How pleased are you with your team?

[Joelsim]

It might be quite nice to hear why you picked the riders you picked, and whether you achieved your objectives and to what degree in the auction. Plus the hopes you have for 2019.

Only one team has finished so far, so perhaps Erkka would like to start? Then when other managers finish your bidding, if you'd like to post...

It's looking like there are many good teams who could be in with a shout this season.

[LosBrolin]

Don't think my team is one of those mentioned  Some of the personal favorites had to be drafted (like Hänninen) but other than that my squad is, once again, maybe more filled with talent than the proven scorers. I was trying to get like GvA or Terpstra but somehow I seem to suck at drafting bigger stars and it'll usually always end up with me without a one

Well anyway, here's quick bullet points of some of the new riders I got :

• Valgren - Big breakthrough last year and I hope the story continues at DD. Should be clear leader on spring classics.
• Jungels - My stage racing department has always been bit of a joke and Bob's trying to fix that. Originally I wasn't even after him but after chickening out on few bigger auctions I had to do something.
• Fuglsang - Same as above.
• Double Max's with Schachmann / Walscheid. Lack of stage racers was nothing compared to the lack of real sprinters on my team last year (had like legit 0) Now, Walscheid isn't a world-beater but for me he showed big improvements this season. If he's really heading to the level of tier 1 -sprinters and wins a let's say few GT-stages I'd be more than happy Schachmann's true ceiling no one knows of, I've liked him since his U23-days and is one of the guys I wanted the most. Big season ahead!
• Modolo, Halvorsen, Hofstetter, Sarreau - More faster guys. Hugo's the recent French Cup winner and I hope he would get to freedom to ride for himself at some spring classics eventho Boubou and Laporte are most likely the leaders out there. Modolo had a quiet season at EF but here's hoping that maybe he could like switch more towards classics guy and win some harder races because of his sprint. He was having ok -level cobbles campaign at 2017 so who knows. Sarreau has usually been grinding in the shadows of Demare but nevertheless he had few decent showings this season and should be clear leader when Demare is not racing.
• JJ Lobato - Few years ago one of the hot favorites to win Milano-Sanremo but apparently sleeping pill party was too fun to skip for and he got kicked from Lotto&WT-level overall. He won Coppa Sabatini this year and maybe he could still revive his career a bit I don't know.
• Rest are more or less pack fodders with some talent shining through here and there. Milan Menten could be next "Eddy Theuns 2015" (http://firstcycling.com/rider.php?r=10382&y=2015) Travis McCabe doesn't even have a team yet(?) after UHC is folding but I saw some rumors about EF but don't know if that's happening. Jaakko Hänninen is also without a (pro)team atm, currently he's listed to start his season at the old team but I think we'll see a midseason transfer to some ProConti team at least if AG2R is not happening.

Have a fun season everyone!

[Florry]

I like your team Erkka, as you say it is hard to see you as one of the contenders for the win but I like the Valgren-Fuglsang-Jungels trifecta and with as many 30k riders as you have one of them is bound to have a breakthrough season.

[Teton]

Team Garmin

Last year I had a very good year. 4th place was better then I expected.

This year I need to replace Ackermann and Wellens who combined for 2521 pts at a cost of $630. This will not be easy.

I'm looking for new draftees Michael Wood, and George Bennett to repeat good years. A return to glory for Edward Theuns. I really like Eekhoorn and Doull for strong years. And I resigned three of my favorites Craddock, Dombrowski, and Skujins. Last year my 1st year Neo Pro Pavel Sivakov was a dud, but could contribute this year. Added local hero Boswell whom I have coveted the last couple of years!

My big guns remain Pinot, Bardet and Mohoric.

I cased Dennis, but gave up and picked up Rosskopf and Scotson for ITT's. Looking for good things from young guys Bjerg, Neo Pro 1 Gregaard, and Neo Pro 2 Thijssen. Rounding out the team are Stetina, Van Der Shade, Schwarzmann, Bohorquez, Declercq, and Nathan Brown.

With any luck a top ten finish!

 

[Joelsim]

And BMC are the third completed team for 2019.

