With KBC-Godiva officially joining the ICL Peloton we were able to get a little time with team boss Willie McRettin, Willie how did the team come about?
"So I had a wee bit of money from Godiva and I was putting together a 3-year plan to introduce the first all-Scottish cycling team. I was having a drink in the bar at the Brussels Grand, doing some research, and I run into Hans from KBC. We hit it off and he said, 'you know the bank is in Belgium but also in Eastern Europe, a cycling team would be a great way to accelerate our name recognition and achieve cross-border leverage with our b2c marketing budget'. Not being all that sharp on marketing lingo I say, 'great, fantastic, great, what does that mean?' And he says, 'how about we sponsor the team now'."
McRettin continued:
"So we lost the 3-year plan and painted the jersey KBC blue. The boys at Hillis91 put it together, many thanks to them, I think it is great, fantastic even"
We also asked McRettin about his strategy for the team:
"That side of things is going great in that we don't have any riders yet so our budget is completely free of any commitments whatsoever. Well that isn't completely true, my a bartender at Le Cercueil a few nights back was a big Belgian lad called Marcel, or maybe it was Marius, and he had ridden a wee bit with the amateurs. He seemed to have some good promise so I said, 'thank god, fantastic, Marcel/Marius why don't you join us' and he accepted minimum. I always like lads who are willing to ride for the price of a haggis and some neeps.
Now we've got some money I've moved to the King Suite at the Grand Palace and I'm going to spend the weekend running the numbers looking for big lads who will ride for wee money. My bias is towards boys who like a drink the night after they've dished out some pain on the pave, but the bank is is big on what they call "relevant market spending". Which is great. If anyone sees a big Hungarian, Bulgarian, Czech or Slovak lad with some talent on a bike, let me know."
Thanks for your time Mr McRettin,
"Great, Fantastic, anytime you want to pick up the tab I'm happy to talk"
We are happy to present a new team with focus on Scandinavia and with its home in western Sweden.
They have a long term goal to develop Scandinavian talents at the same time as the team want to be at the biggest scene WT.
There is already a few teams form Scandinavia so it will be a tough task to sign the biggest rider from there. But we can already name our first riders and that is two talents one from Finland and one from Norway.
From Norway we have TT specialist Thor Tønnesen and the one from Finland is puncher Pentti Nieminen.
The normally media shy Team Manager for Lufthansa sat down for a interview with us to discuss his team's preparation for the upcoming season. Here is the full interview:
You've been part of the ICL for over two years now. Why have you stayed away from interviews such as these?
I've never been comfortable with the limelight to be honest. It is getting easier but I'm never going to fully get used to it.
That seems strange given the high pressure situation associated with this sport. How do you cope with that?
I just do my job, which involves planning team activities for races and the season, and let others get on with these kinds of activities.
Talking about planning, how is the team coming along for the new season?
Last season was a great learning experience for the team, with it being our first year in the World Tour. The team enjoyed a good run in the Continental division in the first year of our existence but the World Tour was a sobering experience. We did manage to stay away from relegation danger all season, and survived comfortably in the end, which was our prime target for last year.
So what has changed over the winter? What are the team's expectations for the 2019 season?
We've been working hard in the off-season to get ready for the new season. Our scouts have also been busy looking at the best talent from our focus regions. We have brought in three new riders, who will be unveiled when our development team will have their pre-season press conference later this month. As far as the senior team is concerned, we are about to go into contract negotiations with all our riders and hope to come out on the other side unscathed.
The team management came under some flak for tying up with Deutsche Bahn as the principal sponsor of the Dev team, with there being calls of the tie-up being illegal at worst and unethical at best. People were concerned as to how he partnership of two German transportation giants could be allowed by the ICL as it could lead to a monpoly of the market. Your response to this?
I heard those rumours and can assure everyone that their fears are unfounded. Although the top management for both teams are the same, the two teams will be run as completely separate units, with separate inflows, and there will be no 'resource' sharing, so to say, to quote the critics!
How will that work out exactly? Are you saying that Deutsche Bahn will not be providing cyclists to the senior team when they become ready?
No, that is not what I was implying. The team sponsored by Deutsche Bahn is still our development team, but they will run their own exercise, with different leadership and staff for the duration of the season. Lufthansa will be following the progress made by the cyclists in Deutsche Bahn closely, and will treat them as the first options to join the senior team before looking elsewhere for talent.
