Aranburu training is nice, but there's definitely some big competition in PT, so I hope he can still prove himself this season as well. Lund Andresen to you is great and he should be more than a worthy replacement for Kragh Andersen. And just when I thought you wouldn't go for the Curacao rider that Ezeefreak found after some intensive research, you did, so that's also great to see from an RP perspective
In general of course you depend on Per as well again, but if he does similar to last season it should be nice obviously. Carthy very likely also a bigger scorer than Quintana.
Really wanted to put in another bid on Lund Andresen, as 170k for an 80 max sprinter sounds like a great deal, but I ran out of time. So congrats on pulling that one off.
Team is really nicely balanced, feels like you have some upside potential to offset if Per has some downside versus last year. I like the contrarian move away from TTs while everyone has being moving towards them.
Have always loved Per ever since his days on loan with us. He had a great season last time, and no reason why he can't again. Decent firepower on the mountains and sprints. Will be interesting to see how an improved Aranburu will do on the hills.
Very possible Per won't repeat despite Wisniowski declining, given his remarkable consistency last year and the fact that Pedersen is bound to bounce back. But hopefully he can at least get close, especially with a bit better support. He has a chance to win every time out. It's just a matter of form I think.
Think you've got definitely an upgrade with Carthy over Quintana. I hope Aranburu can step up with that hills training. Although I don't know how the game will handle this rather low stamina. The same can be said about Walls with his recovery.
All in all I don't think you should be in any relegation danger with guys like Per, AKA, Carthy and Galta bringing in the points.
Good luck!
I hope Carthy will be an upgrade over Quintana for sure. Quintana was a disappointment all year, and even then had wasted race days. The Carthy/Galta combo won't spare any race days, but hopefully Carthy will also not randomly lose huge chunks of time like Quintana, and can withstand the elements.
It's a good point about Walls' recovery. Not something I've had to pay too much attention to in the past, but PT sprinters have a lot of GT racing to do. I purposefully got him because he's a good but sub-top sprinter, as I like that niche in current PCM. So hopefully even if he trails off a little at the end of GT's, he's still valuable. And the salary should drop in the coming years.
Aranburu training is nice, but there's definitely some big competition in PT, so I hope he can still prove himself this season as well. Lund Andresen to you is great and he should be more than a worthy replacement for Kragh Andersen. And just when I thought you wouldn't go for the Curacao rider that Ezeefreak found after some intensive research, you did, so that's also great to see from an RP perspective
In general of course you depend on Per as well again, but if he does similar to last season it should be nice obviously. Carthy very likely also a bigger scorer than Quintana.
Don't expect Aranburu to become a world beater, but he was pretty decent last year when positioned well. It's just that the game forgot about him a lot with so may other puncheurs ahead in the stat pecking order. So hoping the training is as much about just getting him on the game's radar for positioning as actual strength.
Very glad I was able to sign Arenas! Always hoped to, just had to settle the Andresen stuff and know where my cap/budget was before pulling the trigger. Definitely a stag I see myself resigning next season. Glad to get him too and continue to have every contracted Curacao rider, since my Danish representation has been lacking a bit.
Really wanted to put in another bid on Lund Andresen, as 170k for an 80 max sprinter sounds like a great deal, but I ran out of time. So congrats on pulling that one off.
Team is really nicely balanced, feels like you have some upside potential to offset if Per has some downside versus last year. I like the contrarian move away from TTs while everyone has being moving towards them.
Once the Blume Levy bidding got crazy and I reassessed priorities, Lund Andresen was basically a must sign we would empty pockets for. Wanted an heir to AKA, and he was open for bidding. Though I'm definitely glad you gave up when you did, since otherwise we couldn't have afforded to 1>3 him this season.
Think the TT bubble just got too out of control for my liking, bound to burst soon imo. Trading Belevics last year already sank my TTT squad, and I ended up avoiding a lot of TT races in PTHC choices. That made the decision to sell Kamna easier, and ultimately it seemed more effective to invest elsewhere. It will cost us in a few moments throughout the year for sure, but I do think we're more optimized for our schedule this year than last, which should matter more.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
I guess Quintana disappointed one more season, one more team. But you definitely upgraded the position. Good luck in the new season!
