Löwenherz resigning with Katusha Team almost done deal
Without much hassle and waiting, Richard Löwenherz, will most likely prolong his contract with Katusha Cycling. He has proved to be a true working power horse and a hopeful breakaway-artist. Qualities that Mr. Vodkakov came to appreciate in the young Austrian.
"I feel very much at home here in Russia", stated Löwenherz, whilst being on a hunting trip to prepare for the late EPIC Season part. "So, they want me to stay, and I want to stay too. It's a perfect fit."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
The management of the Katusha is happy to announce some good news on the transfer front already, months before the actual season is even over. We could reach an agreement with Richard Löwenherz, who joined us in April and already has ridden himself in the hearts of our fans through his attacks and fighting spirit. The Austrian is bound to the team for two more years.
Also a rather new face on the team is Abraham Denisov. The Russian sprinter had problems integrating himself into the team and asked if he could leave the team and find other challenges in the future. A mutual agreement was reached in which the rider will finish this season at the team and afterwards is free to go.
Him leaving opens a gap in the leadout of our top sprinter Alexander Kristoff, which needs to be filled. Young Croatian sprinter Špiro Milošević, who is currently riding for IAM Cycling team, is topping the list. The team is already in negotiations with his agent and a deal will most likely be announced in the near future.
After successful negotiations we can now confirm the rumours of Špiro Milošević signing for Katusha for the 2014 season.
"Å piro is a great addition to our a team and will esure a big improvement of our sprinting department" said a happy Yuri Vodkakov.
Milošević will be supporting lead sprinter Alexander Kristoff in his most important races and will have the chance to show himself in other races as well. "We will have a good sprinter contesting for good results in every race that we care for."
Although a resigning of Alexander Kristoff isn't certain yet, the team expects the sprinter to stay for at least another year. The rumours of which Katushas biggest star JoaquÃm RodrÃguez would like to spend the last years of his career in a team that's closer to his home weren't confirmed by the management in the press conference. "JoaquÃm is happy at his current team and the management is as well happy with the Spaniards performances."
Hey fellas,
letting you know I'm training hard. Moved down from Tibet and headed into a training camp during the Tour. Some quality time spent on an volcano island. Just the right amount of danger to get my adrenaline going for some epic riding. One of the rides took me from sea level up to over 4000 elevation. Needless to say when I hit the top, I saw the stars at night time. Dangerous descent though later, but I managed fine.
Mr. Vodkakov has let me know about my upcoming races for this late season part. I'd like to share them with you.
Tour de Pologne
[27 July-3 August]
Eneco Tour
[12 August-18 August]
Vattenfall Cyclassic
[25 August]
GP du Quebec
[13 September]
GP du Montreal
[15 September]
Il Lombardia
[6 October]
Tour of Beijing
[11-15 October]
Japan Cup
[20 October]
I'll like the way my manager is thinking. Put me in all good races. Maybe you see some breakaway action from me, but there'll be also lots of domestique duties around. Working for a guy like Kristoff and alongside Luca "The Beard" Paolini, and you end up learning a lot. As a rider, and for your own personality & character. Valuable times with those guys.
You can also expect (at least) some words on Quebec, Montreal & Lombardia, since I know a guy who's doing the coverage for UCI. You know, he should drop my name a few times, so I get some recognition too...
Recently I became aware that Austria hasn't really scored points. I mean, did we actually score any points at all? Maybe Bernhard Eisel did once or twice show up on a bunch sprint, but I'm rather sure that I lack big time in this department. This means that my inclusion to the World Championships is terrible in danger, and it's unlikely I can participate at U23 level since I ride for a World Tour team. Clearly, I'm a bit caught in the middle, since I lack any specialistion and can't go for wins so easily. I'm a fighter and a helper. Are there points for time spent in the wind at the front of the peloton?
So this makes me even more motivated to get something going for myself. It's always nice to win, but it's even greater when you can help your fellow cyclists in your own country with it. So I call out to my teammate Marco Haller, and to Bernie Eisel and many more, that we get some points.
... and if there were points for breakaways, I'd probably be through the roof in every ranking.
I'd also like to welcome the new signing Spiro for next season. Saw some races of you, you go man! Can't wait to spent time catching in breakaways for you.
