Luttenberger faces questions after 6 out of 8 stages in Turkey
After today's sixth stage of the Tour of Turkey, which was won by Niemiec for Team Lampre - Merida, growing criticsm has been made public against Peter Luttenberge and his choice of team goals. The points lie less in the selected squad but more in the race itself. Frankly, NetApp - Endura does not have the riders for such profiles and mix that with the fact that the little prestigious race sees a true overload of talent, stars and interest from Sport directors, the signs for a stage win were slim.
"I think at the start of mid-season, where we selected and chose our goals, I was a bit... erm, manipulated by the number of stages. We thought it'd be easy since teams rest their riders after the Ardennes or sent them somewhere else. It's a rookie mistake, it won't happe again. We'll select our goals in the future more upon the strengths of our squads and less on the number of chances or opposition we might face. You can only lose that way. [...] I think recent performances in País Vasco and Trentino show that this is the way to be provide a healthy, successful partnership with our sponsors."
" I have in mind that a competitive NetApp Endura sprint train could make up in numbers what we maybe lack in quality for the last 200 meters [...] Unfortunately many other teams must have thought the same, or their sponsors wanted them to succeed here. It's weird to see such a race becoming suddenly a much wanted trophy. [...] There are World Tour team and we are only Pro Continental. We don't have the numbers to send competitive riders to every race. I am proud of my riders, they try their luck but it doesn't work out so far. We'll try more and more in the remaining 2 stages and hope for a victory."
What we now know after 6 stages, was a predication we knew was a possibilty from the start. Although NetApp's promising talents Dermot Walker and Heimdal Hagg had tried on several occassions to make a break for it, Team NetApp - Endura's attacking spirits were not at any point rewarded. That is to say yet. Bartosz Huzarski certainly resides on a 15th spot in the General Classification and thus showed that the quality would have still been there. Unfortunately, luck wasn't though.
When asked about his hopes for the remaining stages, Luttenberger thinks that a breakaway might be the success. "Or we should set up a sprint train ourselves. Walker, Kluge... we have the fast men for a finale. I'm surprised we do so little sprinting."
With the first sponsor goal about to fail in mid-season, hopes also lie with Leopold König and his great performances at the Giro del Trentino, that the weeks of April merit NetApp - Endura at least in some way.
So the race didn't turn into our favour in the last two stages. We leave Turkey without a stage win, although Huzarski finishes the race on rank 14th. A great result for him, unfortunately nearly no points were scored for the Rankings.
Final Classification
1
Przemyslaw Niemiec
Lampre - Merida
27h34'55
14
Bartosz Huzarski
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 2'43
40
Heimdal Hägg
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 7'28
44
Daniel Schorn
Team NetApp - Endura
+8'11
83
Blaz Jarc
Team NetApp - Endura
+11'44
87
Zakkari Dempster
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 13'00
107
Erick Rowsell
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 15'05
117
Dermot Walker
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 17'21
119
Michael Schwarzmann
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 17'27
Meanwhile, on a more serious note: NetApp - Endura has launched its campaign ahead of Amgen Tour of California.
The biggest duel of the mid-season stands before.
Who will you root for come California in May?
Leopold König, a young, amazing czech talent, clean, charming and lovely ,l someone worth cheering for, possibly your best friend...
... or that other guy?
Remember, this is our goal of Mid-season. Nothing else than the victory must be our goal. Surely, other teams look to make their goals as easy as possible and are World Tour, but we are PCT and provide ourselves with a challenge. Call it very, very stupid management, but we are here to to achieve something, and this just might be the moment for it.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Hm, looks like the Europcar manager here is cheering for Chris Horner at Tour of California instead of their own promising, talented rider Kim Po-ding (whom NetApp would totally sign!). Is that the infamous french support then, eh? Stabbing their very own riders in the back... A bit of a scandal there in my opinion.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
This is the usual start to a stage race for me, attacking as soon as the flag drops on the first stage and it was no different in Turkey. Yet again, there was just the two of us, exactly the same as Langkawi and Oman and, yet again, I ended up doing most of the work. This time, my companion was Feunard, another 18 year old from Sojasun. But unfortunately, this attempt was more Langkawi than Oman and we were caught a few kilometres from the end.
The rest of the race was a disaster for myself and the team. We all had a go but none of us, not even the escapee extraordinaire, Hägg, could get into a break. Although, Huzarski did get 14th overall, which is decent but nothing to really write home about. I finished 117th for what it's worth and did nothing after the first stage. I guess I need to work on my recovery; maybe going all in on the first day isn't the best idea in an eight-stage race!
