- Each member gets 4.0 points to spread however they like over the 13 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 55.0.
- Stats are bumped up in PCM when they hit that number, ex. 55.9 = 55 in-game, and 61.4 = 61 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 85. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery.
- Comment below to provide stat upgrades

Summary: First-year Danish transfer Kristian Bagger comes up huge with two goals coming after the 85th minute. He only had two goals in 11 league appearances coming into this contest.

Rating: 6.7 - Subbed on in the 72nd minute. Ran around. Had some fun. Give Bagger a couple high-fives. Collected a win.

Player of Game: Kristian Bagger, Feyenoord (9.0)

Summary: Feyenoord is playing with fire. It takes another late push to secure a 2-0 win. This time it's Adbulkadir Omur and Rodolfo Pizarro coming up clutch. Both assists came from winger Emilian Brie.

Rating: N/A - Subbed on in the 85th minute. Time wasted. Got the win.

Player of Game: Emilian Brie, Feyenoord (8.0)

Summary: The 20-year-old Dutch prospect Ivo Swinkels had Feyenoord believing in an upset with a classy goal in the 30th minute, assisted by Otavio. But Isaac Asante found the equalizer five minutes later and substitute Alexander Isak notched the winner on a rebound goal in the 78th minute.

Feyenoord put up a tough fight, a good sign for the second leg at home coming up. Getting that one away goal could also be a deciding factor.

Rating: 6.6 - Subbed on in the 73rd minute. Felt awful when Isak pushed past me to score what turned out to be the game-winning goal. That's not going to look good on film.

Player of Game: Isaac Asante, VfL Wolfsburg (8.4)

Summary: If you like goals and no defense, this was the game to be at. Seven in total with six different goal scorers. Rodolfo Pizarro was the only man to score twice. Feyenoord's Yassin Ayoub didn't score, but dished out three assists.

Rating: 6.5 - Subbed on in the 61st minute. Again, didn't do much.

Player of Game: Rodolfo Pizarro, Feyenoord (9.3)

Summary: Big opportunities produce big moments. Soak it in Feyenoord fans. Otavio gets one of the luckiest bounces of the season to move Feyenoord on to the Round of 16 due to away goals. A corner kick taken by Yassin Ayoub found Otavio on the edge of the box. With bodies in front, Otavio blasted a shot into the chaos. It hit 2-3 defenders before trickling over the line for the only goal of the game. Deserved or not, Feyenoord survives to the next round. Some Leap Day magic?

Rating: 6.7 - Subbed on in the 64th minute. Was on the field to witness Octavio's winner. What a moment and celebration with the home fans. Got to keep this momentum moving forward.

Player of Game: Pedro Empis, Feyenoord (7.7)

- Each member gets 6.5 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Only stats that aren't locked can be upgraded.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 1.0.
- Stats are bumped up in FM when they hit that number, ex. 2.9 = 2 in-game, and 13.4 = 13 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 20. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery and is different from the cycling progression scale.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.

Summary: Early season cobbles always tests who is ready to race out of the gates. Let's see which cyclists have prepared for today's test. Mads Pedersen is the defending winner, while Mike Teunissen won in 2022 and was runner-up in 2021. Yet, that said, the oddsmakers are heavily favouring 2020 Paris-Roubaix winner Tiesj Benoot.


Sunny and rainy. A weird mix. Also an unusual attack here.

The morning breakaway of five is 2'30" up the road and four more attackers have decided to test their luck with 115kms to go. They are Bettiol (77COB), Gougeard (75), Eekhoff (78) and Wisniowski (76), so not a group to take lightly.

Later, De Witte (77) and Jakobsen (74, 82SP) also make the move up the road. The peloton is content to let them go for now.


The rain stops. The attacks haven't. Here goes Van Poppel (76, 79) and Van Lerberghe with 102kms to go. And then Van Keirsbulck (78) as well. All the other attackers have reached the morning breakaway.


