Festina-Canal+ is a merge between french and greek cycling. It is utmost important for the team, to stay in the battle for the biggest french and greek talents in the world.
..::Team Name::.. Festina-Canal+
..::Team Manager::.. Andreas Jøhnke
Team Festina 2015 Roster
Grand Tour Riders Simon Spilak - 1.000.000€ (#3 - 2144 Points) Riccardo Ricco - 670.000€ (#16 - 1192 Points) Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (U23) - 260.000€ (#54 - 561 Points)
Georgos Tzortzakis - Giro d'Italia, Stage 3 Georgos Tzortzakis - Giro d'Italia, Stage 6 Simon Spilak - Tour de Suisse, Stage 5 Simon Spilak - Tour de Suisse, Stage 9 Simon Spilak - Tour of California, Stage 6 Simon Spilak - Vuelta a Colombia, Stage 2 Simon Spilak - Vuelta a Colombia, Stage 3 Jerome Coppel - Paris-Nice, Stage 1 Jerome Coppel - Tour de Suisse, Stage 1 Jerome Coppel - Tour of Qatar, Stage 6 Team Festina-Canal+ - Tour of Northern Europe, Stage 1 (TTT) Yuriy Vasyliv - Tour de l'Avenir, Stage 8 (U23)
..::2nd places::..
Georgos Tzortzakis - Giro d'Italia, Stage 5 Georgos Tzortzakis - Giro d'Italia, Stage 8 Riccardo Ricco - Giro d'Italia, Stage 7 Riccardo Ricco - Giro d'Italia, Stage 9 Simon Spilak - Tirreno-Adriatico, Stage 4 Jerome Coppel - Tour of California, Stage 8 Jerome Coppel - Tour of Northern Europe, Stage 5 Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Tour de l'Avenir, Stage 5 (U23) Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Tour de l'Avenir, Stage 9 (U23)
..::3rd places::..
Clement Koretzky - Vuelta a España, Stage 6 Simon Spilak - Vuelta a Colombia, Stage 6 Festina-Canal+ - Tour of California, Stage 3 (TTT) Georgos Tzortzakis - Tour of Qatar, Stage 3
..::Overall Top 10s::..
1. Riccardo Ricco - World Championship TTT (Italy)
1. Simon Spilak - Tour de Suisse
1. Simon Spilak - Vuelta a Colombia
2. Simon Spilak - Amstel Gold Race
2. Simon Spilak - Fleche Wallonne
2. Simon Spilak - Tirreno-Adriatico
2. Simon Spilak - Tour of California
2. Simon Spilak - Elite World Championship ITT
2. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Tour de l'Avenir (U23)
2. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - World Championship ITT (U23)
3. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - World Championship RR (U23)
3. Riccardo Ricco - Deutschland Tour
4. Riccardo Ricco - Giro d'Italia
4. Clement Koretzky - Giro di Lombardia
5. Georgos Tzortzakis - Praha-Karlovy Vary-Praha
6. Jerome Coppel - Tour of Qatar
7. Clement Koretzky - Badaling International
7. Laurent Pichon - Giro di Lombardia
7. Tom David - Tour of Northern Europe
7. Yuriy Vasyliv - World Championship ITT (U23)
7. Yuriy Vasyliv - Tour de l'Avenir (U23)
8. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Tour of California
9. Team Festina-Canal+ - Copenhagen - Malmö (TTT)
9. Jerome Coppel - Lisbon Classic
9. Simon Spilak - GP Liechtenstein
10. Riccardo Ricco - Paris-Nice
10. Riccardo Ricco - Vuelta al Pais Vasco
10. Riccardo Ricco - Giro di Lombardia
..::Points classifications:..
1. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Tour de l'Avenir (U23)
1. Simon Spilak - Tour de Suisse
1. Simon Spilak - Vuelta a Colombia
3. Simon Spilak - Tour of California
4. Simon Spilak - Tirreno-Adriatico
4. Riccardo Ricco - Giro d'Italia
7. Yuriy Vasyliv - Tour de l'Avenir (U23)
8. Georgos Tzortzakis - Tour of Qatar
9. Jerome Coppel - Paris-Nice
10. Georgos Tzortzakis - Deutschland Tour
..::Mountains classifications:..
3. Simon Spilak - Tour of California
3. Simon Spilak - Vuelta a Colombia
4. Simon Spilak - Tour de Suisse
..::Young riders classifications:..
1. Tom David - Tour of Northern Europe
2. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Tour de France
2. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Vuelta a España
2. Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier - Tour of California
6. Panagiotis Vlatos - Tour of Qatar
7. Clement Koretzky - Deutschland Tour
7. Piter Campero - Tour of Northern Europe
9. Bryan Coquard - Tour of Qatar
10. Piter Campero - Vuelta a Colombia
Edited by SotD on 18-11-2016 11:35
After the season the board evaluated the season as always, and concluded that the team was still on track for the long term goal, of making the team a French/Greek mastodont of modern cycling. The talent pool has progressed as desired, and the future looks bright. Another season of transition is in order, but the directors are confident that progress can be made while enjoying the youth developping nice and steady.
