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[EPIC] Team NetApp - Endura
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| Shonak |
Posted on 26-09-2014 10:24
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Tour de France Champion
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Quick Note ahead of major Race coverage
Currently racing is all over the place. With the Vuelta 2013 having started, NetApp Endura look for a Top 10 result with the likes of Leopold König & Mitchell Birt. However the competition is tough to say the least and our TTT skills have put König in quite a disadvantage. He's already over a minute behind. With a Top 10 finish on the second stage, a mountaintopfinish, König but has shown that this race has just begun and the only way for him from here on out is Up!
Meanwhile in Pologne, Jan Barta tries to make the impossible UCI goal of Top 10 happen. It's unlikely we will succeed but we knew this from the start. That's why our guys like Heimdal Hägg and Ioannis Dimitriou have already shown themselves early on in the race, have tried heavily to make an impact on the race in form of breakaways. Keep up the great work guys!
Additionally, Jan Barta and some others are featured in the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which hopefully have some good news to share with you in the future. Jan Barta has already achieved a 4th place in the opening Time Trial. Solid work champ!
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| The Rider |
Posted on 30-09-2014 09:40
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Grand Tour Specialist
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The team are looking good after getting that goal in Austria and you know Barta is something special when he can ride in Poland and the USA at the same time.  |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 30-09-2014 11:18
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Tour de France Champion
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The Rider wrote:
The team are looking good after getting that goal in Austria and you know Barta is something special when he can ride in Poland and the USA at the same time.
We have thought about cloning Barta but we figured that creating a paradox machine would be easier 
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 30-09-2014 14:26
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World Champion
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Shonak wrote:
We have thought about cloning Barta but we figured that creating a paradox machine would be easier
so far the De Rijke experiement is running smoothly   |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 30-09-2014 21:02
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
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Vuelta News:König crashes on stage 7
After riding a superb first week, Leopold König was caught up in a big crash which saw the peloton split in half. Due to the racing of Argos and Euskaltel, the combined force of NetApp Endura did not manage to come back to the peloton. As a result, Leopold König has lost over 4 minutes on that stage and is now far away from the aspired Top 10 goal. Roughly 8 minutes is by far too much time. Still a worthy shout-out from König went to his teammates who he praised for their great sacrifice and team performance after this terrible crash.
Strangely enough, spanish tv cameras have not shown any pictures of the crash but we are told by Peter Luttenberger that it was the worst crash ever in history of cycling. Leopold König is the KING for standing up again, covered in blood, and to continue the race.
We are yet unsure of Leopold König's injuries, but we hope that he can continue the race and properly heal his wounds in the coming days. As for now, NetApp Endura's interest shifts rapidly to damaging their losses and cut ties: A stage win should be now our primary goal, at least to get something out of this Grand Tour after all. This is a huge setback for the team as it is and to Leopold König's personal ambition especially. Still, you have come to know us as a team full of fighters and we wouldn't call ourselves proudly Luttenberger's boys if we'd just give up now. Expect great things to come in the coming weeks!
We hope all riders who were involved in the crash properly recover from the mass crash and hopefully they can all finish the race. We are sorry for König's crash and we are even more sorry that we can't blame it on to Talansky this time around, grrr.
Edited by Shonak on 30-09-2014 21:04
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 30-09-2014 21:26
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World Champion
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Strangely enough, spanish tv cameras have not shown any pictures of the crash
 kids watch the Vuelta, can't have them freaked out by looking at a blooded czech (honestly, got the message of Konig crashing, switched to Konig was back on the bike )
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 30-09-2014 21:50
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
PCM$: 500.00
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I hope Konig is okay and I know that myself and the rest of the team will get him through this Vuelta. Chading stage wins is a good goal for the team and now my personal goal has been adjusted to two stage wins so hopefully I have the freedom to go for that goal.
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| brewers90 |
Posted on 30-09-2014 21:59
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Classics Specialist
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Such a shame. I'll be hoping for a Konig stage win (unless he's up against one of my boys).
Dermot would have got him back single-handedly of course.
