Compal - Merida

#FroomeDog - Quite a few second-tier leaders with a lot of depth is a diifferent strategy to most and makes Compal's position hard to predict. I'm going to put my neck on the line and say that they'll just drop below the red line. It’ll be close, though. Prediction: 27th

#Smowz - You just want to scream to be more selective but Bjartne seems hell bent on gathering as many cyclists as he can. I think they will avoid the bottom rung for once - but only just! Prediction: 26th

#Firefly - Compal will be a trendy pick to relegate, but if they can get their great depth in riders to take home lots of KoM jerseys and score a bunch of points, it won’t matter that they do not have a top tier leader. Prediction: 20th-30th

#jph - No big scorers, and very average leaders so not likely to do well. Plenty of depth but not strong and have Choi. Prediction: 29th

#tsmoha - Yes, way too many rather useless riders, who will most probably see way too less racedays to be worth paid 50k for this season.. the lack of a top-scorer is concerning: I see only Zeits as someone to add nice points in a less contested startlist.. bunch of mediocre sprinters, who ain't going to shine too often. Several 70+ riders here and there, but I don't see Compal climbing the ranks too high. Prediction: Bottom

Maybe put up more riders for sale next year and focus on some more scorers. Choi is the best addition (though overpaid), but he's someone you could build a nice Asian team around.

FCB - Polska

#FroomeDog - I wouldn't expect huge fireworks here, but it should be just enough to not relegate back to the continental tour I think if their best riders can pull some results out of the bag at the right moments. Prediction: 25th

#Smowz - They are pretty limited I will admit but I just see Nazaret and Betancourt nabbing some really good results and the climbers filling in a bit more gaps then people think they will. Prediction: 15th

#Firefly - The quality from the top leaders is there, but beyond the 102 racedays that Nazaret and Betancourt have, there doesn’t appear to be much secondary scoring unless Lejman or Nieve overachieve. Prediction: Tricky one

#jph - Strong leaders in Nazaret and Betancur, but not a lot in support. Lejman should be an interesting wildcard. Prediction: 18th

#tsmoha - Quite interesting mix of predictions this time, but I'm more with FroomeDog here. Two decent leaders in Nazaret and Betancourt, but except of maybe Lejman there's no more option, imo.. No sprints, no TTs, no cobbles, tough hills.. Nazaret has to do very very well to make FCB climb onto Top-15.. Prediction: 21st-25th

..is what you need to climb the ranks that high as Smowzy predicts! Anyway, coming off a difficult CT-season, this is definitely a nice step so far.

Gazelle

#FroomeDog - These riders give Gazelle a great classics pedigree and the capabilities to build on that by also performing elsewhere, meaning that another good season shouldn't be too far away for the boys in yellow and blue. Prediction: 14th

#Smowz - The final one of the five is a team I am picking to surprise despite what appears to be a limited squad in Gazelle. I see the sea of green in the hills column and I think of Lotto/Red Bull 2012.. Prediction: 5th

#Firefly - This team could be a promotion threat, but I think the manager may be more interested in developing his prospects than hunting for a promotion spot. Prediction: Top-half

#jph - Huge hills depth but bar Monfort, Steegmans and Nuyens no obvious top 5 riders. Could overachieve massively though. Prediction: 12th

#tsmoha - Hard to predict and you must admit, there's some nice depth in hills (again). But the Gazelle lacks some special leader (except of Monfort) and I just don't see them entering the Top-10.. Still a nice team, that will easily avoid any troubles. When Furdi is back, we may see Gazelle aiming for more than just mid-table. Prediction: Mid-table

Depth, depth, depth... but I see some problems with PCM12/13's AI and sitting up pelotons..

Heineken - Cal Giant

#FroomeDog - Undoubtedly a strong squad, I see no reason why Heineken can't be promoting come the end of the year due to the abundance of talent they have. If they can distribute their leaders well I think they can beat off competition from other contenders/ Prediction: 4th

#Smowz - This teams manager knows how to manage his resources well - no-one gave his team a hope of promoting two years ago and they did so comfortably, there were written off as complete no-hopers last year in the protour and yet they nearly dodged relegation. Prediction: 4th

#Firefly - Eastman and Brajkovic are somewhat neutralized by the quality of the other stage racers in the PCT and their relative lack of racedays, but should score enough points to propel Heineken back to the Pro Tour. Prediction: Promotion

#jph - Two top stage racers and a top sprinter in Holloway should fire them straight back to PT. Prediction: 4th

#tsmoha - It's definitely one of the best looking squads, so I don't see Heineken struggling to promote. Some nice depth in mountains, so the team will be on top of almost every mountainous stage race (with Bacardi).. good TTs as well and Holloway as a nice bonus, who should be amongst the very best sprinters thanks to his climbing skills.. Lovely core of US boys behind the big guns. Prediction: Top-5

You did? Well, it's your choice..

