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Petronas - Monster Energy; The end of an era
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 11:00
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Team leaders
The team has decided to point out 3 team leaders. 1 for the stage races, 1 for the cobbled races and 1 for the sprint/hilly races.
Robert Gesink
27-year-old Dutch Robert Gesink has had 3 succesful years. In 2011, he won his first 2 Grand Tours, the Giro and the Vuelta. In 2012, he was aiming for the Tour de France win, but got knocked out of the yellow jersey in the final ITT and finished 3rd. Last year, he had bad luck in the Giro, where a crash made him mis an almost certain overall win. This year he will focus on 1 main goal: the Tour de France.
Season goals: Tirreno - Adriatico - Tour de Suisse - Tour de France - Classica San Sebastian - Vuelta a España - Il Lombardia.
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Matti Breschel
Matti Breschel will start his 2nd year for the team. Last year, the Dane won his first big cobbled classics, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, as well as the Tour Down Under. This year, he'll focus again on the cobbled classics, and after a long break, will also take part in the Vuelta as a sprinters final lead out.
Season goals: Tour Down Under - Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - Gent - Wevelgem - Ronde van Vlaanderen - Paris - Roubaix - Vuelta a España.
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Peter Sagan
More than the previous 2 years, Slovakian Peter Sagan will get his chance in the hilly classics. He will serve as the (co-)leader in the Ardennes classics, but also gets his chance in the cobbled classics, where a sprint is expected (a Gent-Wevelgem). He'll ride 2 GT's this year, the Giro and the Vuelta and has his minf set on winning some stages.
Season goals:
Gent - Wevelgem - Paris Roubaix - Ardennes classics - Giro d'Italia - Vuelta a España - Il Lombardia.
Part 3 and further to follow.
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 11:19
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Stage racers / climbers
Wilco Kelderman
Wilco Kelderman is only 22-years-old, but already one of the most allround cyclists in the entire field. He is a great stage racer, thanks to his climbing, hilly and time trial skills, but can ride pretty well on cobbles and in sprints.
He had a free role in many short stage races last years (with good results: 2nd in the Tirreno, 7th in Romandie, Suisse and winning the Volta a Catalunya) and served as a luxury domestique in the Giro (10th in GC, winning the U25-ranking). But this year, he will be the leader in a GT for the first time: the Giro.
Season goals: Paris-Nice - Volta a Catalunya - Giro d'Italia - Tour de Pologne.
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Jelle Vanendert
Jelle Vanendert is on of the better puncheurs, but had to work last year for mainly Andy Schleck. This year, he'll be the co-leader with Peter Sagan in the Ardennes classics, and will be the luxury domestique for Robert Gesink in the Tour and Vuelta.
Season goals:
Ardennes classics - Tour de France - Vuelta a España - Il Lombardia
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Rob Ruijgh
Dutch climber Rob Ruigh will do in 2014 what he does best: being a luxury domestique for the stage racers in the Giro and Tour, as well as having a free role in the Ardennes classics.
Season goals:
Ardennes classics - Giro d'Italia - Tour de Suisse - Tour de France
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Francis De Greef
Belgian Francis De Greef knows his place in the team, and plays his role in a superb way for 3 seasons now. He can help the GT-contenders Gesink and Kelderman as long as posible in the final part of the mountain stages. This year, he'll ride the Giro and the Tour.
Season goals:
Giro d'Italia - Tour de France
Edited by dienblad on 06-10-2012 11:20
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 11:21
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Cobbled riders
Niki Terpstra
Niki Terpstra is 1 of the cobbled leaders, together with Breschel and Maaskant. While the team can play Breschel with his sprint, Terpstra can surprise the other favourites with an attack. He's aiming for his first important classic win. The 2nd goal of the season is the Eneco Tour. WIth his TT-skills, he can win these kind of races.
Season goals:
- Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - Ronde van Vlaanderen - Paris-Roubaix - Tour de France - Eneco Tour.
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Martijn Maaskant
The 3rd co-leader of the cobbled team is Martijn Maaskant, who will have the same role as Terpstra. When the cobbled season is done, he has a rest period before he takes art in the Eneco Tour and the Vuelta.
