The Rider: Deleting the big cycling countries is also an idea, but I won't do that. I want to keep it realistic. (Well, Lithuania sending 6 riders to a WC is also not very realistic, especially because there are only 26 countries participating). The season is over but we still need to do some things before the next season. Maybe a review about 'our' season...?
sutty68: Rodriguez had a great season indeed. He won for the first time a grand tour, so of course he will remember it.
2013 Season Review – Hot Wheels–Porsche – Riders
Hi there!
At the beginning of the season, all of our riders set their main goal for this season. Now we look back if they achieved their goal and how they improved since the start of the season.
Will Burton
My main goal this year was: Improving my skills.
At the start of the season I was one of the best cyclists from Hot Wheels. But during the season there were other cyclists who became better than I am. I wanted to improve my skills and I think that I achieved that. My climbing and time-trial are better than at the start of the season. I’m not sure how much I will improve next seasons, but I’m happy about this year.
Edward Byrne
My main goal this year was: Ride some good results in time-trials.
Well, all I can say is that I didn’t achieve my goal. It was way more difficult than I thought. But I’ve learned from this season and I hope that I can continue my development this way.
Jonathan Chapman
My main goal this year was: Improve my cobbles skills.
I really improved my cobbles skill this season. Although it’s still not very good, I feel that it’s better than before. Next season I want to train it even more, and after that I hope I can ride good results.
Yann Coutant
My main goal this year was: Train all my skills.
I wanted to train all my skills, but during the season I changed my training and focused on cobbles training. I think that I have improved. Of course it has to be better to stay at this team, but it’s good to see that I’m developing.
Luis Freire
My main goal this year was: Improve my hills and sprint skills.
The season wasn’t very easy for me. During the season I got injured so that has had influence on my development. But I still think I’m developing very well. Hopefully I can continue this next season, but then without injuries.
Julian Heckel
My main goal this year was: Improve my sprint skills.
Well, what can I say. It wasn’t really what I expected. This really has to be better. I’m happy I have a contract for next season, but then I really have to show my potential to get a new contract.
Frank Hill
My main goal this year was: Improve my hills and downhill skills.
Although I didn’t really improve myself, I have shown that I’m a decent cyclists and that I can be useful for the team. Unfortunately I didn’t got a new contract here. I’ll try to train at home and improve myself a lot so that I maybe get another chance.
Sylvain Pellerin
My main goal this year was: Improve my hills skill.
I think I did well this season, but in the opinion from my boss I didn’t. I improved my hills, and that was my mission. I think they made a big mistake with not renewing my contract, but they’ll know that in the future.
Alexandre Rodrigues
My main goal this year was: Make a lot of progression with my hills skill.
Wow, what can I say? This was an awesome season for me. I didn’t expect that I would win a race in my first season. But I did! I even won more than once. I’m very satisfied with my development and I expect a lot more next season.
Vincent Rogers
My main goal this year was: Improve my skills to become a better grand tour rider.
I did what I wanted. I improved my climbing, my time-trial and my recuperation. The results weren’t very good compared to some of my teammates, but that motivates me even more for next season. I can’t wait!
Igor Sobczyk
My main goal this year was: Improve my prologue skills.
I didn’t really improve my prologue, and that’s quite disappointing to me. But next season I’ll change my training, so I hope I will do better then. I’m looking forward to my second season!
Cheng Siu To
My main goal this year was: Improve my hills and time-trial skills.
I am very proud about last season. I have shown myself during the races and I have improved myself a lot. I’m proud to wear the national champion jersey from Hong Kong. Of course I’ll try to show it as much as I can next season.
Ian Watson
My main goal this year was: Improve my sprint skills.
This. Was. Just. Awesome! I can’t believe I improved myself this fast! I’m proud on myself and on the people who helped me. I was very happy with the first race I won for the team. That was really awesome. I hope I can continue my development this way and I hope to ride some great results next season.
Antonio Webb
My main goal this year: Improve my skills
I was very sad when I heard that my contract won’t be renewed, but now I can live with that. I’ve had an awesome year here with all those people. I hoped for more, but unfortunately I didn’t get it. But I’m proud on myself for what I have achieved this year.
tmr96: For our first year it was great indeed! I expect a lot from Rodrigues and Watson next season. I'm looking forward to it!
The Rider: Compared with the team we had at the start of the season some riders have developed great. I don't think that we see +11 and +13 again next season, but you'll never know...
We booked eight victories this season, which is an incredible result with what we expected. At the start of the season we didn’t expect this much victories and we’re really proud on it. We are on the 34th position with this. Alexandre Rodrigues was on the 61st position. For who missed it, these riders won our races.
- Alexandre Rodrigues (3 victories)
- Ian Watson (2 victories)
- Cheng Siu To (2 victories)
- Jeffery Aguilar (1 victory)
Here is a list with our victories this season.