After that, I flew to Germany for the team's first home race of the season, the Rund um den Finanzplatz in Frankfurt. It was a tough race with a few climbs in it but that's no excuse for another failure. I just can't get these one-day races right. Scott got in to the breakaway and had a good day, finishing just outside the top 20 but I got caught out by the split again and finished in a group six minutes down in 102nd. Yet I was still the second best NetApp rider. We need to work on our one day races, that's for sure!
Next up for me is another one-day race in Germany, the Rund um Köln, next week, followed by the Bayern Rundfahrt, so I'm improving my German at least! Köln has too many hills for me but I'll be looking to show myself in Bavaria, a big race for the team. The disappointing thing is that my win in Oman is still the team's only success this year. But König is doing well in Trentino and the confidence is starting to rise so the only way is up. Which is bad for my awful climbing legs...
Dermot Walker
Manager of Bunzl - Centrica
ICL's World Tour Champions and Talented Bottlers
Giro del Trentino: König 4th overall, ranks first amongst the mortals
Leopold König has fulfilled another sponsor goal for the team at the Giro del Trentino by coming in 4th overall, over 7 minutes behind winner Vincenzo Nibali. Yes, that's a lot of time. Leopold König is the first amongst the mortals, standing no chance against those demi-gods of cycling ahead of him.
Our czech star rider scored points by coming in fifth on the last stage. It was once more a tough mountaintop finish and Leopold has been active and aware, while trying to follow the moves. All three Grand Tour contenders proved their winning legs though. With Contador and Rodriguez already having won important races and Nibali set to take another time the Giro d'Italia, we are very proud and happy with Leopold's performance and it leaves us with a good impression for the soon Tour of California.
Stage 5, Results
1
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
4h20'17
2
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
3
Alberto Contador
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
s.t.
4
Warren Barguil
Team Argos - Shimano
+ 2'32
5
Leopold König
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 3'07
6
Ivan Basso
Cannondale Pro Cycling
s.t.
7
Beñat Intxausti
Movistar Team
s.t.
8
Jean-Christophe Peraud
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
9
Domenico Pozzovivo
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 4'05
10
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
Final Classification
1
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana Pro Team
17h44'56
2
Joaquím Rodríguez
Katusha Team
+ 23
3
Alberto Contador
Team Saxo - Tinkoff
+ 59
4
Leopold König
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 7'34
54
Ioannis Dimitriou
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 26'26
64
Jan Barta
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 32'20
68
Bartosz Huzarski
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 33'55
74
David De la Cruz
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 38'37
94
Jose Alberto Juárez
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 48'22
113
Iker Camaño
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 58'27
136
Alexander Wetterhall
Team NetApp - Endura
+ 1h14'03
P.S.: Great report there Dermot. We're sure your next races will suit you better again. Edited by Shonak on 11-04-2014 19:03
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
News hits us hard and good news is always worth reporting. This time is from the Tour de Romandie, where our new signing Mitchell Birt is leading our team. Although this is not a sponsor goal, it's one of the rare World Tour races in this mid-season part and thereby naturally important to us. He got assistance from the spaniards Iker Camano and David de la Cruz as well as Russell Downing, Scott Thwaites, Alexander Schillinger, Roger Kluge and Paul Voss.
Paul Voss at the Prologue
Mitchell showed a great performance on the first day, where a slighty uphill prologue was won by Richie Porte. Mitchell came in 25th, 34 seconds behind the winner.
We had good spirits after that prologue and looked forward to stage 2. A stage with early mountains but a flatter finish to Renens. Unfortunately, the speed in the finale was real high. We except that there were also those damn crosswinds involved. This caught our riders fully unaware and they were all in the pack behind, when the split occured. This way all our riders lost over a minute onto the great bunch. A bad for us and certainly a horrible experience for our young leader Mitchell. However, since this is his first race in our team, we expected from his teammates to support him in a better way. Especially the experienced riders should have prevented something like that. We wern't too happy obviously, but alas, Peter Luttenberger is a bit of bi-polar... and he was already cheering and smiling the day after.
And we had all the reasons to do so!
We saw Paul Voss in the break of the day on stage 3. He was there with three other guys, most notably probably Sandy Casar from FDJ. At some point, the group had up to 8 minutes lead and they shared a great rhythm together. Paul did his fair share of work.
However, with an increasing pace and occasional attacks from the peloton, the lead soon decreased. At about 30 kilometers, they had only a bit over 3 minutes left. What do they say, 1 minute per 10 kilometer. Well, when guys like Daniel Moreno are attacking in the peloton, than you surely have to hurry up!
As a reaction to that, Saxo and Sky turn up the heat and hunt for Moreno. "It seems like this adventure could end soon", says the commentator as the break lost easily over a minute on 10 kilometers. He's definitely right, and we feared so too.
