Looking at that squad... I'm not seeing many pro-tour wins. Signings will be key for next season... but if you really keep it to French guys it limits the potential guys significantly... especially for mountain tours.
Yeah... lets just say that the beginning of the season may be off to a slow start... and considering Moreau turned my offer down in favour of the drug filled Astana, what can i say? Coming top 10 in the Tour de France may well be a little bit hard... not to mention the top 5 in Amstel Gold, or winning a stage of le Tour, and what about the sprinters jersey of the Giro! Crikey sponsors, don't want me to achieve much do ya?!
EDIT: and yes, i've played it all on Hard. And no, I'm not a God, i am THE God. B)
Edited by rjc_43 on 08-05-2008 17:58
rjc_43 wrote:
Yeah... lets just say that the beginning of the season may be off to a slow start... and considering Moreau turned my offer down in favour of the drug filled Astana, what can i say? Coming top 10 in the Tour de France may well be a little bit hard... not to mention the top 5 in Amstel Gold, or winning a stage of le Tour, and what about the sprinters jersey of the Giro! Crikey sponsors, don't want me to achieve much do ya?!
EDIT: and yes, i've played it all on Hard. And no, I'm not a God, i am THE God. B)
Yikes!
Well a tour win can be achieved with your new TT guy. He could probably take the prologue if you peak his form just right.
The Giro sprinters jersey... I just can't see it. Seems like unless you have a DOMINANT sprinter... one of the race favorites wins it like DiLuca or Cunego.
Unless you got Casar... I can't see a top 10 happening in the Tour unless Belkov gets a really nice bump when he hits level 4.
As for Amstel Gold, there are several french riders who could get that... Gadret, Pineau, Chavanel... maybe even Fredrigo if you race REALLY well.
Yeah, i've tried to sign many many french riders who can get over those hills, but the only one left (pineau) signed for another team over me So it looks like i'll be going for a long break attempt!
As to the Giro Sprinters Jersey, i only need to wear it, so im hoping to also TT into that on the first stage, but if the TT doesnt give any points, i could be scuppered.. though i have signed a rather good sprinter... (all will be revealed in good time)
And i also happen to know that Belkov does have a very very nice stat boost when he goes up his next level. Ive won the Vuelta with him just on level 4 before. But that was with the help of Contador and other's. I don't quite see any Contadors in my squad...
I have some nice surprises, but my team will look rather like Bouygues Telekom did. B)
rjc_43 wrote:
Yeah, i've tried to sign many many french riders who can get over those hills, but the only one left (pineau) signed for another team over me
how can you withstand the temptation of not signing better non-french riders
prevent hangovers --> stay drunk
pozzato, basically the most stupid cyclist around
He already has, but to weigh in, I don't consider it ridiculous to get some Belgian riders, or any riders from a (small) country that borders France. Certainly signing a Spanish or Italian rider would throw things off, but Belgium, Luxembourg, and some other countries would make sense
I appriciate all your thoughts about who i should or shouldn't sign, and I have, before transfer season really kicked in, tried to keep it very based upon my story, and the direction I am taking it. I hope that my riders will firmly secure that image i have of my team and keep my team French, and not international. This is not to say I haven't signed some other riders, but I've always looked to French riders first.
A couple more signings to get your heads around.
Two of the earliest signings have been with riders who started out with our team, one of them has already been introduced, Vaugrenard, the other is Tristan Valentin. Formly of Auber 93 as a new pro, before moving to Cofidis, and now back to Auber 93.
A good flat rider, and with the potential to do well in helping Damien Gaudin on the cobbles, we couldn't just let this rider get away.
Coming with him from Cofidis, with strong recommendation from Tristan, is Sebastian Minard. Another flat, cobble specialist, the two of these riders have worked together well the past year, and will help form the basis of Auber's cobbled and sprinting dreams.
On a different note, Auber 93 has settled into its French background, and is happy to give many homegrown stars the chance to shine, without having to move away from their beloved country. To this end, a lot of the riders attracted to the team are good time trial specialists. Vaugrenard, Minard, Gaudin, Morizot, along with others can all put in an exceptional time trial. With these specialists, I think it is a good goal to have, to aim for the win in the team time trial event in the Pro Tour in Eindhoven. A win there would certainly help keep the team up in the pro tour by the end of the year.