While the team are happy to continue what has been started the designers have been working behind the lines. The impression of Festina-Canal+ has been positive in recent years, and the trademark has been rated highly important, thus changing colors was not a topic. Thanks to aidanvn13 Festina-Canal+ are now back on track and ready for the upcoming season with yet another sharp design.
The previous edition of the shirt can be found here:
As always our headquarter is open for questions, debate and general talks. We are happy to keep an active zone for cycling-enthusiasts.
Edited by SotD on 27-04-2015 19:44
The final phase of the Festina transition has begun. The 2015 season should be the last of 3 seasons, in total, in which the former top-team, Festina, should be battleing with mediocracy. The team made a drastic reformation meaning intake of several young talents. The new gamble was decided by the manager, the board and the sponsors, and everyone is happy to see that, helping french talents seems to be working according to the plan.
Going into the renewals the team were eager to keep the team intact for most parts. Only one rider were already decided for leave, Gianpaolo Caruso.
Last name
First name
2015 Wage
XP L
XP P
Availability
Spilak
Simon
€ 1.000.000
4
100
Possible
Ricco
Riccardo
€ 670.000
4
100
Possible
Lecuisinier
Pierre-Henri
€ 260.000
4
72
No
Guerao
Óscar
€ 200.000
4
100
Yes
Koretzky
Clement
€ 150.000
4
37
No
Keukeleire
Jens
€ 147.000
4
100
Possible
Tzortzakis
Georgos
€ 140.000
4
100
No
Coquard
Bryan
€ 125.000
4
4
No
Pichon
Laurent
€ 95.000
4
46
Possible
Dees
Tim
€ 75.000
4
100
Possible
David
Tom
€ 70.000
4
13
No
Vasyliv
Yuriy
€ 65.000
4
34
No
Smukulis
Gatis
€ 60.000
4
100
Yes
Campero
Piter
€ 50.000
4
13
Possible
Paillot
Yoann
€ 50.000
4
32
No
Le Gac
Olivier
€ 50.000
4
52
Possible
Gougeard
Alexis
€ 50.000
4
6
Possible
Bernaudeau
Mathieu
€ 50.000
4
100
Possible
Vlatos
Panagiotis
€ 50.000
4
81
No
As you may see, the team have managed to keep the core intact, but one name is missing. Ukrainean climber Vadim Ratiy had declared himself unhappy in the team for a long time, and when he asked to get his wages doubled, without performing at all there were banging with the doors. Ratiy stood his ground, and so did we. No-one was willing to give in, and that left us with no choice but to let him go. We thank him for his efforts although the sporting results have been hugely dissapointing.
For the future of the team we are aiming at getting one or two talents in, perhaps swap a couple of riders - if the right opportunities arrive, and then we seak to loan in 3-5 riders. We are especially looking for GC riders, cobblers and might be looking for a sprinter/hilly sprinter aswell to supplement our team. If we are lucky enough to get a decent GC rider on loan, we are likely to give him a Grand Tour as captain this season.
For the 2016 season the team is obligated to do whatever it can to take the World Tour crown, but for the 2015 season a safe midposition will be the target.
beagle wrote:
Disappointing to see Vasyliv not available
Well everyone is potentially available, but he is pretty important for Lecuisiniers chances at Tour de l'Avenir which is a major goal for us next season. We aren't going to fight for the biggest wins this season, so we will aim big for some of the smaller ones instead, including l'Avenir in which we can currently feat:
Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier
Yuriy Vasilyv
Olivier Le Gac
Alexis Gougeard
Whom should all be doing really well. But your team does have a few riders I would potentially be interested in, if the wages are good: Ion Izagirre, Roger Kluge, John Degenkolb. Not that I guess you would be interesting in doing any trades with those
cio93 wrote:
I could have one or two 75 sprinters for PT loan, so maybe that's worth talking about.
How did you get Guerao down though...Nerz makes me believe results don't matter, Guerao makes me believe they do.
I see your point with those hilly domestiques and decent sprinters that you raised, that's some weird stuff indeed if you compare it with mine.
Guerao's for sale as well...hmmm...Guerao leading out Ciolek?
Guerao will likely go for the best possible offer. And by that I don't necessarily mean money offer. He did a shitty job last season, and I brought up both Tzortzakis and Keukeleire myself, and Coquard is almost ready aswell, so I don't really see the need for him anymore. I did have a plan of using him this season and giving him all of my best sprinters as support, but seeing him fuck up on every possible occasion last season, I'm not sure about that plan anymore, unfortunately.
Yeah the wages are a bit hard to figure out really. Especially Pichon and Koretzky annoy me. Koretzky did win 2 attack stagewins last season, and is a decent rider, but 77HI and 70SPR will give absolutely nothing in the PT, and Pichon is nothing but an attacker. I would much rather have given 70K for Paillot and 75K for Pichon than 95K for Pichon and 50K for Paillot, but oh well.
