June 2013:

- NC - German ITT Championships

Patrick Gretsch comes second after Tony Martin.

- NC - Swiss Championship

Once again. We won the Swiss championship. This time the honour was Marcel Wyss'. Alone over the line a couple of minutes in front of a group of 9.

- NC - Ukranian Championship

Serikov was in the deciding breakaway, but the other riders teamed up and attacked in shift. Serikov got tired and only got 2nd.

Conclusion:

We're up to 12th in the continental. But it's close at the moment.

Transfers:

Still only two young riders signed for the new season. The transfer window has opened and we want a top rider!

Swiss Life - Tissot has made it's first big signing for the new season...

Team owner Tony Rominger is proud to present...

July 2013:

- 2.HC - Tour of Qinghai Lake

Marcel Wyss wins a hilly stage 5, and end up 4th overall. Podevin gets good placements on pretty much all stages and end up 2nd.

Conclusion:

Yet another decent month due to one single race. We entered Tour of Austria with high hopes, but disappointed ourselves. But.. We took revenge in China :-)

Transfers:

We have signed Ignatas Konovalovas for the new season. The lithuanian will become a good team mate with opportunities in hilly races. We are still on the lookout for a climber. Capecchi or Ulissi are the most probable at the moment.

August 2013

- 2.1 - Route of Elk Grove

Schär and Thoma end up 2nd and 3rd respectively on the Time Trial. On the second stage. Thoma somehow is allowed to go into the breakaway, which holds on till the finish where Thoma comes 3rd, but takes the leader jersey. Swiss Life - Tissot holds the peloton together on the final stage and Thoma wins his first race as a pro.

- 2.HC - Tour of Denmark

Christian Thoma takes the Time Trial stage and leads the race, however Van Hummel wins the jersey back with a stage victory on the final stage. Thoma ends up 2nd. The team ends up wth 4 man in the top-10.

Conclusion:

A great month by Thoma. He's finally showing the potential I've been telling everyone he had ;-)

The team has steadlily moved up till 8th place on the continental ranking.

Transfers:

We did not succeed with any of the climbers we had in our radar. They wanted too much money. However we signed 32-year-old veteran climber Hubert Dupont and then in addition we have on reccomendation from Cameron Meyer, signed Luke Durbridge. An australian tempo freak.

September 2013:

- 2.1 - Giro della Padania

Steve Morabito wins Stage 4. And ends up on the podium on another. All in all he gets 3rd in the overall. Dietzieker gets 8th.

- WC - World ITT Championship

The swiss national coach chose an in-form Thoma instead of Cancellara. A gamble that ends up paying off. Michael Schär ends up 5th overall. Christian Thoma, who's been in incredible form this fall, wins it all. 3 seconds in front of Boasson Hagen and 10 in front of Martin. INCREDIBLE!

Conclusion:

Some wins and coupled with some decent top-5 results we're up to fourth on the continental ranking.

Transfers:

Nothing new ... We hope to sign at least one more young rider for the next season.

October 2013:

- 1.1 - Chrono des Nations

Michael Schär wins in front of Thoma and Wyss. Total domination by Swiss Life. Pretty easy to win when everyone else is out of form ;-)

Conclusion:

We finish the season with some podium finishes. We finish the season 4th on the continental tour. Very nice result for the team.

Who to sign?

Since my scouts don't want to help me find young riders, I need your help!

I need to sign a rider on basis on his results in the U23. And you decide!

We need some climbers and therefore good results on mountain stages are a real plus for these guys ;-)

The candidates

- Milan Glonek (U23 ranking: 1) - 19 years - Skills

Milan is a sprinter. As of right now i do not believe we need another sprinter. However Glonek is the the leader in the U23-ranking.

Results:

- Stage win in Giro delle Regioni (Flat)
- 3 stage wins in Tour of Berlin (All Flat)

- Sven Varlo (U23 ranking: 6) - 20 years - Skills

Sven is what looks like to be a real climber. I'm leaning towards this guys at the moment.

Results:

- Prologue win in Tour de l'Avenir
- 2 stage wins in Tour de l'Avenir ( All Mountain)
- 2nd overall Tour de l'Avenir

- Iakes Eslava (U23 ranking: 3) - 20 years - Skills

I am tempted to sign Iakes to compliment our new spanish prospect Vinals.

Results:

- Stage win in Tour de l'Avenir (Mountain)
- Stage win in Tour de l'Avenir (Time Trial)
- 1st overall in Tour de l'Avenir

- Laurent Bernardy (U23 ranking: 8) - 20 years - Skills

I have been looking for this guy in luxembourg in half a year without finding him. I'm afraid he might have problems with the paperworks, and his whereabouts. I'm no longer so hooked on this guy after seing his very average skills. But you'll get the opportunity.

Results:

- Stage win in Ronde de l'Isard (Mountain)
- 1st overall in Ronde de l'Isard

If people are gamblers these people could be had as well.

- Genesio Brunner (U23 ranking: 13) - 21 years

Seems like a stable stage racer. But haven't really had any wins. But still, he's Swiss :-)

Results:

- 2nd on stage in Giro delle Regioni (Hilly)
- 3rd on stage in Giro delle Regioni (Time trial)¨
- 2nd overall in Giro delle regioni

- Rick Watson (U23 ranking: 19) - 21 years

Did very well in the mountain stages of Tour de l'Avenir. however he ended behind Varlo and Eslava on all three.

Results:

- 3rd on 2 stages in Tour de l'Avenir (Mountain)
- 3rd overall in Tour de l'Avenir

- Edwin Kent (U23 ranking: 15) - 21 years

Seems like a good prospect. However slighty worse than the ones above.

Results:

- 3rd on 2 stages in Ronde l'Isard
- 2nd overall in Ronde l'Isard

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Please help me choose. I need two riders from above. I have also signed a young puncher from Belgium. What I need the most is climbers, and I'm currently leaning towards Varlo and Eslava myself.

I will choose later tonight or maybe tomorrow. So.. I hope you will help :-)