sgdanny wrote:
So Netia, OTP, Severstal and Fablok gonna get so many same targets in both races and riders Well I can only say best of luck and I don't hope we'll cross each other much in the transfer season, as all should get some enjoyment out of the game xD

As I know that your quite good at this from EPIC, I just have the worthy opponent I need

Russian main sponsor Severstal's CEO Alexey Mordashov did not hesitate to speak about his high ambitions: "We spend lots of money on this project. Does it sound wrong that we demand to be successfull therefore? Yes, appearing in a pro cycling peloton offers good marketing already, but we want to be up there in the leaderbords." A question from the audience, if result-wise failure would lead to a possible step back by his company, remained unanswered. Still, Mordashov pointed out that he "prima facie trust[s] the manager. Thus we do not demand to see any specific names on the team's roster." However, it should be "clear that it would make us happy to see Russian names high up the CT leaderboards."

Mercator's president Toni Balaži� took a different approach. He held a longer speech about his dream of "developing cycling in Slovenia and our further focus regions, so that we not only increase our brand appearance, but also help young people to do the sport they love - for a living." The sponsorship was entitled as a "long-term strategy, of course." Being asked for any names of riders, Balaži� said that "it is always hard to name specific riders you want on a team. But I've always been a big fan of Grega Bole. And he certainly looks for a new team - so why shouldn't he be racing under Mercator's colours?"

Other sponsoring companies only had minor time to talk to the audience, so Baltika Breweries used it mainly for remembering everybody that they sponsored all the drinks in the room. In terms of cycling they said that "a Russian team core would highly satisfy us". Later on the evening, a drunk guy wearing a Baltika shirt yelled "give us f*cking Trofimov, we want that damn Trofimov, for god's sake." Baltika already sent an official apology for that inconvenience.

Both Stels and Bosco officials were rather modest. Genuinely, they thanked the team for using their own bikes and clothes, promising to "try the very best in order to assure a premium quality of our products."

Last but not least, a member of the Podravka management board spoke about the company's world-wide serving area, which "gives us the privilege to happily welcome every rider on the team - regardless of what his home country is." As many people started to show a slight aversion, he made a fast addition: "Of course we would like to see one or two Croatian riders on the team though." When a reporter asked, whether a "Colombian or Australian rider would fit" into Podravka's marketing concept, he chose not to answer.

sgdanny wrote:
Sorry but Bole is also on my list I'm sorry but my team is very serious, when it comes to getting riders from our two main regions Good read though, sure is something different than the communist of Champion System ;D