Team Vorarlberg – Season Review 2023

 

BOYS, THANK YOU for this season – YOU delivered big time!

 

The first quarter century of Team Vorarlberg came to an end with the Tour of Istanbul at the beginning of October. Without exaggerating, we can look back with pride on the most successful season in history.

 

With fresh forces into the new year

After the departure of team leaders Alexis Guerin, Roland Thalmann and Riccardo Zoidl, it was exciting to see how the team would find its way again. Newly formed with Moran Vermeulen, Oscar Cabedo, Jon Knolle, Antoine Berlin, Laurin Nenning, Peter Inauen and Pirmin Benz, the squad around sports director Werner Salmen already presented itself wide awake at the start of the season at the beginning of March at the South Aegean Tour UCI 2.2 in Greece (overall 4th Lukas Rüegg, 6th Antoine Berlin).

 

Rhodes: a good ground for results and preparation

Dominik Amann shows his good early form with third place at the Independent Race in Rhodes. At the Tour of Rhodes the prologue, cancelled by bad weather, prevented an even better overall result (5th Lukas Meiler, 8th Colin Stüssi, 10th Antoine Berlin).

 

With a podium into the Cycling League

The third place by Antoine Berlin in Leonding opened the Cycling League. Lukas Rüegg secured the Omnium track title shortly afterwards in Switzerland. This is followed by fourth place in the final stage of the Tour du Loir et Cher UCI 2.2 in France.

 

Tour of the Alps UCI 2nd Pro in Vermeulen mode

Now the time had come for Moran Vermeulen. The newcomer from Austria, in the service of the national team, was seen in the “break away” on all stages at the top-ranked Tour. He collected the points like a squirrel and becomes second in the points classification.

 

Vermeulen in second place at home UCI Grand Prix in Nenzing

After the next podium at the 61st Cherry Blossom Race in Wels (3rd place Lukas Rüegg), Team Vorarlberg set off the next fireworks. At the GP Vorarlberg UCI 1.2, which was held for the first time as a world ranking points race, Moran Vermeulen’s irresistible riding style earned him an outstanding second place. Cheered on in front of an incredible crowd of spectators.

 

At the 72nd Fleche du Sud in Luxembourg, Moran Vermeulen finishes fourth overall. Only one second was missing on the podium. The team classification wins however sovereign the team Vorarlberg.

 

One second missing to the next coup at the Int. Upper Austria Tour UCI 2.2

With rank two in the luggage with the Schönberger Criterium in Bavaria by Lukas Rüegg, was blown to the storm on the Höss at the 14th Upper Austria round UCI 2.2. Only one second should be missing Oscar Cabedo to the overall victory. He finished second, Colin Stüssi fourth.

 

Tour of Slovenia UCI 2. Pro – Team Vorarlberg plays in the concert of the World Tour

Top prepared with a strong performance at the 59th GP of the Canton Aargau in Gippingen UCI 1.1, received a wildcard for the UCI Pro Tour of Slovenia. Just ride along? Not an option! First and foremost Colin Stüssi and Oscar Cabedo, strengthened by the whole team behind them, showed a terrific performance against the many World Tour teams. Stüssi finished twelfth overall. Cabedo on rank 15.

At the national championships, directly after the 59th Tour of Slovenia, Moran Vermeulen secures bronze in the time trial.

 

72nd Int. Tour of Austria UCI 2.1 – the resurrection

The fact that the Tour of Austria is back after three years of interruption was only possible thanks to a good share of Team Vorarlberg Power. Team Manager Thomas Kofler, took over the position of Tour Director in 2023 together with Team Tirol Manager Thomas Pupp. Jürgen Schatzmann was responsible for the perfect and competent organization of the entire Tour 2023. Numerous Vorarlbergers were active in leading positions for a revival of the special class.

 

What a great Tour start in Dornbirn – all of Vorarlberg in party mood

The due start took place with a sold-out team performance at the market place in Dornbirn. The first stage on the circuit through Vorarlberg and the broad supporting program, inspired tens of thousands of cycling fans. The spectacular sprint in front of the Dornbirn town hall, won the German super sprinter Pascal Ackermann (UAE-Emirates). In eighth place Lukas Rüegg.

