WELCOME TO TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA: THE ALTERNATIVE REALITY
This is the story of The Gaffer, a no nonsense tactician who wants to win the Tour de France by 2017. He's had little success in the past, but he's sure he will crack it this time!
This story is largely conducted on TWITTER! To get the whole story as it happens, you need to follow the team @pcm_NetApp
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Apologies for only being able to display 1 tweet per post. There seems to be a problem being able to upload multiple tweets. If there is a way round this, a PM would be welcomed. Clicking the links will take you to the tweets I intended to display.
Following the merging of NetApp and Endura at the end of the 2012 season, the decision was taken to appoint a new general manager to run the team for the 2013 season. He calls himself "The Gaffer", a no nonsense tactician whose sole aim was to win promotion to the Cya World Tour.
The Gaffer put in place a 5 year plan and an ultimate goal to win the Tour de France by 2017. Quite a challenge since his previous best result has been taking Johann Tschopp to Tour de Suisse glory with Bouygues Telecom in PCM 07. He has never won a Grand Tour with any rider, but this time he is adament that with NetApp - Endura, there will be success!
The team started racing in February and were thrown in the deep end, struggling to get any sort of result against top opposition. That all changed in the Volta ao Algarve when Jose Mendes launched a solo breakaway from km 0.
Mendes lulled the peloton into a false sense of security, riding easily to a 10 minute lead before picking up the pace once the peloton tried to reel him in. The tactic worked and Mendes crossed the line in 1st place, only 30 seconds ahead of the chasing pack. The Gaffer nearly had a heart attack, but it was worth it for we had our first victory of the season.
The high of Mendes' win proved hard to match but the squad showed consistency and superprestige points were rolling in at a high rate. Roger Kluge took a couple of sprint victories and Leopold Konig's victory at the Tour of California cemented our place at the top of the standings.
The 2013 season was however highly controversial. At the end of February all Cya World Tour teams voted to strike - they would not compete in any Continental level race until August. The Gaffer was furious as he believed his riders would be disadvantaged in the long term from not racing against quality opposition. However the upside to the strike was that victories would be easier to come by without the presence of top riders.
In May the team lined up at its only home stage race of the season: the Bayern Rundfahrt. With almost the entire team in peak condition, NetApp - Endura blew the race apart on the climbs of Stage 2 to take a memorable win with Bartosz Huzarski. The results from the stage below indicate that the sudden increase in pace was so hard that many rivals simply gave up!
That performance, along with the overall victory of Huzarski, was enough to win the squad the performance of the season award.
Huzarski continued his great form with an overall win in the Tour of Qinghai Lake, while Roger Kluge made his biggest statement of the season by winning the Tour of Denmark against World Tour opposition. Kluge would eventually overtake Davide Rebellin (CCC) to win the Individual Continental Pro Rankings.
It wasn't until the end of August that NetApp - Endura made its debut in a Cya World Tour event. In the Vuelta the team had hoped for a top 10 finish and a stage win, but neither came. Konig would finish 13th in a race won by Nairo Quintana. However it was Bartosz Huzarski who won the most plaudits, claiming a shock win of the mountains classification!
Meanwhile at the Vattenfall Cyclassics, even more unexpected events took place. In a race that usually ends up in a sprint, Jose Mendes (yes, him again) went on an early attack and was still at the front as the leaders approached the finish line. He pipped Juan Antonio Flecha to the line to claim a famous victory in front of our home fans.
Naturally, Mendes won our rider of the season award.
The season drew to a close with little success but promotion had already been secured. With some exciting signings made for the 2014 season, it's sure to be an exciting year.
Next post: Our Official 2014 Season Preview
#GOnetapp
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DEVONIAN
*****[EPIC]***** Agent of Aaron Arblaster and Robert Andrews DS of Sojasunas Morgan Schneiderlin
A Happy New Year to all readers! The pedals are turning over once again as our riders prepare to embark on their first ever Cya World Tour journey. 2014 will see us race in 4 continents with 28 riders for three quarters of the year, with survival in the top level of world cycling the minimum expectation.
We are wary of the competition we will face. Many teams have strengthened in the off season and with strong squads such as Lampre-Merida and Argos-Shimano being relegated in 2013 we know anything can happen.
2014 is largely anticipated to be another year of development, we are placing a great focus on rider training in order to ensure that all riders reach their maximum potential. A mixture of youth and experience will help the team to secure many good results throughout the season.
It's also important to welcome our new riders; Diego, Thomas, Geraint, Jonathan, Luke, Clint, Benny and Errol to the team. Exciting signings that will increase our exposure and help take a step forward towards our ultimate goal: winning the Tour de France by 2017. We also wish our 1 outgoing rider, Markus Eichler, the best of luck with An Post - Chain Reaction in 2014.
OFFICIAL RIDER ROSTER SEASON 2014
Not including: SCHILLINGER, Andreas MCEVOY, Jonathan BENEDETTI, Cesare SCHWARZMANN, Michael ROWSELL, Erick THWAITES, Scott
Incoming Riders: De Gendt (Vacansoleil), Ulissi (Lampre), Thomas (Sky), Castroviejo (Movistar), Durbridge (Orica), Kluivert (U23), Urlovic (U23), Farber (U23)
Outgoing Riders: Eichler (An Post)
Ambitions of the Sponsor in 2014
The sponsor has agreed some difficult goals with The Gaffer in exchange for extra funds that will be used to pay for trainers and the occasional training camp.
