn't do a proper planning yet, but I can tell you what we were planning to do:
We weren't planning to focus on the GC at the Giro. Though, we've noticed that this year's Giro will be for the sprinters. We expect at least one of the world-class sprinters to be here, but we trust in Veenhof(Flat) and Bole(Uphill) for the sprints, and we know that we can have some stage wins over there... There will also for sure be one of our fighters, probably even two. That means Voeckler, Roy, Dumoulin or Hoogerland. One or two of them will be there. Voeckler isn't likely, since there's an absence of real hilly stages...
So what can you expect? Team Leader: Quintana/Schleck Sprinter: Veenhof
Uphill Sprinter: Bole
Fighter: Dumoulin/Roy/Hoogerland Mountain Domestiques:
- A elite one: Gadret/De Greef
- A ordinary one: Level Pauwels
(probably)Extra Leadout: Level Markus/Van Dijk/Dumoulin
And two/three guys who are less good, useful as bottle carrier or in the sprint train.
@canc I waa thinking about stealing Gesink, but feared that you protected him...
But I think I can miss him on the cobbles, just not on the hills...
@sutty Thanks, hope you're right...
, Lindeman
and Markus
. 
and the last two Dutchies
Giro, Giro, Giro, Giro, Giro, Giro 