With that goal sat there, Dimitri Champion, previously Bouygues T, has come across to Auber 93. Joining him with us, is another rider from the track. On the same French national track program as Theirry Jollet, this rider focuses on the pursuit efforts and can turn in some brilliant times. I also introduce Francois Pervis.
I believe that time trialling is one of the purest forms of racing a bike as it is just the rider versus the road.
During talks with the sponsors during the season, they had cautioned me with regards to promotion. Whilst they were all up for the promotion battle, and the branding of the sponsors from victories and good results were all very good, they were worried about the monetry side of things. Obviously Auber 93 being a developmental set up, they wanted to keep it that way if things turned "big", but they didn't see how the team would be able to put money towards developing the youth, as well as striving for good results in the pro tour. Obviously a new sponsor, or co-sponsor would have to be found.
A couple of riders had caught my eye during the season, many of you may remember i mentioned Hutarovich as a possible transfer target. Whilst it was not possible to buy him this year from the Roubaix team, I had talked with him about his country, where he had been brought up and so on. What interested me the most was that of some of the worst off areas for Eastern Europe, some brilliant cyclists came out from there. So, as is the case, i sent out the scouts over to Belarus to find any talent they could. Well, they dug up some great riders to look at. All of which will be a great asset to the team.
And so with great pleasure, i introduce some more signings for this year:
A fairly novice rider, with Auber being his first real big break, Siarhei Papok. With the right amount of coaching and the correct program, this year he will develop into a super strong sprinter.
Hailing from Tinkoff, Vasili Kiryienka will produce more power on the flat then many a an can, or will ever do in their lives.
Interestingly, Vasil is a rider from the track as well, and can do pretty well in the points race. This being an Olympic year, he will be looking to fit that into his schedule at some point.
Vasil had been contacted earlier in the season by a company called Beltelecom, the Belarus main tele communications provider. They had been interested in forming their own team to help youngsters have something to aim for. A National cycling team, like Astana's idea, but with less drugs. Well Vasil had been up for the idea until i contacted him. He had even heard of my plight with lack of money, and had offered to contact the company for me. The company were delighted to be approached by an already established team and were happy to provide equal share of money towards the running of the team. Auber 93 still provided the 2 million euros a year, whilst on the other side Beltelecom provided another 2 million. All they wanted was the promise of Belarus riders having the chance to ride with the team. Not a problem was the reply.
From talks with the company, details of other riders interested in moving into a team with their country at heart were given over to me.
Yauhen Sobal, another flat rider like Vasili, can do better then Vasili, as he has the potential of both a climb, and a sprint. Look out for this rider this year as he gets in plenty of media covered breakaways.
Aleksandr Kuschynski, coming from Liquigas, is a brilliant climber, and will provide back up during le tour this year to who ever our leader is. He has plenty of years left in him, and given a free reign can easily head up a squad for a minor pro tour stage race.
The last rider to be signed from the Belarus region is on the wishes of many on the squad. This young rider has only just turned 19 and shows potential to be as good as Kuschynski already. Welcome to Elshad Megamadov!
With the transfer season over, I can introduce the last few riders who signed for the team in the months after the last race.
Two more french youth riders have come through from CM Auber - our feeder club, to show talent enough to get their first pro contracts. Each one has been given great faith in a belief that they will shine in the years to come, but no pressure will be upon them this year.
And that wraps up our home grown talent. With all other riders signed for the other big teams, we had to look elsewhere for riders to fill the gaps. With no more requirement for leaders, other than in sprinting, we looked for some solid team mates. No one is more solid than Belgium Jonas Decouttere
This year he will help Gaudin to as best a place in the classics as he can, and by next year, who knows? A co-leadership may be in order!
A Spanish superstar we feel was overlooked this year. No, not Oscar Freire who is without a contract, but David Abal. The youngster is ready to rock and roll and will always be a team mate for Levarlet and Belkov. Roughly the same age as the two stage race leaders, he will get along with them great.
The final signing of the season, and the best one by far, is Gerald Ciolek. While Mark Cavendish was stolen from under the teams nose, Ciolek jumped at the chance to race with such a unique team. His pure power at the end of a race will win him many victories, and hopefully us a jersey or two!
And thats it! Signings complete. Only one rider was dropped from the squad this year, and that was Christophe Diguet. We feel he had had enough racing at this level for a year, and has gone back down to the amateur ranks for a year, unless he can show us something extra for next year.
So it looks like i'll be going for a long break attempt!
Vaugrenard is a good one too and the others will all help.
