@Shonak I had Cunego really high in my pre-list of FA rider so being able to sign him was great. Also having Gilbert is great. I hope that between both can take a few wins and score good points for the team in the hilly races
Hopefully Valls can deliver and dominate the mountain, although same late deals have brought even more great climbers to CT that could challenge Valls

When we announced that Ignacio Jesus Prado would be riding this season in Repsol - Honda in a loan from Becherovka we forgot to mention that he is the reigning Mexican champion, so in the last few days we contacted Norwegian designer hanspetter61 to make the Mexican NC for Repsol - Honda. So this is what Ignacio Jesus will wear during the season. Stunning, right?

Scorchio wrote:
Repsol - Honda looking like they are in good shape to immediately make an impact in the CT. Good strength on hills and mountains, and Marcato may be solo but should do a competent job in the hillier cobbled races. The obvious gap here is the lack of sprint options which will need excellent race planning to overcome. I'm confident that Repsol -Honda has leap-frogged straight over a number of established CT teams and expect will be one of the strongest new CT entrants. Top 15 should be comfortable, although pushing up into the top 8 or 10 might prove tough.

Valls is a fantastic team leader in CT, and in any previous CT season would be the stand-out stage racer. In 2017 though, there are going to be quite a few contenders for the title of "best climber in the division" that Valls publicity department is churning out . Mr Eastman (Azteca), Mr Suaza (Edie Stobart) and Mr Penasa (Kulczyk - DMTEX) all might have something to say on the matter.

As we anounce a few weeks ago, half of the RD of the team this season has also been revealed, as we are forced to race the full C2HC calendar.

Now we had to choose another 60 RD between C2 and C1 races. Obviously, most of those RD will be in C2 races, and of those C1 RD's, all will be in the mountain races that are in the C1 calendar.

Our official debut will be on Clasico San Cristobal, a hilly C2 one-day race in the first day of the season. Our puncheurs should bring us our first ever points in Man-Game

At the end, we'll race 43 RD in C2 races, and 16 RD in C1 races. Without delaying it more, here is our FULL calendar of the 2017 season

We have two Spanish riders with full contract his season who are yet to be maxed. Actually, for those guys it's their first season in the MG, and Jaime Roson is the best of them, and also the most promising rider.

Here we have his current stats, and the four possible combination of stats that he might have when he is maxed. My prefered choice is the first one, but the other possibilities are still on the table. By that way, i think is the best training for him, as he is expected to be a domestique and not a leader, so more RES should be important

LV	FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CO	SP	AC	FI	DH	PR
2.0	66	72	70	61	66	67	73	53	54	68	67	65	58
4.100	67	78	74	61	70	72	76	53	54	72	72	70	58
4.100	67	78	76	61	67	70	77	53	54	74	73	66	58
4.100	67	78	74	67	70	71	79	53	54	69	68	65	64
4.100	67	78	73	61	72	73	76	53	54	71	71	72	58

Cristian is the other talent who is on a full-contract. His training can go in only one way, the hilly training, which should benefit him the best, as currently his best stat is HIL. No other trainings will be considered, as the hilly training is the one who maximise his abilities

LV	FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CO	SP	AC	FI	DH	PR
1.0	68	66	68	66	71	66	67	55	64	65	69	73	66
4.100	71	69	76	67	78	70	70	55	65	70	74	74	67

The 22-yo is the first of our stagiares, and he must earn himself a contract for next year in the few races that he will take part starting from August. He should max as a good lead-out men for sprints, so he has two possible trainings; the "normal" sprint, and the track-sprint one.

LV	FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CO	SP	AC	FI	DH	PR
1.0	63	53	63	60	65	68	64	59	68	69	54	67	62
4.100	70	53	64	60	70	69	73	64	75	76	54	68	62
4.100	70	53	64	61	66	73	72	59	75	76	54	68	69

The last one of our "talents" and the second stagiare is this Basque rider.

He should be a good asset for a hypothetical future TTT roster, so the timetrial training is the only logical choice

LV	FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CO	SP	AC	FI	DH	PR
1.0	65	51	60	66	65	64	62	52	51	57	58	61	66
4.100	72	52	63	75	70	71	69	52	51	57	63	62	75

Repsol - Honda is glad to anounce their latest partnership with the helmet's Italian brand Suomy.

With 20 years of experience in motorcycle helmets making, they have decided to jump in the bicycle helmets market, and when searching for a helmets supplier, a deal was reached inmediately.

The deal is for just one year, but there is a clause of a one-year extension which needs to be accepted by both parts



An official anounce of the wheels supplier will be done in a few days

Repsol - Honda is happy to anounce their partnership with Japanese brand Shimano.

We have trusted the centenary brand to provided us with their wheels for the 2017 season

Rafa's only MG win in his career, in Romandie's stage 4 two years ago

Journalist: Hi Rafa, thank you for welcoming me. Let's start. You are the team leader of the new Spanish team, Repsol - Honda. Is this the oportunity that you were looking for?

Rafa Valls: Yes, this is exactly what i was looking for. Although in Euskaltel I had leadership in a higher division, I was never in position to win anything, so for me it's a good move. I'll have the chance to fight for the win in all the races i'll race this season

J: You know that all goals of your team relies in you, doesn't that put you a big pressure in your shoulders?

R.V.: Well, you always have pressure in cycling. No manager wants you to under-achieve. Obviously, having to win my first race with the team won't be easy, but the other goals should be "easily" achievable, as i can't see 5 climbers being able to beat me in mountains

J: Talking about your possible rivals, who do you see as the other big climbers in CT?

R.V.: Eastman will be clearly my biggest rival. He is better in TT, and maybe a bit better in pure climbing, but i'm better in hills and have better back-ups. It will be a great fight all season with him. Other big climbers should be Suaza, although he might suffer at the end of stage races, and when there's no big mountains. Italian's duo, Penasa and Cataldo should do it great, and I can't see any other climber who can be consistently in the fight all season, although I'm sure i'm missing someone who will be my nightmare this season.

J; It's obvious that you will take part in all 4 goals race for your team this season, but which will be the rest of your schedule?

R.V.: Yeah, i'll start my season in Venezuela, with Vuelta al Tachira. Then I'll go back to Europe to ride Giro del Trentino. My first part of the season conludes with Tour de Langkawi. Then I'll have a busy summer, with Costa Rican classic, my first outing to C1 races this season, before the last teams goals in Tour d'Andorra and Tour of Bulgaria.
To end I'll race the only C2 mountain classic, Colombian Venteaux, and another outing in C1 with Tour of East Java

J: So which are you real expectations for the season, in terms of wins and points?

R.V.: I expect to win at least one of the 5 CT stage races i'll take part, without slipping outside top 3-5 in any of them. In terms of total wins, 3-5 wins is what I can expect if things go like I expect. And points... it's more like a wild guess, but being close to the 500 points mark would be an out-standing season for me

J: Do you think that you have enough help in the mountains, or that you'll have problems with that in the future?

R.V.: I think I have a great support in the mountains. Both Hideto and Rafael will be strong domestiques who should be able to last until the key moments, and Damiano, who should be with me in some races can be a great helper when needed. I don't think I need a super-train

J: It has been a pleasure to talk with you. Hopefully we can talk again when you take your first win of the season

R.V: That would a pleasure for me

I can't see any other climber who can be consistently in the fight all season

jandal7 wrote: