We're back for another season with a new outfit, in a simpler darker design with only some pink accents due to secondary sponsor Government Savings Bank (GSB). The link to Thailand remains by adding the outline of the country at the front and back.
Edited by Bikex on 22-08-2023 04:00
Renewals this time turned out to be quite challenging and as a result, we have to pay a small fine for the first time. This forces our hand and some riders need to be sold. The expected availabilities are noted in the table above, but even for those marked as available don't have to leave the team.
Was a huge fan of the old jersey and this one might top it, super super cool design! Might be one of my favourites in the peloton already
First transfers in years I have zero interest in Smith now I have my own lower wage model
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
@Fabianski: Some "Maybe"s for sure are bound to turn into "Yes" depending on the circumstances @SotD: Looking forward to it! @jandal: Thanks! Are you sure? There's no other Dion Smith. @DaveTwoBob: I agree he's shaping up to become a real nice rider. Looking forward to doing more deals with you! @TMM: Thanks, cool to hear this from someone who has already shown a superior sense of style with their own jersey choices. @Eden: Unfortunately for you, money won't make me change my mind in this regard
Let me add my name to the list of people interested in some of those maybes and even a likely or yes or two depending on how everything shakes out, we may well talk!
We were 1 hour and 26 minutes away from having a very quiet transfer season. However, the dynamics of the transfer market this season forced us to be active right until the end. In the end the team regardless still probably goes through the least impactful changes since its foundation. The most important moves happened on the departure side with some of the riders leaving that shaped the team in the last few seasons. Let's start with that.
#1 Departures
Unlike in other years the management decided to offer all riders that were on the payroll during the last season a new contract for 2023. All riders that left were part of deals with other teams.
The biggest name leaving is Dion Smith. As part of our team, the Kiwi climber achieved everything he could ask for from his cycling career and was ready for a new challenge in PCT. He followed the path of plenty of our riders in the past and changed to Baltic powerhouse DK Zalgiris. In his three years with the team, Smith celebrated 4 GT stage wins, including at least one in each of them. Additionally he won the King of the Mountains competition at the Giro and Tour.
Spoiler
Results of Dion Smith for King Power:
Year
Rank
Type
Race
Category
2020
11th
GC
Vuelta a Espana
GTM
2020
17th
GC
Volta a Portugal
PTHC
2020
24th
GC
Tour de France
GTM
2020
1st
KoM
Tour de France
GTM
2020
3rd
KoM
Vuelta a Espana
GTM
2020
1st
St. 8
Paris-Nice
PT
2020
1st
St. 16
Vuelta a Espana
GTM
2020
1st
St. 11
Tour de France
GTM
2020
1st
St. 16
Tour de France
GTM
2020
2nd
St. 18
Vuelta a Espana
GTM
2020
3rd
St. 15
Vuelta a Espana
GTM
2020
8th
St. 18
Tour de France
GTM
2021
9th
St. 4
Tirreno-Adriatico
PT
2021
22nd
GC
Tirreno-Adriatico
PT
2021
5th
St. 20
Vuelta a Espana
GTM
2021
29th
GC
Vuelta a Espana
GTM
2021
19th
GC
Tour de Suisse
PT
2021
2nd
KoM
Tour de Suisse
PT
2021
10th
St. 5
Tour de France
GTM
2021
6th
St. 19
Tour de France
GTM
2021
27th
GC
Tour de France
GTM
2021
25th
Classic
Giro di Lombardia
GTM
2022
1st
St. 9
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
2nd
St. 10
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
2nd
St. 14
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
18th
GC
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
1st
KoM
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
16th
GC
Tour de Suisse
PTHC
2022
5th
St. 4
Tour de France
GTM
2022
28th
GC
Tour de France
GTM
2022
20th
Classic
Giro di Lombardia
GTM
Dion Smith celebrating his victory of the polka dot jersey on the Champs Elysees.
Another important figure of recent years leaving is Primoz Roglic. The Slovene had a phenomal first season as a King Power rider in 2021 finishing 25th in the PT individual rankings. The highlight of that season were some days in the yellow jersey and a 6th overall rank at the Tour de France. Despite all the successes, he came short of celebrating a victory in the King Power colors. A feat he would achieve in his second season with the team, when he soloed to victory in stage 18 of the Tour de France. Roglic stepped down to CT and will spend his last active year with Strava.
