Credible top-class sports environment and innovation
Iwan Spekenbrink, general manager of Team Argos-Shimano, said: ‘A core part of Team Argos-Shimano’s policy is to work from a modern and credible top-class sports environment based on the 1t4i guidelines (team spirit – inspiration – integrity – improvement – innovation). Innovation at every possible level is central both to the intensive and comprehensive coaching of the individual cyclists, male and female, and to developing the team into a strong collective.
To ensure the athletes receive optimum coaching the team operates from its own training base at Altea Hills (near Alicante) and the coaching staff includes many scientists and other specialists.’ Team Argos-Shimano team had a successful season last year and is the World Tour team with the youngest average age. Further growth is therefore expected. Riders and staff are determined to exploit the potential in 2013.
Striving for credibility
The cycling sport is becoming increasingly global and its popularity continues to grow, not only in Europe but also in other continents that do not have a cycling tradition. Despite the increasing interest in this sport, cycling experienced a turbulent winter season due to the USADA report.
The USADA report confirms how important it is to continue and intensify the efforts to bring back credibility to this sport. In this respect focus should not be only on checks and sanctions, but a culture change is necessary. The culture that led to riders, coaching staff and teams making the wrong choices or even encouraged them to do so, should make way for a clean, healthy and a successful top-class sport. Several teams, riders, sponsors and organisations have already started to lay a new foundation for a healthy future. From the beginning, Team Argos-Shimano has been an exponent and an advocate of a credible sport.
Team composition
Team Argos-Shimano is a relatively young team consisting of 28 male and 10 female riders:
Men: Warren Barguil, Thomas Damuseau, Yann Huguet, Thierry Hupond, Matthieu Sprick (FRA), Nikias Arndt, John Degenkolb, Johannes Fröhlinger, Simon Geschke, Patrick Gretsch, Marcel Kittel (GER), Roy Curvers, Tom Dumoulin, Koen de Kort, Ramon Sinkeldam, Tom Stamsnijder, Albert Timmer, Tom Veelers (NED), Tobias Ludvigsson, Jonas Ahlstrand (SWE), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (RSA), Luka Mezgec (SLO), Tom Peterson (USA), Cheng Ji (CHN), François Parisien (CAN), Bert de Backer (BEL), Georg Preidler (AUT), Will Clarke (AUS).
Women: Charlotte Becker, Elke Gebhardt, Marlen Jöhrend (GER), Janneke Busser, Willeke Knol, Kelly Markus, Amy Pieters, Esra Tromp, Kirsten Wild (NED), Lucy Garner (GBR).
Coaches: Christian Guiberteau (FRA), Adriaan Helmantel, Marc Reef, Rudi Kemna, Addy Engels, Jorn Knops, Aike Visbeek, Cees-Jan van der Zweep (NED).
General Manager: Iwan Spekenbrink (NED)
Member of Management Team: – Commerce: Sissy van Alebeek (NED)