Kai Reus Vadim Ratiy Alexandar Flügel Robert Förster Christian Müller Lucas Schädlich Andreas Klier Rick Zabel Kevin Predatsch Ruben Zepuntke Loaned to Team Trilux-Falke Marco Marzano Alberto Loddo Fabio Sabatini Christian Pfannberger Georg Preidler Daniel Schorn Benjamin Noval Jussi Veikkanen Gregory Brenes Winner Anacona Wen Hao Li Loan from Festina - Conec Lasse Bøchman Loaned to Festina - Conec Niki Østergaard Loaned to Festina - Conec Ole Haavardsholm Loaned to Venchi ProCyclingEdited by Heine on 06-07-2011 13:46
Fredrik Kessiakoff Thomas Vaitkus Graeme Brown Xavier Florencio Thomas Rohregger Benjamin Noval Christian Pfannberger Rafaâ Chtioui Lucas Schädlich (Loaned out) Thomas Vedel Kvist (Loaned out) Fabio Sabatini Niki Østergaard Jussi Veikkanen Sebastian Siedler Fredrik Wilman Lasse Bøchman Daniel Foder Remco Te Brake Andreas Klier Lars Petter Nordhaug Stian Remme Stian Sommerseth Ole Haavardsholm Rasmus Guldhammer (Loaned in)
Goals
Win Ringerike Grand Prix [FAIL]
Win Post Danmark Rundt [FAIL]
Team Standings Top 15 [FAIL]
Top 5 Scandinavia Race Uppsala [SUCCESS]
Top 5 Fyen Rundt [FAIL]
Results:
TTT
2nd place, 4th stage Mount Hood Cycling Classic
Thomas Rohregger:
3rd place, 2nd stage Tour of Wellington
3rd place, 1st stage Mount Hood Cycling Classic
3rd place, 3rd stage International Osterreich Rundfahrt
Fabio Sabatini:
1st place, Air Foce Cycling Classic
2nd place, 7th stage Tour of Wellington
3rd place, 1st stage Tour of Wellington
3rd place, 8th stage Presidental Tour of Turkey
3rd place, 2nd stage Tour of Ireland
Tomas Vaitkus:
1st place, Scandinavian Race Upsalla
1st place, 6th stage Mount Hood Cycling Classic
2nd place, 2nd stage Mount Hood Cycling Classic
2nd place, 3rd stage World's View Challenge
3rd place, Dutch Food Valley Classic
Points Jersey Mount Hood Cycling Classic
Fredrik Kessiakoff
1st place, 1st stage Tour De Beauce
1st place, 6th stage Tour De Beauce
2nd place, GC World's View Challenge
2nd place, GC Tour De Beauce
2nd place, 4th stage World's View Challenge
3rd place, 3rd stage Tour De Beauce
King of Mountains Tour De Picarde
Lasse Bøchman:
1st place, Cape Argus Cycle Tour
Rasmus Guldhammer
3rd place, young riders Presidental Tour of Turkey
Remco Te Brake
3rd place, 2nd stage, Tour de Beauce
Xavier Florencio
1st place, 3rd stage, Tour De Beauce
Jussi Veikkanen
2nd place, 9th stage, Volta a Portugal
3rd place, 1st stage, Volta a Portugal
Greame Brown
2nd place, 5th stage, Vuelta a Burgos
Top 10 Team Standings Win Duo Normand Top 5 Isle of Man TT - Accomplished Top 5 Bayern Rundfahrt - Failed Top 5 Tour of the Czech Republic - Accomplished
Targetted Races:
Deutchland Tour Post Danmark Rundt 1st and 3rd GC, 1x win on stage, 1x third on stage Ras de Cymru Tour De Boland 1x 3rd on stage Vuelta al Tachira 4th GC, 1x second on stage, 3x third on stage
Results 2012
Team 2nd, Vuelta al Tachira, stage 1 (TTT)
3rd, Tour of Southland, stage 1 (TTT)
Alexander Flügel 1st, GP de Lugano
1st, Tour of Wellington, GC
1st, Tour of Wellington, stage 1
3rd, Tour de Boland, stage 1
7th, Mtn Cycling Classic
Vadim Ratiy 2nd, Tour de San Luis, GC
4th, Vuelta al Tachira, GC
2nd, Vuelta al Tachira, stage 8
3rd, Tour de San Luis, stage 6
Marco Marzano 1st, Le Tour de Langkawi, GC
7th, Vuelta a Mallorca, GC
1st, Le Tour de Langkawi, stage 3
1st, Le Tour de Langkawi, stage 5
2nd, Tour de San Luis, stage 5
Kai Reus 1st, Tour of Czech Republic, GC
1st, Post Danmark Rundt, GC
1st, Tour of Czech Republic, stage 3
1st, Post Danmark Rundt, Stage 5
2nd, Tour of Czech Republic, stage 5
3rd, Isle of Man TT
5th, Vuelta ao Algarve, GC
Fabio Sabatini 3rd, Vuelta al Tachira, stage 2
3rd, Vuelta al Tachira, stage 3
3rd, Vuelta al Tachira, stage 5
Lucas Schädlich 1st, Tour de San Luis, stage 4
1st, Corsica International, stage 3
2nd, Corsica International, stage 2