Seems fair enough. How has your role changed from the past season to this one?
I hasn't really. I'm still going to be a part of recruitment, race selections, rider season planning and raceday planning. No change at all actually.
What are the team's hopes for the coming season?
We hope to improve from last season, that's for sure. It will probably be a pivotal season for us. Last year, there were really no expectations from a newly promoted team to do well in the World Tour. But having survived, one is expected to push on. Otherwise the competition will.
Has the team looked at the options available to them to push into perhaps a Top 10 place?
We're always looking at how we can improve, be it recruitment or otherwise. And yes, off course we've looked at how best to improve the team via transfers.
So, can you give us some indications as to who the team will be targeting?
Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to talk about that right now but we all know that with Bunzl's withdrawal, a host of top names have suddenly become available. We also know that they'll be in demand, so we have to be smart in the way we set up for this transfer season.
There's no way to have you tell us a couple of names, is there?
Nope.
Didn't think so. I tried at least! Anyway, that's all the time and questions I have for you at the moment. Hope to catch up with you in the future. And I hope I've helped you get over your fear of interviews.
Project Cumbria Powered By Thomas Graham Steel & Industrial Supplies
Introduction
Cumbria is known around the world for the beautiful landscapes of the Lake District and is a popular holiday destination for millions. However many do not know of the companies that are based within the county, this is set to change with the formation of a cycling team promoting some of the best companies within the county.
Thomas Grahams is a steel and industrial supplies company, which is one of the country's best independent provider of steel with numerous warehouses and stores across the north west of England. With the help of Project Cumbria it aims to become an internationally renowned steel provider and to develop its brand across Europe.
M-Sport is already a well known team within the motor racing community having won the constructors championship in the world rally championship numerous times and the drivers championship with rally legend Seb Ogier. Despite M-Sport already being renowned around the world founder Malcolm Wilson saw the opportunity to help promote Cumbria and to try to help develop the county into a business hub as well as a tourism hub. M-Sport coming onboard opened the door for Ford to join the project and they will provide team cars and trucks to help shuttle the team and their equipment around Europe.
The Calvert Trust is a charity that helps disabled people to experience outdoor activities, this is were any profit the team makes will be put and for all the sales of team kit £5 will be given to the charity. George Fisher is an outdoor wear retailer based in Keswick, which wants to expand onto a national level with the help of our project, they will provide us with casual wear as well as selling the team kit.
Our other sponsors include local bespoke bike shop Push Cartel and Johnsons Tractors. Team bikes will be provided by Stelbel and helmets by Kask.
My Stories
My Teams
ICL - Project Cumbria Powered by Thomas Graham Steel & Industrial Supplies
CarbonSports Cycling - Lightweight announces the immediate departure of Alberto Contador. We have achieved all our original goals from 5 years ago when this project was created. Winning a Grand Tour and winning the WT rankings were the final unachieved goals and Contador helped us checking off both goals.
After a careful analysis of our situation we came to the decision that the team will focus again purely on sprints, classics and self developed top talents and want our group of climbing talents that includes guys like Peiffer, Engeldinger and Chaix to ride for their own chances instead of having to work for an elite stage racer.
Out of respect towards Alberto Contador we wont attempt to renew him with the intention to sell like we have done with other riders in the past and will give interested teams an opportunity to convince him with their offers.
Good bye and good luck Alberto, may you win another grand tour for your next team!
Stunning news from the Aviva HQ in Norwich. The team's top scorer in their maiden season, who was instrumental in the promotion to the World Tour, wasn't offered a new contract. Manager Ripley explained: “We knew going into the discussion that it would be a tough one. Wout scored 1237 prestige points last season and we expected he'd be asking for a raise of his already formidable wage. But his demand was simply too high to accept. We're very sorry to let him go, he's bound to make another team very happy – but at a wage far below what he asked us for.”
We won't be seeing this picture again
Two further riders didn't receive new contracts: The Austrian puncher Stefan Denifl and the Spanish climber Miguel Minguez. Denifl had a subpar season, scoring just 123 points, yet he also asked for a raise, which wasn't well received. Minguez, meanwhile, was deemed surplus, despite the need to increase the squad size by at least seven riders.
