Written by Lance Armstrong of USA Postal Services
  
  Anyone at home? If so, better check your bank balance. Welcome to another alike Stephen King story of Transfer Market Edition, where your worst nightmare comes to live and runs faster than Michael Myers (what a combo). In this edition we will explore the depths of the market, and together we will discover why it is the way it is (because we want it that way). As an ancient tradition (no) we will start with a small reflection from our mighty Jintseng, the best economist of The World (A mythical place populated by crazy creatures), ‘’If you don’t have money to buy, offer cookies. They will sweeten your enemy (and maybe you can poison him),’’ indeed, a good way to negotiate.
  
  *Don’t touch my merchandise
  
  Searching and finding the best guy for your team can be hard. Many pm’s and negative answers from managers can let you down, but if you don’t give up, you can find your lucky star. My friend Rogero from MOVISTAR KELME TEAM knows that feeling for sure, but after many tears and sweat (more sweat than tears) he found his lucky star (not a captain). Rigana agreed (no, it was a one man negotiation *wink-wink*) to sell Orlando Efiglio for about 250k plus a cold glass of milk from Leiden. But when you always do a private deal, there’s always a manager looking (with a gun loaded, and ready to shoot you). AGCap apologized before he offered 280k for this great spaghetti lover, ‘’Don’t be sorry, don’t touch,’’ Rogero said and raised up to 290k. Afterwards, Mr. honzas, owner of The Hellgrenn (a green monster that smacked several cyclists in the low divisions, as its legend tells) put 300k on the table and PEKAC B got this rider…
  
  As most Italians, Orlando loves wind, but not so cold. Will he support any of his new team mates? Tough question but Germany Tour has the answer.
  
  *Cocolombian boy
  
  Hurray! But why am I celebrating? It’s another Cocolombian sprinter (a new race), with low top speed. An Australian team asked for Help to sell Martinez Batistuta and Jintseng said a bid of 45k would be good to start. Taavi from CC Est won the auction with a final price of 75k and will hire the 19 years old talent.
  
  Perfect profile for a 190 SP+ WB (Wind Breaker/Wall Bricker). Good support for Dyer Chumlee.
  
  Potential:
  CL: Average
  DH: Small
  HL: None
  SP: Good
  FR: Very good
  CB: None
  TT: Average
  TQ: None
  
  Potential.
  
  *Ole, macho
  
  CyclingClubChomutov aka Cost Co Company (CCC) wants to return to the top with an all Czech squad, so manager Michael (not Schumacher) Danner is ready to sell his non Czech riders. When Joselito Montez heard it, he begged to his manager; he didn’t want to leave Prague because there are lots of beautiful women. However, none of his threats worked and CCC put him on sale for just 50k. Korstanje opened the auction and waited until deadline expire. At the end some teams appeared but Mr. Megaman (not a Marvel™ superhero) won the bidding with 100k Megaman.
  
  An interesting man, better as TTer but he can be a good cobbler if he maxes high. However, we do not know what his new manager thinks (he will be trained as TTer), so we will see in the future how Joselito does his best to get points.
  
  Stats:
  CL: None (29)
  DH: None (26)
  HL: None (28)
  SP: None (30)
  FR: None (26)
  CB: None (27)
  TT: None (44)
  TQ: None (27)
  
  Potential:
  CL: Small
  DH: Average
  HL: Average
  SP: Small
  FR: Average
  CB: Very good
  TT: Very good
  TQ: Average
  
  Stats and potentials.
  
  *Farewell

my love…
  
  Nah, this ain’t a love story! A good way to ensure a decent guy for cheap price is looking a link that says, 35 yrs old/future trainer/ready to suicide. Sometimes love stories doesn’t end well and Mal (that means evil in Spanish… mohahahaha) put an end to his relationship with Halvard Antonsen a 233 DHer. This manager is being Mal with his cyclist, but a new home is the solution and the need of money, crucial. 160k to end this marriage and Snooman showed up in time to sign the divorce for them for 167k. Now the Tashkent Browncoats are ready to move on.
  
  I forgot how to spell trainer, but this man is definitely one. Will he get another job after his retirement or will he join famous Abe Simpson at Retirement Castle of OCMpringfield? Only Don knows… (He owns the Castle).
  
  *The ballad of Lai Ying Yang Yo
  
  ‘’Smashing enemies here and there/Lai Ying says hey get outta ma’ way/riding like crazy over here and there/crashin’ ma bike out of the way.’’ To be my first chorus, it took me 3 minutes to write it, now that’s what Opium causes to human brain, and manager Oriental from Opium Fueled understood it. The new man from Kong the Hong is 21 years old, and full of dreams; Lai Ying, he is the man. A cheap starting bid always attracts curious people, and Team Guy reached 60k to get this fine piece of beef, a DHer singer.
  
  Is this singer the future of Kong the Hong? Maybe he won’t win a Billboard (some kind of premium bill paper with your debts written on). All-rounder, 200DH+… watch CoN to see this name soon. Depending how high/low he maxes, he could be an interesting threat for the future and pride of Kong the Hong.
  
  Potential:
  CL: Average
  DH: Very good
  HL: None
  SP: Average
  FR: Average
  CB: Average
  TT: Good
  TQ: Average
  Vocals: Incredible
  
  His potential.
  