He scored enough minor points throughout the year to not be completely useless, but yeah. Missing big splits in GT's was not ideal for his total. Hopefully Carthy doesn't repeat that.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
It was Carlsberg's 11th year in the Man Game peloton, but the number 10 was foremost on management's mind in the latter half of 2024.
Last offseason, the team sponsors set out a very bold goal for the men in green: a top 10 overall finish in the PT standings. Ascendancy into this top echelon of the sport did not seem especially likely, however. After a 13th place finish in their inaugural PT year in which many commentators believed Carlsberg overperformed, and a selection of mostly lateral moves in transfers, a more realistic goal would likely have been to merely avoid relegation again. Yet, when all was said and done, Carlsberg ended up achieving their goal with a 9th place finish that they hope will assert them as a stable PT team going forward? How did it happen?
David Per once again led the way, finishing 10th overall individually in PT with 1609 points, and that contribution cannot be overstated. After a rough start to the year that found him out of position and missing splits, the Slovenian champion reverted right back to the modicum of consistency he established in 2023, with podiums galore and several wins, including his second consecutive victory in E3 Prijs, pictured above. Needless to say, he has been everything Carlsberg hoped for, and he's got a few more peak years ahead.
But the true MVP might not be Per, but a British climber—Hugh Carthy. Brought in as a replacement for Nairo Quintana for a very hefty fee of 1.7 million, Carthy was expected to merely replace and mildly improve on the Colombian's 2023 output. Instead, Carthy surged to 23rd in the individual rankings with over 1000 points, thanks in large part to his bold breakaway on stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia. Already 4th place overall, Carthy risked it all to take the queen stage with several minutes to the contenders behind. His efforts earned him the stage, the KOM jersey, and 2nd overall.
That kind of performance above expected was definitely the difference maker for Carlsberg, but they still wouldn't have gotten their top 10 without results from the supporting cast. Frederik Strand Galta wasn't as noteworthy as last year, but great performances in the Vuelta and Dauphine meant he was still a prime contributor. Kragh Andersen was inconsistent as always in his final prime year, but still had a top 100 finish. Alex Aranburu, coming off further training last offseason, did not emerge as a consistent threat at the of the division like management probably hoped, but still ended up with his highest career point total by far. And Jonas Gregaard continued to be a tremendous value add for his wage with over 250 points.
Even with disappointing performances from new signing Matthew Walls and several other depth pieces, Carlsberg scored consistently enough across their whole calendar to solidify their best finish in team history.
We spoke to team manager baseballlover312 about the finish:
"Sometimes, things stay a way for long enough that you get complacent. And looking back at our first half decade, we were complacent. We accepted mediocrity. We accepted battles for survival were our place. We don't anymore. Obviously, lots of legends have helped us define that new mentality over the years, with ebbs and flows: De Maar, Juul-Jensen, Guldhammer, the list goes on. But what David Per has singlehandedly done for this team can't be overstated. He came here from a Slovenian team he had known his entire career, and he embraced our colors and our guys immediately. Not only that, he brought Isostar's winning mentality with him. He doesn't have to be the loudest guy on the team bus because he leads by example every day. He shows that complacency is not acceptable, and the rest of the team has taken that to heart. It trickles throughout the squad, even on different terrains. Hugh's aggression in the Giro was also a emblematic of that new culture, and it's how we got this top 10."
Of course, Carlsberg are just starting their offseason, and the question is just as much whether they can maintain this position next year given the overperformances, as it is whether they can improve. Development reports and renewals are up next.
Carlsberg has been lighter on talent quantity in the last few years, but that doesn't mean our scouting reports are less important. The talents Carlsberg do have may be more important contributors long term, so their development is just as important as a larger collection of future domestiques.
