Our stage race trio is supposed to ride in the hardest and longest races of the season. The 3 GT`s will be their main priority alongside the remaining mountain events.
Keizer obviously is the big leader on that terrain while the younger Olivier and Bennett also need to support him in couple races, both will have their own leaderships over the year.
The individual GT selections is yet to be published but one thing is for sure. Keizer likes the mountain/TT heavy races, while Olivier and Bennett both have less of a problem on shorter hills. All of them are likely to ride a GT, but leadership is still in question.
Puncheurs
Die Bie is the obvious leader on any race focussed on hilly terrain. He will be our strongest competitor in this area and has very good support in Villella, Schachmann and Thurau. All of them might be seen in couple of hilly HC events and are free to join as many breakaways as possibly.
With 850k wage, De Bie is our highest paid rider, which shows our long-term idea behind him though. If this year is still a bit too early for the biggest results, the future hopefully will see a change there.
Sprinters
Ben Swift was our big signing in the 2016 transfers. The well proven sprinter is expected to be our top scorer and the kind of rider, that was missing in our 2014 PT campagne.
Still a level behind him our young prospect Dylan Groenewegen. While not at his maximum, he already showed his potential by winning Paris Tours in 2015. Learning from the very best surely helps to develop into a future great. That said, learning must come by chat and training sessions as clashing is rumoured to be rather rare.
The main leadout is coming from 3 young riders. Sbaragli was signed couple years ago as future leadout rider and is the only maxed rider next to Swift in this area. His experience surely will help to deliver brilliant leadouts and hopefully several wins in sprint finishes. Behind him two less experienced riders. Van der Sanden was a nice catch off the FA market, who is supposed to be the 2nd rider in the sprint train and good thing is that he can even improve from this experience to step up next year. The third in our expected leadout train is loaned in rider Berger, who is actually riding for Spotify normally. His main task is to deliver the first positioning before the others do the rest.
Cobblers
One of our strong areas last season, the cobblers are no longer our main area. Basically became our weakest spot as Nooytens is our new leader in the hard classics. He proved with couple top10`s in PT and PCT that he is able to surprise and challenge better riders. But hopes are not too high on him to become a big point scorer.
The point scoring potential surely is higher for Lars Boom. Being a team leader since the debut of the team in 2012, his role became smaller but still the allrounder is a valuable part and he could have gone in many other categories actually. Focussing lots of cobbled events though in 2016 he will have shared leadership with Nooytens and in especially has an eye on the Tour of Northern Europe. With wins in E3 Prijs and Viana de Castelo in past seasons, his experience might be vital. Also his abilities on harder terrain and in time trials make him a dangerous option in many races.
Time Trialists
Similar as on cobbles, the team reduced the depth in time trials to create room for the 2016 leaders. Though aside Keizer and Boom, who musn`t be ignored in this area, former U23 World Champion Frison stepped up to replace the loss of Schädlich/Dumoulin, while Vandewalle is having the same role as last year to give away his big experience on the road to younger riders.
Such younger rider is African Hamza, who joins on loan by Eritel. He is a big part in our TTT squads though despite his age and might be happy to get a great race schedule.
Mountain Domestiques
Having 3 leaders for mountain races, we needed a good depth behind them. Therefore our very own talent development of Thomas Koep is now finding himself in a very good position as top support rider for them. Knowing that this might not be enough we looked for a similar rider and found someone in Degand, who was already of big interest in 2015 but instead joined Quickstep. Both will have value in the mountain races to bring our main riders into a good position while also having a good time trial, which is always important.
The third in this category is Ahmad Zamri, our 3rd loaned in rider from Sauber this time. Not as strong in the mountains as first two he has even more value against the clock hence giving himself good chances to ride the big events.
Domestiques
Two of our talents will be needed in many races this year. First Bovenhuis, who is an important leader for any cobbled events but also a valuable part in puncheur classics and Scheit, who is a good domestique in all uphill events.
Both are not yet fully developed but will use the 2016 Pro Tour experience for this.
And btw. Scheit just like Schachmann were with our team in 2012 already. So it`s about time for us to give them the needed race days.
Stagiares
As already said earlier, the anonymous sponsor for George Bennett was fund to get more Kiwis into the team and we found a good solution by adding Bain and McCormick from New Zealand as stagiares starting from August. Both were guaranteed to race with the team this year.