- Ronde van Drenthe – Stage 1
- Ronde van Drenthe – General Classification
- Skoda-Tour of Luxembourg – General Classification
- Hong Kong Championships ITT
- Hong Kong Championships RR
- Campeonato de Portugal RR
- Tour de Wallonie – Stage 5
- Tour of Britain – General Classification
Soon we have to choose our Hot Wheels – Porsche cyclist of the year and the Hot Wheels – Porsche trainee of the year. To make a good choice, here are the season results from each cyclist.
Cyclists
Will Burton
- Grand Prix la Marseillaise / 6th
Alexandre Rodrigues - Campeonato de Portugal / 1st - Skoda-Tour de Luxembourg / 1st
- Skoda-Tour de Luxembourg / Mountain Classification
- Skoda-Tour de Luxembourg / Young Classification
- Skoda-Tour de Luxembourg / 1 day wearing the leader jersey
- Tour de Wallonie / 6th - Tour de Wallonie / Winner stage 5 - Talent of the Month / July
You can vote HERE for our Cyclist and Trainee of the Year. You can vote until Wednesday.
Cheng Siu To was nominated for the Hong Kong Cyclist of the Year. Unfortunately he didn’t win it. Kin San Wu won the Bayern – Rundfahrt + a stage and he won a stage in the Tour of Turkey, and apparently that was better than To's victories at both Hong Kong Championships.
Edited by MrUfo87 on 09-02-2014 16:03
Well, it seems that the sponsor don’t want to give us additional money for a scout, so I have to scout talents myself next season. But now is the problem, which country should I go? Personally I was thinking about Finland. I want a country which isn’t very good at cycling so we can help to improve the cycling in that country. Other countries I was thinking about were South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Estonia and Austria. I’m not sure about it yet. Maybe you guys have an idea?
Oh, and yes, don’t forget to vote for the Hot Wheels – Porsche Cyclist of the Year! You can vote HERE.
tmr96: Thanks for voting! I need at least one more vote because now I don't have one winner at the second competition, but two. I'm currently making some changes in the database for next season and of course the Fan Day is still coming. If you got questions you want to ask the riders, you can send them to me through PM. I hope to start the next season within a week. Edited by MrUfo87 on 16-02-2014 16:29
Welcome on our Fan Day! We’re happy to see that you’re joining us to celebrate the end of the season. And what kind of season! It was a great one, especially because it was our first one. You can meet our riders and talk with them, and of course you can ask a signature! After that, we’ll have a press conference where you can ask questions to the riders. Then we’ll tell you who are the Cyclist and Trainee of the Year. And finally there will be a ride with the riders. Enjoy!
We’ll start to ask some questions to one of the best cyclists of this season, Alexandre Rodrigues. Alexandre, how does it feel to become Portuguese Champion in your first season? And when did you feel that you’d win the race?
Spoiler
Alexandre: It was unbelievable that I won that race. I knew I was in shape, but it was already a while ago that I won the Tour de Luxembourg. I didn’t have any clue about my position compared to the other cyclists. I was one of the strongest of the breakaway that day, but I thought that the peloton would catch me. I knew my only opportunity was to be in the breakaway. When I saw that our gap was becoming too small I attacked. I didn’t knew I should win until the last five hundred meters. It was awesome to look behind me and see nobody else. Hearing the crowd cheering was great as well. I’m proud to be Portuguese champion already, but it’ll become difficult to defend the title. It was one of my dreams when I started cycling, and now it has already happen. I hope to take that jersey again in the future!
Wasn’t that a big risk? I mean, you immediately signed a contract at a team which was just one year in cycling. There is a possibility that they leave cycling after only a few years.
Luis: Now I know that having an injury is one of the most difficult things about being a cyclist. When I got the injury I was just becoming in good shape so I was fed up, you know. It was difficult sitting home without the possibility to do something. I was happy that the manager and the other riders helped me coming through this period. I was happy when I came back, but it was difficult. It took me a while to become in shape again. Unfortunately my injury decided a part of my season. Hopefully I’ll show myself more next season.
We hope as well, thank you Luis. Well, here is not a cyclist, but an ex-cyclist from Hot Wheels – Porsche; Frank Hill. Frank, do you already have a contract for next season?
Spoiler
Frank: Unfortunately not. I hoped to stay here at Hot Wheels, but when I heard that they didn’t want to renew my contract I had to look for another team. I can say that I’m still having contact with some teams but I don’t expect a lot of it. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I don’t have a contract for next season yet, but of course I hope to be a cyclist.
Good luck Frank. He’s one of the biggest talents and by far the best sprinter of the team; Ian Watson. Ian, what kind of sprinter are you? Are you a pure sprinter, or are you better on the hills and have a good finish as well?