A big emphasis has been placed on the Spring Classics and riders such as Geraint Thomas, Diego Ulissi, Jose Mendes and Bartosz Huzarski will need to be in top form in order to achieve good results.
Naturally there is also a lot of anticipation surrounding our Tour de France debut. Leo Konig is likely to be our team leader for the big dance, while riders such as Thomas De Gendt and Geraint Thomas may also be expected to light up the race and hopefully claim a stage win.
Sprinters Ralf Matzka and Roger Kluge will have a tough job on their hands trying to retain the Vattenfall Cyclassics, won by Mendes in 2013, for the team. The Hamburg race is the only World Tour race on German soil and us such is a critical event for the team.
Hello readers! As you can see, my name's The Gaffer and I'm the boss at Team NetApp - Endura. This will be my 2nd season in charge of the team and I'm delighted that our media team is able to offer an alternative way to follow our team on this website.
I'll be writing a column in each monthly news bulettin in 2014. Therefore I think it's best if I let you know a bit about me first. I'm an Englishman who grew up in the rolling hills of South Devon, ideal for cycling - but only if you can avoid the tractors and the odd stray cow. My professional cycling career ended early at 24 due to a repetitive stress injury, but I have since gone on to manage several cycling teams in France and Germany before taking this job with NetApp - Endura.
I'm a ranter and a raver. I like to shout at commissaires and prefer to bark my instructions rather than simply speak normally. While I insist on a healthy diet for our riders, I prefer to drink Coke and eat chocolate while on the job. I once got caught drink driving while managing one of my ex-teams, but at least I had fun doing it.
But while I may come across as an aggressive sort of guy, I'm really just a shoulder for my boys to cry on. I love my team, I believe in my team and they all believe in me. The spirit on the team bus was amazing in 2013 and I'm sure that will be the same for 2014.
I'm buzzing about the season ahead and I'm looking forward to sharing many great victories with you all. Until next time!
The Gaffer.
Throughout the season in our monthly news bulletins we will provide for you the following features:
Tweet of the Month: the best tweet from the @pcm_NetApp account
Rider of the Month: an award given to the rider who has stood out in the previous month's racing
The Road Ahead Preview: a look ahead to future races involving Team NetApp - Endura
Back on the Bus Review: a summary of the successes and failures of the month just gone
as well as input from The Gaffer and a rider interview on NetApp Endura 360.
This month the spotlight is on British rider Russell Downing. He chats about last season and what lies in store for him and his team in the future.
Q: You had a really successful season last year, what were your personal highlights?
I took a great stage win at the Giro del Trentino but if I had to pick 1 highlight it would be my win at Paris-Tours. In fact, that's probably a career high for me. It had been a tough end to the season after missing out on The Tour of Britain through injury, so to come back from that and take such a great win was emotional.
Q: How far has British Cycling progressed throughout your career?
It's hard to believe how far we've come. Sometimes you have to stop and pinch yourself. With Cav, Wiggo, Froome... we're one of the powerhouses in world cycling now. It's great that Geraint Thomas has joined NetApp - Endura this season, he's got a lot to offer and will excite fans both in the UK and in Germany.
Q: Your contract is up this season. Do you want to stay with the team?
I'm feeling good at the moment, my win in Paris-Tours I think has proven that. Age is no barrier, you only have to look at the like of Jens Voigt to see that. We'll see, there may be other teams that are interested and better suit my goals. But I love cycling with this team.
Q: List 3 things you dislike about The Gaffer
His dress sense, his awful jokes and that accent he tries to put on that makes him sound like a farmer. He isn't even a farmer.
Q: What would constitute a good season for you this year?
I'll do whatever The Gaffer, my trainer or my DS tells me and if I do my job well, that will be good enough for me. I'd love to ride a grand tour as you never know when it could be your last.
Next month on NetApp Endura 360, we will be chatting with 2013 Rider of the Season, Jose Mendes.
Australian National Championships
Team News: Durbridge, Dempster, Urlovic
Luke Durbridge will be aiming to kickstart his NetApp - Endura career with a strong ride at the National Championships. There will be tough opposition from the likes of Richie Porte and any number of Orica GreenEDGE riders, but with the support of Zak Dempster and youngster Clint Urlovic, we'll be keeping our fingers crossed for a good result.
Tour Down Under
Team News: Ulissi, Camano, Dempster, Durbridge, Kluge, Rowsell, Urlovic
The fight for Cya World Tour points will begin right away with the Tour Down Under. It will mark the first time NetApp - Endura has raced in Australia and we are heading to Adelaide with high hopes. Diego Ulissi will make his debut and will no doubt be a contender for the GC, while Roger Kluge will attempt to be involved in some sprint finishes.
