The season Is finally over, or at least that's the perspective Team Carlsberg - Danske Bank have this year. In the final Continental Rankings, the team finished 23rd, only ahead of 3 other teams, two of which are disbanding.
But the Danish team are not disbanding, while their PT counterpart B&O very well might be. Heading into renewals and the transfer season, Carlsberg should really be looking to recess their team strategy. This year they went for breakaways and cobbles, where niche markets could thrive. But unfortunately, some strange racing made this difficult, and Niki Ostergaard did come in as their highest ranked rider, but in 73rd place.
This isn't slated to change much next year, but if there are more Danish riders available, Carlsberg will be looking to pursue them. In addition, Marc Christian Garby was at B&O on loan, so he will need to find a new team for next season if they disband in order to reach his full potential, as will Ranneries, Hansen, and Wengelin, all who could get loans this year.
With no young talents being added into the game, it is unlikely any prodigies will find their way into the team's hands. As a second year Continental team, it will be crucial to see how they sue the base they already have. Who will stay and who will go? Renewals will be the tell tale sign of that.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
With the National Championships raging this week, Team Carlsberg - Danske Bank was of course involved. Matthias Wengelin finished second in the Swedish Road Race, but other than that, all hope for a champion fell on the Danish ones.
John Kronborg Ebsen, our best pure climber this season, decided to strike out on the pan flat route for a breakaway. And despite the other teams in the race, no one joined him.
Well after he sailed away, Ostergaard also attacked, followed by Thomas Vedel Kvist.
But Ebsen took it to wear the jersey in the coming year! Ostergaard finished third, with Ranneries and Rasmussen 4th and 5th.
In the TT, a new rider was put at the forefront of affairs.
Lasse Bochman set out for us. He was riding strong and set the best time at the time checks.
And with a show of power, he beat Klostergaard's time to take the win!
That makes Lasse Bochman your 2014 Danish time trial champion!
The team is proud of their riders, and look forward to seeing them in their country's apparel in the upcoming season!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Gratz for dominating the Danish Championships!
It's a great achievement to win the NC's as a CT team. Particulary in a not so small cycling country. Hope it compensates a little for the erratic season.
Renewals for Carlsberg - Danske Bank have been completed ahead of the 2015 season. For the Danish squad, they've been largely uneventful.
Only one rider was released this year, Anton Kaus. While we enjoyed attacking nature throughout the past season, we had to let him go in order to clear salary cap room for some target free agents in the off season.
Some riders, such as Guytan Lilholt and Asbjorn Kragh Andersen were willing to take slight pay cuts, which we are very grateful for.
We also ran into some trouble negotiating with two of our riders, Sebastien Rosseler and Christopher Stevenson, who demanded higher wages despite their aging. Though we had to compromise in the end, we were happy we were able to make a deal with these fighters as they close their careers.
We assume that their won't be much interest in our riders during the transfer season, so it is assumed everyone will be staying. However, some riders will be looking to be loaned out to a PT team if possible. They are listed in our renewals results below.
cio93 wrote:
I hope you know that the only guy of those loan options who has a slim chance of maxing out in PCT would be Garby if that team gets to ride a GT.
At least Garby should have an easy time finding a PT team though.
Yes I know that. Just figured I'd throw it in there. I'll actually remove it now.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
As a quiet and fairly disappointing transfer season winds down for Carlsberg - Danske bank, there is a bright spot. Yesterday, they were able to acquire Curocaon champion Marc De Maar from Quickstep, for a transfer fee of $450k. He is a great pick up, and is extremely versatile. He instantly becomes the teams best puncheur and powerhouse, with tremendous acceleration, and will make a good super domestique and wildcard for the cobbles campaign.
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fight
Dwn
Pro
76
67
74
73
76
72
72
73
66
77
73
68
73
In addition, they were able to loan out young star Marc Christian Garby to Movistar - US Postal. When he returns next season, he will be a tremendous climber for our team. however, that's where the positives stop. The team was unable to loan out their other developing riders, especially Christian Ranneries, who would have become a headline sprinter for our team after a year in PT.
In addition, the team manager came under major criticism, and deserving so, for carrying so many riders through renewals, and giving large contracts to those who didn't deserve it. The result was very little cap room, and better riders being taken for cheap prices on the open market. These criticisms are fair, and the team manager has taken note for next season. Loyalty is important, but it should not infringe the greater good of the team, and it certainly did this year.
