It has been an incredibly tumultuous few weeks for management at Carlsberg - Danske Bank, but there is finally some good news coming with the announcement of some new sponsor agreements.
The end of the 2019 season led to a disastrous scenario for Carlsberg. Both title sponsors were coming to the end of their two year contracts. While they had been with the team since 2014, they seemed very likely to re-sign, considering the teams relegation and lack of promise the past few years. Without many options, disbandment seemed like a legitimate possibility.
That is, until directeur sportif and Carlsberg legend Marc De Maar set to work. He spent the last few weeks meeting with business leaders in his home nation of Curacao, trying to convince them that sponsoring a cycling team could be a way for them to emerge further on the global market. There was some interest, but ultimately none of them could bankroll the team for the 2020 season.
This left management crawling back to Carlsberg and Danske Bank, basically begging them to give them another chance. They weren't very convincing. Both companies still held some interest in sponsoring the team, mostly because of the amount of talents on the team, which means potential for growth. The problem was that neither was willing to dip too much money into the project. They'd been burned before, and while they were willing to keep their name on the jersey, they too would not bankroll it completely to do so.
With none of the minor sponsors like Danish Crown willing to step up either, the Scandinavian team's chances of survival looked slim. However, an 11th hour meeting between De Maar and manager baseballlover312 seemed to bear fruit, and this morning, we received the shocking news that an agreement had been reached.
And thus, Carlsberg's newest partner was born. Introducing: Schlumberger!
The Curacao based oilfield services company was willing to put forth enough money that between Schlumberger, Carlsberg, and Danske Bank, along with the minor sponsors, the team will be funded for the CT level in 2020. This is a huge departure for the team, which has always been exclusively a Danish registered team. But De Maar's connections make this a very fitting outcome nonetheless.
The terms of the agreement are unorthodox and still a bit precarious long term:
- All 3 sponsors are on 1 year contracts. Effectively, this season becomes a trial run for the arrangement. Any or all could back out after this year.
- The team name changes to "Carlsberg - Danske Bank p/b Schlumberger." This is the name that will appear on all publicity materials and branding of team merchandise. However, due to MGUCI naming regulations, the official name of the team will remain "Carlsberg - Danske Bank."
- Schlumberger will have prominent jersey space nearly matching that of Danske Bank.
- The team is required to make every effort to sign at least one Curacao rider this transfer season, or the deal is void.
With this new sponsor news, the team revealed a new jersey. Not wanting to put too much money into redesigning their brand when they already have a stunning jersey, the team have simply added Schlumberger's branding to the previous design. Schlumberger's blue and white color scheme, similar to Danske Bank, makes this addition appear fairly seamless.
Thank you to the_hoyle for doing such quick, great work on updating the jersey. Thank you also to Bikex, who made the awesome design for us last year.
With all this surprising and exciting news, we caught up with baseballlover312 for comment:
"It's no secret that the last few weeks - hell, the last few years - have been difficult for this team. The future is still uncertain in a lot of ways, and it hurts knowing so many guys won't be back next year. But at the same time, knowing that we will be racing, that we'll be given a fighting chance, is enough, at least for today. What Marc has done helping me here, is incredible. He deserves all the credit. He continues to carry this team on his back, despite being done racing.
I obviously want to thank Carlsberg and Danske Bank, who have been with us from the beginning, for giving us one more chance to prove ourselves and grow Danish cycling. And I want to thank Schlumberger for having the courage to step in and help save our team. We are really excited to help grow the Curacao cycling scene from the ground up, and we anticipate this partnership lasting for many years to come."
As the manager alluded to, the future is still very much in question, with not enough money or roster spots to go around after relegation. but at least for now, it is a little bit less in question. The team will ride on.
Like every year, Sporting News' analytics department has compiled an updated scouting report for the young riders at Carlsberg - Danske Bank (now p/b Schlumberger). This year, there are quite a lot of them. However, with the relegation of the team, it remains to be seen how many of these riders will reach their potential here. Regardless, here are the reports.