What is going on? If you can't beat them, join them? Now we have Vliegen (74), Frison (76), De Vreese (77) and Diamond (79) leaving the safety of the peloton with 98kms to go. I don't quite understand, but if this move somehow sticks, these cyclists will look like geniuses.

Wait one more cyclist is behind Diamond, and that's superstar sprinter Gaviria (73, 84). Honestly... What is going on here?


They have all bridged across the gap. We have 19, yes 19 cyclists in the front group with 82kms to go. The peloton is 2'30" back. But, with 16 of the 25 teams represented up front now, how hard is the peloton going to push to catch them?


With 35kms to go, original breakaway member Kanter is the first to disturb the peace with an attack. He's not great on the cobbles, so a last-ditch effort. If anything, it will give the rest of the breakaway somebody to chase for a little bit as they try to push the pace to keep the peloton from catching.


As expected, a rather useless move by Kanter. The front group is down to 16 cyclists, but more importantly the peloton is only 1'16" back with 29kms left.


Interesting. Peter Sagan decides to jump the gap as the peloton is slowly but surely reeling back the front group. Not sure if that was a smart move by Sagan. Then again, I don't think we have seen a lot of smart moves today. But, it's been fun!


As we complete the last long cobbled sector with 21kms to go, the remaining peloton has made the catch. We have 32 cyclists with a shot at the victory. Hold up, as we were watching the catch, Bettiol has slipped off the front and is going for solo glory.

Bettiol is pulled back. Five more now sneak away in the confusion: Vanmarcke, Pedersen, Van Aert, Gaviria and race favourite Benoot.


As the rest of the peloton threw in the white flag to catch these latest attackers with 5kms to go, Diamond isn't giving up hope and goes after them himself. And he is joined by Politt moments later.


It was a lost cause though. Benoot nips fellow countrymen Vanmarcke and Van Aert on the line.

Result: 26th - Was on pace for a seventh place finish, but my legs just stopped working with 700 meters to go. The remaining peloton sprinted past to give me my worse finish in this race so far.

But, man, wasn't that an exciting way to start the season?

- Each member gets 4.0 points to spread however they like over the 13 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 55.0.
- Stats are bumped up in PCM when they hit that number, ex. 55.9 = 55 in-game, and 61.4 = 61 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 85. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery.
- Comment below to provide stat upgrades

Summary: In his first game action in over two weeks, Marcus Diamond makes a triumphant return off the bench with a soaring header in the 90th minute to secure three massive points for Feyenoord. Big game: Diamond usually delivers.


Rating: 7.1 - Subbed on in the 58th minute. Scored the game winner. Hey, coach, can I get my starting job back now?

Player of Game: Pedro Empis, Feyenoord (8.3)

Summary: After 40 nail-biting minutes, Feyenoord treats their home supporters to a memorable 5-0 thrashing to demoralize Red Bull Salzburg. What a way to punch your ticket to the quarterfinals.

Speaking of which, the random draw has a cruel sense of humor pairing up the two Dutch rivals — Feyenoord and Ajax — in the next round. What a spectacle that is going to be. Not to mention they also have to play a league game right between the two Europa games. A tripleheader of De Klassieker matches. Can't wait!

Rating: 7.8 - Subbed on in the 33rd minute after Yassin Ayoub got injured. Not sure I was going to play if Ayoub doesn't get hurt (he is out 3-4 weeks with a groin strain). I will say the offense surely picked up when I got on the pitch, despite me not getting any goals or assists.

Player of Game: Ivo Swinkels, Feyenoord (8.9)

Summary: NAC needed 48 seconds to grab the lead on a goal by Albert Guomundsson. But that was answered in the 8th minute by Marcus Diamond making a statement that he should have been starting for a while now. Albeit, playing somewhat out of position as the lone striker, Diamond nods home his fifth Eredivisie goal this season. Abdulkadir Omur buried a penalty right before halftime, which held up as the winner.