Loaned Away
Just like with Koep last year, another of our self developed riders is having a year in the Continental division to go for his own chances.
Krieger is loaned away to La Poste for 2016 challenging stages in the CT, whereas his chances in our team would have been rather limited. With Swift joining and Groenewegen also being a step further as shown in 2015, he asked for a loan deal to come back stronger in 2017, when his value is becoming a lot more important then with Groenewegen maxing out and potentially needing more leadout options.
Only 2 races in the first month of the year but it`s already time for the debuts of both our new leaders.
Badling International
Sean de Bie debuts in the Badaling International for our team while Davide Villella enters his first race since being on his highest level. We had some hopes to enter the top10 but knew it was always very hard in that race as it`s not the most suited with rather long climbs.
In the end it was the 20th and 38th for our duo. Not too bad but definitely something that needs to be improved. In especially when seeing other teams gaining big points.
Other debutants were loanies Ahmad Zamri or Hamza as also some kind of comebacker Schachmann after years spent on loan.
Tour of Qatar
Time for our new big leader: Ben Swift. The Brit also belongs to the absolute top favourites for the desert race and hence our goal is obvious. Anything less than the podium would be disappointing and at least one stage win is wanted.
Van der Sanden and Berger will also debut for our team and this is in especially important as both are part of the Swift train for most of the season. Though the most important will be Kristian Sbaragli, who just reached his full potential and now can show his leadout skills for one of the very best sprinters.
Lars Boom and Sven Nooytens are our road captains here as our classic riders.
It`s the year 2012 when Daan Olivier was on the watch list of Rothaus - Aegon, who just finished their debut season in the Management Game. Just a few weeks later the first negotiations were made and quickly the signature was under his first pro contract for the 2013 season.
Back then the team was a still quite a mix with 11 different Nations but the plan already was to improve the cycling in the Netherlands. Hence getting one of the countries top talents was huge for the young team.
The debut was just another couple weeks later in the Tour of South Africa. Still unexperienced, it was a hard race for him without really showing himself a lot. Team duties were mainly done by him and learning from the vets.
It took quite a bit until he was getting the opportunity to join breakaways. Though he became a more consistent top50 finisher already in his first season. The biggest result though might have been later this year in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. On day 3 he decided to initiate the breakaway group and while not strong enough to go for the KoM jersey, he still survived ahead of the peloton coming in 8th this day, his first top10 result ever and in the end also being rewared with the U25 jersey, his first ever as well!
Already in his debut season he got the first decent GC position. In the tough Tour of Britain, he supported his leader Bellis and still grabbed a 20th in the GC, which was just the start.
Spoiler
Top 10, Stage 3, USA Pro Cycling Challenge
Wearer of U25 jersey, USA Pro Cycling Challenge
20th, GC, Tour of Britain
2014 - Pro Tour experience
Due to the team success in 2013, the 2nd year was already in the highest division of cycling. The team more and more became the Dutch-German squad and with Keizer a Dutch veteran was signed as leader and also to improve Olivier`s skills. No surprise they still ride as duo these days.
It was the Tour of California, where he also showed himself on that level.
On the 5th stage he was once more in the successful break of the day finishing 7th, his first top10 result in the Pro Tour. And to prove, this wasn`t a one-hit-wonder, he did it again just 3 days later as 5th even!
The team management decided that he only would ride the Vuelta this season as more than 1 GT or the Tour de France would come too early. And Olivier continued to progress.
It`s the 15th stage and while this was the longest race already for him in the young career, he still was one of the strongest that day. Being in the breakaway, he attacked in there late without success though. Still his first GT stage top10! As 68th in his debut GT he was more than solid.
Similar performances delivered him good results in the Tour de Suisse and Vuelta a Colombia, but his "breakthrough" was most likely the Tour de l'Avenir, where he fought against the best young riders.
Those very best were popular riders such as Lecuisinier, Morton, Shikai, Kirsch, Galta, Lutsenko, Arndt or Meintjes. While being more an outsider for a top5 result, he impressed in the mountains and rode alongside Kirsch and Lecuisinier on the queen stage leading to a surprising 3rd in the GC!