Niklas Eg
Stage Racer - 4 > Max - Age 25 - Pot. 3
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
67
75
70
73
75
73
73
59
60
68
66
65
71
2020
67
77
71
74
76
74
75
59
60
68
66
65
72
Still just going into his 25 year old season, Niklas Eg has reached his full potential. After spending a season in the PT with Grieg, where he made his Tour de France debut, Eg looks set to become a true leader as his team moves down to the CT division. He is very well rounded. While his primary prowess is as a climber, he has a strong time trial as well, and does well deep into stages and stage races. His skill set should translate well to CT racing, and he looks to be a key piece for years to come.
Matteo Fabbro
Climber - 4 > Max - Age 25 - Pot. 5
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
65
76
73
67
70
71
72
50
61
71
72
70
70
2020
65
78
75
67
71
72
74
50
61
73
74
70
70
After transferring from Festina late last transfer season, Fabbro enjoyed a solid inaugural year in green and blue. He was active in breakaways and soaked up U25 points throughout the year, something he can continue for one more campaign. Fabbro is a pure climber who loves to attack and make things happen when the roads go uphill. His strength on terrain and the Carlsberg's newfound plethora of stage racers means he can be aggressive and powerful on the climbs this season.
Alex Aranburu
Climber - 3 > 4 - Age 25 - Pot. 6
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
68
72
72
62
68
76
70
57
68
67
57
65
62
2020
69
75
75
63
69
78
72
57
68
69
60
66
63
Aranburu might appear like just yet another climbing talent, but the Danish outfit really love his unique skill set. Aranburu is just as good of a puncheur as a climber, and has an engine that can stay in the red for a very long time. He also has a decent sprint in his back pocket from a small group, although his style isn't generally very aggressive. He has made huge strides this year, and will need a PT loan to really maximize his potential this season.
Patrick Olesen
Climber - 3 > 4 - Age 26 - Pot. 4
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
67
71
71
62
71
71
71
63
63
69
57
65
61
2020
68
73
73
62
72
72
73
63
63
71
59
66
61
Olesen is a bit of a late bloomer, as he struggled to get full time contract in his first pro years. However, he is shaping up into a solid rider. His profile is similar to Aranburu is that he is a man that can excel on both long and short climbs. However, he projects to be more of a domestique than a leader. But that's just fine. He looks to be the perfect value for that role. Thanks to his age and experience - he rode in the PT with Air France last season - it is possible that he could develop fully in the CT division, but another PT loan is on the table.
Mathias Krigbaum
Fighter - 3 > 4 - Age 25 - Pot. 3
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
75
65
68
71
71
72
69
62
65
63
70
69
70
2020
76
67
69
73
73
74
71
62
65
64
70
69
72
It was an interesting year for Mathias Krigbaum. Since his junior days, he has always profiled as a flat beast. That was his role until his pro days. But Carlsberg have worked with him over the years to increase his versatility, even at the slight expense of his initial forte. First, he spent time on the TT bike to increase his value in a TTT squad. This year, he actually spent more time in the mountains, and it has paid dividends. His prowess remains on flat roads, where he will certainly be a key leadout rider moving forward, but this added versatility will make him the ultimate domestique in the future. However, to do that, he will need a PT loan this season.
Aviv Yechezkel
Cobbles - 3 > 4 - Age 26 - Pot. 3
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
70
55
62
64
68
69
68
73
61
72
69
69
64
2020
72
55
63
64
70
71
69
75
63
72
69
69
64
Yechezkel, a young Israeli, developed a love for cobblestones at a young age, and that's where his power lies. He spent this year at Desigual. However, he can't do much else. While he tracks to be a solid domestique or even superdomestique at the CT level, one has to wonder whether the team who has brought him up the past 3 years can afford to keep him around after relegation. If they do, he too will need a PT loan.