GP de Besseges
Team News: Matzka, Downing, Farber, Jarc, Kluivert, Schillinger, Schwarzmann, Thwaites
A race that will be considered 'pre-season' for the 8 riders selected. But as is the spirit of the team, we'll be trying to win every stage. The parcours looks fun and we'll enjoy some competitive racing. Pro debuts for Benny Farber and Errol Kluivert.
Thank you for reading the first of our monthly news bulletins for the 2014 season. Please get in touch with a post below, or follow the team's fortunes on @pcm_NetApp where you can access team news and results as they happen.
#GOnetappEdited by TschoppChop on 03-10-2013 08:42
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DEVONIAN
*****[EPIC]***** Agent of Aaron Arblaster and Robert Andrews DS of Sojasunas Morgan Schneiderlin
Ulissi delivers our best result so far in the early stages of the season.
Remember to gain full access to this story you need to follow the team on Twitter.
Keep a look out for our next monthly magazine that will take a thorough look back at January's racing, along with a preview of February and columns from The Gaffer and NetApp Endura 360, which will feature Portuguese Jose Mendes.
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DEVONIAN
*****[EPIC]***** Agent of Aaron Arblaster and Robert Andrews DS of Sojasunas Morgan Schneiderlin
Welcome to the 2nd monthly magazine of the season. With January 2014 fully complete, its time to look back and look forward as we make our small steps towards that ultimate goal: winning the Tour de France by 2017.
As ever there is input from The Gaffer and NetApp Endura 360. Also find out how real life riders have connected with our #pcm13 team on Twitter and who is our first 'rider of the month' for the 2014 season.
First a quick piece of news involving Jonathan Castroviejo. While training earlier in the month the Spaniard collided with a car and injured his neck. Fortunately for Jonathan and the team the injuries were only minor and he could be set to make his debut for the team later in February. Take care on the roads!
In his debut with NetApp Endura Luke Durbridge finished 7th in his national race. Also making his first appearance was young sprinter Clint Urlovic who performed well working for Durbridge, while Zak Dempster put in a strong performance working at the front of the peloton (pictured).
Orica GreenEDGE had a race to forget, mistiming its chase of the breakaway and leaving team leader Simon Gerrans too much to do to win the race. Instead it was Jonathan Cantwell (TST) who took the first win of the 2014 season and won himself the honour of wearing the green and gold bands on his jersey for the rest of the year. Cantwell finished just ahead of Jack Bobridge who was making his debut for United Healthcare.
The team experienced a fast and exciting start to their World Tour campaign as Diego Ulissi captured 3rd place overall in arguably the strongest field ever assembled in Australia. Many of the world's top sprinters lined up alongside world class climbers and puncheurs. Clint Urlovic had an exceptional result on Stage 1, finishing in the same frame as the winner Arnaud Demare.
Many favourites lost time in a crash on Stage 1, including Dan Martin, Gilbert and Contador. Though it was Zdenek Stybar who surprised everyone with a win the next day.
This was also the day where Diego Ulissi made his move, powering up the final climb before descending half a minute behind Stybar. Philippe Gilbert got his first win of the season the next day, though of course he was no threat to the GC. Bouhanni followed this with a terrific sprint win on Stage 4 to prolong the frustration of Ciolek and Cavendish.
Old Willunga Hill was the setting for the much anticipated GC showdown on Stage 5. Joaquin Rodriguez made an early move but didn't have the fitness to stay out in front. Sergio Henao pipped Gilbert on the line, with Ulissi 45 seconds back and Stybar exactly 1 minute back. The result was that Henao moved between Stybar and Ulissi into 2nd.
Despite the closeness of the GC there were no changes to the final result in Adelaide as Mark Cavendish stormed to his first win of the season in windy conditions. The Gaffer lost focus in the race after discovering the circuit looked like a penis (see above).
It's been a disappointing first three days in France. The parcours has actually been tougher than it looks and our sprinters haven't had the firepower in the final km.
The only good piece of news to report is that all 8 riders are still in the race. There have been many crashes and a few abandonments - Errol Kluivert crashed hard on stage 1 (not a nice way to mark your debut), but picked himself up to get in the break the next day.
Fingers crossed for a better showing in the second half of the race.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @pcm_NetApp. We follow back all cycling fans.
This month we've had a retweet from the real Zak Dempster to 2838 followers. That's pretty cool, right? Zak also sent a celebratory reply after he won a stage of the 5 Jours de Dunkerque last season. He is part of a long list of real life riders who have connected with the alternative reality.
Zak Dempster (1 retweet, 1 reply) Alex Wetterhall (follows us) Russell Downing (1 retweet) David de la Cruz (1 retweet, 1 reply) Jonathan McEvoy (1 retweet) Jose Mendes (1 favourite) Tour of Utah (1 favourite)
It's been easy to find time to write this month's column. Our Tour Down Under squad is currently flying back to Europe from Australia and I'm not a fan of the in-flight entertainment. I must admit that I'm liking the look of one of the stewardesses, though I'm not sure she'd be willing to induct me into the mile high club.
I'm sorry but ever since Stage 6 of the Tour Down Under I've barely been able to contain myself. Who on earth decided on the shape of the circuit! What an outrage. I got straight on the phone to Neil Stephens in the Orica GreenEDGE car and when he looked at the map closely and saw what I had seen he almost hit a spectator!