3rd, Post Danamark Rundt, GC
3rd, Post Danmark Rundt, Stage 5
Jussi Veikkanen 1st, Paris-Nice, stage 1
Georg Preidler 2nd, Tour de San Luis, stage 2Edited by Heine on 29-05-2012 11:26
Last year a new team entered the scene of cycling, it lacked the budget of the great teams, but still managed to build a talented squad. The results varied, and after the season its Scandinavian sponsors decided they could not stay, that's when 2 mayor German companies decided it was time to give cycling a chance. Because of those we can proudly present Volkswagen-Siemens Cycling, the new German cycling project!
On the behalf of our readers we have been able to get an exclusive interview with the General Manager of the team, about his visions, plans and goals for the next season.
Good morning Heine, we gotta say it's a pleasure to welcome you and your team to Germany.
Thank you, I've just arrived here in our new headquarter and gotta say I like the country more and more for each day
That's good to hear, but over to some more serious stuff, I've been told that the team will be trying out something new this year?
Indeed, last year we had our HQ in Norway and for some of our riders the climate there wasn't the best, so we could not do it, but this season we've decided that our entire team will live and train in the same area.
And you think that will strengthen the morale and team-feeling of the riders?
I do, I truly believe that you as a human are willing to offer that little extra to help someone you truly know and like, and I expect this to be a good first step for that
I got to admit, it does sound like an interesting concept, but I do believe that not all riders are going to accept this?
That is true, some riders are not interested in living here, and those riders will either be allowed to go when their contract runs out, or will be sold during the transfer season.
Can you deny or confirm some rumors for us. We've heard that riders like Kessiakoff, Brown, Vaitkus and Florencio might be going away. We've also heard about interest for your different scandinavian domestiques.
There will of course be changes, we hope that the team will consist of mainly German and Austrian riders, and some will have to leave. Brown is one of those that will almost surely be asked to find a new club, his season was way under what you should expect considering his paycheck.
Kessiakoff on the other hand will be resigned, but there are rumors about him wanting to ride for a Swedish team, and I will not be the one to deny a transfer for him, I feel he deserves that. Vaitkus is another rider who did well in my eyes, could've done better but he will also be resigned. Florencio is one of those I'm not sure about, he's a rider who can do everything and is therefor a rider who nearly every team in europe could be interested in.
Considering the different Danes there are some that might be going, and some that might stay. Vedel Kvist has developed a lot during his stay with Festina and will be a pretty good sprinter in the coming season, Bøchman suprised everyone winning Cape Argus Cycle Tour, Niki Østergaard did particularly well in the Criterium Series. Daniel Foder I'm afraid will not be renewed.
About the Norwegians at least Ole Haavardsholm is in our future plans, he's developing into a strong puncheur and will either be given more chances to shine on his own, or go on a loan to a pro tour team to get more experience. The 3 others are nice domestiques, but their places might be taken by young German riders. Though there are rumors about a new Norwegian team starting and they might transfer for an fee to that team.
Sounds like a lot of changes are taking place in the team, can you tell us who we can be hundred percent sure will ride for the Volkswagen squad next year?