Kasper Asgreen
Puncheur - 3 > 4 - Age 25 - Pot. 4
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
66
63
72
67
68
67
65
55
63
70
71
65
67
2020
67
64
75
68
70
68
66
55
64
72
73
66
68
Asgreen is another rider whose future with the team is uncertain. Before this season, he was expected to eventually fulfill the second puncheur/superdomestique role that Jasper Stuyven left last offseason. However, the past season showed that the game has changed when it comes to hilly classics and stage races. Pure puncheurs are no longer in vogue, as climbers have figured out ways to push into that niche. This leaves Asgreen in an awkward spot as a completely one dimensional puncheur. It remains to be seen what his future holds, but regardless, he will be yet another rider who needs a PT loan in order to develop further.
Jonas Gregaard
Climber - 2 > 3 - Age 24 - Pot. 5
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
70
71
65
65
74
71
70
61
63
65
52
72
65
2020
70
73
67
65
75
72
72
61
63
67
54
72
65
Gregaard has flown under the radar a bit the past couple of years, but he has a claim to being the best upcoming Danish climber in his own right. He definitely needs to work on getting better on shorter hills, and he has this season. But when they are high in the Alps, his engine could be among the best in the next few years. Despite Carlsberg's demotion, he should be in a good place to progress even without a loan this year.
Lennard Kamna
Stage Racer - 1 > 3 - Age 24 - Pot. 5
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
68
68
66
71
69
68
68
62
63
66
70
69
71
2020
69
72
68
74
72
70
71
62
63
66
70
69
74
Kamna is probably - no, definitely - Carlsberg's most highly touted prospect, and the one with the best leadership potential. His forte in his junior and U23 days was his time trial, and he has potential to be one of the best in the world in that discipline. However, he has instead worked with Carlsberg trainers this year to develop his climbing ability and eventually become a true stage racer. The team hopes this improved climbing ability will not only make him better for GC, but actually help him compete better in bumpier time trials - a win/win. For now, he likely will need to leave the team on loan to PCT for a season. That is, if the team can afford to pay his enormous contract on a CT budget.
Erik Nordsaeter Resell
Cobbles - 1 > 3 - Age 24 - Pot. 4
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
70
56
65
65
68
68
67
69
61
70
71
68
65
2020
72
56
67
65
70
69
68
72
61
70
72
68
65
Resell is the lone Norwegian on the Danish team, and is a nice classics talent. His cobbles skills continue to improve, as do his skills on hills, which can often be just as important in the spring classics. He tracks to be a very solid domestique and even a guy who could lead on a weaker CT team. Is there a place for him in 2020 on this team? Certainly there's a place for his skill set, but he too would need a PCT loan to get better.
Arturs Belevics
Time Trialist - 1 > 3 - Age 24 - Pot. 5
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
69
59
61
69
68
65
66
62
63
66
70
63
69
2020
72
59
62
73
70
68
69
62
63
66
72
63
73
A stagiare in 2018, Belevics won last year's Latvian TT national championship at only 22 years of age.That show of force earned him a full time pro contract. That discipline is his bread and butter. On the time trial bike, he is in his own zone. Though one might expect him to be riding for Evonik instead of Carlsberg, he has fit in nicely at the Danish squad. He's fairly one dimensional, but will still make a good flat domestique and leadout train powerhouse once maxed. However, he's another rider that will need a PCT loan to get there.
Enzo Wouters
Sprinter - 1 > 2 - Age 24 - Pot. 4
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2019
67
65
67
58
69
72
71
61
71
72
54
59
58
2020
68
65
67
58
70
72
72
62
72
73
54
59
58
In an unorthodox fashion, Wouters has improved despite being on stagiare contracts the past two season. While it seems unlikely he will get a full contract from Carlsberg due to their space and financial constraints, he has certainly earned a full contract somewhere. While he'll never be the fastest in the world, he should shape up to be the ultimate leadout rider. With his amazing recovery, he will last long into GT's, and he has good climbing ability for a sprinter as well. The question is where and when he will reach that level.
Though Carlsberg had a record amount of talents progress this year, they will also have a record numbers of decisions to make about them this offseason, be it in renewals, sales, or the plethora of loans they will need. Keep your eyes on our page for more updates in the coming days.