As a team we've had a successful couple of weeks down under. We spent a nice week in Sydney soaking up the sun before heading down to Adelaide. Diego Ulissi's 3rd place has lifted spirits and the promise shown by local rookie Clint Urlovic has the whole of Australia talking. Credit must also go to Iker Camano and Erick Rowsell who I thought were super. Iker was our captain on the road and his experience helped greatly.
I believe 72 points is around a quarter of the points we're going to need to stay up in the World Tour division, so to have those in the bag so early in the year is terrific. We'll be looking to build on that total with Geraint, Jose and Diego in the Spring Classics.
Another month gone, another month closer to one day winning Le Tour. Until next time!
The Gaffer.
RIDER OF THE MONTH
Clint Urlovic
The man who won several big U23 races in 2013 has stepped up into the professional peloton with ease. After helping Luke Durbridge to 7th in the Australian Championships, Urlovic finished 7th himself on the opening day of the Tour Down Under. That promising performance was followed later in the race by a breakaway where he impressed alongside major riders, including Alberto Contador.
This month we talk to 2013 NetApp Endura Rider of the Season Jose Mendes. The man who won Vattenfall Cyclassics, GP Gippingen and Vuelta a Castilla e Leon is determined to make his mark on the World Tour.
Q: Tell us straight. How on earth did you win the Vattenfall Cyclassics last year?
I just got lucky. I wasn't peaking for the race but I was still feeling pretty strong. The only reason I got in the breakaway was to give the sponsor some exposure as we were racing in Germany. Things happened and I ended up winning. It's hard to describe.
Q: Does that give you confidence racing at World Tour level in 2014?
Definitely. It's been a dream of mine ever since I was a child to ride the big races and now I have a chance to do that. I'd love to compete for more wins but I know at times I'll have to play a team role for Diego [Ulissi] or Leo [Konig]. A win for them is as good as a win for me.
Q: Do more people recognise you on the streets back in Portugal?
Maybe a little, but only really in my home town. Cycling isn't massive in Portugal and if people could name 1 rider it would be Rui Costa. I like living a quiet life anyway!
Q: How happy were you to win the Rider of the Season award for 2013?
So so happy. It was my best ever year on a bike and to be recognised by The Gaffer and my team mates was incredible. I was very surprised to beat some of my team mates, I didn't think I would win.
Q: A German website said you had an argument with The Gaffer last week. What was that about?
He thinks Cristiano Ronaldo deliberately got Rooney sent off in the 2006 World Cup. What's funny is that England didn't qualify for the World Cup in Brazil and after I told him that, he shut up pretty quick.
Next Month: Zak Dempster tells us about his rise from the bottom to the top of World Cycling.
GP de Besseges (continued)
Team News: Matzka, Downing, Farber, Jarc, Kluivert, Schillinger, Schwarzmann, Thwaites
Three more days of racing left and in all honesty the team would take any sort of result right now. The final day Time Trial is likely to mean an overall win for Taylor Phinney (BMC) who also won the event in 2013.
Vuelta a Mallorca
Team News: De La Cruz, Benedetti, Camano, De Gendt, Dempster, Kluge, Mendes, Thomas
A strong team takes to the roads of Mallorca with the main focus on improving race fitness. Major signings Thomas de Gendt and Geraint Thomas make their debuts while Camano and De La Cruz will be hoping to impress on home soil.
Tour of Oman
Team News: De La Cruz, De Gendt, Farber, Jarc, Kluivert, Matzka, McEvoy, Schillinger
We'll be expecting an experienced field in Oman, a race with plenty of lumps and bumps along the way. This may limit the sprint opportunities of Ralf Matzka who has so far found it tough on this sort of terrain. David De La Cruz will be our team leader while De Gendt will be captain.
Volta ao Algarve
Team News: Mendes, Barta, Benedetti, Konig, Schorn, Thomas, Ulissi, Urlovic
As the route is identical to 2013, Jose Mendes will revisit the location of his famous solo victory last year on the Alto do Malhão. That phenomenal performance will be hard to repeat, but with the support of several strong riders anything is possible.
Tour de Langkawi
Team News: De La Cruz, Dempster, Durbridge, Kluge, Urlovic, Wetterhall
A new race for the team and an escape from the cold weather Europe has to offer will please the six riders selected. There are plenty of sprint opportunities for Roger Kluge, Zak Dempster and Clint Urlovic to work with while De La Cruz will hope to shine in the mountains.
Vuelta a Murcia
Team News: Ulissi, De Gendt, Farber, Huzarski, Kluivert, Konig, Mendes, Thomas
Leopold Konig comes back to defend his title, though it is likely that Diego Ulissi will start as team leader for this one. This should be a good experience for youngsters Benny Farber and Errol Kluivert to race with some of the leading riders in the squad.
GP de Almeira
Team News: Matzka, Barta, Benedetti, Castroviejo, Jarc, McEvoy, Schillinger, Schorn
The day after Murcia we have another 1 day Spanish Classic but the team will be entirely different. This race is likely to end in a sprint finish, which could offer a chance for Ralf Matzka. Should he be fit, Jonathan Castroviejo will make his debut.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to read this month's magazine. After February's racing is complete we will be back with more. Please get in touch below or on Twitter.
