SEE Turtles aims to connect “people with sea turtles in meaningful, personal, and memorable ways.” A tough second season with a change of direction toward the cobbles, and maintaining the focus on TTTs results in an almost identical result to season 1. Still, good results including our first ever classic win keep our energy high for season 3. Such success has shown our sponsors that cycling is a worthwhile investment and the SEE Turtles will continue on! Team management has yet to decide on a vision for the 2025 season...
All credits to liefwarrior and many thanks for helping create this vision!
Proudly displaying the shells of these beautiful creatures on our jerseys, SEE Turtles hopes that their continued investment in the MGUCI will provide an opportunity to educate riders, staff, and fans on the important conservation efforts to protect sea turtles across the globe. Find out more about our mission: https://www.seeturtles.org/about-see-...ee-turtles
As a team, SEE Turtles bases itself out of the Galapagos Islands. Here, we will establish ourselves as a champion for Ecuadorian cycling. Our mission extends beyond the Galapagos with aims of fostering cycling across the Americas and the Caribbean, as our administrative headquarters sit in Portland, Oregon. Even more, we recognize the global impact of sea turtle conservation and want to promote cycling outside of Europe. Hopefully our successes represent the wealth of skill, beauty, and perseverance of our home nations. Our sponsors and our worldwide impact can be seen throughout our history with so many national champions
As a sign of our commitment to the sport, SEE Turtles has decided to continue as the SOLE sponsor for the 2025 season! SEE Turtles is looking forward to welcoming further sponsors in the event of advancement, but remains committed to the cause of Ecuadorian cycling.
We look forward to competing alongside the rest of the Continental Division and contributing to such a wonderful cycling community.
Team Information
Name
SEE Turtles
Code
SEE
Founded
2023
Headquarters
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Portland, Oregon, USA
Status
Continental Team (2025)
Manager
seancoll
Team Equipment
Wheels
Vision
Helmet
Catlike
Frame
Fuji
Many thanks to liefwarrior again for the custom accessories!
Edited by seancoll on 26-05-2026 16:28
I like the clear vision of the project, and what is simultaneously the best and the worst jersey
I am looking forward to losing races against you this year
As we evaluated our second season, we faced another season of challenging renewals. A strong TT core desired compensation for their services while we finished the first talent development in our team's history with Vermaerke, Merchan, and Ganjkhanlou all maxing out after successful loans. Let's see how things played out.
Departing:
Faycal Hamza simply had to depart our team as he starts his decline. He had an incredibly successful two years leading our team as our point leader in both seasons. While we wish we could continue to support higher and higher wages for the Algerian, his 2025 impact was unlikely to match his requests and management simply could not satisfy his requests. We expect Hamza to remain our top point scorer in team history by the end of the 2025 season, but hope his single season record is challenged.
Kashyapa Siriwardena and Ahmed Arissol were two successful domestiques across the past two seasons. While they may have had one final season in their legs, we hope they find another team in the free agent and are thankful for their services, especially in TTs. In messages after the season, Siriwardena communicated how sad he was to see the departure of the Tour de Vineyards where he had his highest GC finish with our squad. While both islanders hope to find another season in the peloton, they are proud to end their careers on high notes if they can't find another team in 2025.
Leandro Marcos and Robert Bush were cobble hopefuls this past season as our two free rider draft picks, but just couldn't find success with the fatigue of being elderstatemen in the peloton. Overall, they did bring in a few points and were fantastic veteran guides as we attempted cobbles for the first (and only??? time).
Our final departure is Luke Keough, a late choice purchase during the last transfer season. He came through with a number of prologue points, but was never able to find legitimate success in sprints. We aren't unhappy with the American's time with our venture, but his output didn't match our hopes. Rumors amongst the team also indicated a high propensity for littering and misalignment with our mission for sea turtle conservation. Management has committed to further vetting of riders heading into future seasons.
Returners:
This leaves the remainder of the team to return. With seventeen riders already on contract, our roster is almost completely full depending on whether there are any transfer season loans or departures. Our returners come into the 2025 season earning a greater salary than in 2024, but that stems mostly from our two hopeful difference makers in Didier Merchan and Mohammad Ganjkhanlou. Both took a significant raise after their stints in PT teams.
Our lovely additions of Similo Nyoni and Julian Cardona were also bound to request a higher wage after navigating 2024 on the minimum. Their desire to stay with the team and receive compensation for their service was matched by our enthusiasm as an organization. Both have desires to be our TT leader which may cause challenging dynamics within the lineup. We'll see how that impacts team building.
Otherwise, we continue our investment with our talents and intend to hold strong with them throughout their development. Those who need season(s) on loan are obviously looking for an opportunity to be mentored from the best. Our veteran crew of contributors are also excited about the option to remain with a mission focused team in 2025.