Spoiler
Ian: I think I’m a decent sprinter who can cycle over hills as well. I already see now that I can do that, but I still miss some sprint power. I’m not sure if I’ll become a pure sprinter, but I hope to become a good one. In the Tour du Doubs I showed that I can climb. Although the final climb was tough, all of the other cyclists of our team fell back, also the climbers. After that I sprinted to a Top-10 place, so I can both climb and sprint.
And of course you showed that by winning several mountain jerseys and cycling good GC’s. That’s quite strange for a sprinter.
Spoiler
Ian: Yes, but taking my first victory in a breakaway is strange for a sprinter as well. But it was strange indeed to win a mountain jersey while you’re a sprinter, but of course I’m happy with it. I don’t think I’ll win any mountain jerseys in the future.
Thanks Ian. Now we move over to an American talent, who immediately won a race; Jeffery Aguilar. Jeffery, how does it feel to win the Tour of Britain while you’re just a trainee?
Spoiler
Jeffery: It was amazing to win the Tour of Britain. Of course you don’t expect to win there, and even less you expect to win it this way. When I took the leader jersey I was scared to lose it, but when I won time on the uphill finish I knew it would be possible. Katusha was very strong, but my team helped me to win the race. It’s a good start and I hope to show many more of these things next season.
We hope to see you doing that, Jeffery. Many people don’t know him, but he was also a trainee here; Tom Massot. Tom, we haven’t heard a lot about you? How are you and how is your development at the moment?
Spoiler
Tom: I’m fine, thanks. I haven’t developed myself a lot during my trainee period here, but I hope to improve myself a lot next season. I’m very happy the team gave me this opportunity and I hope show myself next season.
Good luck Tom. Now we’re at the only Asian cyclist in this team; Cheng Siu To. Cheng Siu, how was it to cycle in Europe and the United States. Does it have many differences compared to Asia?
Spoiler
Cheng Siu: Yes, it has many differences and that’s not very strange. Cycling in Asia is completely different compared to cycling in Europe, which is also completely different to cycling in America. I really had to get used to Europe cycling. First it was strange to cycle in Europe, but now I’m happy to cycle here. And of course I’m very proud to show my national jersey here. I didn’t expect to win it immediately in my first season, but I’m very proud to have it. Now my mission is to win in Europe in that jersey.
We hope that you can achieve your goal Cheng Siu. Now we go to the Polish cyclist, Igor Sobczyk. Igor, you’ve already said that you’ll change your training program. What’s wrong with your current one and what are you going to change?
Spoiler
Igor: My current training program isn’t bad, but it just doesn’t fit to me. This season I was mainly training on hills, but that’s not my specialisation. Next season I’ll move to a time-trial training. I know I can make a lot of progression on my time-trial and prologue, so I want to improve that a lot.
Good luck Igor and we hope to see you winning a time-trial or prologue in the future. Now we move over to another cyclist with a good time-trial, Edward Byrne. Edward, do you want to become world champion time-trial?
Spoiler
Edward: Of course, everyone want to become world champion, no matter in what category. It would be awesome, but I don’t know how I’ll develop. It could be possible that I once will wear that jersey, but it’s also possible that I will never become good enough to win it. Well, first I’ll try to win the British jersey and that will be difficult enough. The competition in time-trial is high.
Hopefully you’ll win one of the jerseys. Now we have another cyclist who leaves Hot Wheels – Porsche, Antonio Webb. Antonio, what was your highlight from your time here at Hot Wheels? And what are you going to do in the future?
Spoiler
Antonio: I didn’t ride a good result by myself but I’ve helped some of my teammates to ride a good result. I think the confidence from that is the best thing I have of my time here. I don’t know what I’m going to do in the future. Just like Frank I’m still talking with some teams but I don’t expect a lot about it. I really want to do something in cycling. Maybe, if my cycling career fails, I’ll become a scout or a trainer. That would be awesome. But for now I try to stay cyclist.
Good luck with that Antonio! He was one of the best cyclists of the team at the start of the season, but during the season he fell back; Will Burton. Will, some cyclists at this team passed you this season. How do you feel about that? And how will you take back your backlog?
Spoiler
Will: I was the oldest cyclist of the team at the of the season, so it wasn’t very strange I was farthest with my development. But there are some other cyclists who are more talented than I am, and that’s why they passed my with their development. I don’t think I’ll take them back. They’re simply more talented than I am, and I can live with that. I just have to focus on myself and on my own career.
Of course that’s the most important, good luck. We still haven’t had all the cyclists. Now we’re at Jonathan Chapman. Jonathan, you’re an inconspicuous cyclist, so we don’t know a lot about you. What we know is that you’re a cobbles cyclist. Do you think you can surprise during the spring races?
