Season 9 (3o) - pre-season press release
Season targets:
can't deny, we rely on sponsors, and so they define our targets.
Agreements for this season are to achieve a top 8 position at one stage of Tirreno Adriatico, a top 5 at final classific of Dauphine, and a 7th place at one stage of Suisse tour.
The 2nd is very challenging, plus i did a mistake accepting the 3rd target so close as it requires the same main skill, so the same riders will be involved for both target with no rest. Hope they will hold the form.
I will be satisfied if we will achieve two out of three objectives.
We don't have final classification ambitions, not this year at least. Looking at past season, the aussies from BikeThink will be our main opponent, but we will race our stages once at the time without looking at them.
Calendar:
as said, is sponsor-driven + Giro, because Giro is Giro and we are an italian team! + few others because i'm the boss and i like them!
- 6. Omloop
- 7. Strade Bianche
- 13-17 Tirreno Adriatico
- 18. Milano SanRemo
- 33. Paris Roubaix
- 34. Amstel Gold Race
- 35. Flèche Wallonne
- 36. Liège–Bastogne–Liège
- 43-52. Giro
- 53-57. Dauphine
- 58-62 Suisse Tour
Of course we may partecipate at other races to "build up" the legs for the main events.
For the second half of the season we don't have (yet) major event planned, we'll adjust it later if other sponsors will come.
Finance:
Budget for this year lead to just one thing: rise our level!
We invested in a new Staff (but still without Marketing Manager), we do not plan additional investment in equipment or for replacements.
Staff:
This season we hired WorldTour-level medics and mechanic (with their WorldTour salaries..), they will help us to rise the bar. They are old, my bad as i did not check about retirement for the staff, i hope we won't have surprises.
Forthe Director I looked for a high motivational one, as our calendar has all style of races.
We don't have a Marketing Manager yet, first will meet current sponsors agreement, than i'll hire one.
Riders:
Here they are, the main actors!
They are all young, the older is 21! But we bet on them.
This will be our philosphy, for the next couple of seasons at least. Also, the team will be short, about 12 riders.
A couple of them, joining us at the end of last season from others teams, already have the main skill around 90. They will follow a marked path during their training, to develop their main skill and the according secondary ones. I will be disappointed if they won't become elite-level riders.
Some others i'm not sure where to focus them, in the last season we tried to increase globally all the skills for whole team, to build a strong group that can support the captains in all terrain. This year is time to focus them more specifically. Not yet clear how to train effectively, right now the focus is to get ready for Tirreno Adriatico.
I know a lot of managers like to have a team of same-type riders, to benefit of the single skill trainer, but currently i prefer to follow a wider range of riders.
In our team there are also a USA and Switzerland guys, they are at good level, hope they will find interest from their national ct.
Mid term objectives:
We want to rise young talents and sell them to higher levels team before they turn 23. Also i hope to provide strong riders to Italy national team!
At the end of each season we plan to buy a couple of 19-years old to make them growth internally, in a family environment team!