Jaguar - Eritel

#FroomeDog - So plenty of capable riders there, more than enough to finish comfortably away from the newer teams and potentially quite high up. Even a top ten could be in sight if things go their way, but I think just below that is where they'll end up. Prediction: 12th

#Smowz - Dowsett should have a fun year fully let loose as the hilly leader alongside stage racer Bibby and exciting Eritrean climber Berhane - a great bargain free agent buy. Things will depend on who turns up at what race but SN's teams always seem to come out of it well. Prediction: 6th

#Firefly - Jaguar do one thing and they do it well. They put out a competitive team on a yearly basis, just shy of the top promotion places, and they develop riders well. Prediction: Top-half

#jph - Berhane, Bibby, Dowsett and Bennett can all score well but none are the best of their disciplines. Watch out for Lagab. Prediction: 13th

#tsmoha - Just another squad packed with riders, but you can expect SN to know what he does.. The team is strong enough to maybe hit the Top-10 with some luck, thanks to good depth and two nice leaders in Dowsett and Bibby.. Bennett is likely to struggle though. Morton was a huge addition, but needs another year to make Jaguar happy. Higher mid-table for me. Prediction: Mid-table

Morton ain't the only star in the making, but he's the most outstanding talent on the team.. I would also give up on Froomebot.. at anytime and again and again..

cio93 wrote:
A bit harsh on Bakari, isn't it?

valverde321 wrote:
I think Bakari could actually end up being a steal. With the new PCM game secondary stats really aren't as important only because RES doesn't actually work and recovery only really affects longer stage races, while STA for long stages. Not saying he will do great, but really could do alright.

valverde321 wrote:
I think Bakari could actually end up being a steal. With the new PCM game secondary stats really aren't as important only because RES doesn't actually work and recovery only really affects longer stage races, while STA for long stages. Not saying he will do great, but really could do alright.

Miguel98 wrote:


If Bakkari wins a cobbled race... Will the world come to an end?

Miguel98 wrote:


If Bakkari wins a cobbled race... Will the world come to an end?

Kappa - ENI

#FroomeDog - Overall, I think it should be enough to stay away from the relegation dogfight and keep Kappa in a decent position. If Pozzovivo can't do well with his small amount of racedays though, it could be a totally different story. Prediction: 21st

#Smowz - This Italian side has got stuck in the nationality bubble I fear and as a result has lost out to some of their other promoting CT rivals and could slip dangerously close to the dreaded relagation battle. Prediction: 23rd

#Firefly - Kappa possess good depth, for their leaders, but lack many surefire point scorers and don’t have a real sprint threat outside of a great sprint by Cucinotta. Prediction: No relegation

#jph - Pozzovivo and Gatto should do enough, but if either fail they're in real trouble. Marzano must add points as well. Prediction: 23rd

#tsmoha - It's rather easy to say what's going on for Kappa this year: if Pozzo delivers, the team should avoid relegation. If anything happens to him in a race or two, they will go down.. Paying almost a million for one rider leads to lack of depth in scoring material. Gatto may land a few nice results, but ain't top-class. Same goes for Marzano. A tough season ahead. Prediction: 21st-25th

Million Dollar Baby... well, almost... if there's the "dark side" of Pozzo somewhere, Kappa's exit may be the CT.

Karcher - Adira Racing

#FroomeDog - A good squad with plenty of variety to do well wherever they go, but no top bracket riders that will really propel them upwards apart. Still, they should still finish well away from the drop zone and could potentially end higher with some clever planning. Prediction: 19th

#Smowz - Gerdemann and McEvoy should be decent value if spread around, I have this feeling this team will find the right races this year to sneak into this category from lower down which I was tempted to stick them. Prediction: 18th

#Firefly - A very good team that maybe just slightly lacks the top leader to push them over the top, Karcher is a nice mix of youth and experience. Prediction: Safe zone

#jph - Leaders are good, but again like Kazzinc not great. Will rely hugely on aging Gerdemann and Karpets to support McEvoy. Prediction: 21st

#tsmoha - First of all, even though all three key signings (McEvoy, Gerde, Karpets) are overpaid, I think the team has done well to transfer from 15th in CT to PCT this year.. No outstanding scorer, but some depth to spread points. And I do expect some things from Davis, maybe even more than from Kupfer.. Karpets will face tough times, so will Gerdemann, but both can add valuable points. Prediction: Low mid-table

Three potential leaders.. who better show efficiency.