#GOnetapp
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DEVONIAN
*****[EPIC]***** Agent of Aaron Arblaster and Robert Andrews DS of Sojasunas Morgan Schneiderlin
With thanks to all rival teams for not following our lead out train. I think I'm going to enjoy having De Gendt and Thomas on my team!
Edited by TschoppChop on 08-10-2013 06:40
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DEVONIAN
*****[EPIC]***** Agent of Aaron Arblaster and Robert Andrews DS of Sojasunas Morgan Schneiderlin
A close one for Thomas De Gendt! But Kittel is looking seriously strong at the moment. Also this is a great result for Ralf Matzka after struggling through GP de Besseges. Many top sprinters are in Oman. Matzka even powered passsed Greipel!
Agony for De Gendt, he attacks 8km out but is caught in the final straight by the peloton. Kittel (SKY) wins, great ride by Matzka for 3rd!
We've had some good performances in both the Tour of Oman and Volta ao Algarve. For more information on results, including a 2nd stage win of the season for NetApp-Endura, check out our Twitter page.
Remember our Monthly Magazine for February is now not too far away! Edited by TschoppChop on 13-10-2013 03:50
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DEVONIAN
*****[EPIC]***** Agent of Aaron Arblaster and Robert Andrews DS of Sojasunas Morgan Schneiderlin
The shortest month of the year is over after 28 days of fairly regular racing and lots of excitement. Welcome to the 3rd ever edition of the monthly magazine, brought to you by our sponsors NetApp - Endura.
As usual you can read what The Gaffer has to say about current events, while Zak Dempster chats with NetApp Endura 360. Read about our successes and failures this month below in 'Back on the Bus', while towards the end of the magazine you will find our race previews in 'The Road Ahead'.
Our previews will not include Milan San Remo or the Tour of Flanders, these monuments will be given special treatment. As will Paris Roubaix and Liege Bastogne Liege (in April), the Giro d'Italia (in May), the Tour de France (July), the Vuelta a Espana (Aug/Sep) and the Giro di Lombardia (October).
This month introduces a new section, 'The Stats Box' which takes a look at the current standings and statistics of the 2014 season.
We have some good results to report, so let's get straight to it! We hope you enjoy this month's magazine.
GP de Besseges
Overall: Phinney (BMC), Amador (MOV), Dennis (GRS). 19th: Downing
As expected (and predicted in last month's magazine) Taylor Phinney won back to back titles with ease. He stormed to victory in the final Time Trial to claim GC glory.
Our team's miserable race continued, although there were some good rides in the Time Trial by Errol Kluivert, Benny Farber, Michael Schwarzmann and Blaz Jarc.
Stage 1: Kristoff (TST), Belletti (A2R), Kluge (TNE).
Stage 2: Kluge (TNE), Thomas (TNE), De Gendt (TNE).
Stage 3: Betancur (A2R), Henao (TST), Froome (EUS). 17th: Mendes
Stage 4: Hivert (SOJ), Le Mevel (CCL), Martens (BEL). 4th: Thomas
Geraint Thomas wins Points Classification
Four beautiful days of weather on the island of Mallorca produced four fantastic days of racing.
After Kristoff's powerful sprint victory in Palma, the team got off the mark for the season recording their first victory thanks to Roger Kluge.
With 5.5km to go, Thomas De Gendt put the hammer down with Geraint Thomas and Kluge locked on to his wheel. No rival teams followed and a gap appeared. From that point on, a win was inevitable.
The feel good factor was evident on the mountainous Stage 3 as Jose Mendes got himself into the breakaway. Mendes would finish alongside team leader De La Cruz in 17th and 18th. Betancur took a win that would be enough to also claim the overall.
That will disappoint Chris Froome, now riding for Euskaltel, who had won the race the previous year with Team Sky. Sergio Henao, as he had done in the Tour Down Under, took second place.
Stage 4 was always going to be unpredictable. Plenty of climbs in the middle of the route meant it would be hard, but the final 50km were either flat or downhill. The team worked hard on the front all day with the aim to set up a small group sprint win for Geraint Thomas.
The team rode superbly, whittling the peloton down to 34 riders after the final climb. Eventually Thomas had to counter attack moves by Martens (BEL) and Rabiano (IMB). An error in the final 5km cost Thomas his chance of victory, slipping to 4th. Hivert picked up a great win for Sojasun.
Tour of Oman
Overall: Contador (TST), Martin (SKY), Quintana (MOV). 5th: De Gendt
Stage 1: Kittel (SKY), Coquard (CCC), Matzka (TNE)
Stage 2: Gerrans (OGE), De Gendt (TNE), Vanendert (LTB)
Stage 3: Kittel (SKY), Bennati (TST), Ciolek (SKY). 10th: Matzka
Stage 4: Contador (TST), Martin (SKY), Quintana (MOV). 11th: De La Cruz
Stage 5: Contador (TST), Martin (SKY), De Gendt (TNE).
Stage 6: Coppel (CCL), De Gendt (TNE), Kittel (SKY).