Spoiler
Results of Primoz Roglic for King Power:
Year
Rank
Type
Race
Category
2021
7th
St. 4
Tirreno-Adriatico
PT
2021
8th
St. 5
Tirreno-Adriatico
PT
2021
2nd
St. 6
Tirreno-Adriatico
PT
2021
5th
GC
Tirreno-Adriatico
PT
2021
14th
Classic
GP Liechtenstein
PT
2021
25th
Classic
Liege - Bastogne - Liege
GTM
2021
4th
St. 6
Tour de Suisse
PT
2021
6th
St. 7
Tour de Suisse
PT
2021
8th
GC
Tour de Suisse
PT
2021
2nd
St. 6
Tour de France
GTM
2021
2nd
St. 9
Tour de France
GTM
2021
4th
St. 11
Tour de France
GTM
2021
9th
St. 14
Tour de France
GTM
2021
8th
St. 17
Tour de France
GTM
2021
6th
GC
Tour de France
GTM
2021
9th
St. 6
Tour de Maroc
PTHC
2021
6th
GC
Tour de Maroc
PTHC
2021
5th
Classic
Giro di Lombardia
GTM
2022
15th
GC
Paris - Nice
PT
2022
6th
St. 4
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
10th
St. 7
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
9th
St. 15
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
10th
St. 20
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
19th
GC
Giro d'Italia
GTM
2022
10th
St. 6
Tour de Suisse
PTHC
2022
12th
GC
Tour de Suisse
PTHC
2022
1st
St. 18
Tour de France
GTM
2022
4th
St. 19
Tour de France
GTM
2022
14th
GC
Tour de France
GTM
Roglic crossing the line first at Station de Nistos at stage 18 of the Tour de France 2022 in front of a quickly approaching Silvio Herklotz
Another GT stage winner leaving after one season with the team is Patrick Bevin, who crowned his tenure with the team with a win of time trial stage 6 at the Giro d'Italia. He will return to his home country and support Spark-BNZ in the upcoming season. Another rider leaving for a home team is Klemen Stimulak who was transferred to Slovenian PCT team Trans Looney Tunes. The final rider who was also part of our TTT setup who is leaving is Burr Ho who returns to Kraftwerk Man Machine.
Leaving on loan is John Salazar to fellow PT team Moser - Sygic and Sarawut Sirironnachai to dominate hills in CT with Strava.
#2 Arrivals
As it is tradition, while one of our riders is leaving for DK Zalgiris, another is going the other way. This year that rider is Jose Fernandes. He is a strong addition to our time trial squad and also brings decent climbing abilities. He continues our tradition of having Portuguese riders on the team.
Jose Fernandes, 28, 4.100 XP, Wage: € 160,000
OVL
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FI
DH
PR
75.93
71
75
70
77
78
77
76
53
62
67
60
68
77
After the folding of the Asian team with the longest tradition Voyagin, we had the plan to offer at least one of their riders a contract. We could secure the signing of time trial specialist Shoi Matsuda. He will complete his development this year with McCormick Pro Cycling before being planned as a longterm member of our team.
Shoi Matsuda, 24, 4.41 XP, Wage: € 0,000
OVL
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FI
DH
PR
72.16
74
65
70
75
69
74
65
60
71
71
60
64
77
2024
76
65
70
77
70
76
67
60
72
72
60
64
79
The signing we waited the longest for is definitely the one of Juan Ernesto Chamorro. The negotiations got dragged out for a long time, but finally in the closing moments of the transfer window, we were able to agree on terms. Chamorro will be tasked to fill the gap Dion Smith left and go stage hunting in GTs. Definitely not an easy task, but the money we pay for him shows our trust in his abilities to do so. He will be the second Colombian rider in the team next to Ivan Sosa.