Kazzinc Procycling

#FroomeDog - The massive depth in rider is there, it's just that they lack the big point scorer in front of it to really challenge at the top, and I think that could be the difference. A bottom half finish could be the limit this year once more. Prediction: 20th

#Smowz - The Nepomnyachsniy twins dominate the team formerly known as Cisco who have undergone radical change from 2013 and 2014. This Italian/Kazach based squad have a decent all round depth and could do better than I am predicting. Prediction: 16th

#Firefly - I like the depth, and I like the prospects, I’m just not sure about the brothers Nepomnyachsniy being the leaders necessary to create a promotion push. Prediction: Mid-table

#jph - No top draw leaders, but unlike Compal those they have are good enough for safety and have solid base for the future. Prediction: 22nd

#tsmoha - One of those teams, which are hard to predict.. I like the depth in the squad, which may pay off eventually. But I also don't see any outstanding scorer (and was quite surprised to see Efimkin leaving), even though both Nepom's should do very well. Mezgec a bit overpaid, imo, but not as mad as other (less stronger) sprinters went. The overall success will entirely depend on how the depth will pay off. Which ain't garantueed. Prediction: 21st-25th

The Nepomnyachsniy-twins will be a nice addition for the Kazakh squad and they need to deliver to make the team finishing better than last year.

La Vie Claire

#FroomeDog - With three strong leaders I think La Vie can reach the top ten. Another team without that massive rider, which could cost them a potential promotion challenge I think. Prediction: 10th

#Smowz - Reus is a very decent TT/stage racer with the likes of Haussler and Maillet decent grabs from the free agency also. I think the manager can plan a good season, so this team should stick out of the pack a bit. Prediction: 12th

#Firefly - A nice team with nice regional focus, but only two real leaders in Reus and Gauthier prevents them from being more than midtable. Prediction: Mid-table

#jph - Reus and Gautier should do well, Haussler is a dangerous hilly sprinter and decent depth. Prediction: 6th

#tsmoha - Luckily for both the team and the PCT, Coppel will ride for SBR this year.. adding Gautier, Haussler (though overpaid) and Reus instead is a much better choice, imo. Those three could do something special for the squad, even though I don't think they'll rock the PCT like jph expects them to do.. But it will be another step forward! Prediction: Top-10

Just because it looks beautiful and sweet..

Magna - Ryanair

#FroomeDog - An overpriced Cataldo and Rohregger should be an intimidating pairing in mountainous stage races, but could come up short against bigger and better opposition sometimes. Prediction: 22nd

#Smowz - Magna may be the quiet achievers of 2014, on twittersphere Count is calling for surprise promotion and this is not totally out of the question. This is a nice deep team with plenty of solid riders, some will bemoan lack of leaders but leaders have a tendency to lack the race days and go for ridiculous wages. Prediction: 13th

#Firefly - I like our team, it features as many Austrians as I could (though 3 of them are out on loan…) we could finish quite high in the division or quite low, it depends on some of the risks I took in the race planning season. Prediction: Mid-table

#jph - Plenty of depth, but no big winners - Vastaranta a poor man's Bellis and Ilias pretty weak. Could overachieve though.Prediction: 24th

#tsmoha - Count's calling for promotion.. but I had my problems finding a place for Magna.. yes, there's a huge depth whenever the road ascends, but there's also no big gun. The two overpaid additions may be the key for a less succesfull season than it could have been.. I'll go for second half, which could also end up somewhere around Top-15 though. Prediction: 21st-25th

I'm lost when trying to predict Magna's season.. the team ain't lost at all.

valverde321 wrote:
I think Bakari could actually end up being a steal. With the new PCM game secondary stats really aren't as important only because RES doesn't actually work and recovery only really affects longer stage races, while STA for long stages. Not saying he will do great, but really could do alright.

Meiji - Cannondale

#FroomeDog - Inevitably, with so many top leaders Meiji should be a real handful and should finish very high up. I'm not sure they quite have the fire power to oust one of the relegated pro tour teams and promote, but they could with a bit of luck. Prediction: 5th

#Smowz - Another well knowmn Continental scorer is Alex Efimkin who has some excellent hilly support in Zaini, Hatanaka and Salerno. I do think with the right luck Meiji's upward trajectory will continue. Prediction: 8th

#Firefly - A perfect storm that should lead to promotion for the team from the Rising Sun. Prediction: Promotion

#jph - Good all round, sprinters and Zaini could underachieve massively though. Efimkin and Ji should be solid, could easily promote. Prediction: 7th

#tsmoha - Meiji is going for a two-headed monster in sprints, plus adding a nice "steal" in Efimkin. This will certainly pay off, as Napo, Efimkin and also Cicero and Ji will add nice points. The two latter may not be as productive as the first, but the general depth in the team will pay off. Prediction: Top-10

Not sure if it's "your" smile or just valv's, but there will be definitely some smileys to be seen whenever Meiji delivers.