Rating: 6.9 - Just proving I belong here and I deserve to start again.

Player of Game: Sofiane Alakouch, Feyenoord (7.2)

- Each member gets 6.5 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Only stats that aren't locked can be upgraded.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 1.0.
- Stats are bumped up in FM when they hit that number, ex. 2.9 = 2 in-game, and 13.4 = 13 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 20. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery and is different from the cycling progression scale.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.

Summary: Andre Looij spoils a home victory for Marc Sarreau and Christophe Laporte to take the first leader's jersey here in Houdan.

Result: 37th - Didn't challenge the sprint. Saving my energy for more crucial stages, but props to teammate Niklas Markl for his Top 5.

Summary: Re-rack and release the sprinters again. This time Christophe Laporte and Marc Sarreau get the best of Andre Looij. And despite, a pretty large gap behind the sprinters, everybody gets the same time.

Result: 50th - Again, just saving energy. Markl with another Top 5!

Summary: Classified as flat, but boy does that Cat. 3 climb up the Cote de Becoup look tempting for an attack. Will anyone take the bait?


Never look to far ahead because a crash before the second sprint point has split the peloton. 44 cyclists in the front group, the yellow jersey of Andre Looij is not here. Sarreau, MAL, Dylan Van Baarle and Harry Zuurman missed the split as well.

Six cyclists have withdrawn: Cavagna, Lutsenko, S. Yates, Russo and Wirtgen. Sounds like it was a pretty nasty crash, kind of glad our cameras missed it.


Herioc effort by Looij in yellow to bridge across the gap himself to rejoin the front peloton with 30kms to go. The climb is coming up with still five breakaway riders a minute up the road. There are now 49 cyclists in the lead chase group.


Anna van der Breggen is the last breakaway rider to survive and she rightfully takes the KoM points at the top to increase her lead in that competition. The peloton is closing in quick, and surprisingly no attacks.


AvdB is caught. So, all we have remaining is 25 cyclists in the front group battling for the stage win. Also we have more reports of crashes further back, but we will keep our attention here at the front of the race.


It's incredibly close! But Looij takes it! What a day for him.

Result: 12th - Stayed out of trouble, which a lot of cyclists didn't today. Some big names lost time. But, again, kudos to Markl... Another Top 5!

Summary: The possibility of any favourites attacking is stopped by the peloton still chasing after two breakaway riders as we head over the final climb of the day with 31kms to go. Leading the race is Jack Haig, followed by Maikel Zijlaard 1'30" back and the peloton another minute behind him.


The sprinters go for the sprint check point and scoop up Zijlaard in the process. Haig is still two minutes up the road with 14kms left. Haig is no threat to the overall GC, already down seven-plus minutes, so how hard will the peloton push to reel him back for a stage win?


Haig hits a wall with about 6kms to go and the charging peloton is closing in on his back wheel with 3kms left. French national champion David Gaudu is going for the win with Tomas Hyravy providing Marcus Diamond an ideal springboard.


Gaudu bridges across to Haig. Hyravy and Diamond are joined by Tim Wellens and Odd Christian Eiking. Those four have about a 10-second gap to the rest of the field.


Under the banner! It's Gaudu leading the way. Haig is gasping for air. Diamond is coming on strong with the peloton closing in as well.


Diamond to the lead! What a huge burst of speed from the Brit!


And now Gaudu fights back! Maybe he just didn't realize Diamond was that close too him? Does Diamond have a second burst? 500 meters left!


New contenders have arrived! It's former World Champion Magnus Cort Nielsen flying into the lead with 300 meters left. Looks like Diamond and Gaudu both went way too soon.


It's a victory for Cort Nielsen!

Result: 9th, 18th GC (+24" - Move the finish line up a few hundred meters and I get my first win this season. Man, that was crazy.