I had 4 riders carried over from last year, Superman Lopez, Gaviria, Konig and Cosnefroy. With Konig being a doubt I decided not to be too risky on any other injury prone riders.

My big targets were Teuns and Gaudu and i managed to buy both of them. Teuns has moved to Bahrain and looks to be a main leader in many races with Classics and GC within his repertoire I thought he'd be a good pick, especially after seeing just how good he could be the year before last. Gaudu has done extremely well for a youngster and has worked for Pinot a lot so far, he should get some more chances of his own over the next two years. Again he also seems quite at home in one day and tours.

I quite fancied Moscon too but he got too expensive.

My other picks were almost all riders changing teams with more potential for leadership. Henao at UAE has been drafted to win races and stages in GTs and we know he can ride well in hilly classics. TJVG wasn't on my list but the bidding seemed such value I couldn't pass it up, I'm unsure how I will feel cheering on the world's most boring rider for two years, but he'll be leader again at EF.

Mareczko is also a promising young sprinter who definitely has the speed if he can improve his positioning and confidence against more established rivals. A move to WT should give him the opportunity of more points, he's got some decent Giro results so far too.

Planckaert has moved back to his previous team where he had a great season and should be the main man in most races, so I thought it was worth 100 on him.

Vaughters has said Hofland will be a sprinter again after working as lead out for Greipel over the past couple of years, EF don't have a lot of other competition on sprints so I've taken a gamble that he can get back to where he was a couple of years ago.

Likewise Moser who will be one of three leaders at Nippo, definitely worth a punt.

Mannion has ridden well in some of the US Races recently, a win in one, so I was a bit surprised to get him for a mere 60k especially with Rally planning to ride more in Europe next year.

TVA also looks to be a decent price, and with a move to Israel, he should get some classics and sprint chances, he had a very good year a few years back at PCT level so hopefully he can rekindle his career there.

Pacher isn't someone I know much about, but he appears to get chances each year and can climb well, and Vital Concept may have an expanded programme this year for stage races.

Van Schip appears to have a few decent results and Roompot always get a lot of invitations to the classics.

I had Nych last year and he more than repaid the money I spent on him, hopefully he can take a step up next year too being relatively young, maybe a couple of top 5s in 2.HC races.

Warlop I also had last year, he's quite fast and he can climb a bit so I'm hopeful he'll get a bit of freedom, the same with Wouters, both 30k so they don't have to do too much to be value.

Van Genechten was a no-brainer at 30k.

I also signed a Quintana, the other one, but for 30k and he looks like he's off to be a leader at Wilier, worth a punt.

Nommela looks interesting, didn't know about him but his palmares looks interesting as a semi-pro with some very good results. A step up to pro, I have high hopes for the Estonian youngster.

Finally my two neos. Evenepoel is very young, so he's been bought for next year really, but looking at his 34 wins from 46 starts last year, just wow. Winning the Euro Junior championship RR by over 9 minutes... then there's Osorio who is a pure climber, another good young Colombian.

So there was some method in the madness, overall I feel it's a better roster than last year, I hope Gaviria can stop falling off his bike and Superman can step his ITT up a bit, maybe a Tour start, who knows.



 

[Florry]

Team Euskaltel is pleased to present the 25 fresh young faces that will proudly defend our orange colors and Basque flag throughout Europe and the rest of the world in 2019. 



Existing contract:
Sam Oomen
Jarlinson Pantano
Florian Senechal
Pello Bilbao
Clément Venturini
Riccardo Minali
Daniel Martinez
Neilson Powless (neo)

Re-signed:
Fausto Masnada
Matteo Fabbro
Nicholas Schultz

New arrivals:
Diego Ulissi
Pierre Latour
Stefan Küng
Fabio Felline
Warren Barguil
Rudy Molard
Mark Padun
Giulio Ciccone
Davide Ballerini
Valerio Conti
Michael Gogl
Anthony Perez
Matteo Moschetti (neo)
Stefan de Bod (neo)

Even more than last year I tried to focus on getting more riders in the mid-range (210-500k) rather than some very expensive and many very cheap picks. I did target Enric Mas this year but he got too expensive for me. I'm especially excited about the signings of Latour, Küng and my favorite neo, Moschetti.