Noone are hundred percent sure, we will never ruin the chance for someone who wants to ride in the Pro Tour, but I feel that Rohregger, Schädlich and Sabatini are riders we can base the squad around as a starter. Then we want to keep Kessiakoff and Vaitkus if there are no good offers, as they have been important riders for us this season. Pfannberger, Siedler, Chtioui, Klier and Vedel Kvist are other riders we are interested in keeping around, depending on their wage and form during our first training camp. Apart from that nearly all the riders form last years team are good riders, and if I could choose noone would leave us to be honest. Yeah, I'm getting a bit sentimental, but after spending so much time with them they kind of feel like family.
But some got to go, we know that, and I bet that the riders know that. But you said something about depending on wage. Wanna say something more about that?
Of course, we hope to build a team that within 2 years can promote to the Pro Tour, and for that we need to strengthen the squad from the team that finished 18th. I hope and believe the riders see this and want to help the team achieve this goal instead of being greedy. I and our sponsors see potential in the squad, but we need understanding from the riders and for some of them to accept cuts in the wage. I do understand that they need money, but the system with a wage cap in modern cycling means that to get a strong team you can't pay too much to one rider.
I think it's time to go away from your current riders, and talk about riders who might join the team next year, got anything juicy to tell us?
Depends on what you see as juicy, our new sponsors wants us to sign and develop some young German riders. It's actually a demand that at least half the squad should be German and Austrian riders and we will have to consider that during the transfer season. There has been a lot of young Germans participating in our training camps during the seasons break and we will offer some of them a contract soon.
Apart from that we want to strengthen two parts of the team in particular, for time trialing we want at least one strong rider. This season we will have Lucas Schädlich who has developed into a strong rider, but we want to do well in a race like Duo Normand and he needs a partner for that. At the moment Kai Reus is on the top of my shortlist for that position.
The other part is the pouncheur part. We want a hilly leader, and preferably a German hilly leader. Our biggest wish are Alexander Flügel from the disbanding Ikea-Bianchi squad, he's young, strong and German. If we are not able to sign him we will be looking at riders like Kessler, Wegmann and Sinkewitz. All who are interesting riders for our squad.
We might also be interested in signing a new sprinter and depending on other transfers a young stage racer. For the sprinting position a German star rider will be preferred, someone like Mohs, Greipel or Ciolek who we know will give us results at once. For the stage races position we are looking around for someone with a low wage and could offer a lot in a transfer as long as the wage is low.
Since we want the members of the team to live in the same area we will be looking to not add a lot of different nationalities, and preferably let riders have someone who speaks the same language around. I know this will not be possible at all times, but it's important to think about the emotions of the riders and not only the pure physical strength.
This are really interesting news, and we sincerely believe that the Volkswagen-Siemens squad will be a fresh wind into German cycling, but can you tell us something about your visions for the squad?
The last season was all about getting to know the continental division and get experience. I fell we got that experience now and are ready to become a stable top 10 team. Then next year again our goal is to promote. So you can say that we will have one more year of development, molding our riders into the best and then we will join the best.
To do this we need to think long term, and therefor we, the management staff and our sponsors, have decided that we need to sign young and developing riders. Preferably German, and mold them into top cyclist. Of course we got to have leaders and experienced riders in the squad as well, but we believe that by giving inexperienced and talented riders the chance we will hit gold.
Thank you for the interview and the best of luck with renewals, transfers and the season. We are really looking forward to following you this year.
Following recent rumors about the new German cycling team Volkswagen-Siemens one of the teams riders has been spotted wrecking a hotel room in his native country Australia.
Brown has been in Australia to ride in the National Championship and it's said he got the news that he would not get a new contract with the now German team. The night following the news the hotel received complains from other guest about noise from Brown's room. After trying to get contact with Brown the hotel called the police.
When they entered the room it stank like a cheap whorehouse, and they not only found Brown, but naked 60+ year old prostitutes and one transvestite. In addition they found several cases of beer, 5 bottles of Vodka and (as rumors say) a small amount of cocaine and cannabis.
Brown was put in jail, but got released after a few hours. The management of Volkswagen-Siemens has not been open for any comment, but Brown's agent has sent out a press release denying everything.
We just got to ask our self the question, did he party because he's getting away from the team, or is Brown going downhill?