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| knockout |
Posted on 30-09-2014 22:15
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Grand Tour Champion
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As a pro cyclist that just signed with NetApp for the next season it hurts to see König's goal of a top ten is already dead.
Good teams should have a back-up plan but until now such a plan is missing. The team has to go the next step next season and they already acted on the transfer market to make that step. They don't need a "King of standing up" (Seriously, who thought of that horrible play of words? Perhaps, I should take over "PR & Marketing" next season, too.) but a "King on the road".
I feel ready to fill that gap and I look forward to the next season. Until then I hope that König and the other lads can get at least a stage win now as that is the minimum outcome one could at least be a tiny bit satisfied with.
Best wishes,
Thomas Schwabe
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 30-09-2014 22:18
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
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Birt was a partial back up plan but he went back to help as well and has lost time already but a breakaway for Konig could get him back up there in the GC.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 07:22
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| Shonak |
Posted on 30-09-2014 22:23
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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@LLS: Unfortunately, Birt's chances for a good GC ranking didn't really exist anymore when he was caught in the echelon stage the other day. We needed every man back there to limit loss obviously, still sorry for Birt. However, on the same stage Birt has already tried to get in the breakaway, so he will surely show himself even more now in the stages. 
@brewers: Surely he would have but, Dermot is needed in Britain. He can use both legs and hands to get us that stage win.
@knockout: I know, bad wordplays. I should sell König just so I am not tempted anymore to make those wordplays. But then again, they are so obvious... I can not resist them.  Looking forward to Thomas' joining next year.
Edited by Shonak on 30-09-2014 22:24
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Shonak |
Posted on 02-10-2014 08:28
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
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Vuelta: König and Birt show they are still here for pure racing
The team hasn't really realized that our GC chances may have been gone for good, that a year long preparation came to a bitter end. We had our minds down yesterday, but it was König who said he was in this Vuelta for racing and that's what he has shown that day after his terrible crashes.
Still with bandages around his body, he headed into the final climb of Stage 8, the Alto Peñas Blancas. König felt surprisingly well, despite the after-effects of the crash. He could follow the attacks by the top GC men and whilst other riders got dropped, he decided to ride on the front, push the pace and go for it.
Surely, that's been a bit of a surprising strategy but König wanted to see how much he can do and how to get time back. He ended up leading Valverde, Froome and Purito (possible the podium) up the climb, just to get outsprinted by them.
Nonetheless, König has shown today what a rider he is. A man who takes charge, whilst others look at each other and are afraid of a brief appearance upfront.
König came in 4th and jumped up the GC several places. Of course that's what was expected, since he lost a ton of time yesterday. But in the manner he did, that's gives us confidence for the future.
Also a big shout-out to Mitchell Birt who tried to get into the existing breakaway with major efforts but couldn't close the gap. We are sure that his next try will turn out luckier.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 03-10-2014 05:06
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
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Mitchell Birt: Dream Come True
First of all I must say that Mr Luttenberger does not lie, he said my next try would be luckier and well...
I attacked along with a rider of the Cannondale Team before the start of the final climb and we worked well together.
We joined the other breakaway riders and had a good lead going into the start of the climb and in the steepest section (20%!!) I dropped the other 5 and powered my way towards the finishing line.
And I didn't have the energy to celebrate as I went over the line in First 1st Position!!!
And for the second time in my professional career I step onto the podium and for the first time the one in la Vuelta, and it will not be my last.
I hope to bring in more good results for the team in this Vuelta and I shall also do my best to get Konig up into the Top 10 of the GC. This Vuelta is not over for Team Net-App! #KeeptheFaith
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| Shonak |
Posted on 03-10-2014 09:26
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
PCM$: 350.00
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Vuelta: Amazing day for NetApp Endura
First of, congratulations to Mitchell Birt. A stunning ride came to a perfect finish on stage 9. Indeed, we told him that his next try would be luckier, but to have such a great, impressive stage win is all the more astounding. NetApp Endura's first win in a Grand Tour, guys!
