Returning for a third year as a member of the MGUC is Tryg - Ritter Sports, formerly Tryg Insurance Cycling Team. Following a successful second season, which saw the team perform well across the board, finishing 5th in the overall standings, Tryg - Ritter Sports were rewarded with promotion to the ProContinental Tour.


Despite the promotion to a higher level, nothing has changed from Tryg - Ritter Sports's previously established multiannual dedication to the development of a new generation of Danish cycling talents. The 2020 season showed that the management were more than capable of putting together competitive squads whilst maintaining their developmental focii. To compete at the higher level, an influx of funding is necessary; thankfully our current partners felt that the added exposure was well worth the cost. Thus, Tryg - Ritter Sports enters its inaugral ProContinental Tour season.

Establishing a new team from the ground up, rather than merely taking over a pre-existing one, meant signing an entire squad in a single transfer season. Weeks of meticulous scouting meant that many of the incoming cohorts greatest talents had been identified. Tryg was quick to pounce on their targets, quickly bringing future greats such as Jonas Vingegaard, Max Kanter, and Niklas Larsen into the fold. Although the likes of Marc Hirschi and Tadej Pogacar went elsewhere, the majority of Danish and German talents joined the Tryg family.


That wasn't all however; as talented as they may be, the neo-pros weren't ready to lead the team, and instead more regional talent was brought in from free agency. Local stage racer Magnus Cort Nielsen, Norwegian puncheur Daniel Hoelgaard, and Belgian Nikolas Maes formed the core of the team's leadership. Genki Yamamoto and 2019 Chilean RR Champ Wolfgang Burmann also joined to support Cort Nielsen. Together, they formed a squad which saw great success in the hills and cobbles; Cort Nielsen also did well to pick up points in stage races, despite the lacklustre performances of his supporting cast.

Although discussion between management and the sponsors did not see Tryg - Ritter Sports' remit expanded beyond development, there were promising signs heading into the 2020 season. Genki Yamamoto and Wolfgang Burmann were out, and coming in to replace them were Sindre Skjostad Lunke, Alexander Krieger, and Andris Smirnovs. These signing were, however, somewhat dwarfed by the announcement that the extremely talented Andreas Kron had reached a deal with the team. Management seemed rather pleased with themselves at the post-window press conferences.


That pleasure proved well-founded come the seasons end. Although there had been period of quite some concernation, it all came together in the closing rounds. Although all of our riders mustered good efforts throughout the season, it looked as though Project: Africa were to take the final automatic promotion spot thanks to an inspired performance by Thibaut Pinot. However, Alexander Kriger's victory at Course de Solidarnosc and Mathias Norsgaard's shock podium at the Herald Sun Tour were more than enough to leap frog the hapless African team. The scenes as Tryg - Ritter Sports's promotion were ecstatic.

TryghedsGruppen are the primary shareholder of Tryg Forsikring, the largest Danish insurance company. They also own interests in Falck Healthcare and SATS, a Nordic fitness chain. The membership of TryghedsGruppen is formed primarily from policyholders with Tryg Forsikring or alternative Danish insurance broker Alka.


This is the final year of TryghedsGruppen's three-year sponsorship deal, which has been dedicated to the development of Danish cycling. As an insurance broker, it is only natural that TryghedsGruppen would ensure the sport's continued growth in the country. That Carlsberg - Danske Bank were also promoted to the PCT means that there is something of a rivalry burgeoning here, the sponsors will be closely analysing our comparative performance.

Founded in 1912 by Alfred Ritter, Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co are the company behind the Ritter Sports brand of chocolate, which will appear on the Tryg - Ritter Sports jerseys through the 2021 season. Since then they have grown into an internationally recognised brand, sold all across the globe. With TryghedsGruppen reluctant to commit more resources, Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co were brought onboard to finance the team as it balances a commitment to talent development and competitive results.


Although they have primarily dedicated themselves to investing in the arts, Ritter Sports has taken this opportunity to expand their community outreach to sports as well. As a business they are committed to sustainable development through routine investment in the future, knowing well how that can pay dividends. As such, they have bought in to the Tryg philosophy of domestic talent development aimed at future success. They are in the final year of their two year contract..

The presence of TryghedsGruppen and Alfred Ritter GmbH mean Tryg - Ritter Sports will be looking to build upon their already established squad of young riders. Primarily this will involve Danish and German riders, although the latter sponsors has some wider ranging concerns.


No talents outside of the team's primary focii have been retained for the 2021 season, perhaps suggesting a turn toward more inward looking recruitment strategy. The single most notable talent is Andreas Kron, who should develop into a decent puncheur. Other riders of interest are climber Georg Zimmermann and sprinter Frederik Rodenberg. Unfortunately, none of the talents emerging from these countries' junior ranks has shown enough promise to draw significant attention.


Instead, the team might look to bring in riders in internationally as part of a corporate social responsibility measure by Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. The sponsor is dedicated to ensuring that it acquires it cocoa in a sustainable manner, and as part of that duty they seek to invest in the regions they source from: Nicaragua, Peru, and Ghana. Peru has the most cycling pedigree of the three, while Nicaragua is the primary beneficiary of the reinvestment initiative. Should the scouts sent there uncover any local talents, it wouldn't be surprising to see them signing for us.


That being said, Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co aren't the only ones with interests outside the domestic sphere. TryghedsGruppen, primarily through Tryg Forsikring, also have large markets in the rest of the Nordic sphere, most significantly Norway and Sweden. Although the latter has come up somewhat short in recent years, there are still plenty of potential riders who might arrive from these countries.

	Provide a pathway to the ProTour for Danish Talents	Unsatisfied
	Expand the development programme's Nordic reach	Satisfied
	Offer Central American riders European opportunities	Failed

A host of future stars currently ply their trade with Tryg - Ritter Sport. This was the greatest desire of the title sponsor in the previous seasons, and they now look forward to the continued growth of these riders within the Tryg programme. It is the mission of TryghedsGruppen to ensure a pathway for young Danish cyclists from the local amateur scene into fully professional outfits in the ProTour. Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co expands this focus to include granting the opportunity for promising riders from West Africa and Central America.

	Produce a leader from Denmark	Failed
	Sign a leader from Germany	Failed
	Acquire a true star	Success
	Fight bravely against relegation	Ongoing

Although Tryg's leadership in 2020 was certainly a step up from the season prior, it still struggled, especailly when it came to producing performances in targetted races. None of the cohort are capable of leadership in the higher category races that Tryg - Ritter Sports will tackle this season. The sponsors want to see Danes and Germans fighting for results in HC races, but is content with a signing from elsewhere so long as they can produce some hefty results.

	Provide employment to riders from Denmark	Satisfied
	Spend significantly on scouting new talent	Appeased
	Limit wages for riders outside target regions	Satisfied

The increased exposure of the ProContinental Tour means increased spending, but Tryg - Ritter Sports still needs to work to a budget. Financial policy remains largely the same as previous seasons, although the need to reduce wages to foreign riders is less significant given the somewhat focused spending of the team.

Ulrich Ulriksen wrote:
Nice presentation. Good luck with your PCT adventure.

One note - I think you have the wrong one of your riders winning the GC at 2020 Solidarnosc.