Spoiler
Jonathan: I think I just have to put nice results in cobble races. The most important ones are during the spring, but we can’t race some of them. And I also think I’m not at a level to win a cobble race at the moment. I’m training hard to improve it, and I’m happy about my development this season, so I hope I can continue that next year. And maybe I can surprise.
We hope you can surprise us, good luck. Yann Coutant is the other cobble cyclist at this team. Yann, what does Paris-Roubaix mean to you?
Spoiler
Yann: Paris-Roubaix is a great race, but it’s not my favourite one. Although it doesn’t have any cobbles, I like Paris-Tours more. I don’t know why. For sure it’s great to cycle between the crowd on the cobbles, and I can’t say I don’t want to win Paris-Roubaix, but I still prefer Paris-Tours. This race just has something magical. I hope I can win it one day.
We hope you can, good luck. Now we’re at Julian Heckel. Julian, you didn’t have a great season last season. What are you going to do to make it a better year next season?
Spoiler
Julian: I have to cycle as fast as I can and put some nice results, that’s what I have to do. But it’ll be difficult. For me, it’ll the year of the truth. You see that Frank and Antonio didn’t get a contract extension, while their season was way better than mine. My contract expires at the end of next season, so I really have to show myself.
Good luck with that. Now we’re talking with the third and last rider who’s leaving Hot Wheels – Porsche; Sylvain Pellerin. Sylvain, how do you feel about leaving the team? And what are you going to do next season?
Spoiler
Sylvain: I’m still angry that they didn’t want to renew my contract. I mean, I didn’t put any results but how can they know my potential after already one season? The manager has scouted me for a year and then decided to give me a contract, and now he says that he doesn’t see my potential. Then he shouldn’t give me a contract. I still don’t have a contract for next season, so I don’t know what I’m going to do then.
Well, good luck with it. We only have four cyclists to go. Now is Vincent Rogers. Vincent, you wore the mountain jersey in the Tour de San Luis, which was the first race for the team. How did you feel?
Spoiler
Vincent: I was really proud to wear that jersey. I still have it hanging in my closet. It was our first race and I was wearing the mountain jersey. That was just great! I’m still proud on it. I’m also proud on our first victory, and of course that we won some national champion jerseys. Those were great moments. I’m very happy here at this team and I’m looking forward to next season. Hopefully I’ll be even better than this season.
We hope it as well, good luck. Now we’re going to talk with Sven Hahn. Sven, you’re the only German cyclist in this team, so you’re the representative for it in Germany. How does that feel?
Spoiler
Sven: Well, it’s a little bit difficult. I haven’t raced a lot yet, but especially Porsche is expecting a lot from me. I hope I can satisfy them. Hopefully there will join some other German cyclists next season, but I’m almost sure that that will happen. I hope to have a good time here.
We hope it as well, good luck. We have only two cyclists to go. Now it’s the turn from the cyclist of Luxembourg, Tom Rodriguez. Tom, do you think you’ll become as good as the Schleck brothers?
Spoiler
Tom: The Schleck brothers are both great cyclists, and they’ve achieved a lot. It’ll be awesome if I would become as good as they are one day. For sure I’m going to train very hard. One of my first goals is to become national champion of Luxembourg. That’s also a race where I can beat them, so I hope to have that jersey on day.
We hope it as well, good luck! And now, last but not least, Pablo Garcia Sánchez. Pablo, do you have more qualities than sprinting?
Spoiler
Pablo: At the moment not. I don’t know how far I can come as a pure sprinter, but when I know I could train on for example hills or cobbles. Becoming a pure sprinter would be great, but I would be satisfied as well when I’m more a cobbles cyclist or a puncheur. That’s great as well.
Good luck. And now we’re finally finished with the interviews. Now we’re going to give away the awards for Cyclist of the Year and Trainee of the Year. Who’s going to win?
Now there’s a ride, where you can ride with our cyclists. Unfortunately I forgot my camera to take some pictures. Thanks for coming and I see you next season!
Oh, and yes, I’m leaving. No, I’m not quitting, I’m leaving. I’m going to South Korea to scout young cyclists. You’ll hear about that. I see you at the team presentation!
Heckel sounds like a good guy, give him another contract! That will keep the German sponsors happy.
Can't argue with who the rewards went to. With Hot Wheels being just a 'small' team maybe it was a bit much having a fan day, apart from Rodrigues and perhaps a few others no one will know who anyone is, yet.
(Well, Lithuania sending 6 riders to a WC is also not very realistic, especially because there are only 26 countries participating). The season is over but we still need to do some things before the next season. Maybe a review about 'our' season...? 
Will Burton
Edward Byrne
Yann Coutant
Luis Freire
Julian Heckel
Alexandre Rodrigues
Igor Sobczyk
Cheng Siu To