Juan Ernesto Chamorro, 32, 4.100 XP, Wage: € 215,000
OVL
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FI
DH
PR
76.20
66
78
75
65
72
76
70
51
66
74
78
74
64
Last season was the first in many in which no talent from McCormick Pro Cycling was part of our team as part of a loan deal. This year we go back to our tradition and will accompany even two Americans on their development path. Gage Hecht is a versatile rider who will be incorporated in our TTT squad and Noah Granigan will be one of the main supporters of our main sprinter and double Tour de France stage winner Hsu Hsuan Ping.
#3 Training Yevgeniy Gidich got one step closer during the off season to become a super star. Last year he impressed already with an overall victory at Tirreno - Adriatico. This year we also hope for more from him in classics.
Yevgeniy Gidich, 27, 4.100 XP, Wage: € 600,000
OVL
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FI
DH
PR
79.26
72
76
82
73
78
77
73
55
62
75
76
68
73
**
**
79.71
72
76
83
73
78
77
73
55
62
75
76
68
73
Another improvement that we are very proud to present is that of Thai time trial champion Yuttana Mano. Our coaching staff finally convinced him of the benefits in aerodynamics of shaving legs. In subsequent tests on our testing circuit the change has already shown to be a performance-enhancing one.
Yuttana Mano, 26, 4.100 XP, Wage: € 185,000
OVL
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FI
DH
PR
76.23
71
72
75
79
72
73
74
62
60
66
69
72
77
**
**
77.31
71
72
75
80
72
73
74
62
60
66
69
72
77
#4 Full Team
OVL
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FI
DH
PR
V. Darbinyan
29
74.35
72
58
66
62
72
71
71
76
76
74
64
68
65
M. Menten
27
74.92
72
64
73
67
75
76
73
77
68
68
62
57
67
R. Herregodts
25
74.44
73
73
74
75
73
77
69
65
67
70
74
66
78
M. Vanthourenhout
30
73.37
75
66
68
72
68
73
68
74
68
68
70
73
70
I. Sosa
26
77.84
66
78
78
67
75
79
80
60
59
74
75
66
65
J. Chamorro
32
76.20
66
78
75
65
72
76
70
51
66
74
78
74
64
K. Fung
26
75.19
68
77
71
76
69
73
75
50
62
71
71
67
74
H. Chiu
28
74.38
73
67
74
62
76
73
70
73
71
73
72
68
64
C. Leung
29
74.11
73
57
64
78
65
77
69
50
69
71
66
63
82
S. Matsuda **
24
72.16
74
65
70
75
69
74
65
60
71
71
60
64
77
Y. Gidich
27
79.71
72
76
83
73
78
77
73
55
62
75
76
68
73
D. Van Baarle
31
75.18
76
68
72
77
77
76
73
74
57
70
71
68
77
R. Quita
28
76.82
74
74
77
66
75
75
73
60
71
74
83
72
66
J. Salazar **
25
71.54
74
70
69
69
72
72
72
68
69
71
68
68
71
P. Kasperkiewicz
29
78.07
76
66
74
72
75
77
70
81
59
67
79
68
74
J. Fernandes
28
75.93
71
75
70
77
78
77
76
53
62
67
60
68
77
R. Ferreira
31
75.39
73
57
68
63
74
70
69
79
71
69
71
71
63
Y. Mano
26
77.31
71
72
75
80
72
73
74
62
60
66
69
72
77
T. Chaiyasombat
24
74.57
69
76
72
70
71
74
74
52
66
72
71
69
70
S. Sirironnachai **
31
74.46
71
66
77
65
77
74
70
57
64
73
80
69
65
S. Phodingam
25
73.95
68
77
74
61
69
71
72
60
64
73
76
70
61
H. Hsu
27
77.02
75
65
67
69
75
70
73
72
80
79
67
71
69
G. Hecht *
25
72.69
71
69
72
71
73
75
69
68
67
71
78
69
74
N. Granigan *
27
71.15
72
57
65
60
69
73
72
54
73
75
65
64
70
* - Loaned In
** - Loaned Out
Edited by Bikex on 22-08-2023 04:05
I'm not particularly happy about that Mano training. Especially combined with the addition of Fernandes. Definately a threat to my survival chances
There's not a lot to say really - You have a beast like team, although a better climber somewhere would have made the team an obvious candidate for the win.