Adria Mobil Cycling 2016 – combination of youth and experiences

This year’s professional team has ten riders: Jon Božič, Matej Drinovec, Kristjan Fajt, Jure Golčer, Gašper Katrašnik, Matej Mesojedec, Domen Novak, brothers David & Gorazd Per and Radoslav Rogina. Team has a right combination of youth and experiences, average age of riders is just about 25 years. List of their individual and team successes is quite impressive.

“Last season was outstanding, with Adria Mobil Cycling going from one success to another – continental team took 29 victories, won 940 UCI points and got to 11th place on the UCI Europe Tour rankings. Kids in all of the junior categories also contributed to the club success, they showed a great number of excellent performances and once again proved that this team cares about the future and can create new champions. Also don’t forget the events the team is organizing – Grand Prix Adria Mobil, Tour of Slovenia, race along the Krka river valley and other one-day events. Put all of that together and conclusion is – club had one of the greatest seasons ever. All of the results contributed to the reputation of the Slovenian cycling and to the reputation of all the brands and trade marks that support Adria Mobil Cycling.” These are the words of the club’s long-time president Mojca Novak, that also stressed: “Club and everybody associated with it are bound to work on this results for the future.”

There will be no lack of ambitions in 2016 season. Adria Mobil Cycling has 25 UCI races on the schedule, 19 of them are outside of Slovenia. One of the highlights will be 23rd Tour of Slovenia in June, which doesn’t have just the racing aspect, club is also organizing the four-stage event. Team director Bogdan Fink also talked about the other highlights of the season, including Tour of Austria (3rd-10th July), Tour of Czech Republic (11th-14th August) and one-day race in Stockholm (11th September). Battle for the UCI points will also take place on all the races in Italy, the competition and battle will be unrelenting on this races.

One of the main questions is how to repeat the success from 2015 season, with the fact that both Marko Kump and Primož Roglič left the team for World Tour teams. By the way, both are already proving their worth on the international cycling scene.

Team manager Boštjan Mervar answers to that question and already reveals part of the strategy: “Despite we lost two best riders after we started this season better than last year’s. Of course we had to adjust our tactics to the characteristics of our riders but that played out well. Young riders are stepping in the spotlight and soon they will have to take a role of leaders. I’m really happy that Jure Golčer, a new member of the team, won the race in Izola – that is his first victory after five years. We really have an winning atmosphere in the team.” Other races will show the progress of the team, some riders are still building on their form and are yet to show their best. Sky is the limit for Adria Mobil Cycling if the tactics work out well is a shared opinion among the members of the team presentation that took part in the hart of Dolenjska region.

Avto Triglav and Fiat are official vehicle partner for ten years
Good vehicles are part of the support crew – they have to suit regulations on size but they also have to prove themselves with performance and reliability. Team Adria Mobil Cycling relies on Fiat vehicles, supplied by Auto Triglav, for the whole decade. Brand new Fiat Tipo is also among the cars that will provide safe and sure transport of the best Slovenian road cycling team. New Tipo shares the platform with Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade, and has plenty of space and comfort for the needs of support team. Fiat’s engines with provide strength and agility that enables riding behind the riders in the peloton and also escapes.

Adria Mobil’s cyclist will also take advantages of safe and practical Adria Mobil campers – the partnership that is entering its eleventh season. In the new season they will use Coral S 670 SL, brand new model of the half-integrated camper with the length of seven meters.

What riders had to say:
Radoslav Rogina: “I expect a victory or two on the most important races for us – stage races in Slovenia, Croatia and Austria. Ambitions are high but with some luck they are also in reach. It’s going to be very hard to repeat all of the great results of the previous season but team work, great connection, determination and fierceness makes us strong and competitive enough to continue on the high level.”

Jure Golčer: “I didn’t think twice when I got a chance to transfer to Adria Mobil Cycling after the last season. With this I got new motivation towards the end of my long racing career and obligation to stay in top shape. Organization and results in the last years put team on the top of the European cycling scene, all of the programs – youth development programs and organization of the events – also makes it one of the biggest sports institutions in the country. We awaited the season in very good form and first results confirm this. Very important is that we work as a team and that everybody gets a chance. This is how young riders get a chance to prove themselves. My aims are directed toward hard stage races on our program. Tour of Slovenia will be one of the highlights and I’ll do everything to be in the top form in that time. And since dreaming is allowed I can dream about Olympic games in Rio – race there will be suited for a rider just like me. That is the reason why I hope to get the invitation for the Slovenian national team for the race.”

David Per: “Start of the season was successful, I will work to keep it like this! I learn a lot from the good riders (Kump, Štimulak, Rogina and others) in the last season. I hope to take advantage of that knowledge in this season and get more good results. This is my third year in the elite category, so this is also expected from me. Kump, Roglič and Štimulak are not in the team anymore but I think we have the same strength as a team. We’ll certainly have to show our strength in a different way, and surly we’ll do that. I’m sure that the result will also come in this season.”

Domen Novak: “I expect I’ll be a great help to the team, to take the white jersey on the Tour of Slovenia and climb as high as possible in the overall rankings. My main focus will be on the French race Tour de l´Avenir, I’ll race there as a member of the national team. Of course I have to first qualify for this Europe Tour race that will take place from 20th to 27th of August. I’ll work hard to be in top form for that race. As a team we started the season much better than last year and I wish we’ll get close to the stats we scored in 2015, or maybe even surpass them. I know we’ll give everything we have!”

Adria Mobil Cycling
Photo by: Vid Ponikvar, Sportida