The riders I retained got mixed results last year. I signed many of them with an eye on 2019 as well, so hopefully they can deliver. Martinez, Oomen and Bilbao were great and I am glad to have them for another year. Pantano got the Felline disease (toxoplasmosis), Senechal and Venturini were decent but not exceptional and will get another chance this year, I still believe in them. Minali also didn't really do as well as I had hoped and I'm not too happy about him signing for Israel Cycling Academy IRL as they have about 15 sprinters. Powless was my first round neo and although I didn't really notice him at any point, he scored quite well.

Onto this year's signings:
Ulissi was a late signing after being outbid for Mas - which freed up 1M budget. 510 could be a very good deal I feel, but at the same time it is hard to see him score much more than in previous years. Barguil and Molard were the two others I signed right after losing the auction for Mas, two riders I am a big fan of, Barguil had a bit of a disappointing season while Molard showed his true abilities after a few seasons in the shadow of bigger names. I am hopeful both will be at their very best next year.

Latour is one of my favorite riders and with Bardet on the team 430k may be a bit much, but he impressed me this year and I could see him have a real breakthrough season. Küng is also one of my favorites and I am so happy he left BMC for FDJ  - My favorite team He will have freedom in the spring classics and at 300k he could be a bargain.

Felline got diagnosed with toxoplasmosis at the end of 2017 and continued struggling to perform throughout 2018. Halfway through the season they found out he was still infected, but his late season results give me hope he can get back to his best in 2019.

Padun is a big talent and delivered right away in his 1st year as a pro. If he continues to develop I will be very happy to have him signed up for 2 years but he could also have a more difficult 2nd year which is quite common. Ciccone and Ballerini, my two ProConti Italians transferring to bigger teams, Ciccone had some difficult years but is an obvious talent, Ballerini is amazingly strong and got some great results at the end of the season, I just hope they will have enough opportunities to score.

Conti, Gogl and Perez are the ones I signed up with what little budget I had left. Conti very consistently delivers decent performances, Gogl had a lot of injury woes this year which I hope he has left behind him, and Perez was my last signing, I don't know much about him except that he scored very well in the Tour of Luxembourg for two years in a row 

Masnada, Fabbro and Schultz were on my team last year as well. Fabbro the pocket-sized climber was my 2nd round neo, I am glad he is on my team again as I could see him have a real breakthrough this year. Masnada won the Tour of Hainan, which unfortunately doesn't count in our game, but his brave ride on the Giro stage to Gran Sasso is what truly won me over, well that and his little rider info section which listed Contador as his favorite athlete 
I am keeping faith in Schultz, he had some good results in Spain this year and I am hopeful he will have a better schedule at Mitchelton.

My neos this year are Moschetti and De Bod. Moschetti wouldn't have been my first pick but he is my favorite of all, of course, with him coming from the Contador and Basso continental team. He is a super fast sprinter but cannot get over a hill for the life of him, so please, only flat races for him next year De Bod was one of the guys on my initial list, and fortunately he was still available when I got to pick in the second round, it is good to have some different nationalities on the team as well.

Of course, my heart is always stronger than my head when I'm putting together a team, so while I am really excited to cheer for these guys, I am not expecting too much. I think I'll need several to massively exceed expectations to escape mid-pack, but that's alright

[scrooll7]

Full squad for MTN for a first time since I play this game,let's see if this will put me in better positions.
Kristoff,Mollema,Bouhanni these 3 seems to be my leaders.Kristoff could bring more points than last year if he is in his 2015 form,Mollema seems to be a solid 1000+ pick and if Bouhanni show much more than his last year results he can bring me good points.
Soler,Guerreiro I have high hopes for these 2 youngsters,Soler already revealed his big potential last year with his PN win,Guerreiro is improving his results with every season.
Brambilla,Castroviejo,Roson first two are for a second and probably last year in my team.I use to had bigger expetations for both of them but their results are not what I wanted.Roson also a second year but his recent suspension from Movistar could be a big problem for me.
Barbero,Vichot,Dehaes,Langeveld,Claeys all of them can score around 500 points for a season,don't expect really any fireworks from them.
Molano,Rosa,Van Hooydonck,Gebreigzabhier and Bernard a bunch of talents here,question is can they reveal it this season or they gone waste their talent.
Van Den Berg and Lecroq first one is my 1st pick in the draft this year and second one is my first pick from last year.Julius has 2nd place in Paris-Roubaix for youths,let's hope that he can do well for Team EF in his first year.Lecroq had a disappointing first season as a pro and don't really see him doing a lot this one.
Hirt,Serry,Goncalves,Verona,Eiking,Clarke,Fernandez,Mullen,Lastra,Gautier these will be just add-ons for my team,if they can score more than last year will be good,if not 