  *Catalan?
  
  Jordi is another uncommon (sarcasm) name from Catalanland (East Spain) and means George/Jorge/Georg/Jürgen/Giorgio/Georgy/Georgi/Gueorgui/Xi (last one is a joke, sorry mighty Emperor of China). IndieRock trained some points to do a hell of a sell: 150k to begin and no deductions. Jordi Van Haerschot, the belgian Jordi; is the newest victim of this method. Several teams are now risking a good number to see if he will max good or not. Papi36 fought other teams and offered 210k for this uncertain bet, without the further training cost.
  
  In words of Eugenio, leader of Indie Rock and Roll; ‘’Hi! This rider could be a great LO. He is unmaxed and I only trained him in FR. He's just turned 22.’’ He can be/could be, only the correct further training will tell. Depending on what the buyer wants, training HL could be a good move to do.
  
  Potential:
  CL: Small
  DH: Average
  HL: Good
  SP: Small
  FR: Good (maxed at 71)
  CB: None
  TT: Good
  TQ: Very good
  
  Potentials.
  
  *Shakabalalu, shakabalalu, shakabalalu…
  
  Kommunism is the worst plague of mankind. Let’s be honest. Now in OCM Cycling there’s a team with some success in the peloton (a lot of success), World Communism Team hired a man from the youth (slavery) academy, Jokhonia Mabelo. With his potential, he could be a DH or a LOSP, so this man will attract a large number of teams, with a starting shakbu (bid) of 60k, the party started. Sprinting Power Empire Team AEK showed up and firing at will, he couldn’t defeat AGCap that brought a black case with 136k.
  
  This man will become a LOSP (or not), AG wants another powerful dude to expand his team (or not). One thing is sure, if he becomes LO he can one great guy,

more doubts as Downhiller but everything is possible in OCM.
  
  Potential:
  
  CL: Average
  DH: Good
  HL: Small
  SP: Very good
  FR: None
  CB: None
  TT: Small
  TQ: Very good
  
  His potential.
  
  *Got robbed? Part I
  
  Some teams asked me every day for advice in order to get the best price for their in/out’s. Of course, my advices are optional (but pricey, information is not free), but really useful. As seller/buyer you got the last word and you could not use my knowledge at all. This is what happened here in this two-part section of ‘’Got robbed?’’ courtesy of my friend Team Belfius who agreed to appear with us here, after he became another ‘’victim’’ of famous horse with white wings (PegasusFlights. Laurend Bosmans is 32 years old and out of the normal level of a rider of his age. With a RV of 90k he will change team for 120k, with his current level of RS and XP, the normal price is between RV and 98k, so here we have an overpriced transfer. Of course, not so much but he won’t compensate it with performance or XP.
  
  *Got robbed? Part II
  
  The only thing that makes a first time mistake, is another right after the previous one. My friend Platedefend from Team Belfius fell once again in the same rough spot :-(
  Now the second mistake tends to be worse than the first, way worse… Mario Reijers will be 26 the next week and in normal conditions we could say is a decent support, but the lack of experience and bad race shape speaks against him and his price. His RV stands at 136k and in normal conditions a rider of his profile would cost 200k. In his current level, 170k is the fair price and then he would need to recover his RS and get a lot of experience to catch up. But he will change team for 270k… an overcharge of 100k, both transfers have a total overprice of 122-130k. The boomerang of prices always strikes back and I hope he doesn’t get a rough one later with these new post-apocalyptic market…
  
  PS: A curious case of rapacity between teams of the same country. I know my friend Platedefend will like this ironic background, not like others. Maybe I didn’t add make up to the section, but in a lonely island is hard to find ;) --- Version of Platedefend: ‘’I really wanted to pay that money,’’ indeed :-)
  
  *Mutant Rider
  
  And our last and my favorite section. For a second, I thought I would do this podcast without a bright star: Mutant Rider. Professor X told me to be patient, and it worked. Kholadeth Ammouayphone is the newest talent from depadvinders, a 210+ CL and you know that works like meat: the wolves will surround him in less than 5. The auction began at 50k but the first offer was of 100k… the Alpine Juice immediately appeared to add real adrenaline with his 250k bid, the real guns were prepared… but always there’s someone asking for Velo Club Bored Man aka VCBM and 290k is the answer…
  
  Khola Phone has everything to be a potential climbing guy, or a tour rider if luck is nice. But we don’t need to worry for that at the moment, we need to get our popcorn, coke and watch the action. Of course, several None in other side skills like FR or TQ could affect him in the future.
  
  Stats:
  CL: None (41)
  DH: None (33)
  HL: None (27)
  SP: None (29)
  FR: None (32)
  CB: None (26)
  TT: None (27)
  TQ: None (27)
  
  Potential:
  CL: Incredible
  DH: Good
  HL: Small
  SP: Small
  FR: None
  CB: None
  TT: None
  TQ: None
  
  Stats and potentials.
  
  With Phone from Laos, we have concluded another edition of Transfer Market Analysis. Another edition with merciless transfers and rough negotiations, we have sweat, tears and drama, all in one single bloody pack, and the most important tip: The auction is not over until the fat lady sings ;)