 

Colin Stüssi best Continental rider of the Tour of Austria

Also on the next stages to the Tour finish on the Sonntagberg, the Vorarlberg Equipe convinced all along the line against the big World Tour teams of INEOS-Grenadier, Jayco-Alula, UAE-Emirates and Alpecin-Deceuninck. Colin Stüssi finished eleventh overall as the best rider from a Continental team. The initial spark and basis for his further run of success!

 

Next Cycling League race = 2x Team Vorarlberg

Jon Knolle`s second place in the criterium in Wieselburg, directly after the Tour of Austria, was just the warm up. At the third league race the next show of power followed. Colin Stüssi missed the victory by a hair’s breadth and finished second. Lukas Rüegg fixes the double podium with third place.

 

19th Tour Alsace UCI 2.2 – the not perfect premiere for Volta Portugal

Fourth place of Colin Stüssi on La Planche des Belles-Filles should be the maximum. But above all, the team has a lot of luck on the final stage in Alsace. Due to a spectator, the entire team is “cleared” at speed 50. Fortunately, the consequences of the fall prove to be fixable. The cycling god must have been close to Vorarlberg.

Moran Vermeulen wins the Int. Pro Criterium in St. Anton am Arlberg at the end of July in front of a large crowd and continuous rain.

 

84th Volta a Portugal UCI 2.1: The biggest project of the formation from Vorarlberg ….

….. should become the biggest success since the Tour of Austria victory in 2015. The fourth longest tour in the world over twelve days, challenged not only the seven professionals, but especially the support team. Temperatures of over 40 (!!) degrees were the big challenge.

Colin Stüssi, Moran Vermeulen, Lukas Rüegg, Oscar Cabedo, Pirmin Benz, Jon Knolle and Lukas Meiler prepared perfectly. Partly also with heat training.

The Arlberg Express accompanied the team with the Starliner bus through Portugal. This was to become a fundamental key to success.

 

Wide awake from the start in Portugal – and ready for anything!

Lukas Meiler opens the round of top results with seventh place in the prologue. Vermeulen finishes ninth. On the next stages Colin Stüssi (4th), and Lukas Rüegg (9th) sprint into the top ten.

Colin Stüssi gets into position on first mountain stage

The fifth stage saw the first mountain finish on the Covilha-Torre. With another great team performance, Benz, Meiler, Vermeulen and Co. put their Tour leader Colin Stüssi in position. The 30-year-old Swiss only has to give in to former Delko-Marseille captain Delio Fernandez. The Spaniard takes the lead ahead of Stüssi.

 

Stage win and overall lead – Colin Stüssi heats up in Portugal

The seventh stage brought the preliminary decision in favor of Team Vorarlberg. On the queen stage with over 5000 meters of altitude up the Montalegre they pulled out all the tactical stops. In the elimination race Colin Stüssi succeeded in the uphill sprint the biggest victory of his career. From this day on he should only ride in yellow! What a day for Team Vorarlberg!

With sixth place on the ninth stage, Stüssi extended the overall lead to 45 seconds before the final time trial.

 

Colin Stüssi succeeds in the sensation! Overall victory at the 84th Volta a Portugal UCI 2.1

By stage rank three in the final time trial, Colin Stüssi and Team Vorarlberg crowned themselves the great overall winner of the fourth longest tour in the world over 1600 kilometers and 26,500 meters of altitude. Real and come true by a world champion team performance of all riders and support staff. BOYS – it was simply great!

The Band of Brothers: Colin Stüssi, Lukas Rüegg, Moran Vermeulen, Pirmin Benz, Jon Knolle, Oscar Cabedo, Lukas Meiler; STAFF: Werner Salmen, Hans Innerhofer, Velko Angelov, Basti Büffel, Ladi Demko, Tino Noe, Rene Hanisch;

 

Break? Only later – first to further successes in the Cycling League!

Back from the south at 40 degrees plus, it now goes to Ranshofen in the rain and cold. The form high should last even longer. Moran Vermeulen wins in Ranshofen at the fifth Bundesliga race. Team Vorarlberg now takes the lead in the team ranking.