Season goals:
Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - Ronde van Vlaanderen - Paris-Roubaix - Vuelta.
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Coen Vermeltfoort
25-year-old Coen Vermeltfoort will be a luxury domestique at the cobbled races, but when the race will turn into a sprint, he can also function as a final lead out men, or be the main sprinter.
Season goals:
- Cobbled classics - Tour de France - Eneco Tour
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Sep Vanmarcke
The only Belgian rider in our cobbled team is Sep Vanmarcke. He will function as a domestique for the 3 co-leaders, but will get his own chances often. He will also participate in the Vuelta.
Season goals:
cobbled races - Eneco Tour - Vuelta.
Edited by dienblad on 06-10-2012 13:34
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 11:21
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Sprinters
Marcel Kittel
Marcel Kittel is our main sprinter. But because Peter Sagan is a better puncheur, Kittel isn't 1 of the 3 leaders. But the German powerhouse doesn't mind, as he will get many chances to sprint for the win, even with Sagan serving as the final lead out man. He starts his season early in Langkawai and Qatar, and after a few months of not racing, he will use the Bayern Rundfahrt to build up his form for the Tour de France. After the Eneco Tour, the Vattenfall Cyclassics will be 1 of his main goals.
Season goals:
Tour of Qatar - Bayern Rundfahrt - Tour de France - Vattenfall Cyclassics.
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Jens Mulder
The last 2 seasons, young Jens Mulder developed into a sprinter with an enormous top speed. But he needed the years of traiing and racing to improve his Flat skills and stamina. He ain't ready with developing, and this year he will be the main sprinter a few times, as well as being the final lead out man for Kittel.
Season goals:
Tirreno-Adriatico - Giro d'Italia - Eneco Tour - Franco-Belge.
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Pim Ligthart
When the race is hilly, and the peloton becomes more selected, than Pim Ligthart can win the sprint. In more flat races, he'll be a lead out for the other sprinters. Nevertheless, a win or 2 should be possible for him.
Season goals:
Giro d'Italia - Critérium du Dauphinée.
Edited by dienblad on 06-10-2012 14:33
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 11:21
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Time trialists
Jack Bobridge
The team contains many great time trialists. One of them is the only Aussie in the team, Jack Bobridge. Besides timetrialing, he is 1 of the better domestiques in the hills and on the flat.
Season goals:
Tour Down Under - Paris-Nice - Critérium du Dauphinée - Tour of Beijing
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Thomas Dekker
Thomas Dekker starts his 3rd season for the team, and we are very glad we picked him up after his doping suspension. He has showed the revious years, that he refound the right mentality, and is a great timetrialist and stage racer, as well as a luxury domestique in the hilly classics and the GT's.
Season goals:
Tirreno-Adriatico - Tour de France - Eneco Tour.
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Lieuwe Westra
Another Dutch allrounder. Lieuwe Westra has a great time trial, and is good in the hills, at the cobbles and in the sprint, also as a lead out man. Only thing he lacks, is climbing skills.
Season goals:
Tour of California - Eneco Tour - Vuelta a España.
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Sébastien Rosseler
Belgian Sébastien Rosseler is one of the loyal domestiques of the team, who gets a few chances for his own succes every year. Thanks to his decent hilly and cobbled skills and his good time trial, he can ride a good GC in many smaller stage races.
Season goals:
Cobbled races - Giro d'Italia - Tour de Pologne.
Edited by dienblad on 06-10-2012 14:25
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 11:22
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Domestiques
Marc de Maar will ride the Giro and the Vuelta.
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Joost Posthuma, also a good timetrialist and cobbler, will ride most of the cobbled and Ardennes classics, and will help Robert Gesink in his mission to win the Tour de France.
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Tom Dumoulin, who has reached his maximum skills at the young age of 23, will serve as a domestique in especially the Giro and the Dauphinée.
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The story is different for Gregory Bernard. The 23-year-old Luxembourg puncheur is developing into a great hilly rider, and we see in him a potential winner of races as the Amstel and Fleche Wallonne.