[DJW14]

Overall pretty happy with a very different squad this year. Got a few overpriced picks from last year still hanging around but a decent group of leaders and a lot of young prospects.

Leaders

DENNIS Rohan - Leader for TDU and one week stage races. New contract for the next two years but was on Belkin previously.
GILBERT Philippe - Classics leader. Maybe a bit expensive this year but we'll see.
CARAPAZ MONTENEGRO Richard Antonio - Great performance in the Giro last year. Hopefully will back that up with a similar performance and a few good rides in WT stage races.
VAN AERT Wout - Looks likely to be racing with Jumbo this year so fingers crossed will have a big breakthrough year on the road.
IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI Gorka - Should go well in races like PN, Suisse etc. Had a great season last year so hoping for big things.


2nd tier
ALBASINI Michael - Not expecting much, maybe some points in the Ardennes.
DURBRIDGE Luke - Looked like becoming a strong classics rider a couple of years ago but got messed up with injury last year, hopefully can make a strong comeback.
DE BUYST Jasper - Disappointing last year, but has the potential to score a lot of points in minor classics and 2.HC races
CALMEJANE Lilian - Hoping he'll pick up a stage at the Tour
DEVENYNS Dries - Surprise I picked him up so cheap, has had a couple of decent years

Emerging young riders
Happy with all of these, think they will have decent years to varying degrees but should all make a return on the investment.


KUSS Sepp
STRAKHOV Dmitry
BASSO Leonardo
PREIDLER Georg
BOL Cees

The rest

Went for a slightly different tactic this year aiming for a larger group of riders who should be, in theory, each capable of doubling their investment. Some will obviously make up for others but it would only take one or two good results for Joyce, Tanfield, Eisenhart, Bole etc. to make an impact.

OLIVEIRA Ivo Emanuel Alves
TANFIELD Harry
BOLE Grega
JOYCE Colin
EISENHART Taylor
MALUCELLI Matteo
HONORE Mikkel Frølich
KNOX James
GIBSON Matthew
ARERUYA Joseph
BIZKARRA ETXEGIBEL Mikel
MERTZ Rémy

[Joelsim]

I have to say, having just looked through all the teams, there doesn't appear to be a standout team, nor does there appear to be a particularly weak team either.

It could be a very close season with much to play for.

[derrudi]

I have a preference for the spring and hill classics and northern european riders, so my team roster represents that. I just love to see strong riders going on the attack.

Scandinavian cycling looks like it is on the rise again, so I wanted to draft some young vikings. I missed out on some, but I managed to get: Asgreen (that worlds TTT), Wurtz Schmidt, Eg, Cort Nielsen (won the carcasonne mountain stage in the tour), Enger, Grondahl Jansen (best jumbo man in roubaix).

From the Low countries I drafted a bunch of big motors in De Gendt (my favorite attacker), Campenaerts (best of tt rest after dennis en Dumoulin), Gesink, van Baarle, Nieuwenhui, and Teunissen. I also added a sprinter in Welten, because of points.

The theme is clear I think, so the selection of Rowe, Gougeard, Rolland speaks for itself.

My main guys will be Matthews, Kwiatkowski and Buchmann. Bling and kwiato have shown to be able to take the big wins. Hopefully, buchmann will continue his steady progression and take a few top 5 or top 10 in gc.

Anacona, ravasi and scotson are also in there because they looked like good bargains in order to fill up my team.