Negotiations with the other 15 riders are ongoing. All the Brits will be offered new contracts, even Alex Dowsett. "Winning the British ITT title at the end of the season, beating Froomey, sealed the deal for us." With a smile Ripley added: "Also, he's become quite the internet phenomenon, known far and wide even outside the ICL."
Asked about steal offers, the manager told reporters: "We took a bold route and made three steal offers to three top riders, totalling nearly 4500. We already know we've been outbid in one case and in the other two our offers are below what the rider is asking his own team for. Even if their teams don't offer new contracts, we have no idea if the riders accept ours or prefer to become FAs."
He went on: "We are in an interesting situation. With Bunzl's departure from the scene there are excellent British riders on the market, a unique opportunity to build a team around local riders. But it would be nice to start with a true captain from steals, too, and relieve the pressure to hire a top scorer."
Who are we?
We are the worlds only Caribbean cycling project!
What is out aim?
To represent, develop and support cycling across the Caribbean!
Long term Goals?
To run a 100% Caribbean team in the World Tour!
What countries make that focus?
Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
Anguilla, Aruba, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands
Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Suriname, Venezuela
Riders - TBCEdited by TheManxMissile on 20-09-2018 20:09
Manager Ripley had to admit he made a rookie mistake with Lowsley, offering only his previous wage and thus less than his new minimum wage. Deals with him and the rest of the team are progressing nicely.
Edited by Ripley on 20-09-2018 21:39
Rumours have leaked that Liberty Seguros is driving a hard bargain with their colombian superstar. The sentiment is that after having won Liege - Bastogne -Liege and Deutschland Tour, Betancur has shown little results in the second half of the year, largely relying on his superb first half of the season. With bad luck in the fall classics, the Colombian was far more seen in his home country Colombia than with his teammates on the road, training.
There has early been notions that Bananito could leave the team after only one season, perhaps in a desperate bid to win back Contador for some final years, the manager's favourite rider. However, at a recent press conference in Tenerife, the manage rhas stated that the team was very successful previous season and aims to keep all of its core team together.
"We are very optimistic for the upcoming season".
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
There are a lot of mixed emotions around Santos HQ as they begin renewals. Due to the crappy young talents who are already guaranteed minimum wage, the big guy Lafar/Rafal Majka is surely leaving the team. The manager has already drunkenly emasculated all of them, which is going to be great for morale.
Meanwhile, after a hostile response to the massive steal attempt on a certain rider by Santos last year, the team which formerly owned that certain rider has bit back, and gone for the prized talent Albini this year. Although the manager of that team may have thought he could take advantage of Santos' relegation and tap up the young rider, management confirm the young Italian is staying. The hard part will be telling the riders, who must be released due to this financial attack, and their families, that they can't return to what is now their home. Saying goodbye is so hard.
In an effort to combat the now not just relegation-related financial problems the team are facing, many riders, including their two most loyal, beautiful and amazing riders, Evaldas Siskevicius and Esteban Chaves, have volunteered to take some at times major pay cuts down or almost down to their ICL-mandated minimum wage to keep the team together. Santos management can't thank them enough for their selfless gesture.
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Wow, Aviva so far is a team of many riders who are much better in the MG-universe Bertilsson, Christian, Dowsett, Bibby, Tosh, Van Winden, and Monsalve
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Lufthansa completed their renewals process yesterday, and have since revealed the details of who have re-signed with the team and who have been let go. 22 of the 25 riders on the roster from last season have been retained, with John Degenkolb and Greg Van Avermaet once again lined up to lead the team.
Among those leaving are German youngsters Martin Springer and Klaus Gießner, deemed surplus to requirements. However, the big news is that Richie Porte has left the team after failing to come to an agreement over his wages. Soon after the announcement, Lufthansa team manager said, "We were unconvinced about meeting Richie's wage demands, especially after his sub-par performances last season. To add to that, he has shown a distinct lowering in his performance standards over the winter training exercises. While we still would've had good use for him, we were not ready to be held hostage by his wage demands. We thank Richie for his contribution to Lufthansa over the past two seasons and wish him well for the future."