Bild.de in Australia {If anyone wonder, this is all fictional}
Edited by Heine on 21-03-2011 09:37
In a small press conference with Brown and his agent in Sydney following the recent national championship and scandal Greame Brown said the rumors about him leaving the team are true.
"I have not been able to co-operate with the General Manager, and we got different ideas about how cycling should be raced" Brown stated, before following with: "He said cycling is not only about riding fast on the flat, I say he's a lunatic. Everyone knows hills and mountains are just for riders with no skill."
In addition to Brown leaving the team it seems to be confirmed that Daniel Foder, Jussi Veikkanen and Sebastian Siedler will not be offered a new contract. The last one being a big suprise considering his nationality. We have not been able to get any comments from the management of the squad.
A big party was held in the headquarter of Volkswagen-Siemens, formerly Telenor-SAS following the news that Thomas Rohregger won the Austrian Time Trial Championships. A brief statement from the management states that this is one of the jerseys important for the team and that it strengthens their view on keeping Rohregger as one of the leaders for the project.
In other news the new Norwegian team Aker Solutions-Bergans are drooling after the teams Scandinavian riders. Heine told the press that he's more than willing to talk with the new Norwegian side and wish them all the best luck.
Festina will be looking to continue the good partnership, with loanies from your team. We have been very pleased with the 2 loanies, and hopefully they will come back with sufficient statgains for you to gain from it aswell. In the future we are very openminded on such deals - If Wolkswagen-Siemens would be interested aswell.
The cooperation between our teams are just starting to bear fruit for Volkswagen-Siemens and we are looking forward to keep up the good relations between our sides.
We can not promise any deals yet, but we think they are likely during the transfer period.
We are happy to hear that. Obviously we haven't been able to talk about trades, as we don't know wages yet, but in near future (When the wages are settled), Festina agents will contact you for further cooperation.
Andreas Klier, rider, mentor, trainer and Sports Manager
After Team Telenor-SAS turned into Volkswagen-Siemens Andreas Klier has gotten an extended role in the team. Earlier he has expressed his wish of staying in the cycling world when he can't ride anymore, and it seems his wish will be fulfilled. He will still ride next year, but will be both mentor for the young riders of the team, and be one of the team-trainers. In addition to that he will in races he's not racing himself be in the car behind and help the riders from there.
There has been no official statement from the team.
The last days rumors about Haavardsholm going to the new Norwegian team Aker Solutions-Bergans has been printed in newspapers all over Norway. Haavardsholm has been riding for Team Telenor-SAS for the last year, and with the team going to Germany noone has been sure if the Norwegian talent would stay in the squad. Today we have finally been able to get a comment over the phone from Heine.
"Ola has had a great development in the team, and he is one of the riders I wish and plan to keep in the team. He does not have the enormous talent that Hushovd and Hagen got, but I believe he will turn into one of the best Norwegians ever.
Of course, even though I wish to keep Ola as a part of the team, I do understand that he might want to race for a Norwegian team, and considering they are a new squad the chances for him to lead the squad is bigger.
In other words, we want to keep Ola in the team, but if the offer is good enough he will be allowed to leave."
When asked about the future of the other Norwegians and Scandinavians in the team, Heine answered.
"Most of them have been domestiques and we hope to get in young and talented Germans in those positions. At the same time they have been doing their work pretty well. Most will get the offer of an extended contract, but we will talk to each of them separately. I know there are interest from other squads and if they want the will be allowed to leave."
We were not able to get any more comments from Heine, but for us it sounds like the new Aker squad, and others that could be interested in the riders, will be able to buy the riders. What Heine means about "the right price" is still an open question.
Volkswagen-Siemens announced their goals for the next season during a short press conference earlier today.
The first goal, and the most obvious one is the goal to end in the top 10 in the standings. Last year the team made 19th but the management really belive that the team will do better this year. This is also a part of the long term plan for the team.
The two next goals are based around the homecomeing Lucas Schädlich and the fact that the team will be one of the strongest Time Trial teams in the division. First the team want to win Duo Normand, and second they want a top 3 in the Isle of Man TT. Lucas Schädlich should be the perfect rider for both of this races.