The team rode strongly in Oman and were unlucky not to come away with a stage win. Thomas De Gendt claimed two 2nd places and a 3rd place, his aggressive riding helping him to reach 5th in the GC.
Ralf Matzka competed well in the opening day sprint to silence the critics after a slow start to the season at the GP de Besseges. Though nobody was going to beat Marcel Kittel, now riding for Sky, who looks to be the fastest sprinter in the world this season.
Alberto Contador won the mountain top finish of Stage 4 by over a minute which guaranteed him overall success. His Stage 5 win was arguably more impressive, claiming a sprint win out of a small group of 16 at the finish. De Gendt took 3rd while Andreas Schillinger, who had been in the break, finished 10th.
Youngster Kluivert and De La Cruz were also in the lead group. Having four riders in the lead group of 16 was a great achievement after working hard on the front during the climbs (below).
De Gendt would be denied one more time by C-Clerc rider Jerome Coppel, who hung on out front after being the last remaining rider of the morning breakaway. De Gendt's attack in the final kilometres could not reel him in, while Kittel once again was the best of the rest.
Volta ao Algarve
Overall: Froome (EUS), Spilak (KAT), Cancellara (RLT). 6th: Thomas
Stage 1: Meersman (OPQ), Bozic (AST), Kristoff (TST). 8th: Thomas
Stage 2: Thomas (TNE), Cancellara (RLT), Spilak (KAT).
Stage 3: Gilbert (BMC), Spilak (KAT), Ulissi (TNE).
Stage 4 (TT): Martin (OPQ), Cancellara (RLT), Froome (EUS). 5th: Thomas
Geraint Thomas wins Points Classification Diego Ulissi wins Young Riders Classification
A super strong field arrived in Southern Portugal to miserable rainy conditions for the first two days of racing.
This was never going to dampen the spirit of home rider Jose Mendes, who made attacks on Stage 1 and 2 to please the fans who braved the wet weather.
Stage 2 would be the day where NetApp - Endura made their move. Setting a hard pace at the front of the Peloton, the aim was to get rid of the fast men and leave a small group at the finish that would allow Geraint Thomas to take the win. Those tactics went perfectly, with the Welshman claiming a first win for his new team.
Stage 3 finished on the Alto do Malhao, where Mendes took a famous win the year before. His job today however was to work for Geraint Thomas, while Diego Ulissi would attempt to win the stage. Ulissi was upstaged by Gilbert and Spilak, though time gaps were close.
That set up a dramatic final time trial, with the likes of Cancellara, Martin and Froome chasing Gilbert, Spilak and Ulissi to claim overall glory. Chris Froome won his first title for Euskaltel, proving the most consistant over the two deciding days. Thomas and Ulissi can be pleased with 6th and 7th respectively.
Interestingly, Geraint Thomas has now won two consecutive points jerseys!
Tour de Langkawi
Overall (after Stage 8): Scarponi (LAM), Dupont (ALM), De La Cruz (TNE).
It has been a mixed bag for the boys in blue at the Tour de Langkawi. Without a stage win, or even a Top 3, it has been left to the climbing prowess of David De La Cruz to rescue the race.
Mountain top finishes on Stage 3 and 5 provide the key moments where the GC in this race is won. It seemed as though Tejay Van Garderen was going to coast to victory, after dominating Stage 3 and matching his rivals two days later.
However a crash in the Peloton on Stage 6 left Van Garderen behind and he lost over 4 minutes, allowing De La Cruz an unexpected route into the Top 3. De La Cruz is also currently the best young rider in the race, leading Romain Bardet (ALM) by 30 seconds. With just 2 flat stages to go, things are expected to finish as they are now.
While our climber De La Cruz can be proud of his white jersey, it has not been a good tour for what was considered a strong sprint combination between Roger Kluge and Australians Zak Dempster and Clint Urlovic. Luke Durbridge was part of a breakaway group that finished ahead on Stage 7, but could not take the victory.
Vuelta a Murcia
1: Ulissi (TNE), 2: Gesink (BEL), 3: Costa (MOV), 4: De Clercq (LTB), 5: Arroyo (MOV)
In what was the team's first proper one day race of the season, Diego Ulissi claimed a fantastic first victory for NetApp-Endura with an electric final climb to beat Robert Gesink by 13 seconds.
After successfully placing Bartosz Huzarski in the breakaway, the boys were able to sit back on the big climb of the day - that was until race favourite Rui Costa launched his major attack. With the help of Belkin, Errol Kluivert and Thomas De Gendt put in huge shifts at the front of the Peloton to reel Costa (and with him Huzarski) in on the flats.
It left the Portuguese star lacking that extra kick for the final 4km climb, which was ideal for Ulissi who was positioned perfectly by 2013 champion Leopold Konig before launching an attack. Only Gesink could come close to following, though Ulissi was too strong and held him off to claim victory.
Costa still managed to lead home the next group of riders, finishing exactly 1 minute behind Ulissi. But there was nothing anyone could do to prevent NetApp-Endura winning their first event of the season.
Ralf Matzka sprinted to a place on the podium at the GP de Almeria after good work in the lead out by Jan Barta, debutant Jonathan Castroviejo and Dan Schorn.