The likes of Eg, Fabbro and Aranburu should already contribute well for you this season. The latter still has some developing to do. Kamna is an amazing asset for the future and a rider we had our eyes on last season. A couple of other riders are also in line to become useful in the near future. I know it'll be a hard decision to let one or more of them go!
It was heartbreaking to follow your season knowing how good of a manager you are, just to see you get the short end of the stick regarding most of the AI changes and end up unable to do anything but watch the mess ensue and repeat itself predictably race after race again.
Surely I don't envy you for having to make some radical cuts and unpopular decisions that you wouldn't have believed to ever be necessary to survive, but often those situations allow a team to refocus and rise from the ashes. With the plethora of talented riders at your disposal, I'm confident you can do just that and reappear on bigger stages soon with a young and streamlined roster that'll benefit from the lessons you learn from this season and the CT.
And regarding talents: I assume we both are very aware there will be talks immediately come transfer season, and I'm looking forward to try and convince you with a great offer.
Tough choices ahead going into relegation (I remember how hard it was!) - especially with this array of talents. Many needing to ride on higher level for development and few ready for real leadership.
AbhishekLFC wrote:
The likes of Eg, Fabbro and Aranburu should already contribute well for you this season. The latter still has some developing to do. Kamna is an amazing asset for the future and a rider we had our eyes on last season. A couple of other riders are also in line to become useful in the near future. I know it'll be a hard decision to let one or more of them go!
Indeed. It's strange to suddenly have a plethora of climbers/stage racers since that's always been my team's biggest weakness, although none of them are world beaters still. It will definitely hurt if I have to let any of my talents go, especially after developing them for 3 years. But I've always been too sentimental as a manager, so that might just be the reality of it.
cio93 wrote:
It was heartbreaking to follow your season knowing how good of a manager you are, just to see you get the short end of the stick regarding most of the AI changes and end up unable to do anything but watch the mess ensue and repeat itself predictably race after race again.
Surely I don't envy you for having to make some radical cuts and unpopular decisions that you wouldn't have believed to ever be necessary to survive, but often those situations allow a team to refocus and rise from the ashes. With the plethora of talented riders at your disposal, I'm confident you can do just that and reappear on bigger stages soon with a young and streamlined roster that'll benefit from the lessons you learn from this season and the CT.
And regarding talents: I assume we both are very aware there will be talks immediately come transfer season, and I'm looking forward to try and convince you with a great offer.
Eh, in the end I'm not that good of a manager I guess. I mean, I'm active and care, but I've always struggled in the actual team building past of the game, and perhaps it was time I finally get punished for that. Your prediction for my rebuild is certainly the one I'm hoping for. Hopefully our trip to CT will be short and productive.
I am very open to talks on all fronts. I have to be, given my situation. But I'm sure you must realize that for certain talents, the offer would have to be tremendous to consider it.
redordead wrote:
For sure there is rebuilding to be done at Carlsberg. Some old heads and some young talent might have to leave.
But with the array of riders above there is plenty of choices and possibilities for a successful comeback and bright future as well
I also love your passion as an MG manager. Good luck!
Thank you for the kind words. I hope you're right. I'm very invested in this game, and I'm looking forward to what I can do with a new challenge, even if it's not what I had hoped for.
Atlantius wrote:
Tough choices ahead going into relegation (I remember how hard it was!) - especially with this array of talents. Many needing to ride on higher level for development and few ready for real leadership.
You know better than anyone how much the trip to CT changes things. I only hope I can do half as well as you have since you went down. The talents will be hard to manage - especially keeping a lot of them through renewals with a CT cap and then having to loan them out - but I'll have to step up and finally make the tough decisions.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
As a relegating team, this years renewals phase has no doubt been extremely stressful for Carlsberg. Needing to cut their wage cap by more than half, the team has had to weight that priority against potentially making a profit for their best leaders of previous seasons. The result has been parting ways with many names the team wishes they did not have to - some who have been with the team since it's inception.