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Maxim Lefèvre will serve as a domestique, and gets a few chances for own succes in mainly the Tirreno, Volta Catalunya and the autumn World Tour classics.
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The same goes for Marc Lootens, but he'll ride the Tirreno, Catalunya, California, Pologne and Tour of Beijing.
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Cees Veldkamp will ride the cobbled races, as well as the Duaphinée and the Pologne-Eneco Tour double.
Edited by dienblad on 06-10-2012 14:45
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 11:22
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Young riders (-23)
Canadian Justin Audet, with 19 years the youngest rider in our team, will ride a lot of the cobbled classics, as he can develop into a pretty good cobbled rider in the future. Other races for him this year will be Qinghai Lake and Tour of Beijing.
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Jacob Babbel, 20 years, is 1 of the 2 young Austrians in our team. His main goals will be the hilly races, as his future lies in the punching business.
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Finally, our 28th rider, is Patrick Reiter, a young sprinter with a punch. He'll ride the Ardennes classics, and the Autumn classics.
Edited by dienblad on 06-10-2012 14:53
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 14:58
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Finally, I'll give you the names of the rider whose contracts will expire at the end of the season:
Gregory Bernard --> will be offered a new contract
Jack Bobridge --> will be offered a new contract
Matti Breschel --> will be offered a new contract
Marc de Maar --> probably not
Maxim Lefèvre --> depends on his further development
Pim Ligthart --> probably not
Marc Lootens --> depends on his development
Martijn Maaskant --> probably not when Breschel resigns
Jens Mulder --> will be offered a new contract
Joost Posthuma --> will be offered a new contract
Jelle Vanendert --> depends on his results in the Ardennes classics
Cees Veldkamp --> will be offered a new contract
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:24
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8389
Joined: 08-09-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Big, big, BIG team presentation, good luck for the season ahead.  |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:43
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Liking the new Muse avatar and signature 
Going to see them again in November  |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-11-2024 00:42
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Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:46
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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sutty68 wrote:
Liking the new Muse avatar and signature
Going to see them again in November
Thanks. I'll go see them at December 17th in Amsterdam, looking forward to it!
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:48
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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dienblad wrote:
sutty68 wrote:
Liking the new Muse avatar and signature
Going to see them again in November
Thanks. I'll go see them at December 17th in Amsterdam, looking forward to it!
I'm watching them at the M.E.N Arena in Manchester |
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| baggieboys32 |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:48
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Sprinter
Posts: 1981
Joined: 01-10-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Might see you there then Sutty 
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:50
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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baggieboys32 wrote:
Might see you there then Sutty
Nice to hear that your a MUSE fan |
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:52
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World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Great team presentation dienblad. Great team. Is Kelderman the next Merckx? Cause it shore looks like it. |
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 06-10-2012 15:56
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8389
Joined: 08-09-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Miguel98 wrote:
Great team presentation dienblad. Great team. Is Kelderman the next Merckx? Cause it shore looks like it.
He might begin proving that in the Giro already. |
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 16:05
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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@ FreitasPCM & Miguel98: Thanks a lot. Only the jersey has to be shown, but as said, I'll wait with that untill Maddrengen has finished designing it. And about Kelderman, the goal will be a top 5 in the Giro. I'm really curious to see how he can perform there.
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| ryant |
Posted on 06-10-2012 16:07
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2322
Joined: 15-08-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Nice Team!
Just signed with Petronas as my team sponsor in my own career!
 John St Ledger in Team Bunzl-Centrica and Team U25Red Bull Driver in RFactor
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| TimoCycling |
Posted on 06-10-2012 16:40
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Sprinter
Posts: 1765
Joined: 27-08-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Wow, great presentation man, looks really good and I share your opinion about wich races the riders should ride, sure seems like you thought this over. Good luck for TDU! |
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| dienblad |
Posted on 06-10-2012 16:42
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3772
Joined: 10-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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@ ryant: nice, do they pay you also €6.5 a year?
@ TimoCycling: well, with already the 4th season, you'll get experienced with these things. And I know, season planning is very, very important!
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