And truthfully, the race gets chaotic. Various attacks from contenders, while Feillu and Casar drop from the break. Voss attacks Pietropolli at the perfect moment seemingly and distances him. This grants him quite some time, with over a minute lead he enters the finale and rides like a mad-man. Although there are attacks from the peloton coming, none of them manages to reach Voss. He keeps his lead surprisingly intact and just moves... no, he flies! This is his victory now and he knows it for sure.
Obviously exhausted he passes the finish line, but although looking so damn tired and finished for today, he still finds easily the strength to jump up on Luttenberger's back, who complains that he would break it. As a reation to that, all the other guys jump onto Luttenberger too! His unnerving howling can be heard from deep down of the bulk.
Hi, I am sitting here in my team hotel in Kempten, which is not far away from where I live due to my contract with Netapp. Since I updated this blog the last time a lot has happened. I took part at the Vuelta a Pais Vasco and at the Giro del Trentino. In both races to support our leader Leopold König. In Italy that really paid off, Leopold König became fourth in the overall GC and was the best of the rest behind the big 3 Nibali, Rodriguez and Contador. It was a great feeling to be behind someone that achieves a great result like this. Out of all stages I was the biggest help in the team time trial in which Netapp became ninth. In the overall I just made it into the top 100 and was 94th.
At the Vuelta a Pais Vasco it didn't go as good as in Trento, but König still got eigth what is great for a CT team against the big teams from the World Tour. The most important stage for me was the time trial, I fought hard but in the end I got only 86th I think that's not bad, but I secretly hoped for more. One day I want to get into the top 10 in a world tour timetrial!
My last race of this season part is going on at the moment. I have to leave now for todays stage to Treuchtlingen. Tomorrow is the most important stage for me this part of the season, I hope I can get a good result at the timetrial in Feuchtwangen. You will hear from me once the Bayern Rundfahrt is finished!
Edited by Bikex on 14-04-2014 15:21
Good to hear from you Juárez, and what a fine performance in Bayern from you. Quite a jump in quality, compared to the Pais Vasco TT. If you continue like that, you'll surely get your Top 10 in a World Tour Time Trial faster than you dare to dream.
Peter Luttenberger
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Bayern - Rundfahrt: NetApp unlucky and winless at home race
After five stages in Bavaria, Germany, it's certain: NetApp - Endura missed out on another sponsor goal. This time it's a hard one and even worse, it's at our home race.
The guys of NetApp - Endura thereby undertook major efforts to snatch yet another stage win but luck wasn't with them. We already knew early on that stage hunting is not our speciality, and when you have to compete against guys like Greipel, Ciolek and Kristoff in 4 almost entirely flat stages, you won't stand much chance with your breakaway attempts and half-decent leadout-trains, despite your best intentions and plans. Eventually we have to actually really ask what's the point of setting sponsor-goals here, which hasn't been close to achieving at any point of the race. The team is clearly lacking the abilities and virtuaes to impress in such a pan-cake flat nirvana. It has thus turned rather into an impossible task throughout the five days, in which Jan Barta came the closest to actually winning something in the time trial, but was still beaten by over a minute to North Korean unique talent Po-ding Kim from Euiropcar. At least Jan Barta also profited from his good Time Trial by finishing inside the Top 10 overall.
Special mentions belong to Scott Thwaites and Dermot Walker though, who have been incredible active throughout those days and together managed to be several times in the breakaway of the day. If one of them ever made it to the finish ahead of the peloton, we are certain that both Scott and Dermot would have cared for a stage win for us.
Basically, NetApp - Endura showed themselves every day and we hope our sponsor will be at least happy with that. We tried, the crowds saw us and cheered for us. NetApp - Endura is slowly building up its brand recnognition and people start to see it as "their" german team, in tradition of T-Mobile and Gerolsteiner. Therefor Bayern-Rundfahrt can be described as a success, despite the lack of results.
Amgen Tour of California opens up
with debut victory by Mitchell Birt!
News hit us hard right now. Merely seconds after our report about the Bayern-Rundlfahrt, we are already at the Amgen Tour of California. It's good news though this time!
So, although Bayern-Rundfahrt left us with disappointment, the team had its work cut out for themselves. The Amgen Tour of California was knocking on our door and the team was eager to impress here for good. After all, we want nothing less than the overall victory.
We are ready to deliver you with the hottest news around our team and the Amgen Tour of California daily. So, be sure to keep up to the date. Here's a little promo video:
As you may know by now thanks to our excessive propaganda in the last days, Leopold König was chosen as the guy for it, however we sent a strong, versatile squad with Mitchell Birt, Jan Barta, Paul Voss and Bartosz Huzarski.
