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[PCT '22] Volcanica - Fox / Tour Down Under
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 11-08-2022 09:04
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Protected Rider
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We proudly would like to welcome you to the second season of our team!
2021 was an eventful year, none more important than setting the foundation stone of our cycling team. 2021 was a year full of excitement, with some moments of disappointment here and a few of absolute bliss there. But that’s the life of any cycling team and although some will count more ups than lows along the way most will experience the roller-coasting events of any given race. We fully acknowledge the reality of this and although we are dreaming of winning the Grand Tours of the MG circuit someday, we are also proud of the achievements of our riders and the continue work made toward fulfilling the team’s principles and philosophy.
Our team didn’t manage to achieve all of its objectives set for the 2021 season. As a matter of fact only 2 out of the 5 were fulfilled. Still, our riders can count 4 victories, 6 stage wins and 8 national championships in the course of last season. Our team finished 8th in the CT rankings, but since the ever shifting landscape of the MG circuit brings constant change we will ride the next season in the PCT.
Although not fully satisfied by the results of 2021 the stepping up the MG division ladder convinced the sponsors to continue supporting our team. Therefore for the 2022 the team’s name remains unchanged and the sponsors are the same, Volcanica Coffee Company and Fox Factory Holding Corp.
Volcanica Coffee Company is a family run business based in the United States, but deeply rooted in Costa Rica. Their inspiration came from frequent trips to their homeland of Costa Rica and their love for rich and flavored coffee. They started Volcanica Coffee to offer the customers high-quality single origin coffees and to help them discover what coffee can truly be. The company focuses on exotic coffees, with only the finest quality ingredients from the mineral-rich soil of the volcanic regions around the world. Volcanica offers more the 150 different fresh and refined coffees. The company donates 1% of sales from their website to charity: water, a non-profit organization that raises money to help bring clean, safe drinking water to every person on the planet. They saw this cycling project as a chance to help Costa Rican young riders practice the sport they love, while at the same time promoting the company's products and charity work across the world.
Fox Factory Holding Corp. is another American based company, best known for their off-road racing suspension components for motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles or mountain bikes. Fox holds several service centers across Central America, primarily in Costa Rica, but also in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Although specialized in mountain bikes they were intrigued by the prospect of offering their expertise and support to a road racing cycling team. The opportunity of further increasing the awareness of the Central American cycling and the work of Fox Factory in the region was the decisive argument in joining the project.
The objective you ask? Well, that has little chances to change for the foreseeable future and our team’s manager sits solidly behind it no matter the obstacles he might face along the way. That is: Volcanica - Fox aims at establishing itself as a solid team in the MG circuit. The team management wishes to build the squad around Costa Rican cyclists, but also to provide the young riders from all Central America with a place where they can hone their skills and follow their dreams. To a lesser extent and if need arises the team will complete its ranks with cyclists from Latin America and United States, the latter a minor demand from the sponsors considering they're based in the USA. The ultimate goal is for Volcanica - Fox to build a squad of talented Central American cyclists capable of competing at the highest level and the team management will not steer away from the course of making that dream a reality.
The team’s jersey is a familiar sight as well, but as we understand it the team’s management plans for another design for the next season. It remains to be seen if that comes to pass, but for now we are delighted to see the same team’s colors within the peloton.
Edited by DarkWolf on 20-10-2022 07:55
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 11-08-2022 09:04
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Protected Rider
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2022 Center
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 11-08-2022 09:04
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1025
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2021 Recap
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 01:03
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| MacC |
Posted on 11-08-2022 22:40
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Sprinter
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Glad to see you sticking with same jersey why not,?
good luck in the big leagues, (well bigger league!)
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 13-08-2022 06:32
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@MacC Thank you! 
I didn't have much time to create a new jersey, but I have to admit I'm quite fond of this one. 
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 13-08-2022 06:46
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With the promotion to PCT the task of contract renewals shifted. Finishing in the 8th place of team rankings, as it was achieved the previous season, would be an excellent performance, obviously better than in 2021, but such an objective also brings a different approach and a more careful strategy during the off-season. The team’s management is hard at work in its attempt to build a competitive squad, but without discarding the team’s principles and philosophy, that of developing the Costa Rican cycling in particular and Central American in general, offering a medium for the talents of this region in which to perform and improve.
The first wave of renewals stands firm behind this approach, all the young riders who rode with Volcanica – Fox the previous year, together with the 3 stagiari signed contracts with the team for the season ahead. Although the management was rather disappointed by the performances of Esteban Chaves last year the contract talks reached quickly a common ground and a new deal was signed. Gregory Brenes, the stalwart lieutenant pf Andrei Amador, and Jesus Herrada, who was a valiant rider for the team last year, are back for another season with Volcanica – Fox.