Matzka appeared to be travelling the fastest at the line and if the finish had been 50 metres further, may have snatched the win.
In changeable conditions on the Spanish south coast, the team started with 8 riders who did not compete in the previous day's Vuelta a Murcia. Cesare Benedetti (pictured) launched an attack and was soon joined by Vanotti (AST) and Cesar Veloso (CJR).
The three strong break maintained an advantage over the climbs before the sprinters teams took control, pulling them back with 20km to go.
Lars Bak (IAM) tried his luck with 6km to go but was unable to stay clear, before Appollonio won the battle of the strong men.
THE STATS BOX
***TEAM WORLD TOUR STANDINGS***
1st: Omega Pharma Quick Step 116
2nd: Team Saxo Tinkoff 87 3rd: Team NetApp Endura 74
4th: Ag2r La Mondiale 61
5th: Garmin Sharp 58
***INDIVIDUAL RIDER WORLD TOUR STANDINGS***
1st: STYBAR, Zdenek (OPQ) 106
2nd: HENAO, Sergio (TST) 86 3rd: ULISSI, Diego (TNE) 74
4th: BETANCUR, Carlos (ALM) 61
5th: VICHOT, Arthur (GRS) 51
***TEAM VICTORIES***
1st: Omega Pharma Quick Step 11
2nd: BMC Racing 9
3rd: Team Saxo Tinkoff 7
4th: Sky Procycling 6
4th: Astana 6 12th: Team NetApp Endura 3
***MOST NETAPP ENDURA WINS***
1st: KLUGE, Roger 1
1st: THOMAS, Geraint 1
1st: ULISSI, Diego 1
Hello once again!
It's been a busy month for the team gaining race fitness before some big World Tour races get started in March. Despite travelling far and wide in February, our three wins have all come in the Iberian Peninsula; Kluge in Mallorca (Stage 2), Thomas in Algarve (Stage 2) and Ulissi at the Vuelta a Murcia.
It was a pleasure to witness our performance at the Volta ao Algarve. Considering the team is still quite new to one another, the way we performed in Portugal was beautiful. I said to the lads in the bus before Stage 2 to keep the pace high through the climbs, we felt it would lead to our best shot at victory. So when Geraint Thomas won the stage in a reduced bunch sprint I punched the car horn so hard my knuckles were red for a week.
Management in cycling at times can be frustrating, take the 2013 Vuelta where we began each race with only the faintest hope of success. Thankfully when tactics do come off for your team the feeling is great, but most importantly it's the riders who enjoy it the most and to see them so happy gives me great satisfaction.
There are plenty of big races to look forward to soon, but the one that catches my eye is the Milan - San Remo. After the race there is an excellent Gelateria in town that I must visit and if we win? I might buy everyone an ice cream!
The Gaffer
RIDER OF THE MONTH: FEBRUARY
Geraint Thomas
Geraint has won February's rider of the month award after producing a faultless first 9 race days since his move from Team Sky over the winter.
From being a large part of Roger Kluge's stage win Mallorca to winning himself in the Volta ao Algarve, what guaranteed Geraint of the award was his teamwork that lead to Diego Ulissi's win in Murcia.
It's been an exciting start to Geraint's NetApp-Endura career and with team leadership in upcoming cobbled classics such as G3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem, there could be more to come from the Welshman in March.
2014: Previous Winners
Clint Urlovic (January)
It's the turn of Zak Dempster this month who opens up about his cycling, the team and his country. Zak is currently racing in the Tour de Langkawi, so we quickly interviewed him before he jumped on the plane!
Q: This is your 2nd season with the team after being a part of the 'Endura' squad. How is your German?
Not so great! But luckily The Gaffer has us speaking English as we're such a multicultural group of guys, which is pretty handy for me and some of the other British boys who also joined from Endura.
Q: You took your first major win in the 5 Jours de Dunkerque last season. How did that feel?
Without doubt the most special moment of my career. It was a rare opportunity for me to be the chosen sprinter of the day and I was just so happy not just for me but for my team mates who helped me on the day.
Q: Can you win again in 2014?
I'd like to think so, of course! It will be harder though, I won a stage in a race that was affected by the World Tour - Continental strike, so I didn't come up against any world class sprinters. I just have to train harder and take my chance if it comes.
Q: How good is it to have a couple of Australian team mates this year?
It's good for me because signing two quality riders such as Luke [Durbridge] and Clint [Urlovic] gives the team more exposure back home. They are both younger than me and are both more talented than me! I've a bit of back up now when The Gaffer sides with the English boys on any sporting arguments!
Q: You came from the track. Was it hard to adjust to the road?
I've always trained on the road and always been active in road racing. I was Under 23 Australian Road Race champion in 2007, the same year I was winning titles on the track. If you did your research, you would realise that was a bit of a stupid question!
Apologies Zak. I'll make sure I do a bit more research before Diego Ulissi chats to NetApp Endura 360 for the March edition.
Tour de Langkawi (continued)
Team News: De La Cruz, Dempster, Durbridge, Kluge, Urlovic, Wetterhall
Two stages remain and both are flat, so it's likely to be an unspectacular end to the Malaysian race. Danilo Wyss (BMC) will hope to hold on to his points jersey, while Michele Scarponi (LAM) should have no trouble, barring crashes, winning the title.