Salary Negotiations
Last Name
First Name
Salary 2024
Salary 2025
Difference
Merchan
Didier
50000
€ 83,000
33000
Ganjkhanlou
Mohammad
50000
€ 83,000
33000
Tivani
German Nicolas
98000
€ 70,000
28000
Richardson
Chequan
50000
€ 50,000
0
Oka
Atsushi
82000
€ 65,000
17000
Cardona
Julian
50000
€ 84,000
34000
Muhindo
Jimmy
50000
€ 50,000
0
Frame
Alex
50000
€ 57,000
7000
Kelly
Joshua
72000
€ 55,000
17000
Vermaerke
Kevin
50000
€ 50,000
0
Obando
Bryan Raul
50000
€ 50,000
0
Sheffield
Magnus
100000
€ 68,000
32000
Siriwardena
Kashyapa
50000
€ 0
Not Renewed
Orue
German Anibal
55000
€ 50,000
5000
Lopez
Harold Martin
50000
€ 50,000
0
Nyoni
Similo
50000
€ 73,000
23000
Keough
Luke
75000
€ 0
Not Renewed
Huera
Richard
50000
€ 50,000
0
Marcos
Leandro
0
€ 0
Not Renewed
Hamza
Faycal
95000
€ 0
Not Renewed
Arissol
Ahmad
50000
€ 0
Not Renewed
Revelo
Franklin Joel
55000
€ 56,000
1000
Bush
Robert
0
€ 0
Not Renewed
Total 2024 Salary
1044000
32000
Availability
Rider
Salary 2025
Availability
Didier Merchan
83000
No
Mohammad Ganjkhanlou
83000
No
Atsushi Oka
65000
Maybe
Joshua Kelly
55000
Maybe
German Nicolas Tivani
70000
Maybe
Chequan Richardson
50000
Maybe
German Anibal Orue
50000
Maybe
Julian Cardona
84000
Maybe
Similo Nyoni
73000
Maybe
Jimmy Muhindo
50000
No
Alex Frame
57000
Maybe
Kevin Vermaerke
50000
No
Bryan Raul Obando
50000
PT Loan
Magnus Sheffield
68000
Developing
Harold Martin Lopez
50000
PT Loan
Richard Huera
50000
Developing
Franklin Joel Revelo
56000
Developing
Our PT Loan and Developing riders will look to continue their training and development either here at the SEE Turtles or away on loan. Either way, our youngsters are excited to develop as quickly as possible.
For our non-talents, the SEE Turtles are entering with a flexible outlook in 2025. No one is actively looking to depart the team, but in the right scenario folks are willing to evaluate new homes.
Well done on the renewals giving you some room to maneuver, but I still see a big-time need for leaders in the roster. Looking forward to seeing what you cook up, especially with all the maybe's in that availability list. Loads of ways to go with this, but hopefully the Turtles don't extend their conservation efforts to the splashing out of wages in the upcoming window
I have to agree with Booker that you seem to miss a big time leader. You have some nice sprinters and it will be interesting to see how Merchan will do on climbs, I can see the excitment with getting 2 loaned out talents back maxed. Hope both Merchan and Ganjkhanlou (Thats a rider name reports will just copy-past this season) will do well for you!
I like the focus on internal development. And Sheffield should prove to be your future star. I like the Cobble+TT combo as he will be both able to lead cobble races and support with the rest of his race days
Love the salaries! And love the open options you seem to be keeping, some very solid core pieces but potential to manoeuvre. Admire the project, both the team message itself and the internal development as Heine said. Ganjkhanlou (I did learn how to spell it over last year ) was a very good PT loanee considering his stats and has a couple of memorable moments, will be keeping an eye over him this season and beyond
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [PT] Xero Racing
Well done on renewals. No riders really "out there" in terms of wages, which is always nice. Also a lot of "maybe's" is always interesting. You could be up for a fun off seaason I think.
With Merchan finally maxed there's finally a reason for you to enter non-flat races
With your TT-heavy approach we'll usually won't have much to talk about in transfers, but there's one of the developing riders who could be interesting if you really look for a loan.
Funny that Keough wore out his welcome with the SEE Turtles, he was never a popular rider with McCormick management either, that was mostly about him repeatedly screwing up the USPCC, when it should have been his perfect race. (but the littering was a problem too).
Good luck with the season, I admire your continued pursuit of your own path.
Not a ton of cap space, but you're seemingly willing to move some riders around so it definitely should be possible to bring in 1-2 proper leaders. And it's pretty nice to know you're well covered in sprints and TTs.
If nothing else maybe this year we come together on a PT loan
Thanks to all for the positive words on my renewals work this season. Especially with my domestiques and talents, I'm very happy with what we've been able to do and I likely echo the calls for a top ranked star. Hopefully we'll find partnerships across the globe this year to bring out team to the next level!
jandl7: Ganjkhanlou (I did learn how to spell it over last year Pfft) was a very good PT loanee considering his stats and has a couple of memorable moments, will be keeping an eye over him this season and beyond
Was very excited to watch him last year and yes, I still struggle to spell his name, too. If I recall correctly, he found a couple of major breakaways and ended up competing for a KOM jersey somewhere along the way. Wish I could recall where, but it seemed like he had the most impact of any of the three developing rider last year.
Tour Down Under
Coppa Placci
Tour of Eritrea
GP Yekaterinburg
Vuelta al Tachira
Monterrey TTT
Tour of Guadeloupe
Tour de Pologne
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo
Tour of the Middle East
Tour of America
Tour of Luxembourg
Isle of Man ITT
Frankfurt Eschborn
Tour of Vancouver
Torshavn GP
GP Plouay
Euskal Bizikleta
Uppsala Classic
Tour of San Luis
Giro del Trentino
Tour of Japan
GP Lugano
Olympia TTT
Int. Osterreich Rundfahrt
Hong Kong Challenge
Tour of South Africa
) was a very good PT loanee considering his stats and has a couple of memorable moments, will be keeping an eye over him this season and beyond 