Sadly, both Costa Rican national champions leave our team, the difference between the offer and demand proved a hurdle too high to overcome so Andrei Amador and Gabriel Marin have left Volcanica – Fox. The same goes for the winner of Barbados Cycling Festival, Guillaume Boivin.
It remains to be seen what the team manager, DarkWolf, has in mind for the transfer season.
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 13-08-2022 07:00
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Team Leader
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Certainly a lot of cap space to play with so I’m intrigued to see how you go about your business.
Boivin released is definitely a surprise given how he rode in PCT level races last season. I assume his wage demand was rather high because 80k last season was low!
Similar with Amador, I assume you would have loved to keep him around but high demands conflicting with transfer plans leads to such riders being released.
Good luck over transfers and will follow your activity with keen interest!
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 13-08-2022 16:08
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Directeur Sportif
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Awesome commitment to your core nation's riders. Sad on Amador and Marin but better to sacrifice the older guys.
Good luck with the transfer season.
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling |
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 15-08-2022 09:11
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@Luis Leon Sanchez Indeed it was a tough decision to not renew Amador, Marin and Boivin. Especially with Amador and Boivin being my main scorers last year. But I have to prepare a strategy for the PCT, which certainly looks way tougher. We'll see what comes out of it.
Thank you and good luck to you too! I'll certainly follow your team with interest too now that it's back in Spain!
@Ulrich Ulriksen It was a tough decision, but in the end it had to be made. But I'll still have to see how things turn out with Amador and Marin. And the commitment remains firmly in place for the foreseeable future.
Thank you and good luck to you too!
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 16-08-2022 13:24
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Classics Specialist
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You definitely got a lot of cap space indeed, nice. As the Los Pollos jersey has changed we won't be mixing up our riders anymore (at least that's what happened to me a couple of times when reading reports  ). Looking forward to your moves on the transfer market.
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 18-08-2022 08:59
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@Nemolito I mixed them up too, although fortunately we didn't clash that often. Yes, quite some cap space left, but that gives me headaches now with all the strategies I'm putting together.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 18-08-2022 10:48
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Tour de France Champion
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Obviously quite interested in your team. I think cutting those riders is going to be a good move long term, as even trying to get them back via FA won't be overly expensive. Plus it leaves you with a lot of cap space to go hunting around. Just wonder who you'll target given i can't see any obvious Central American targets that would aid PCT survival.
But if you can stretch north or south there are riders on the market for sure. Best of luck, a lot to do but it's very much in reach.
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 22-08-2022 09:36
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@THeManxMissile You read my mind. Yes, Central America isn't full of riders so I need to adapt the team a bit and go North and South. And elsewhere if the team needs it. But Central America remains the main focus region. Maybe it will grow with the time.
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 22-08-2022 10:19
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SAME OLD NEWS, SAME OLD...
We’re once again at that exciting time of the year! However, the first news coming in don’t seem to be news at all. After the contract renewal negotiations with the 2 Costa Rican National Champions failed to reach a common ground due to what was considered as unwarranted demands by the team management, Gabriel Marin and Andrei Amador are back at Volcanica – Fox. It might be that life as free agents didn’t go as planned for the 2 riders or maybe they realized there’s no better place like home, but what we can say with certainty is that the team management and the Costa Rican RR champion, Gabriel Marin, and the Costa Rican TT champion, Andrei Amador, managed to find mutual understanding and the 2 cyclists will ride one more year for Volcanica – Fox. We’re welcoming them back with open arms!
 ANDREI AMADOR 36 y/o, OVL: 72.32, Wage: 50,000 | FL | MON | HIL | TT | STA | RES | REC | COB | SPR | ACC | FTR | DHI | PRL | | 63 | 77 | 68 | 71 | 67 | 64 | 65 | 50 | 60 | 62 | 64 | 64 | 70 |
GABRIEL MARIN 28 y/o, OVL: 74.88, Wage: 55,000
| FL | MON | HIL | TT | STA | RES | REC | COB | SPR | ACC | FTR | DHI | PRL | | 74 | 57 | 65 | 65 | 73 | 73 | 76 | 67 | 78 | 78 | 63 | 66 | 69 |
Not only experience prevailed in this first part of the transfer period though. The team manager also secured the services of two upcoming talents of the region, the Costa Rican Jason Huertas and the Guatemalan Sergio Chumil, pumping fresh blood (don’t read this wrong, there’s no insinuation here) into the team. After a promising start of his career Jason Huertas crossed a tumultuous time in his life. Now, at his 24 years, he desires to redeem himself and prove that he truly learned from his mistakes. The team is more than willing to provide him with the chance to do so.
The Guatemalan Sergio Chumil is joining his fellow Central American riders at Volcanica – Fox. At the age of 22 he is attempting to find his place within the peloton and what terrain or type of races suit his qualities. The team management believes in the future of this young rider and is ready to help him develop within the ranks of the young core of Volcanica – Fox riders.