Mitchell has already told you about his superb ride, in which he distanced the likes of Moreno Moser and Alexander Geniez. Peter Luttenberger knew when he signed Birt that the young Aussie belonged on World Tour level and he has shown that today in a great manner. Birt's future team Orica GreenEdge is surely happy too by the prospect of the latest signing.
Our sponsor meanwhile has been utmost pleased by the win and the very positive coverage. Even BMC manager said that he hopes for König to get even higher. NetApp Endura gets some amazing support here in Spain. Such great headlines are always nice to be read. Since NetApp is a company in the computer industry they even said that Birt will get some cool new PC once the race is over as a reward, you know the kind of PC that costs as much as a small car and makes you feel like you live in the future until a couple of viruses slow them to the speed of mum's old machine.
For König, the 9th stage has also been great. Though he could not stay in the favourite group initially, he bridged the gap with a late attack and thus got the same time as many of the other contenders. In that way, he also put in some heavy time for his fiercest rivals. As of now, he is roughly 2 minutes down on the Top 10. Well done, a couple of days ago, this was much more. But König has said that he is riding with a lot of anger and rage and we told he should it effectively. He really does that now.
So far, the first week of Vuelta hasn't been all great with a bad TTT, a crash and some other time loss, but the second week is a pure joy to watch. Birt with this stage win is probably our highlight of the season so far. Keep it up NetApp guys!
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 03-10-2014 09:41
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
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Certainly a good start to the second week of actual racing (disregarding the TTT). I am very glad that this is one of the main highlights of the team's season, hopefully Konig will outdo me. That crash of Konig was in a way almost not completely negative because it fuelled our aggression which has showed with my attacks and Konig's gutsy performances, most recently on Stage 9. He is still in the running for a solid Top 10 so I hope I can help him towards that.
Go Team Net-App Endura!
Mitchell
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| TheHoeke |
Posted on 03-10-2014 12:42
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Free Agent
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Gratz on the stage win, hope to see Konig back in the Top 10 and he might be able to take another win later =)
EPIC - Dylan Koemans and Hélder MartÃnez |
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 03-10-2014 23:06
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
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An Amazing Day for Team Net-App Endura! 
It was a rather Mountainous Stage 10 which greeted the team on this fine day.
Being the rider that I am I joined the late attackers again this time with Txurruka (CJR), Pardilla (MTN) and Fedrigo (FDJ).
The breakaway was going to provide us with the stage winner so with about 4kms to go I attacked away from my companions (Voigt, Santaromita, Brambilla) because I wanted to do this solo.
And I Won again  This time 44 seconds ahead of Voigt and 1'06 ahead of Froome who was the best of the GC riders.
Another great day for our leader Konig who finished 7th, he now moves into 11th in the GC which is amazing considering his position only days ago.
And here is me on the podium for the second time in two days! Who would have thought that a 23 year old Tasmanian could have won two stages in a row in the Vuelta. I am thoroughly enjoying Spain right now. That performance jumps me up to 27th in the GC, 6th in the Points, 6th in the KOM and 6th in the U25.
So another great stage for Team Net-App. My second stage win in a row brings in Net-App's second stage win in a Grand Tour and Konig hops up to 11th in the GC so a Top 10 should be quite achievable. This Vuelta has gone from bad to great in the space of 4 stages Maybe I'm not so unlucky after all
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| Shonak |
Posted on 04-10-2014 02:26
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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Most epic youngster of them all. Complete package.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 04-10-2014 08:19
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World Champion
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Reminds me a bit of Barguil
But yes, great stuff for NetApp. If I remember it, you were pretty close to some other teams on the rankings, so Birt probably gave your budget for next year a big boost
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 04-10-2014 08:33
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
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Ollfardh wrote:
Reminds me a bit of Barguil
But yes, great stuff for NetApp. If I remember it, you were pretty close to some other teams on the rankings, so Birt probably gave your budget for next year a big boost
My test, Androni first or Birt first? Hmmm
One day later in his career Birt will have to make a return to Net-App thanking them for this opportunity to get known and let everyone in EPIC know he exists.
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