From motorcycling to cycling, comes the Spanish based team, Blusens-Avintia! Blusens, a technological company created back in 2002, in Santiago de Compostela, and Avintia, a company in construction sector, join in this challenge which is to lead the team to glory! The blue, white and green colours will ride for the first time in 2012, with some big starts like Samuel Sanchez and Alejandro Valverde, and will try to bring in some young, Spanish, or international talents.
The Jersey
Team Sponsors
Blusens
The techonolgy company will serve as our main sponsor for this season. Of course a good result in the home tour, the Vuelta, will mean a biggers satisfaction from the group, and that might make them extend their contract with our team.
Avintia
Avintia, the co-sponsor, won't have a big impact in a succesful Vuelta to renew their contract, but they are willing that the team achieves important results in Spanish races throughout the year.
Repsol
Repsol is a secondary sponsor, that has signed a long term contract. If any of those sponsors mentioned above decide to withdraw their sponsorship, Repsol will move as the main one for some seasons.
The Manager
Portuguese Mr. Freitas will be the main manager of the team, leading it in all three Grand Tours. He's main goals for this team is to bring some experienced and young Spanish riders, or even from other nations, so that those talents can learn with them and have a great future ahead of them. Personal goals of the season is a good performance (podium place) in the Vuelta, and a rather good season in Spanish races. And of course, plenty of wins.
Edited by FreitasPCM on 20-05-2012 16:05
Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez 5/2/1978, Oviedo Contract Length: 3 seasons
The experienced Asturian will have the task of leading our team throughout the 2012 season. After leaving the Basque team Euskaltel, he joins Blusens-Avintia with one thing in his mind - win the Vuelta, meaning it's his main target for the season. He will have an important role in the classics, supporting the main leader there:
Returning from suspension, Alejandro Valverde might not be the same rider, but we will figure it out as the season rolls on. Valverde will want to prove he's still a winning prone rider, and he will target the Ardennes this year. He might have a chance at riding the Tour, but nothing certain right now.
Luis Leon Sanchez Gil 24/11/1983, Mula Contract Length: 1 season
After an average 2011 season, Luis Leon will try and fight for more wins now, returning to a Spanish team, where he will feel like home once more. Sanchez will have a chance to lead our team in one week races, and perhaps, fight for a stage win in the Tour. If Valverde doesn't ride the Grand Boucle, then he will be our main man, not for the GC, but to fight for wins.
Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni 17/9/1977, Buenos Aires Contract Length: 3 seasons
Argentine-born cyclist, Juan Antonio Flecha will be our cobbled classics leader. He will bring experience to our team, and help younger riders to integrate in the fleat. This year, he will focus on the Cobbled Classics, with the Paris-Roubaix being his biggest objective. If he wins it, it'll be the first time a cyclist from his nation, and born in South America, to win the biggest of the monuments.
John Degenkolb 7/1/1989, Gera Contract Length: 2 seasons
One fully talented guy, the German sprinter John Degenkolb. With the age of 23, Degenkolb will have the chance to be the main sprinter in some races we will participate. He's one of our young talents we will bring in to the team, and we hope he can stay with us for a long time. Being from a different nation might be difficult to get fully coalesced with the team, but everyone will give John a big support so that he can be one of our best riders.
Manuel Leal Cardoso 7/4/1983, Paços de Ferreira Contract Length: 1 season
Portuguese Manuel Cardoso joins the team because of the manager's beggings. He will be the team's sprinter for the bigger races, where he will prove he's talent as the best Portuguese sprinter around. Nearly 30, Cardoso's still got a little bit of developing his sprint skills, so we expect he can give his best to do even better than the previous seasons. His expected to ride the Tour, where he will fight for front placements in sprints, while fighting for the green jersey is nearly an impossible mission.
Oscar Gatto 1/1/1985, Montebelluna Contract Length: 3 seasons
Wasn't actually first choice, but was one of the manager's wishes for the season, and was hired earlier than expected. Gatto's a decent rider in hilly terrain, and has great sprinting abilities, which can make him fight for wins in classics with those terrains. A presence in the Giro might be certain for him.
Javi Moreno will be another important addition to the team. A good climber, might be our captain in the Giro, and might have a go helping Samuel Sanchez at the Vuelta, too. He still has a little chance of developing, and we count on him to bring good results in national races aswell.
John Darwin Atapuma Hurtado 15/01/1988, Tuquerres Contact Length: 1 season
Darwin Atapuma is another one of the young talents the team brought during the draft. 24 years old, he's still got plenty to develop in the mountain terrain, where we expect he'll be one of the best riders in a few years. Here, he'll learn with Samuel Sanchez, Alejandro Valverde, and will have the chance to ride the Giro, if he's fully fit then.
Nelson Filipe Santos Oliveira 6/03/1989, Anadia Contact Length: 3 seasons
Oliveira is another one of the young talents the team recruited for this season. A pure time-trialist, will be important for the team in flat stages, and even in the team time-trials, if he's selected for a race with them. This will be another year of learning, where we expect he can develop a bit of his stats, and be an excellent rider for the future.
Cam Meyer took also part on our recruitment of young talents. 24 years old, he's already won the Tour Down Under once, and his national championships twice, in time trial category. Another important rider for flat stages, and time-trials, that can also have something interesting to say in more difficult stages, as it seems he can also climb better than some expected to.
Jacopo Guarnieri 14/08/1987, Vizzolo Predabissi Contact Length: 1 season
Jacopo Guarnieri's another rider to solidificate our sprinting group. Speed bumps, hills, not his favourite terrain, will be riding mainly in flatter races, but might have a chance in riding a Grand Tour, but that will depend on the route, and how Jacopo's fitness is.
