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[EPIC] Team Europcar
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 08-01-2015 20:52
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World Champion
Posts: 11971
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Like the entirety of France, we are deeply saddened by the events at the Charlie Hebdo. we wish those that are affected by the tragedy all the strength they need to get through this
#jesuischarlie
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 21-11-2024 21:34
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-01-2015 19:41
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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 Le Faucon
Quick piece this. Various riders have been discussing their goals and race schedules here on team camp. Everyone knows my big targets are the Dauphine and TDF and those look like good possiblities for me. Well the TDF is a guaranteed rider. Beyond that i hvn't given much thought to other races and listening to other riders go me thinking. Apparently the Giro squad is lacking a definitive leader so i thinking perhaps i could give it a go?
It's a race heavily decided by the big mountains which would suit me perfectly. I'm not the best guy for a long three week race i'll admit but i'm far from the worst and recovery is a big focus for me and my training this coming season. Given i won't be much use in a race without mountains i'd like to officialy say to the management that i want to rider the Giro before i tackle the Tour. That was all, back to the gym for some weights training.
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 11-01-2015 21:46
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World Champion
Posts: 11971
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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@Le Faucon
we are going to consider sending you to the Giro when we are making the schedules. however if we decide to send you to the Giro, you will lack the support you'll get in the Tour. it's likely we'll send our Italians to the Giro so Malacarne is all the support available.
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 15-01-2015 18:59
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World Champion
Posts: 11971
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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we have finished our first draft of the WT calender and we like to share them with our riders if you have any suggestions for changes or continental tour races.
Hinault  Giro d'Italia
Criterium du Dauphine
Le Tour de France
 Clasica San Sebastian
Giro di Lombardia
 Khamse Khamphan  E3-Harelbeke
Gent Wevelgem
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Paris-Roubaix
Le Tour de France
Eneco Tour
 Vattenfall Cyclissic
GP de Plouay
Schroder  Tour Down Under
Milan San Remo
 Amstel Gold Race
La Fleche Wallonne
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
 Tour de Pologne
Clasica San Sebastian
 GP de Quebec
GP de Montreal
Giro di Lombardia
 Tour of Beijing
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| knockout |
Posted on 15-01-2015 19:06
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7735
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 400.00
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I think this calender looks very promising. A lot of high profile classics out there where I can imagine some big results. I am surprised about Beijing however. With one mountain stage and the rest sprint stages I do not see any stage that could fit me. Is that intended? I mean, of course I can act as a domestique there but I don't think that is such a fantastic idea...
I'd prefer to replace it with a more hilly race like Catalunya or Paris-Nice but that's up to you.
Christian
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 15-01-2015 19:20
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
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Khamse Khamphan I have to say I do like that schedule, as it includes every single cobbled WT stage around. I assume I'm leading everything bar Le Tour, and co-leading Plouay & Vattenfall? Or am I a domestique to Bryan in those? I also think races like Milano - San Remo or San Sebastian could suit me, but of course that depends on the CT races I'm riding. I hope we're racing most/all cobbled ct races?
That's all,
Greetings from sunny Laos,
Lue Khamse Khamphan
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 15-01-2015 19:26
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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Le Faucon
Wow that schedule is prestigious! Great to see my two big preferences of Le Tour and Dauphine confirmed. San Sebastian is an interesting choice but the climbs are hard and i should be carrying good fitness following Le Tour. Lombardia as well has tough climbs. I know i won't be leader in those two but i am happy to help or distract with an attack.
The Giro is a great race as well. Plenty of mountains to get my teeth stuck into as preperations for Le Tour. That said i won't be holding back and i hope and i can show the management some real skills and rewards in May. Very happy with the look of that WT schedule. 52 of my allowed 62 days.
At a PCT level i'd like to go back to the Criterium International as leader and defend my victory from last year. Apart from that i don't particularly mind because my big targets will be set and anything esle will be form building/support. Very happy sir!
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 23-01-2015 12:22
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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Le Faucon
Looks like we're into the final pre-season preparations. All the pelotons rosters seem finalised by the UCI. Calendars are locked in, season plans are confirmed and goals are being announced. It's hugely exciting to track our rivals at this stage and try and make predictions. Let alone the anticipation of actually racing.
I don't know exactly when my season will start or what Pro Continenal races i'll ride. But i don't really care. I've put in the hours this off-season and i am as ready as i'll ever be. I was mentioning rivals earlier but i don't know who to pick out as a personal rival. Of the EPIC riders i seem to be the only one attempting two GT's and none seem quite as specialized as me still.
From a team perspective i guess we'll see soon enough what teams will be ranking rivals. Unfortunately the French team rivalry is muted by being the only one at WT level this season. Still i'll be comparing us to FDJ, Ag2r and Cofidis through the season when we face off. I guess i'll be comparing myself to riders like Bardet and Pinot mostly....
God i just want to get out and racing again! Climbing just isn't the same if your not pushing the red zone and going crank to crank with someone while some fans go nuts at the roadside.