Martin Schoffmann - Climber - 2013-2019
We start, as always, with retirements. First on that list is workhorse mountain domestique Martin Schoffmann. Schoffmann has worn a Carlsberg jersey since the team's inception in 2014, but has actually been on baseballover312's team since 2013, when he led Miche, his Mini-Man Game team. His attacking style and iconic victory on the final stage of the Giro di Padania earned him enough respect to get a look on a professional team. Since then, he has done nothing but work hard for his leaders the last six years.
Unfortunately, he turned 33 this season, and for him, this meant a drop off in level. While some top riders can hold off the torments of time a little while longer, for a career domestique like Schoffmann, this meant the end. He no longer has the ability to keep up with a pro peloton. He ends his solid career in the place it began, and happily. We spoke to team manager baseballlover312 about what the Austrian has meant to the team.
"Martin and I have developed a friendship that has transcended cycling. The guy is a workhorse, plain and simple. He can attack when you need him to, but never argues when he's called on to work for his teammates. And he's done tremendous work at that over the years, being a primary helper on both mountains and hills. Plus, the leadership he has shown as a road captain for our young guys cannot be understated. He will certainly be missed, and we wish him all the best as he begins another chapter."
Andre Steensen - Time Trialist - 2016-2019
Another potential retirement comes from Andre Steensen. The 33 year old time trialist has had some great results at Carlsberg the past four years. His time trialing ability was key in the team's 2016 promotion push, and he continued to garner results at the PCT level, including some great performances in the Tour of Denmark. Last season was unfortunately his worst year, however, and with age catching up to him, it seemed time to part ways for the team. He may choose to retire, or to ride one last season at the CT or amateur level.
Two more potential retirements came this year as well. Thomas Vedel Kvist has had a tremendous career, and as a key leadout man for the Carlsberg the last two years. Unfortunately, his sprinters rarely did their part. He has declined and can no longer fit in a CT team budget, but his versatility might still gain him a look from CT teams as a leadout man this season.
Finally, Jonas Bjelkmark will likely hang up his wheels as well. The veteran stage racer helped Larry Warbasse to overachieve last season as his faithful domestique.
Of course, there were other riders that didn't renew this season, without age being a factor. Some were not surprising. On a shrinking budget, there was no room to give stagiares a full contract, so both Enzo Wouters and Joel Ponce have regrettably been released. They will no doubt have great careers elsewhere.
Nathan Haas has also been let go. While he wasn't a poor performer last season, Juul-Jensen's failure made him extraneous, and no extraneous parts can survive a relegation downsizing.
Next is an original Carlsberg member in Jesper Hansen. Hansen has ridden with the team since 2014, and was a key lieutenant for Juul-Jensen in the hills during his strongest years. Unfortunately, the renewal penalties for keeping his wage were just too high for the team to justify keeping him on, although management has noted that they would not necessarily be objected to a reunion.
The most shocking releases are most definitely Niki Ostergaard and Christian Ranneries. The team intended to renew both riders, but negotiations did not go as expected. Ostergaard seemed to expect a return to a leader role with the team's demotion to the CT level, something the team could not guarantee him. Similarly, Ranneries wanted a massive wage increase because of his surprisingly strong performance in the sprints last season.
With even minimum wage increases for these riders meaning well over 200k in renewals penalties, the team could not give in to the two Danes' demands, and they have been allowed to test the open market. We spoke to bbl on this drama.
"Jesper, Christian and Niki have all been key member of our core for over half a decade. Niki's victory in Herning last year is no doubt our greatest win of all time. That being said, there are certain realities that we just couldn't ignore financially in this process. While are incredibly sad to see any of them go, we respect their decisions. We wish them well on the open market, and hopefully some or all of them will still be in our jersey next season after all."