The team manager was quoted, saying,
"Carlsberg may still take on some young riders as loans, or even potentially make other moves, but by and by, it was an unsuccessful transfer season. While Marc De Maar is far above the only rider we released, Anton Kaus, we wanted to do more that eventually was not possible with how we executed it. And I take fault for that. In addition, the cobble scene has become much more competitive, which will hurt our only strength from last season. But we have experience, and a fresh face. This season we hope to be a little more competitive, and hopefully, by this time next season, we will have a team with many strengths, and a promotion ticket soon to come. For now we'll just enjoy the racing."
The transfer season isn't completely over though, so if you have any inquiries or offers for for Carlsberg - Danske Bank, contact baseballlover312 directly, or head to their transfer center: https://pcmdaily.c...st_1061205
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Yes, I think so too. He doesn't drastically change our team, but he improves all the disciplines that we are about as a team, and was definitely worth it. I hope he can get some wins, but I really am just hoping 2016 comes quick.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Gratz on signing De Maar. I've spotted him too but not a possible transfer for me. His versatility will certainly come in handy for you.
On renewals, I agree. Looks to me like it's important to really see who performs in the reports and who is dead weight and whom you can make to money in the transfer period
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
With the Man Game transfer season comign to an end int he past day, it is time to reveal the official roster of Carlsberg - Danske Bank for the upcoming season.
The transfer season was not too active for us. Early on we got Marc Christian Garby loaned out. We also took on Marc De Maar a bit later, as already documented.
We ran into some trouble when Joost Van Leijen asked for a transfer to another Continental team, hoping to be a domestique on a more nationally focused team. but when no offers came in, he became disheartened with professional cycling, and asked for the team to release him. Team management acknowledge his wish and bought out his contract. It is yet to be seen if he will come out of retirement in the coming seasons, but this year, the 31 year old will be focusing on his family.
Despite this, Carlsberg kept their head up. We managed to loan in young Japenese climber Hiroshi Tsubaki from Meji, and stage racer leader Thomas Koep from Aegon. We used our cap left over from Van Leijen's departure to sign sprinter Kim Marius Nielsen, after unsuccessful negotiations with Jonas Aaen Jorgensen.
That gives us a squad that is a little different, but not much removed from last years 23rd place finish. The only riders we lost from last season were Van Leijen and Anton Kaus.
For the mountains, we actually have a leader, although he is only a loan in. Thomas Koep our best climber, and is good on both long and short climbs alike. He can also time trial very well. He should be a good bet for stage races with some TT kms, which at the very least is more than we had last year. We still have Danish National Champion John Kronborg Ebsen and Martin Schoffmann as well, who both did well at getting into breaks on mountain stages. New loanee Hiroshi Tsubaki should also help this cause a bit while he gains some race experience. And never forget that Marc Christian Garby is honing his talents at Movistar, and should come back next year as a dominating force in the division.
For the hills, we have our biggest signing and hopeful star for the coming season: Marc De Maar. The man from Curacao is good on hills and flats, has great acceleration and can survive on almost any terrain. We hope that he will be our star puncheur this season, and can animate races for us. In addition, we have Lasse Bochman, who will be a good domestique and is also ok on longer climbs. He got some very good placings for us last year on the hillier races, and we hope he will do so again. Young Jesper Hnasen will hope to increase his capabilities this year as well.
For time trials, we have a lot of the same riders. Danish TT champion Bochman, De Maar, and Koep should all fair well in this discipline. In addition, sprinter Alex Rasmussen, Martin Mortensen, and veteran Sebastien Rosseler all do well against the clock, and we hope will show something in the TTT squad, though there are more talented teams out there.
For cobbles, we have much more depth than most continental teams. Unfortunately for us, a lot of former PT and PCT have made their way onto the CT circuit this year, which will make it much harder to be successful. Still, we hope absolute leader Niki Ostergaard will be able to take home GP Herning. De maar will be there to help him, and he can also try for himself in the hillier classics. The assembly of Lilholt, Stevenson, Mortensen and Rosseler remains from last year.
For the sprints, we have 4 time stage winner last season, Alex Rasmussen. In a flat he has a great kick, and good recovery in longer races. Unfortunately, sometimes the gradient of cracks in the road is too hard, and when that happens. it will be up to Kim Marius Nielsen and Fabio Sabatini to give us some top 10s. We have Christian Ranneries, who we had doped to loan to PT, still on our roster as well. He has an amazing kick, and it is frustrating that he will go yet another season without reaching the full sprinting ability we all know he has. Asbjorn Kragh Andersen also continues to develop on our team, and Jimmi Sorenson and Nikola Aistrup will be solid leadout men.
That is the team we will be riding with this season. It's obviously not a time to think about promotion, but we know that we have a stronger and more diverse team than last year. Did someone say Top 20?