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 24-01-2015 13:53
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World Champion
Posts: 11971
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Goals
Easy: Top 10 Milan San Remo
Medium: Podium Criterium International
Hard: Top 5 Paris - Nice GC |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 27-01-2015 19:19
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World Champion
Posts: 14562
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 9100.00
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SSJ2Luigi wrote:
Goals
Easy: Top 10 Milan San Remo
Medium: Podium Criterium International
Hard: Top 5 Paris - Nice GC
Countered goals:
Easy goal: Top 10 Kuurne
Medium goal: Stage Win Catalunya
Hard goal: Podium E3
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 29-01-2015 20:52
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World Champion
Posts: 11971
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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@Christian
you are right about Beijing, we were informed that Beijing had a multitude of summit finishes but it turns out it has only one. we have scrapped Beijing from your roster and we would like to replace it with Catalunya especially as we have been given an goal there. we weren't preparing to send a leader there (along with Pais Vasco and Suisse) but what do you think about racing in one of those races?
@Lue
I are mostly correct in your assumptions regarding your leadership. in Plouay you'll be assisting Bryan and in Vattenfall both Andrea and Bryan will be present, so a domestique role will be for you. we'll try to get you all the cobbled Continental Tour races but we are in the hands of the UCI for that.
we are pretty much covered for Milan San Remo and San Sebastian with Guardini/Schroder and Hinault/Schroder/Voeckler respectively so if you think you could serve a domestique role in either of those we'll sign you up for those as well.
@Thomas
we like that you like the schedule
@Public
we've recenetly revealed our schedules for a few of our important riders. now we think it's time to reveal the rest of the important riders with some edits (scrapping races/CT races)
Schroder Tour Down Under
Milan San Remo
Amstel Gold Race
La Fleche Wallonne
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Tour de Pologne
Clasica San Sebastian
GP de Quebec
GP de Montreal
Giro di Lombardia
Khamse Khamphan E3-Harelbeke
Gent Wevelgem
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Paris-Roubaix
Le Tour de France
Eneco Tour
Vattenfall Cyclissic
GP de Plouay
Rolland Paris - Nice
 Tour de Romandie
Vuelta a España
Tour of Beijing
Voeckler Tirreno - Adriatico
E3 Prijs Harelbeke
Gent - Wevelgem
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Paris - Roubaix
Amstel Gold Race
Le Fleche Wallonne
Liege - Bastogne - Liege
Tour de France
San Sebastian
GP de Quebec
Tour of Beijing
Guardini Tour Down Under
Tirreno - Adriatico
Milano - San Remo
Giro d'Italia
Eneco Tour
Vattenfall Cyclassic
Coquard Paris - Nice
Tour de France
Tour of Pologne
Vattenfall Cyclassic
GP de Plouay
Tour of Beijing
Hinault Giro d'Italia
Criterium du Dauphine
Le Tour de France
Clasica San Sebastian
Giro di Lombardia |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 29-01-2015 21:02
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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Le Faucon
Thank you for confirming my upcoming schedule. Guess i'll ease back on the training considering i won't be racing until the end of March. I think i'll head off somewhere warmer for the rest of January, probably pop out to Oz to watch the team in their first WT race of the season and Krista doing the same. Put in some more distance training just to maintain that stamina and base fitness level.
Come back over to Europe for February. Initially i think i'll head down to Sicily and get some practive on Italian road, tackled Etna a few times for fun. Back end of the month i'm thinking Portugal, Krista again. Then back to her base in Northern Italy until the Crit Int rolls around. I'll start riding some of the Giro routes in the area, but not the big mountains just yet.
I look forward to a nice relaxed start to the season. Bit of travel, seeking the sun. Throw in some training designed more around pleasure than grind. Hopefully it will pay off and i can remain fresh despite two Grand Tours. If any of the team want to join me at any stage they are more than welcome to.
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| knockout |
Posted on 30-01-2015 17:47
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7735
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 400.00
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hey,
not much time currently.
pais vasco is perfect
suisse looks good, too
hope that helps u.
CS
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 31-01-2015 10:11
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World Champion
Posts: 14562
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 9100.00
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Your races for part 1:
All WT
Kuurne
Dwars Door
Criterium
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 04-02-2015 19:24
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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Le Faucon
Big shout out to Krista who's prepping to start her first ever pro race. Gigantic moment for her and for the sport. I have no doubt it will be a great time this season watching this new development grow and progress. Kudos to the UCI for taking a gamble. Shame that a few fools play her off as a stunt or are just plain insulting.
Strange not to see Europcar attending Gabon. They've dominated this race in the past but i guess the new structure makes it better to focus elsewhere. I hear Christian and Andrea are almost ready for the TDU to kick start our season. Can't wait to be at the roadside cheering them on. Allez Krista, Allez Europcar
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 09-02-2015 22:30
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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Le Faucon
Certainly a smart call to come to Oz for a while instead of staying in Europe. Pau is frozen at the moment and wet, whilst Adelaide is gloriously warm. Ok there aren't any mountains here but there's enough hills to work up a good sweat. That said i am just in tick over mode because my first race is so far away. Going to make the most of donwn time and sun though.