Finally, the team wished to thank Tobias Foss for spending his rookie season with them on loan from Aker! Best wishes to him and his team in the future!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That still leaves 18 riders under contract for Carlsberg, which is within a CT team size. Unfortunately they have a payroll of over 1,750,000, which is not within a CT team wage cap. This means there will be a lot of sales to come. Here's the outlook:
First off, Pieter Vanspeybrouck remains with the team... for now. Although he has declined slightly this offeason, he remains one of the top classics riders in the world, and certainly will not remain in the CT division. However, he did not want to subject himself to the randomness of the open market at his age, and so he has decided to let Carlsberg pick his suitor. To do this, he took a massive paycut of 165,000 euros, down to just 300,000. The team believes they will recoup the fines his salary gives them, while also respecting his wishes as their former leader.
Across the board, there were more massive paycuts. Davide Appollonio goes down to 115,000 euros from 150,000. Christopher Juul-Jensen took an even more enormous paycut. After making 155,000 euros last year, he will make only 5 figures next year at 99,000. Marc Christian Garby also dips below the six figure mark, down to a salary of 87,500 euros.
Talents also saw massive paycuts. Lennard Kamna and Alex Aranburu will make nowhere near the exorbitant amount they received from free agency last year. Kamna is down to 165,000 from 280k, and Aranburu is down to 100k flat from 165k. Both riders will likely need loans this upcoming season.
These cuts allowed the rest of Carlsberg talents to be renewed despite some initial uncertainty early in the process. All of them will remain on 50k contracts this season.
That means just four riders got raises. The most controversial will be Asbjorn Kragh Andersen. Despite an absolutely horrendous performance last year, he rejected reasonable offers in negotiation and demanded a raise, citing his battle with mono as an excuse. Still seeing his potential, the team acquiesced, giving him a modest 15,000 euro raise to 140,000.
More deservedly, Larry Warbasse gets a small raise to 120,000 for his excellent performance last year, especially in the Tour of America. Newly maxed leaders Niklas Eg and Matteo Fabbro will no longer be making minimum wage, but will still have very reasonable salaries in the 80,000's. Classics specialist Ramon Sinkeldam stays dead even at his 110,000 wage.
Renewals always presented Carlsberg a challenge this year. And while they end the transfer season well over cap and with clear budget issues, they have a position to work from. Obviously, several of the leaders they renewed will have to leave in transfers, but this offers an opportunity for profits and growth, if managed right. Also nice is the fact that they were able to renew all of their talents, although once again, those talents need loans, which could prove troublesome. We're certainly looking forward to seeing how their transfer season plays out, and we'll keep you updated along the way. Availability posts will be coming very soon!
Mr. Pickles
Sporting News
Edited by baseballlover312 on 25-09-2020 14:49
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
A very versatile squad you have to work with despite relegation, unless some major transfer bombs get dropped you should be a top contender for promotion!
Penalty fee...need to cut wages...PT loans required...I hope we can find a way to solve a lot of your issues at once!
Objectively, you did a good job in this first restructure process, considering the circumstances, and have quite decent chances to emerge from transfer season as a favorite.
Ramon
Lennard
Laurens
Erik Nordsaeter
Arturs
Alex
Joel
GP Yekaterinburg
Vuelta a Tachira - Stage 1
Viano do Castelo
Colombo Classic
Ras Tailteann - Stage 2
Tour of Eritrea - Stage 2
Betonexpressz GP
Tour de Pologne - GC
GP Izola
Lincoln GP
1 Jour de Dunkerque
Tour du Faso - Stage 3
Tour of Vancouver - Stage 1
Clasico San Cristobal
Tour de San Luis - Stage 3
Tour de Langkawi - Stage 2
Sakartvelo Trophy
Tour of Chile - Stage 2
Vilnius GP
Benelux Challenge - Stage 5
Tour de Vineyards - Stage 4
Rio Vista Chinesa
GP Kigali
Aviv Yechezkel 
Martin Schoffmann - Climber - 2013-2019
Joel Ponce have regrettably been released. They will no doubt have great careers elsewhere.
Nathan Haas has also been let go. While he wasn't a poor performer last season, Juul-Jensen's failure made him extraneous, and no extraneous parts can survive a relegation downsizing.