Oscar Guerao has long been linked with a move away from Festina in 2015 - I think he deserves a go at matching up to the likes of Swift and Bewley once again this year.
The Red Bull brand really missed a sprinter last year and would love to be on the Festina bosses speed dial this transfer season!
Oscar Guerao has long been linked with a move away from Festina in 2015 - I think he deserves a go at matching up to the likes of Swift and Bewley once again this year.
The Red Bull brand really missed a sprinter last year and would love to be on the Festina bosses speed dial this transfer season!
The Festina manager are keen to talk to Red Bull concerning a possible transfer of Óscar Guerao, and mentions along the way that Jerome Coppel is Festina's main target for the upcoming season.
After several attempts, throughout seasons, we have finally reached an agreement with the french superstar Jerome Coppel. The french rider is among the very top of the timetrial establishment, and hence will add a lot to our focus in that aspect. In previous seasons, Festina has been a strong team against the clock, but the team have hardly ever excelled in terms of great individual results. Jerome Coppel should change that for the team in the future.
We had to part ways with Óscar Guerao in order to make the deal happening, but we were prepared to do so. Óscar had grown acustomed to a star role in the team, and needed change of air, which he will now receive. He will get superb backup, so we are confident that we will see Guerao in the shape that we know, winning stages on the big scene.
While struggleing to get a hold of a strong climber, our efforts came to succes in the end, and we are very happy to announce that Martin Hacecký has joined our team. We are looking forward to see what Martin can do, and we believe that he has what it takes to be the team leader in some of our HC races, while being a dominant support for our GC hopefuls, Simon Spilak, Riccardo Ricco and Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier. Martin Hacecký is an ever aggressive rider, so we hope to see him challenge for KOM jerseys throughout. Aswell as Martin, we have reached an agreement on a loan deal, securing us the talented Tsgabu Grmay for the entire season. Grmay is among the top talented african climbers and we hope that he have a good learning curve from being matched on the very highest level.
While we needed to strengthen our climbing setup, we also felt a strong need to strengthen our cobbled section, where Tom David has been showing great promise during last season. We want to ensure that he isn't on his own, as we need to check what potential he really has. We have loaned in american cobbler Robert Bush for the task. Robert is already very strong, and we estimate that he is really not far behind David at this point. Robert will get his chances to show himself, and we expect that riding races such as Paris-Roubaix will greatly benefit his development for the future.
A last transfer has been made aswell, the polish talent Konrad Dabkowski has been brought in to strenghen our possible lead out for Georgos Tzortzakis. Dabkowski is, like most of our team, very young and could potentially develop even further.
We are happy to receive comments, and will try our best to comment on questions.
Nice swap with Red Bull to land a best freanch TTist ever. Good luck with Coppel, i have a feeling they will clash from point to point with our man Ignatiev.
Other signings are nice talented riders, we acquired second Hačecký brother. Your bid for Martin was actually a reminder for me, that i want his brother in my team.
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Nice swap with Red Bull to land a best freanch TTist ever. Good luck with Coppel, i have a feeling they will clash from point to point with our man Ignatiev.
Other signings are nice talented riders, we acquired second Hačecký brother. Your bid for Martin was actually a reminder for me, that i want his brother in my team.
Thanks. I do think we will yes. I'm still looking at which places to put him, because there are some races where he doesn't really fit well, but there is a stagewin on the table. Just bring on Ignatiev, though
I'm extremely happy about Hacecký. I chased 3 similar riders, Hacecky was absolutely the one I wanted the most because of his nice backup stats, and he is also fairly cheap to make better, if needed. I actually consider making him 79MO, but clearly that would make him ineligeble for the HC races, but he would be an amazing 50K rider.
tsmoha wrote:
Coppel will definitely fit better here than Guerao did! Congrats on that deals. Hacecky is a nice deal
Thanks. Yes I believe Coppel will fit in much better, although it kinda sucks to let a rider go that you have spent 4mio on training - We have always wanted to get Coppel though, so it was a no-brainer once the opportunity arrived.
Festina-Canal+
Andreas Jøhnke
Simon Spilak - 1.000.000€ (#3 - 2144 Points)
Riccardo Ricco - 670.000€ (#16 - 1192 Points)
Charalampas Kastrantas - 50.000€ (#207 - 142 Points)
Yuriy Vasyliv (U23) - 65.000€ (#178 - 161 Points)
Markus Eibegger - 56.000€ (#219 - 133 Points)
Martin Hacecký - 50.000€ (#119 - 263 Points)
Piter Campero - 50.000€ (#269 - 106 Points)
Tsgabu Grmay - 25.000€ (LOAN) (#429 - 55 Points)
Tom David - 70.000€ (#110 - 278 Points)
Guillaume van Keirsbulck - 0€ (LOAN) (#232 - 123 Points)
Robert Bush - 25.000€ (LOAN) (#229 - 126 Points)
Zhihui Jiang - 10.000€ (U23) (#518 - 1 Points)
Riccardo Ricco - Deutschland Tour
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