Porte's highlights with Lufthansa have surprisingly come in two Grand Tours, firstly the Vuelta a Colombia in 2017, which he won ahead of top favourite Aru, and the other in the Vuelta a Espana last season, where he finished 5th, to round out Lufthansa's best result in a GT in their debut WT season. He also achieved 9th place in the Tour de France last season, along with a couple of podium finishes in Paris-Nice and the Tour de Suisse in the 2017 season. Porte's career has reached it's twilight, with people attributing his sketchy form last season to his growing years. He should still be an able leader for a CT team, which is likely where his future lies.
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Today, Wilier Triestina has anounced that up to 6 riders are confirmed to not continue being part of the squad for the 2019 season. In general, those were aging riders that maybe weren't worthy of a contract in the current status of the team, but whether some of them could be recalled during the transfer season hasn't been clarified
Last N
First N
Country
Age
OVL
Agnoli
Valerio
ITA
34
71,8
De Backer
Bert
BEL
35
71,9
Maté
Luis Ángel
ESP
35
66,7
Bennati
Daniele
ITA
39
67,2
Gatto
Oscar
ITA
34
71,1
Suarez
Juan Pablo
COL
34
70,8
No info about which riders have officialy extended their contracts has been released, except that Jarlinson Pantano received an offer from other team that Wilier Triestina has matched. Rumours says that both Enrique Sanz and Fernando Gaviria have both agreed to their minimum wage offers and will continue riding for Wilier Triestina in the upcoming season, but as we said, nothing official yet
CCC has officially announced riders that has renewed their contracts for upcoming season. List is including 4 young prospects who decided to join us too.
AVG
FL
MO
HI
TT
PR
CB
SP
AC
DH
FT
ST
RS
RC
Diego Ulissi
77,2
67
76
78
72
74
59
67
79
71
71
73
70
74
Juan Chamorro
76,8
70
78
75
70
67
61
65
72
71
76
72
67
72
Winner Anacona
76,3
69
77
75
68
66
58
62
74
69
72
71
69
72
Patryk Komisarek
76,2
75
69
73
71
71
72
77
76
74
71
76
71
72
Mateusz Nowaczek
76,2
71
67
76
69
67
69
70
72
71
74
76
70
71
Diego Ochoa
75,6
70
76
75
66
64
59
64
72
71
77
72
67
72
Ever Rivera
75,4
67
76
74
66
64
60
64
72
72
77
71
67
71
Paweł Poljański
75,1
72
68
75
68
69
68
69
73
74
74
74
68
71
Daniele Dall'Oste
74,8
69
75
73
66
66
59
66
74
72
74
72
68
73
Eugenio Alafaci
72,9
71
64
70
63
67
65
74
74
71
67
71
67
69
Adrian Tekliński
72,3
72
66
69
64
68
64
73
73
71
67
72
69
71
Tomasz Brzeziński
68,8
68
57
60
58
64
59
70
69
69
57
66
65
67
Ernesto Urizar
68,3
59
69
67
54
59
54
57
67
73
62
61
58
62
Wincenty Kubicki
67,8
69
57
68
65
63
62
57
57
61
74
69
64
64
Juan Manuel Palmero
65,0
64
66
64
61
62
63
62
60
68
64
66
70
65
Lechosław Molek
63,3
60
57
61
64
64
60
59
61
69
59
62
61
59
World Tour debut - get into deep water
ICL also has announced teams that will be riding in the WT in the next season. This time CCC Sprandi Polkowice is in that list! Which means we finally get promotion to the best races, including five Monuments and three Grand Tours. What that means for us? It means that we have to be very active in the transfers season if we want to not get relegated after only one year. We know it will be really hard, so we might be open to talks with other managers. We need few pure leaders that will help us in the WT, yet we can confirm that Ulissi and Komisarek are staying with CCC with an unquestionable leader roles.
CCC in the WT makes everything right in the world, much deserved after consistent showings in the CT. Unfortunately for us but great for you, it's Ochoa and Rivera, the amazing duo, who gave you the lift. Glad to see them growing together and staying with you guys Good luck in transfers
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
Bertilsson, Christian, Dowsett, Bibby, Tosh, Van Winden, and Monsalve 
John Degenkolb
Heiner Parra
Matthias Frank
Oskar Svendsen
Gianluca Brambilla
Johannes Windischbauer
Joe Richter
Good luck in transfers 