If it is to be 3rd place for David De La Cruz, he can consider that an excellent result.
Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen
Team News: Castroviejo, Camano, Downing, Huzarski, McEvoy, Schwarzmann, Thwaites, Voss
With an Individual Time Trial followed by two relatively flat stages, this could give Spaniard Jonathan Castroviejo a chance to get an early win in his NetApp-Endura career. Not often a Spaniard will be amongst the favourites in a Belgian race.
There is also a first race this season for Paul Voss (pictured).
Paris - Nice
Team News: Ulissi, De Gendt, Farber, Jarc, Kluivert, Matzka, Schillinger, Schorn
While De Gendt and Ulissi lead the GC charge, Ralf Matzka will make his debut as a sprinter at World Tour level. For other riders, World Tour experience will be the only objective. Paris-Nice will also offer The Gaffer an opportunity to see which riders could best cope with a grand tour.
Tirreno - Adriatico
Team News: Konig, Barta, Benedetti, Dempster, Durbridge, Kluge, Thomas, Wetterhall
It's been a quiet season thus far for Leopold Konig. We'll be hoping that changes as he gets team leadership for the first time this season in Italy. Can he win? Unlikely. But a high placing is not out of his reach. Once again, some riders here will be hoping to impress The Gaffer for Grand Tour selection.
Ronde van Drenthe
Team News: Downing, Huzarski, McEvoy, Mendes, Schwarzmann, Thwaites, Urlovic, Voss
As of today it is undecided who will lead the team at the Dutch race. A lot may depend on the conditions on the day. With several big name riders racing in the World Tour, it could be a chance for an often unnoticed rider to shine.
GP di Stresa
Team News: Ulissi, Camano, Castroviejo, De Gendt, De La Cruz, Farber, Kluivert, McEvoy
This was origninally scheduled to be a race for the Milan - San Remo squad to get some race practice together as a team, however plans have since changed and instead only Ulissi and De Gendt will stay in Italy for the monument.
With a win at the Vuelta a Murcia already secured in 2014, can Ulissi get another victory?
Milan San Remo
This race will be covered in a special feature, keep an eye on the story!
Volta a Catalunya
Team News: Konig, Camano, Castroviejo, De La Cruz, Huzarski, Mendes, Schillinger, Voss
For the first Spanish World Tour race of the season, the team will send three local riders to compete alongside team leader Konig, who has experience of Spanish roads after riding last year's Vuelta.
E3 Harelbeke
Team News: Thomas, De Gendt, Downing, Kluge, McEvoy, Schwarzmann, Thwaites, Urlovic
The first cobbled classic of the season! Geraint Thomas will not be listed amongst the favourites, but he will lead the team nonetheless in the hunt for World Tour points. Half of this team will be British, while De Gendt will collect the loudest cheers from the passionate Belgian fans.
Criterium International
Team News: Ulissi, Barta, Dempster, Durbridge, Farber, Kluivert, Schorn, Wetterhall
A squad with a fairly low average age will take on this short stage race on the island of Corsica. Diego Ulissi will attempt to achieve what his nation failed to do, rule the island! First year riders Errol Kluivert and Benny Farber will continue to ride together having impressed thus far.
Gent - Wevelgem
Team News: Thomas, De Gendt, Downing, Kluge, McEvoy, Schwarzmann, Thwaites, Urlovic
Two days after E3 Harelbeke, the same team will take on the Gent - Wevelgem course. Geraint Thomas will be the leader, but the likes of Russell Downing and Roger Kluge could be important riders in this race too.
Route Adelie de Vitre
Team News: tbc
Erick Roswell is pencilled in to return in this French 1 day race. Rowsell hasn't raced since the Tour Down Under and sustained a shoulder injury while training in February.
GP Indurain
Team News: tbc
This could be considered a warm up race for some riders in the Pais Vasco squad, which begins at the start of April.
Tour of Flanders
This race will also be covered in a special feature!
If you made it this far having read everything, thank you and congratulations! With plenty of race reviews for next month, it could be another sizeable piece posted up in a week or so.
For now, fingers crossed that we can add to those 3 wins that we picked up in February. As the weather begins to warm, so will the racing!
#GOnetapp
***FOLLOW @pcm_NetApp for my PCM13 story!***
DEVONIAN
*****[EPIC]***** Agent of Aaron Arblaster and Robert Andrews DS of Sojasunas Morgan Schneiderlin
SCHILLINGER, Andreas
MCEVOY, Jonathan
BENEDETTI, Cesare
Australian National Championships 
GP de Besseges 
But the season is very young 
Alex Wetterhall (follows us)
David de la Cruz (1 retweet, 1 reply)
Jose Mendes (1 favourite)
Tour of Utah (1 favourite)
Tour of Oman 
Tour de Langkawi 
Omega Pharma Quick Step 116
Team Saxo Tinkoff 87
STYBAR, Zdenek (OPQ) 106
HENAO, Sergio (TST) 86
Astana 6
Ronde van Drenthe 