JASON HUERTAS 24 y/o, OVL: 70.18, Potential: 4, Wage: 50,000
| FL | MON | HIL | TT | STA | RES | REC | COB | SPR | ACC | FTR | DHI | PRL | | 70 | 62 | 67 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 60 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 65 | 73 |
 SERGIO CHUMIL 22 y/o, OVL: 67.64, Potential: 5, Wage: 50,000 | FL | MON | HIL | TT | STA | RES | REC | COB | SPR | ACC | FTR | DHI | PRL | | 64 | 67 | 67 | 66 | 68 | 68 | 67 | 55 | 62 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 66 |
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 22-08-2022 10:30
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Congrats on re-signing Marin for almost win-wage Was looking at him as well, but he's definitely a better fit for you
Will be interesting to see what Amador can still do for you, especially given that you're in PCT now - but there's nothing wrong trying for min wage
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 22-08-2022 10:46
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World Champion
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Love to see Amador back, just feels right winding down his career with you 
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT]  Xero Racing
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 22-08-2022 14:38
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Directeur Sportif
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Great regional focus and second jandal in saying that Amador being back is great!
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 22-08-2022 16:48
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Good to see the boss back in Amador, even at a reduced capacity. Marin on a basement wage as well is really nifty - he's gonna do well for you this season again for sure
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 24-08-2022 08:42
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Protected Rider
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@Fabianski I am happy I got Marin back, especially with that wage. He must be kicking himself for just asking too much in the renewals. As for Amador I couldn't let our rider of the year drift in limbo.
@jandal7 It seems a shame to let Amador retire without a contract since he ride into sunset with a home team.
@AbhishekLFC Thank you! And with my regional focus I couldn't let Amador without a contract.
@Eden95 Even if Amador doesn't score any points I'm still happy to have him in the team. He can hep our youngsters develop. Marin is a different matter, so I am expecting a couple of points from him. But if he doesn't deliver there is not much of a problem.
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| DarkWolf |
Posted on 27-08-2022 10:19
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HERE COME THE HOTSTEPPERS
We're not referring to any fugitives from the law, as a hotstepper is in Jamaican slang, but to a very skilled person. Or so we believe. Anyway...
With our leader and rider of the year getting ever closer to hangup his wheels the team was in search of a stage racer to take his place within our ranks. After a few debates and consideration, in the end, the chosen rider was Nairo Quintana. The Colombian comes from our friends at Jura GIANTS in a deal worth 1,2 millions. Nairo Quintana finished 21st in the PCT individual ranking last year and won Tour of Japan and finished 3rd Int. Osterreich Rundfahrt. Now, Volcanica – Fox looks with renewed hope at the stage races and dreams of surpassing the results achieved by Andrei Amador last season.
 NAIRO QUINTANA 32 y/o, OVL: 78,3, Wage: 480,000 | FL | MON | HIL | TT | STA | RES | REC | COB | SPR | ACC | FTR | DHI | PRL | | 68 | 82 | 74 | 71 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 52 | 51 | 66 | 73 | 61 | 71 |
Last season our team’s fast man was Guillaume Boivin. The Canadian arrow brought Volcanica – Fox its most prestigious victory winning the HC race Barbados Cycling Festival and also 2 stage wins in Tour of Vancouver and Tour of the Middle East. But at the end of the year there was a predominant feeling around the team management that things could have been a bit better. Therefore for this transfer period the management set their eyes on another sprinter, the Swedish Jonas Ahlstrand. After the disbandment of his former team, Mapei, the Northman found himself without a contract for the season ahead. But after a tough battle in the free agency Volcanica – Fox managed to secure his services. We all hope that and we're saying this with all the respect we have for Guillaume Boivin and appreciation for his time with our team, Jonas Ahlstrand would bag us more dreamed victories.
 JONAS AHLSTRAND 32 y/o, OVL: 79,23, Wage: 510,000 | FL | MON | HIL | TT | STA | RES | REC | COB | SPR | ACC | FTR | DHI | PRL | | 74 | 60 | 67 | 60 | 74 | 73 | 79 | 67 | 83 | 82 | 59 | 64 | 72 |
One Canadian leaves Volcanica – Fox another enters, but this time as a lead-out man. Patrick Naud has a fighting spirit and he’s well accustomed to the flat terrain, but also he doesn’t feel all that uncomfortable on hills and cobbles. All right, he’s not going to rip hills and cobbles asunder, but he’s here to offer a helping hand to Jonas Ahlstrand. We hope they’ll build a very nice relationship and the chemistry between them would be flawless, or as closer to perfection as possible.
 PATRICK NAUD 31 y/o, OVL: 74,33, Wage: 55,000 | FL | MON | HIL | TT | STA | RES | REC | COB | SPR | ACC | FTR | DHI | PRL | | 76 | 62 | 73 | 64 | 72 | 73 | 71 | 74 | 64 | 67 | 78 | 75 | 64 |
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Herrada
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Jurado
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