Mathias Skjelmose Jensen
Stage Racer - 4 > Max - Age 25 - Pot. 5
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2024
72
77
73
74
71
76
73
58
64
66
70
66
74
2025
73
79
74
76
73
77
75
58
64
66
70
66
76
Mathias Skejlmose Jensen is "maxed." At 25, the 2023 Tour de l'Avenir winner looks like a competely different rider than he did for his victory at the end of 2023. He's much stronger on both the uphills and TT's than he was then. While his 2024 didn't have any true results of note, he heads into 2025 ready to compete for GT white jerseys and start the next phase of his career as a leader at Carlsberg.
So, why the quotes? Well, neither Skjelmose nor Carlsberg management are under any impression that Skjelmose at his current level has reached his true peak, nor that his current level is satisfactory for his long term goal, which involves becoming the first Danish GT winner for Carlsberg. It's a long shot, but the team, sponsors, and nation of Denmark are behind him to hopefully continue improving into a GT rider over the next few years.
Tilen Finkst
Fighter - 3 > 4 - Age 30 - Pot. 3
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2024
74
62
68
66
70
70
66
71
69
71
68
72
65
2025
76
62
69
67
72
71
68
71
70
73
70
73
66
On the other end of the spectrum is Tilen Finkst. Never thought of as a world-beating talent, Finkst had slipped through the cracks of the pro peloton, with several years in amateur ranks stagnating his development. He trains with compatriot David Per (his friend since juniors) during the offseason, and in the waning days of the transfer season last year, Per convinced management that Finskt, now 30, still had potential to grow. It appears he was right, and Finskt progressed mightily throughout the year. He's a versatile domestique for flat races and classics that should still have another gear yet to be tapped.
Tobias Lund Andresen
Sprinter - 1 > 3 - Age 23 - Pot. 5
Flat
Mtn
Hill
TT
Sta
Res
Rec
Cob
Spr
Acc
Fig
Dwn
Pro
2024
66
56
60
60
68
68
62
60
71
73
57
63
59
2025
69
56
60
60
70
70
68
61
75
76
57
63
61
There was a lot of speculation and uncertainty about whether Lund Andresen would end up in this team, with this development pace. Despite being linked to Carlsberg since juniors, there was understandably a bidding war for Lund Andresen's services last offseason, followed by a scramble to see if a loan could be arranged in the 11th hour to maximize his development. Luckily, the fine folks at Ekoi made sure Tobias was well taken care of. Massive thanks to them!
Now 23, Lund Andresen is by far the fastest sprinter in his age group and a prime stage hunter for next year's l'Avenir. Admittedly, that is where his skillset ends—he does not have the versatility of many of his counterparts in this modern age. Nevertheless, his top speed is unquestionable, and he is the heir apparent to take over from Asbjorn Kragh Andersen as Carlsberg's and Denmark's preeminent fast man.
More talents are surely to be signed in a few months, but for now, that's all the development from Carlsberg. Renewals up next!
Mr. Pickles
Sporting News
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Skjelmose is going to be a superstar with that FL stat. His low ACC is the only downside, but I Think training him towards 83MO would make him a very realistic GT winner.
Skjelmose is going to be a monster with the right direction and investment starting in 2026. Unsure if I would have chosen this path for Finkst but I see the appeal of it.
Congratulations on stabilising and being able to call yourself a PT main stay. With the right moves in the next few years I could see a title charge be on the cards.
Cool to see Skjelmose maxed out! Must admit I am very surprised by your Finkst choice. Had him as cobbler to go high there, and was sure you would do the same seeing Per’s dominance/search for even more on the cobbles. Is your choice related to keeping his OVL low, or was it rather that you value his fighter part for you and your team?
Will be a nice u25 battle this year between Skjelmose and Plapp before Skjelmose will possibly get more training priority in the future! Still looking forward to it and hopefully they can avoid each other a fair bit as well...
Congrats on establishing in divisions, the push the for a title comes next.