Metinvest - Emirates

#FroomeDog - Plenty of point scoring riders here as well, which should surely put them in and around the promotion places. I just think that there are a couple of stronger teams that will maybe edge them in the end. Prediction: 6th

#Smowz - Avin is a highly active member of the ManGame community, these guys do tend to get it right tightly observing the racing and reading all the tidbits and advice from other managers. Prediction: 9th

#Firefly - Metinvest clearly aren’t just going to bide their time before Zmorka and Grosu are ready and have quite a good team, I just don’t think its enough unless Hoffman pulls another cat out of the hat this year. Prediction: First half

#jph - Ignatiev should do well but will face tough competition. Popovych, Rabon and Hoffman all good but not amazing. Could promote. Prediction: 8th

#tsmoha - Yes, Hoffman won't repeat his 2013 points haul. Yes, Popovych ain't great. Yes, the lack of cobbles and maybe even sprints may hurt.. but I somehow see the key riders delivering this year. Expect some steady scoring plus some "easy" points in TTs, this will help against teams, who depend on sprinters, e.g... Prediction: Top-5

"The Machine" Ignatiev won't be Metinvest's only reliable point-sorce this year. Promotion is possible!

Oz Cycling Project

#FroomeDog - There are more, which shows Oz's capabilities as an all-round team. The riders are there for a possible promotion push, but they may just fall short. Prediction: 7th

#Smowz - It should be fascinating to see which former bottom rung team Meiji or Oz Cycling comes out top the winner may just squeeze into a promotion place which would be quite a journey. Prediction: 10th

#Firefly - None yet Prediction: 11th

#jph - Bobridge, Koren and Goss should do very well and TT depth is incredible. Visconti and Jiao could contribute nuggety results. Prediction: 5th

#tsmoha - Won't talk too much about my team. The pessimist I am (plus some chats with SN about my race planning ;-) ) never would me allow to predict something special.. anyway, happy with the core of leaders, so Top-10 is possible, when Koren won't sit up in the dropped bunch to lose minutes on hills. Prediction: Top-10

Bobridge is a long awaited key rider for Oz, who may just need a training season to lift Oz up to PT.

PrivatBank - Nemiroff

#FroomeDog - The depth in secondary leaders should take them over the line and keep them in the division just about I think. Without that clear big point-scorer though it could be close. Prediction: 24th

#Smowz - When a team talks a fair bit about how good their C2 team is you realise their ambitions for where it really counts in PCT is a bit low. Prediction: 25th

#Firefly - None yet Prediction: 25th

#jph - Should monopolise stage race sprints and Konovalovas is a dangerous rider. Hilly sprinters could also score well. Prediction: 16th

#tsmoha - Imo, two overpriced additions (Greipel, Konovalovas), that may hurt eventually. Both should do well here and then, but I don't see Konova scoring more than a decent Top-10 wherever he appears. May he prove me wrong.. Several sprinters have to add points in stage races to help the team staying up. Efimkin to overperform and it may work. Prediction: 21st-25th

A picture of all Privatbank's sprinters during a preseason fun event.. Cav ain't exactly riding for the team, but the rest is ;-)

Project: Africa

#FroomeDog - Losing Krasnoperov and Van Heerden in transfers were real blows as now they have to rely on the likes of Hategka and Augustyn to save them from relegation with big points. It could be too tough a task. Prediction: 28th

#Smowz - But therein lies the problem it seems that Project:Africa really are hell bent on being a fully African squad. This fell away however with Maksimov rushed in to match up alongside A number of other sprinters and low level climbers. Prediction: 29th

#Firefly - None yet Prediction: 27th

#jph - Augustyn and Hategeka are pretty good, but loss of Krasnoperov tips the balance. Sprinters are useless. Prediction: 27th

#tsmoha - The lack of definitely high scoring leaders is concerning and there's also no overwhelming depth.. Maksimov did struggle in CT (sometimes) and will struggle in this PCT for sure. Unless Augustyn and him (plus maybe Hategeka) fire up, this will end in CT. Prediction: Bottom

This Russian Rocket may show the direction the team is heading for.. may the Maksimova prove us wrong..

fjhoekie wrote:
And yes, I know I have too many sprinters, stop pointing that out!