 

Game, set and match – Team Vorarlberg wins Cycling League Austria 2023 – Vermeulen second in the individual classification!

With a brilliant double victory in the last Bundesliga race in Königswiesen by Lukas Meiler and Colin Stüssi, the Vorarlberg fixed the clear victory in the team classification of the league 2024. Behind the Slovenian Jaka Primozic, Moran Vermeulen secures as the best Austrian second place in the individual classification. Six Team Vorarlberg pros in the Top 16 – Chapeau!

 

 

Moran Vermeulen crowned “King of the Lake” 2023

When it runs, it runs: Following this motto, Moran Vermeulen from Ramsau wins the biggest individual time trial around the Attersee. With an hourly average of 49.8 km/h, he pulverizes the best time on the 47-kilometer course.

 

Knolle wins in Dortmund – Vermeulen third at Gravel National Championships – Rüegg with strong European Championship race in the Netherlands

There was no end to the top news. Jon Knolle wins the Grand Prix of Dortmund (GER) in mid-September. Moran Vermeulen secures his second state championship medal with bronze in the Gravel. Lukas Rüegg showed a strong performance in the Elite race at the European Championships in the Netherlands.

 

Tour of Istanbul UCI 2.2 – Conclusion of an incredible season 2023

Lukas Rüegg opened the Tour of Istanbul with third place and the mountain jersey on the first stage. The following day, he was only one second short of second place in the overall standings. That should have been it. A rampant gastrointestinal virus threw almost the entire team out of the Tour overnight. Jon Knolle and Pirmin Benz finished the last race of the season. Over and done with the next victory in the world metropolis.

Too bad for the team, but something like that always happens.

 

Team ranking = TEAM VORARLBERG

Throughout the season, Austria’s strongest team was placed at the top of the team rankings in almost all the tours. Especially at the big tours, the broad cohesion in Team Vorarlberg showed even against the best teams in the world.

The young players in the team have developed magnificently. So, the team can look with a more than good feeling towards 2024!

 

Team Squad 2023: Dominik Amann, Linus Stari, Laurin Nenning, Nikolas Riegler, Moran Vermeulen (all AUT), Jon Knolle, Pirmin Benz, Lukas Meiler (all GER), Lukas Rüegg, Peter Inauen, Colin Stüssi (all SUI), Oscar Cabedo (SPA), Antoine Berlin (MON);

 

We say thank you for the most successful year in team history so far!

With pride and gratitude, we sum up this year as the most successful year, seen over the whole season, since 1999. The benchmark was not always the result, but above all the way of racing. With passion, calculation, and precision. The many podiums finish in the first half of the year were followed by the “big points”. Intensively prepared, confidently, and competently implemented.

 

Facts Team Vorarlberg 2023

https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/team-vorarlberg-2023/overview/

 

Summary season 2023

• 9 victories
• 10 x rank 2
• 15 x rank 3
• 2 x rank 3 Austrian National Championship Elite Time Trial and Gravel
• 1 x rank Swiss Championship Omnium
• Cycling League Austria Winner 2023
• 394 UCI points
• Most successful team of Austria in UCI world ranking

 

Team Vorarlberg

• 1999 Foundation 
• 13 riders
• 15 supporter / helpers
• Status UCI World Federation “UCI Continental Europe Tour “

 

 

“SPONSORING as a PARTNER at Team Vorarlberg” a successful investment!

Team Vorarlberg is grateful to be able to rely on many great partners! A lot of them are already on board for several years. During this time many sportive ups and downs have been overcome. In the foreground for us are above all the important basic values of mutual appreciation and successful “togetherness”.

 

 

A heartfelt “THANK YOU” to the entire TEAM VORARLBERG!

This does not only include the professionals. The most successful team in Austria can rely on a great support crew, including the office. THANK YOU for the commitment!

 

 

Team Vorarlberg 2024 – we are working hard!

The team management will be able to bring a very strong squad to the start for 2024. One thing in advance: The core of the team can be kept. Everyone is happy about that. The gang of brothers should stay together and provide next year for furor!

 

The team would like to thank the press and media for their coverage of the past season. Equally especially to all partners and sponsors, as well as the supporters around the team Vorarlberg.

 

“Keep on riding!