The rest of the Europcar team will be arriving shortly and i will hook up with them for some long and faster training rides as they get race ready. I look forwards to cheering them and, hopefully, watching them win. I'm also looking forwards to watching Krista race, i can say that the media and fans are already buzzing about her racing at home here.
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 22-02-2015 19:52
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World Champion
Posts: 11971
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Even though we are criticized by few for having a small transfer season but we still like to introduce our 7 new riders for this season. Technically we have 8 new riders but since Thomas Hinault already made an introduction which you can read here himself, we are going to skip him in this update as we feel it would be redundant to make another.
Sylvain Chavanel (OPQS) 
We start with probably the biggest transfer this off-season. We’ve managed to bring in Sylvain Chavanel from Omega Pharma – QuickStep. Look out for him in stage races that feature cobbles and time trails. He’ll also be a vital part of our cobbles team being Khamse Khamphan lieutenant in the main cobble classics.
Andrea Guardini (Astana) 
When the transfer season started we were looking for improved sprint support for Coquard but ultimately we decided to sign a new lead sprinter all together, giving us more diversity amongst our lead sprinters. He’ll be the lead sprinter in the Giro, giving us a leader in a race where we plan on sending a leader.
Florian Senechal (Etixx-iHNed) 
We didn’t only sign some big names that will give us points during the season. We also signed two young talents. We start with Florian Senechal, who is probably the biggest French cobbles classics talent currently around. Even though he needs some years to develop into a world beater on the cobbles, you’ll see him in cobbled races and early breakaways.
Louis Verhelst (Etixx-iHNed) 
After we lost Thomas Peeters last year we were without any Belgians this season and with the UCI being run by a Belgian we expected to be with lots of penalties because of it. We have prevented these by signing 23 year old Louis Verhelst. He’s also a competent sprinter already so we might have the future Tom Boonen or Gert Steegmans in the team.
Francis Mourey (FDJ) 
Another rider that is partly signed to please the UCI dictator, Francis Mourey is mostly know as an cyclo cross rider, placing in the top 4 of 3 World Cups (4th in Tabor, 2nd in Koksijde and 1st in Namur) but he’s also a competent road cyclist with decent climbing abilities. He’ll be part of the climbing support in the early stages of a race, something we feel we lacked last season.
Andreas Klöden (RadioShack) 
A transfer that most likely confused many people but the old fox still hasn’t forgotten some of his tricks. Similar to Mourey he also is part of the climbing support in the early stages and also an important part of the Team Time Trial train due to being one of the best of the rest Time Trialist on the team behind Sylvain Chavanel.
Jérôme Pineau (OPQS) 
A rider for the hilly classics and breakaways, Pineau was high on our want list. He will be support in the hilly classics but will get his chance in some stage races to pursuit stage wins. He has a history with the team as he raced with us when it was Bouygues Telecom between 2002 and 2008. He now returns after 5 years at Omega Pharma – QuickStep where he won a Giro d’Italia stage in 2010.
that is all for today, next time will look at our performances at our first World Tour event as a World Tour event. |
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| knockout |
Posted on 27-02-2015 22:57
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7735
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 400.00
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The first race of the season:
The first disappointment.
It was obvious that the GC would be decided on one of the two most difficult days which suited me quite good on the paper but my legs were disappointing. I did not stand a chance so I'll better be in an improved shape for the next races if i do not want to skip them.
What comes next? Good question. I think I'll prepare for Milan - San Remo now since I have a huge faible for this race. I'll share my leading role with Guardini but I want at least a top ten from it. If not better!
CSchröder
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 20-03-2015 10:25
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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Le Faucon
Not really much to say. Chasing the good weather for training was a smart move as i'm out on the roads almost every day. In Aus i would ride the race route 1-day ahead of the actual race which was pretty fun. Had a great time down there. Was my first time and loved it! Not quite Krista's part of the country but she was great at showing me around.
Heading back to Europe is great. Some time at home putting in some climbing time and just generally ticking over. The season is progressing along nicely and i'm starting to increase the frequency and difficulty of my rides as my opening race is on the horizon.
I should be able to hit the Crit Int well when it comes around. Until then i'll keep training and popping around the place to watch various races. Think i'll go watch MSR in San Remo and see what Guardini and the team can do in the first Monument. Bascially things are pretty chill....
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 08-04-2015 08:58
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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Le Faucon
Back and racing! The Crit Int will always hold a special place in my heart after last year. Huge stage win which set up both GC and Youth wins in my neo-pro year. Coming back this time around again with big eyes on the GC or Stage win. The opening sprint stage was fine, i had no problems sticking with the peloton.
Felt quite stiff for the ITT though, clearly lacking that sort of form that only racing can provide. Taking the expected time loss there. Hopefully it will allow me a bit more freedom on the mountain stage and i can replicate something close to last year. It'll be a good test of how my extended training time has gone.
After the race finishes i'll write up another short summary of how things went. Then it will be back to Italy to do some work on Giro routes. And i'm still tracking Krista's results as she slowly makes progress. Europcar are still doing fine and looking on target for another solid season.
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