Spoiler
7th, Stage 5, Tour of California
5th, Stage 8, Tour of California
8th, Stage 15, Vuelta a Espana
5th, Stage 6, Tour de Suisse
5th, Stage 8, Tour de Suisse
12th, Stage 8, Vuelta a Colombia
3rd, Stage 8, Tour de l'Avenir
3rd, GC, Tour de l'Avenir
2015 - Opportunities to lead
Due to the under average season only, the 2015 season was back on PCT level. Though Olivier learned a lot and with mentors Keizer and Boom still around, he would continue to progress steadily.
His team role changed quite a bit in this 3rd year. While still being a part-time support for the stronger Keizer, he was getting a free role in more and more races. With the addition of young Aru, a dangerous duo was sent to several races.
The season start already was a continuation of his 2014 season. Together with Aru he surprised some older veterans in the Vuelta a Tachira. Being with the best in the mountains, he performed for 5th in the GC and the win of the U25 jersey. His best results so far!
Though the progress didn`t stop there. After also riding into 6th in the Tour of Romandie, he was able to celebrate his first ever win as well in 2015.
It was the 3rd day of the hilly Tour od Czech Republic. Being more a climber than a puncheur, he decided to join the break and was the strongest coming to the finish solo. Another milestone in his career. That stage also delivered him the win in the KoM ranking.
He struggled to repeat the podium in Avenir and finished 4th behind Morton, Lecuisinier and Shikai.
But the best moment of his career came later this year. It`s the mountaineous World Championships U23. Against a similar field as in Avenir he is beating all the opponents after learning from his mistakes in France to take the biggest win of his career so far. 2015 U23 World Champion: Daan Olivier!
Spoiler
1st
Tour of the Czech Republic
Stage 3
1st
Tour of the Czech Republic
KoM
1st
Vuelta al Tachira
U25
1st
U23 Worlds Road Race
Worlds
2nd
Tour de Romandie
U25
3rd
Volta Catalunya
U23
3rd
Tour de Romandie
Stage 5
4th
Tour de l'Avenir
GC
5th
Vuelta al Tachira
GC
6th
Tour de Romandie
GC
20th
Tour of the Czech Republic
GC
2016 - The story continues
Also due to Olivier`s performances in 2015, the team won the division and are back in the Pro Tour for a second attempt of staying there. Keizer and Boom still with him, but he has shown more and more that he can read races himself now. Behind Keizer he is the teams co-leader for the mountain races and seeing the PT calendar this means lots of leadership of course.
Though the season started in the worst possible way.
His debut race 2016 was Paris-Nice. But on the 3rd stage already a mass crash saw him being injured heavily. He still fought through the race finishing far off as one of the last. Not the most ideal preparation for his first Giro d'Italia.
Being named the team`s leader in his Giro debut saw him at the head of a young squad. To put the pressure a bit off him, De Bie was expected to take some of this burden as well. Though an early crash saw the Belgium putting the pressure on Olivier again. Luckily Villella though stepped up taking over in style.
This way Olivier was able to concentrate on the important last week. And as shown in the 2014 Vuelta he once more showed his strength in the final days.
It`s the 17th day and so far Olivier was always up with the best but never in the needed selections, hence being around 15th and 20th, which was absolutely okay here.
Daan decided to attack early, which means a long solo on the Giro`s queen stage. In the end this delivered him almost the KoM lead but more important, he proved the strongest that day and he was rewarded with his first ever GT stage win! Plus entering the top10 in the GC. And while not getting the KoM lead on the next day, he defended the 9th until the end plus the 2nd in the U25 and KoM ranking!
One great Giro from our young talent, who is far from the end of his development. It`s just a question, what results he is capable to reach next.
Spoiler
1st
Giro d'Italia
Stage 17
9th
Giro d'Italia
GC
2nd
Giro d'Italia
U25
2nd
Giro d'Italia
KoM
Races yet to come in 2016:
As leader: Vuelta a Espana, Tour de Suisse
For Keizer: Vuelta a Colombia, GP Lichtenstein
Sean de Bie debuts in the Badaling International for our team while 
Davide Villella enters his first race since being on his highest level. We had some hopes to enter the top10 but knew it was always very hard in that race as it`s not the most suited with rather long climbs. 
Ben Swift. The Brit also belongs to the absolute top favourites for the desert race and hence our goal is obvious. Anything less than the podium would be disappointing and at least one stage win is wanted. 
would be a good start to the season!