Löwenherz' Krist-Off-Time: Amazing start at Eneco Tour!
Hey guys,
I just hit home, got a ton of congratulation messages. My phone is ringing nonstop. What a day out on the road.. people thought I'd be too stubborn to always try it again and again, but today sorta paid off. Granted, today was tough as nails and in the end, the strength for the stage win wasn't in my legs anymore, but the past two days have been grand and an excitement all together.
I came to Eneco Tour with some great form from Pologne, which I tell you about later. With that thought, I'd hit up Mister Vodkakov and told him, I wanted to do my thing here. He agreed. Since Alexander Kristoff wasn't here and I had some Krist-Off-Time, he gave me the nodge to do whatever I wanted. Working for an extraordinary sprinter like Kristoff puts you in a position where you spent the entire day at the end of the peloton, then eventually come up to the front and work your butt off for some kilometers. It's something I appreciate, get paid to do and it's my daily bread. It's quality racing. It's systematic. But going in the breakaway, that's wild: That's for me, my very own quality racing!
When I saw Potgieter from MTN attack early on, I just followed him. Jon Aberasturi from fantastic Team Euskaltel - Euskadi joined in later. We had a good thing going, though we fought out the sprints bitterly. After all, there were jerseys up for grabs. At the end of the day, I got the U25 jersey thanks to time bonuses. We were caught at around 10-15 kilometers from the finish. Solid day of racing, I got a clap on my back.
I crossed Bruine Put as the last rider, but the peloton was quite down on us. When Mr. Vodkakov told me over the radio, that there was some sort of twist going on in the peloton, and I saw my chance. I caught up to Aberasturi and my basque friend and I put in a solid ride. However, the other three were too far away. We managed to get the same time as them, but couldn't contest for the stage win anymore. Later I heard, that GC teams wern't willing to chase for the sprinter teams, whilst Lotto Belisol and Argos didn't have the proper strength to get us back. Weird day of racing, some might complain. But I was happy with my luck and my 5th place in that stage 2.
At the end of the day, as a reward for these brave two days, I got the KoM jersey and some kisses from the podium girls. Beautiful dutch girls. Aberasturi meanwhile took the Best U25 jersey from me. Fair trade I'd sasy. With over 2 minutes lead onto the peloton, I now remain on 4th place. This will of course destroy any breakaway attempts I have, but let's see what's possible in the coming days. I expect to lose massive time and probably the KoM jersey too at some point, but as long as I'm so far on top, I'l l enjoy it and you know, fight for it like I use to.
I hope all of you have tuned in the last days as I was riding at the front at Eneco Tour. I stood my ground and achieved in the end a 5th place overall, behind Philippe Gilbert, Johan Le Bon, Fabian Cancellara and Edvald Boasson Hagen. A stunning result for me and one that I had never dreamed off. But my will to go in the breakaway, my incredible teammates and some major luck made it all possible.
Most days of the Eneco Tour since stage 2 I spent cozy inside the peloton. Two flat stages saw no changes, neither in the GC nor in the KoM competition. So I had the honours of wearing that beautiful polka dat jersey in the 13 kilometer long Time Trial. Unfortunately, I am not yet a man of the fight against the clock and I ended up with a hefty burder for the future contention. Thanks to the breakaway lead, I was still 4th overall, amidst all my former companions. The stage win went to Cancellara. That day I realized, that maybe my fortune lies in one-week stage racse a bit, but to become better in them, I'll need to train Prologue heavy and hard in the future.
The La Redoute stage was probably the one stage I was afraid of most. I come alright over a hill, like I have shown in Fleche Wallone, but passing the La Redoute multiple times in the peloton takes the toll on you. You have to fight for position all the time, you need to pay attention to many details. I was glad to have such a strong team around me. Kolobnev, Trofimov, Belkov and all the others did a stunning job at protecting me, limiting my time loss and working in the wind when necessary. That allowed me to finish inside the big group, losing only time on a very dominant performance of Gilbert and some other riders like Cancellara or Boasson Hagen. Really, that day I realized how important great teamwork was and I am lucky to be part of the Katusha Global Cycling Project more than ever after such a performance.
