Written by Lance Armstrong of USA Postal Services
Hello my dear fellow managers of OCM Universe, welcome to the edition number two of Transfer Market Analysis. After the success of the Edition 1, I made a bigger effort (sarcasm) for this one. In our previous analysis we detailed some of the latest and most interesting transfers in the market. In this edition, I have checked some curious number of talents sold lately, so in the following analysis, you will scan each one of them with me, like an expert of Cycling (of course, we don’t have a degree but come on, we have trained legendary riders here so we have knowledge).
Of course, I will include a couple of trained riders who got my attention (or just because I wanted :D) and they will answer the question of one of the transfers of the last show, how Tears and Saints would afford  Michel Pelsers? Well, it’s time to find out and let’s begin our analysis.
*Rising funds, Part I
 Valente Arzilli will join norwegian Team Majones from Tears and Saints. The time trialist will reinforce the short Division 2 TT squad of Majones for a fee of 175k. We aren’t talking about a top TTer but he will surely help his new team to divide the race efforts, since his new team has the minimal number of cyclists.
The analysis is a bit contradictory. Arzilli is only a 197 TTer and even if he gets the luck of TT center, he will not reach the Incredible skill. A little overpriced but I guess is the price we need to pay due to the introduction of sponsors. At least he is young…
*Rising funds, Part II
 Rudi Schwalb is another time trialist from Tears and Saints who is auctioned to help his team to raise funds for Pelsers. The auction started at 160k but after no one got interested, it was lowered down to 150k. Once again, Dutch team logoloos approached the opportunity and secured a 201 TTer to pave the road for the climb up.
Doing wise moves, logoloos is finding the correct cyclists to prepare this season. Schwalb is a decent time trialist who could score in several races if the technique is not too high and no long flat roads. At the current level, he is a great addition and in a team without pure time trialist, a smart move.
*A nice support?
 Tytus Osowski is an experienced 211 sprinter with a long career in top teams working as lead out support. But that’s about to change now, as Peddies spent 110k to hire him. With some good legs remaining, the polish sprinter will join an old team who is trying to move higher and the manager believes that Tytus is crucial for that.
A decent rider in his last years of career, the price of the transfer is modest and accorded to the current market. Finally Osowski will assume more responsibilities than just working for others, of course he won’t have too much time to show his abilities, but if Peddies doesn’t rise quickly, he might get results racing in Division 6-7.
*Are you serious?
What would you think about a team who has an age average really high (33 years), selling the third youngest (trained) rider and captain? At least Korstanje has a backup but Ralf Huijbregs isn’t lucky. He will join team dustin for 300k, another place where the word ‘’old’’ has no meaning and every guy above 35 years old is welcome; their average is the highest among active teams from Top Division and all OCM (35 years).
Team dustin is the real winner of this deal. Adding a rider in his peak age to reinforce Fabio Maia. Unless Korstanje finds another rider to expand the repertory of top sprinters, a long way into desert is what the Dutch team will face in the near future. Of course, the deal specifies that Ralf will join team dustin at Season 54… oops.
*At least you stopped…
Yes, I told these guys in my mind to stop, since this transfer was included in my first edition. Anyways,  Leng | | Kecheng is ready to change team… eventually. After a long auction, YCO made justice to its manager’s name and was cool to me after winning the ping pong bidding. 285k and the young all-rounder from that growing city will join the Canadian team.
Leng will be a great support for his new leaders, Emrick Quain and Bud Castleberry. For just 285k, it’s a great deal for YCO. The handicap, time to sell/retire a rider…
*Sayonara my bike…
That’s what  Katagiri Mitsunori to his current manager Barcelona, from Tears and Saints. And due to the arrival of Pelsers he is the last rider selected to leave the team. Mitsunori is a very talented sprinter but had a lot of bad luck in his career and now it is too late to lead a team, but surely he can do a great work as lead out.
And the United States (not) Virgin Islands team strikes… again. Adilson Silva, I don’t know how you do it but your sprint train is just too much, leave the bones at least ;)… Mitsunori will join Team AEK in his last big contract for 260k. That should make it for manager barcelona to hire his new climber.
Well, we don’t need to analyze anything here, it’s just too obvious, isn’t it? Oh, only one thing, Team AEK needs a free spot.
With Mitsunori, we ended with the analysis of experienced cyclists. Now it’s time to check some of the new talents in the block (if OCM has blocks let me know, Forum and Hire List don’t count as Lego Blocks). I need to clarify that we can’t find guys with 250 CL potential or 260 SP’s one day yes and another the next day, it is based on a curious criteria taking in consideration that… explanation would be long and I wouldn’t understand so let’s get started.
*A true Spaniard name…
Yes, you can find crazy Spaniard names in the Hire List, but this isn’t the case.  Jacinto Carrión is a promishing (promising) talent hired by Romanian team Fighting. Despite the name, they aren’t fighting in the English/American style, this is a cycling game folks. Sadly his TF (Top Form) is triggered, which is a real bad luck for the buyer, Conero cycling team from Italy. But don’t worry, he was born as sprinter, so half way to go.