The next goal is a top 5 in the Bayern Rundfarth, this is one of the biggest german races there is, and the sponsors really want a good result in this race.
The last main goal is a good result in the Tour of the Czech Republic. This is a new race in teh continental tour and the sponsors belive that it will help them grown in Czech and rest of central europe.
The team also wants to target a few different races around the world. First of is the newly demoted Deutchland Tour, then Post Denmark Rundt that were one of the main goals last season, this year it is not as important but a good result would make loyal fans of the team happy. After that Ras de Cymru is a race that the team would like to do well in, together with Tour De Boland. The last targetted race for the team is the Vuelta al Tachira. Volkswagen wants to expand in the South American market and the traditional race is seen as the perfect oppurtunity.
So that brings us to the following:
Team Goals:
Top 10 Team Standings Win Duo Normand Top 5 Isle of Man TT Top 5 Bayern Rundfahrt Top 5 Tour of the Czech Republic
Targetted Races:
Deutchland Tour Post Danmark Rundt Ras de Cymru Tour De Boland Vuelta al Tachira
The budget for Volkswagen-Siemens has been announced to be in the area between 3,4 million and 3,5 million euro. This is a small increase from the budget the team had least year and shows that the team plans to make a bigger impact in the continental tour this year.
In other news the contract negotiations just started, and team manager Heine already told several riders that they got to find a new team next year. The best rider already kicked out the door are last years biggest disappointment, Australian Greame Brown. The rest are:
Sebastian Siedler Fredrik Wilman Daniel Foder Lars Petter Nordhaug Stian Remme Stian Sommerseth
In addition to those nearly all old riders of the team got to expect a paycut, or they risk haveing to search for a new team.
Edited by Heine on 11-06-2011 09:15
The following riders just resigned their contract with Volkswagen-Siemens:
Fredrik Kessiakoff € 240 000 Thomas Vaitkus € 270 000 Xavier Florencio € 75 000 Thomas Rohregger € 140 000 Benjamin Noval € 60 000 Christian Pfannberger € 50 000 Rafaâ Chtioui € 50 000 Lucas Schädlich € 90 000 Thomas Vedel Kvist € 197 000 Fabio Sabatini € 60 000 Niki Østergaard € 50 000 Jussi Veikkanen € 50 000 Lasse Bøchman € 60 000 Remco Te Brake € 50 000 Andreas Klier € 50 000 Ole Haavardsholm € 50 000
The team is happy with resigning 16 of last years riders, that said not all riders can be sure of staying in the team over the transfer season, though the following riders are listed as "not for sale":
Thomas Rohregger
Lucas Schädlich
Christian Pfannberger
Ole Haavardsholm
Fabio Sabatini
The other riders will be open for offers, but will only go if the offers are good enough
Despite being "not for sale", Festina manager Andreas Jøhnke spoke highly of last years loanie Lucas Schädlich. A rider Jøhnke claims to be "One of the best at what he does" - And goes on to say he will do his utmost to make him get back together with his best friend Patrick Gretsch.
"Those two makes the best of eachother, and it shows on the road. We are very interested in making the duo a reality once more, eventhough we know it will be difficult. We do have some very talented timetriallists in our squad though, and we hope Heine might be interested in making some sort of swap to get a TT'er at a lower wage, for Schädlich."
For Lucas to leave the team it will need an extremely one-sided offer since he's extremely important for our sponsors and their goals. He's one of the riders the sponsors want to base the squad around in the coming years. Maybe it would be a good idea for Gretsch to join Volkswagen instead, then he will get the opportunity to ride with his buddy.
Due to familiar contract with Gretsch and our sponsors, it would take a huge offer for the sponsor to accept him leaving. The transferseason looks to be very interesting, and hopefully our teams can come to some sort of consensus. Also perhaps in gaining from loans yet again.
Timetriallist Wen Hao Li, and sprinter Georgos Tzortzakis are looking for a team to progress in, as does Jonathan Castroviejo possibly.
The Volkswagen management believe that a cooperation between the teams by loaning riders to each other could be a win-win situation. We got riders that we believe needs to race in the pro tour to get out their potential. Among those the managers "pet" Haavardsholm, the sprinter Te Brake, last years Cape Argus winner Bøchman and the cobble-talent Østergaard.