So, I had kept my 4th place overall after the Aywaille stage and the last one was actually one that could favor me well. It featured the Muur van Geraadsbergen and I knew this road very well, like many others in the bunch I guess. My chances to hold on to a top place in the overall was really there, and with my talents at the cobblestones and my little decent sprint, who knows... maybe I could have had a shot at the stage win even...
But the main priortiy was in securing my 4th place, and it was a crazy race. Thankfully, Tsatevich was with me during the whole stage. Kept an eye on me, protected me. I really own him a lot after this stage. I even dared to follow an attack later in the race but boy, that didn't work out.
The race was won by Gilbert, whilst fellow EPIC youngster Robert Andrews took the win for Garmin-Sharp. My fellow breakaway companion Le Bon really managed to keep his 2nd, thanks to his excellent Time Trial skills. Katusha and FDJ did some great cooperating throughout the race, in chasing attackers, and it's great to know some support. Le Bon and I both couldn't believe our luck first, but at the end of Eneco Tour, we actually couldn't believe that we have made it. I congratulated him with all my heart.
In the end, I missed out on the podium and came 5th overall. By far my best result and probably more than people thought I could do. But this performance I consider a victory; for me and for riders of my type. That go out and dare their chances rather than sit back and wait for something to happen. That don't follow a strict command of how they are supposed to be and follow a computed routine of maximum success, but just are natural guys who love to ride. Risk it all in the first and the second stage - and eventually get rewarded for it.
Hi there, this is Katusha's latest signing, Špiro Milošević, just coming in to say hello to you fellas. Well I am Croatia, I am -. Wait! I ain't gonna give you no ten cents life story, no not me, there is enough of that goin' round at the moment.
What I am gonna say is I am thrilled to have signed with you Russians, being Croatian and all I don't reckon I could have hoped for much better. I will look to be a huge cog in the wheels of Katusha come next season, I will be right there in the sprints, no doubt delivering the likes of Kristoff to many wins.
I just hope you have a Croatian NC for me to wear, I do hate nationalism but I won't deny I am one big Croatian patriot. No jersey and Å piro won't be too happy.
Because I'm really good at raising my hand fast & high and scream loud "Me! Me! Me!", I am now allowed to go to the World Championships U23 races for Austria. This is really by chance and has not much to do with my accumulated points this year, but alas, it's one more chance to impress with some great racing.
Though I must admit, I'm quite tired as of now. The season has been long and I'm drained of most my energy. Eneco Tour was in some way a miracle for me but for a fighter like me, such results will always be the highlight of the season, never the norm. And as such, many recent races have consisted of the classic domestique duties I'm used to. Grab bottles, protect from wind & crashes, ride in front, doing my service. I don't mind right now, I had my time in the spotlight alright this season. Right now, I hope do to Austria proud at the World Championships, do a few last decent rounds in Beijing and recover properly in the off-season, so I can show my worth next year all over again.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Unfortunately the World Championship U23 races have been rather a non-event for me. I wanted to try but ultimately I couldn't do anything. In the road race I failed to get into the breakaway, the Time Trial was too long for me... I'm no friend of excuses but boy, I really stood little chance. Probably because I'm not that kind of a racer for such a long, long race.
At least I got to enjoy how my teammate Joaquim Rodriguez snatched gold medal in the Elite Road Race. I was still in Firenze at that point and was invited to the big party afterwards. I enjoyed quite some Sangria, I can tell you that.
With performances in Beijing, Lombardia and similiar autumn races, the season ended for me. I mostly worked for my team, trying to help Purito where I could. But Purito didn't have sometimes the legs, maybe because of his focus on the World Championships.
In the end, the season comes to an end. I think that I have found with Katusha a great team that helps me develop my talents and knows how to use me well. So I'm satisfied with that. I also liked some races. Though you may consider my surprising 5th place at Eneco Tour my highlight, it was actually my personal start of the season that I liked the most. Going into the breakaway in my first three races was special; it was even more special when those races were Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris-Roubaix and La Fleche Wallone.
I hope you'll see me in the coming year in more prestigious races, forcing my luck and showing presence whilst also helping my teammates like Purito and Kristoff; my personal goal will be to celebrate my first victory.
Until then, I'll chop some wood in Siberia and will do some spinning classes until training camps kick off.
See you snowside!
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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