Winner Andrew Anacona Gomez 11/08/1988, Colombia Contact Length: 3 seasons
With a rather peculiar name, Winner Anacona wants to confirm he's a real winner and succeed with our team. Signed for three years, in which he will give everything to develop and become one of the best Colombians in their favourite terrain, the mountains.
Pardilla's an excelent domestique for the mountains, and has the needed experience to help the younger riders in their first season. An excellent 2010 season with CarmioOro, and after a not-so-good 2011 year with Movistar, where he lost a bit of his freedom, he should be leading the team in some small races, and help the leaders in the Grand Tours.
Patrick Gretsch 7/04/1987, Erfurt Contact Length: 1 season
For one season, with the chance of renewing in case he does a good one, is Patrick Gretsch. Another young time-trialer whom we're trying to develop some of his attributes, so that in the future he can be one of the names with the lowest odds for time-trials. Very important in the flat terrain aswell.
Bouhanni wasn't really intended as a first choice, but we're happy to welcome him to our team. With just 21 years, he's the youngest of the group, and has a long margin of progression, speaking of sprints. Despite being French, we won't be seeing him riding the Tour.
Manuel Vazquez Hueso 31/06/1981, Churriana de la Vega Contact Length: 2 seasons
Returning from suspension, is Vazquez Hueso, where he will serve as a domestique in the mountains. It's still not certain which Grand Tour he'll ride, but we're expecting good help from him.
Andrey Zeits 14/12/1986, Pavlodarskaya Contact Length: 1 season
After a good 2011 season with Astana, Zeits leaves his native country, to joing Blusens-Avintia. He'll be riding for his leaders, so we're not expecting good placements for the young Kazakh, but there's a chance of him riding for his own in one or two races we'll be in.
It's his first year in the foreign, and we believe that Hernâni's got the talent to do a great season. If the team rides the Volta a Portugal, he will ride it as a leader, with the target of getting a good result; for other bigger races, he'll be serving the leaders.
He's considered one of the biggest talents from Spain, and we're happy to have him on our team - Omar Fraile! 21 years old, this will be a learning season, where he'll be supported by the team leaders, who will teach him how to mark his name in the world of cycling - remember him!
Matteo Tosatto 14/05/1974, Castelfranco Veneto Contact Length: 1 season
The oldest rider in the team has signed a one year contract with the important task of support Flecha in the cobbled classics. We needed an experienced rider, and Matteo is all we wanted, so we're happy to announce him in your team. He'll be very important for the younger riders aswell.
Daniel Ricardo Diaz 07/07/1989, Salta Contact Length: 3 seasons
Daniel Diaz is one of Argentina's future talents, besides Josue Moyano. Despite not having both, we still see with good eyes the signing of Daniel Ricardo. We don't expect him to have great results yet, but we might trust him a place in a Grand Tour.
Yelko Marino Gomez Valdes 09/03/1989, Chiriqui Contact Length: 2 seasons
The only professional cyclist from Panama, it's Yelko Gomez! After promising results in the U-23 calendar, it's up to us to develop Yelko as a great, promising rider for the next years. He'll be an important team mate for the leaders, but will also have a chance to do something interesting.
Jon Aberasturi Izaga 28/03/1989, Spain Contact Length: 1 season
Signs for only one season, but we hope he can remain longer with us. Aberasturi is a future sprinter, in which we hope he can get nice results then. For this year, he'll be an important team mate, and might have a chance or two to show himself.
Another veteran rider. After riding two years with a foreign team, Iker Camaño returns to Spain where he will ride mainly as a domestique. He'll get a chance to ride the Vuelta and help Samuel Sanchez win it, or finish inside the top-3.
Ivan Velasco Murillo 08/02/1980, Mondragón Contact Length: 2 seasons
Our final signing, Ivan Velasco! He'll be working as a domestique, helping either Samuel Sanchez or Alejandro Valverde, in the races they participate. Nearly 32, we hope he can be helpful throughout the season.
The jersey for 2012 of Team Blusens-Avintia has been revealed in its headquarters in Santiago de Compostela. Designed by ANFreeman, blue is the main colour that the riders will defend throughout the year. Team captain Samuel Sanchez, as manager Mr. Freitas were present in the jersey's presentation.
A new rider will be announced soon as the eight signing for 2012, and rumours say it will be another climber.
Young time-trialists, Nelson Oliveira and Cameron Meyer have joined Team Blusens-Avintia for the 2012 season. They signed for three and two years respectively. The signing of both riders is part of the team's project to bring as many young talents as possible, and they have guaranteed more of them are to come, in the next rounds. Meyer has the chance to defend his title at the Tour Down Under in two weeks time.
The latest transfer news arriving from Blusens-Avintia HQ, indicates that eight more riders have signed a contract for this season with the Spanish team. A mix of young riders and experienced ones to balance the team for the year ahead. Riders like Bouhanni, Anacona Gomez, Guarnieri and Gretsch will be developing their values throughout the season, with a chance that the last two can have their contracts renewed. A controverisal signing of Vazquez Hueso has also been done. He hasn't ridden since 2010, after he was suspended, while racing for Andalucia-Cajasur.
The team has focused their attention to more young, and experienced riders. One young talent from Spain, Italy and other Hispanic countries have caught attention of Blusens, while an experienced rider from the old continent is also close on signing for the team, to help in a lacking terrain. Can you guess who?
He will be the team's sprinter for the bigger races, where he will prove he's talent as the best Portuguese sprinter around. Nearly 30, Cardoso's still got a little bit of developing his sprint skills, so we expect he can give his best to do even better than the previous seasons. His expected to ride the Tour, where he will fight for front placements in sprints, while fighting for the green jersey is nearly an impossible mission.
Good Luck 