He is a good guy, mostly the 200 SP turn out to be good cyclists. However, I must say the participants of the auction were tricked by Fighting, starting/final price are a bit out of market, I can tell that by experience. Anyways good luck training him, Gianluca.
Stats:
CL: None (26)
DH: None (32)
HL: None (26)
SP: None (41)
FR: None (27)
CB: None (28)
TT: None (26)
TQ: None (27)
Potential:
CL: Average
DH: Small
HL: Average
SP: Very good
FR: Good
CB: Average
TT: None
TQ: Small
*Another true Spaniard name…
We are having luck with the new Spaniard talents, and I’m not referring about their potential. Paco Merino cleaned the spider web all over him and after his 24th birthday, Avangarda knew it was time to release him. To compensate the short time, he offered poor Paco for just 38k, he is a different kind of 200+ SP talent, with a very good technique that will make him a good sprinter for technical routes ending in downtown. Skeel did an easy auction to get this strange piece of meat.
Is not the biggest superstar, but surely a nice support if he maxes high and leader for certain races demanding less top speed.
Potential:
CL: Small
DH: Small
HL: Small
SP: Average
FR: Average
CB: Small
TT: Average
TQ: Very good
*Are you (beep) kidding me??
Ok, I know TTers are exceptional and necessary for a safe improve in OCM, but come on. This is an example on what NOT to do with a 200+ TT talent. TT (very good) yeah, FR (very good) yeah, let’s go baby give me another good skill… TQ (None)… now that tell us that is not wise to pay a huge amount of money for him, even though he has nice starting stats,
| | I would simply stop bidding when the auction gets a bit risky… let’s say at 100-120k. On one hand, yeah he has nice TT and FR but lacks TQ, but you as a selling manager can get some good money for him, that’s what everyone says.
Ok, let’s be honest. Not all the managers think the same way, it’s true; and I’m not the best manager to give an opinion about training a time trialist, yet. But there’s no certainty that this guy can max high in both TT-FR, what if he plays you a bad joke and decides to stop at 40? Once again, every manager has its own criteria and I wish the winning bidder good luck, but between transfer and training, there’s a huge risk to dump the money. Of course, the only who got a (HUGE) benefit is team Fighting. Oh and the final winner was AGCap after offering 180k for this creature… Uchida Shuhei.
Well, it’s all about the luck, because this dude will need a lot of money to reach his top speed. If so, he will be a decent time trialist, or another bluff to the long list. Another factor to consider is the age, this dude is already 24 years old. Let me know your thoughts about this interesting sell.
Stats:
CL: None (28)
DH: None (30)
HL: None (28)
SP: None (27)
FR: None (32)
CB: None (27)
TT: None (45)
TQ: None (32)
Potential:
CL: Average
DH: Small
HL: Average
SP: Small
FR: Very good
CB: None
TT: Very good
TQ: None
*Dutch machine?
We know the two strongest NT’s of WT are Belgium and the Netherlands. And probably there’s another orange kid running around like crazy. No, he is not homeless, he found a new home.  Casper Van Der Horst might be the little brother of Onno Van Der Horst but CCFC believes that paying 190k is good enough for the attempt. The last days of market have been really interesting, with some new good guys seeing the light of day.
He is very interesting 210+SP with VG in TQ. Interesting starting stats but the same question with all talents like him is in the air, will he max high? We hope so, he has a great potential to be a good hill sprinter.
Stats:
CL: None (25)
DH: None (31)
HL: None (27)
SP: None (40)
FR: None (27)
CB: None (26)
TT: None (28)
TQ: None (32)
Potential:
CL: Good
DH: None
HL: Average
SP: Good
FR: Average
CB: Small
TT: Small
TQ: Very good
Starting stats and potential.
*3xGood = Great rider?
When we spot a guy with 3 Good’s, we expect those Goods in the right place to consider him a great potential star.  Kilby Linville has all to become a 210+ CL, and potential climbing captain for the best classics of the calendar. And Team Celeste understood, after leaving other competitors behind, the Swedish team will pay 200k to hire this welsh promise.
Starting with a high number in CL, in the worst case he can max CL, DH pretty fast; but if that happens, an investing of 200k for an untrained team mate sounds weird, but not in the Sponsors Age of Cycling. New/poor teams have to get used to this high market prices, with managers willing to overpay.
Stats:
CL: None (43)
DH: None (27)
HL: None (27)
SP: None (27)
FR: None (27)
CB: None (28)
TT: None (27)
TQ: None (27)
Potential:
CL: Good
DH: Good
HL: Good
SP: Average
FR: None
CB: None
TT: None
TQ: Small
Starting stats and potential.
I have found other great interesting dudes around, but to be honest, if I don’t cut it here, I won’t finish this long list. So it’s time to finish this edition of Transfer Market Analysis saying two things: don’t buy apples, and remember; the auction is not over until the fat lady sings ;)
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