Thank you! I don't know that I'll ever have the skill or foresight to be a title contender, but I would certainly settle for a stable PT team with substantial Danish leadership. Which direction I focus in terms of RP or glory will depend on the next few transfer seasons I suppose.
Skjelmose is going to be a superstar with that FL stat. His low ACC is the only downside, but I Think training him towards 83MO would make him a very realistic GT winner.
I'm not quite as confident—his flat is great, but his energy stats are a bit suboptimal for a true GT contender. Nevertheless, I hope the former overcomes the latter in the end. He will be getting trained no matter what, so nothing I can do but hope. I see him as the face of the team going forward, and I'm willing to invest in that to make it a reality!
Skjelmose is going to be a monster with the right direction and investment starting in 2026. Unsure if I would have chosen this path for Finkst but I see the appeal of it.
Congratulations on stabilising and being able to call yourself a PT main stay. With the right moves in the next few years I could see a title charge be on the cards.
Cool to see Skjelmose maxed out! Must admit I am very surprised by your Finkst choice. Had him as cobbler to go high there, and was sure you would do the same seeing Per’s dominance/search for even more on the cobbles. Is your choice related to keeping his OVL low, or was it rather that you value his fighter part for you and your team?
Thank you both! Re: Finkst. It was a combination of things. Ember is correct that Fighter kept his OVL down and his wage at minimum, which helped my planning (though with changing formulas, maybe was a silly way of doing things). But in general, I've fallen out of favor with pure cobbles domestiques in the 73-75 range, to be honest. They're not strong enough to really feature at this level in terms of scoring (at least with any consistency), they're fairly easily replaceable, and they have a lot of dead time in their calendars where they're effectively useless. Plus, Per hasn't really utilized those guys in game much, even when they're available.
I figured I'd trade a tiny bit of extra help for Per for a cheaper guy who can provide better leadouts and may actually convert on some breakaway opportunities throughout the full calendar. Plus, he's still serviceable on cobbles and would be my 5th-7th guy for those races either way. Maybe this is a fault of my planning compared to a team with consistent cobbles depth like Grieg, but I've never gotten that 5th-7th guy to really score on the cobbles regardless of how stacked my depth was in the past. Just not enough for the AI to care about.
Skjelmose is looking every bit what Garby dreamed of being, Can't wait to see him after training, I just hope our paths don't cross too much
It is crazy to think about. When I first signed Garby, this is what I imagined him to look like. Not literally of course, but in terms of promise and my aspirations for him. Looking back, that was just my naivety with such a one-dimensional rider. The hope now is Skjelmose won't suffer from the same flaws and has a good base to start from. Of course, it has to wait for next year.
Will be a nice u25 battle this year between Skjelmose and Plapp before Skjelmose will possibly get more training priority in the future! Still looking forward to it and hopefully they can avoid each other a fair bit as well...
Haha, thank you! I wouldn't mind one or two battles for fun and then avoiding each other the rest of the time, so we can both take home some white jerseys. But I also suspect and hope that l'Avenir was only the first of many duels between the two.
Jensen and Andersen are two stars of the future to build your team around. Jensen will definitely give you a lot of joy in the future!
Yup, having two homegrown, regional leaders coming through feels really good. It may not be a recipe for top of rankings success, but it will definitely make me happy, which is what matters. If I can manage to stay in PT with them, it will be enough for me.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Fair point and probably also a wise decision on Finkst! Think I value his potential versatility even with a better cobbles stat more, admittedly that was why we ended up in a silent auction for him But obviously, for versatility only, there’s no better path that fighter
Congrats on a very good season. Per is truly a model of consistency. I hope Siric can have at least a little of Per's success at some point
With enough training a "maxed" Skjelmose might just outlive the current climbing monsters making an overall GT win quite possible. I'm super happy to see Finkst getting his development while also feeling a bit guilty I never managed to do it
Mathias Skjelmose Jensen 
Tilen Finkst 
But obviously, for versatility only, there’s no better path that fighter 