And the team was hot already to impress. NetApp's great campaign has clearly left our guys motivated for great task and Mitchell Birt, the young australian, already showed that on the first stage when he attacked later on in the race. He obviously had some fantastic legs (but we are sure he'll tell you about that himself), and crossed over to the initial break of the day. With have seen such riding from the Australian already at the Tour de Romandie, where he bravely went into the break of the day and fought, and it's clear that he wanted to be rewarded this time for his efforts.
From there on out, it was a show of strength by him. First, he dropped all his companions on the road to the finish, and then he even kept the peloton far from his back. Although commentators stated that the peloton didn't chase so much, König later assured us that the pace was actually really high and Birt was just incredibly amazing, demonstrating his time trial skills here. I
n fact, he was so strong that he kept the peloton at minute when he crossed the line, but due to the peloton sprinting powers (Sagan, Sagan and... erm, Sagan), they would have nearly caught him at the line. Thankfully, they didn't, and he had enough time to celebrate his victory.
NetApp - Endura congratulates him very much and this is just a fantastic start for the team. We are sure to make good use of the double leadership,which provies us now with additional tactical possibilites.
NetApp - Endura wants to prove that this was just the beginning.
This may surprise you but I have been very busy in the past week. I am currently racing in the Tour de Romandie and the Amgen Tour of California.
Romandie
Well I did pretty well in the starting prologue finishing just outside the top 20. In another stage Paul Voss took a victory the team so congrats to him. Then on the most recent stage I tried to join the BOTD and finished 15th which is a pretty decent result.
Amgen Tour of California
On the first stage I was not given any hope of victory but I proved all those Americans and Koreans wrong.
I broke away with some useless rider quite a way from the finish but I dropped him and he was caught by the peloton. After not very long I caught up with the breakaway.
I was forced to leave them at the summit of the last climb of the day because the peloton was catching up with us fast.
So I went flying down the other side of the mountain and would have to hold off the Peloton alone.
With 20kms to go I was still ahead.
5kms to go, ahead by 1'13 but I was getting tired.
With 3kms to go I was still holding on knowing the peloton was moving very fast behind me.
1km to go. I was still holding on but I could not celebrate just yet.
And I held on, Just, but I won. What a great feeling it was and now I am in the leaders jersey. Let's see what i can do...
My season part is over, Bayern Rundfahrt finished yesterday and I took the first flight from Munich over to L.A. where I am watching the Amgen Tour of California with my team mates. Our manager Luttenberger made us to as he didn't "want us to miss an epic sensation". The Tour of California is the most important race for our team so far this season and we can't miss it.
First let's get to the Bayern Rundfahrt, I felt very nervous at the day of the time trial as I really wanted to show myself after I have been rather invisible in the races I took part, but as soon as I was on the road I felt great, my legs surprised with their strength. I flew into the finish and I looked at my time, I was provisional 6th, my hard work on my timetrial bike seemed finally to pay off. In the end I would be 24th, which is my best season result so far. In the General GC I would only get 69th after failing to stay with the field on stage one. I didn't care about that one though, the timetrial is everything that counts.
After the last stage I hadn't time to rest as our flight would leave the next day and I still had to get a lot of my stuff, as I wouldn't be back to Germany for at least a month. I wanted to go visit my friends in family in Mexico, which isn't far away from California, so it was easy to combine those trips.
After a long flight, Peter Luttenberger himself picked us up from the airport. It was very late, so we already missed the first stage. Luttenberger seemed rather drunk so we were surprised that he found the way to the airport without any incidents. After all the red spot on the wind shield could also be Ketchup. Jan Barta offered to drive the car, Luttenberger accepted as he needed all his in his condition remaining mental abiliies to tell us what the reason for his happyness was. After an hour of car ride to the team hotel we slowly understood that Mitchell Bird won the first first stage, indeed a reason to celebrate. I watched the replay on steephill.tv and went to bed afterwards, today begins the rest of the Tour of California and it gets serious for Leopold König.
A really interesting week of cycling lays ahead here, who do you want to win, a young, likeable rider, riding for the most epic team of epic, whom you can't deny a win?
Exactly that's how it's done. Great posts from both of you there!
Luttenberger seemed rather drunk so we were surprised that he found the way to the airport without any incidents. After all the red spot on the wind shield could also be Ketchup.
Peter Luttenberger denies all claimed or presumed allegations
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Bikex wrote:
A really interesting week of cycling lays ahead here, who do you want to win, a young, likeable rider, riding for the most epic team of epic, whom you can't deny a win?
I'm for the young, likeable rider, riding for the most epic team of epic