Summary: It's been an extremely hard day and now the remaining 20-cyclist peloton has to avoid some wild cattle before starting the final categorized climb of the afternoon. This group is still chasing one recent attacker, former TDF winner Teo Geoghegan Hart. The Brit is clinging to a 40 second lead with 22kms to go.


The chase group makes the turn onto the Col de la Mure with 15kms to go, Geoghegan Hart can be seen in the distance. This is one last leg burner to decide who will be the new race leader as the yellow jersey of Andre Looij is nowhere to be found.


Geoghegan Hart is pulled back with 5.6kms left to the top of the climb. That sets up an attack from French national champion David Gaudu! The home country hero failed yesterday, but that's not stopping him today!


This stage is for the warriors. While the slopes are unforgiving, so is the weather. It starts raining for the first time today. Four cyclists have the willpower to go after Gaudu: Latour, Kwiatkowski, Soler and Lopez.


Riders are cracking left and right. This is Muhlberger, Diamond (leading the youth competition), Bilbao and a deflated Geoghegan Hart getting thrown off the back with 3.7kms left to the top of the climb.


This is Soler losing contact to the leaders. That leaves Gaudu, Latour, Kwiatkowski and Lopez in the front group.


The pain on their faces. These four reach the summit together. Still 8kms to go with one more small incline to the finish.


In a downpour, it's Kwiatkowski with a memorable victory.

Result: 18th (+8'02", 14th GC (+8'12" - Hung on for as long as I could. This will go down as one of the hardest stages I have ever ridden in my career. This race never let up from the drop of the flag. Looks like I might have the U25 competition wrapped up with a seven-plus minutes on second place Maxim Shirshov. But, then again, he is a way better time trialist than I am. And guess what the next stage is...

Summary: Michal Kwiatkowski kept Pierre-Roger Latour at-bay, increasing his GC lead out by two seconds. Youth leader Marcus Diamond was sweeting a few bullets during his ride after hearing the time's eventually stage winner Maxim Shirshov set. But, Diamond only finished a minute down to keep the white jersey by over six minutes.

Result: 36th (+1'01', 15th GC (+8'42" - Actually thought I would lose more time over 27.2kms but we will happily take this result. Realistically, 14th place overall is the highest I could rise with Felix Grosschartner now 22 seconds ahead of me. David Gaudu, 13th overall, is nearly three minutes ahead of Grosschartner.

Summary: We are going for the biggest breakaway of all-time today as 28 cyclists are allowed to jump off the front. Only 104 cyclists remain back in the peloton.


With four separate fractured breakaway groups up the road, Mr. Attacker David Gaudu goes on the offensive again with 13.5kms to go. Vos, Gall and Eiking in his slipstream.


That's the winning move. The four of them weave through the remaining breakaway riders until Gall powers away solo for the stage victory.

Result: 20th (+1'10", 13th GC (+8'42" - A crash by 8th overall Egan Arley Bernal and a poor day by Felix Grosschartner — losing over five minutes — sees me move up two GC spots with one stage remaining.

Summary: Our cameras pick up the peloton, yes the peloton, with 43kms to go. Only 24 cyclists remain after numerous crashes at the start of the day have turned this final stage upside down. In front of the peloton are the five cyclists. Three in front group with Eiking, van der Breggen and Haig. Two chasers 50 seconds back with Polanc and Kruijswijk. And the peloton 1'30 behind them.

Biggest names missing from the depleted peloton: 14th overall Pello Bilbao, 17th Felix Grosschartner and 19th overall Alexandre Geniez.


The penultimate climb up the La Turbie features a failed attack by David Gaudu (who else?), Polanc and Kruijswijk getting pulled back and the peloton shrinking to 21 riders. The Top 14 cyclists in the GC are still here.


The final climb of the tour, the Col d'Eze, and a new face is pacing the peloton: Marcus Diamond. He doesn't want any attackers to go clear because if he can hold this together, you got to like his chances in a sprint finish.


Diamond does it. He somehow holds the peloton together over the final climb. They can see van der Breggen just 20-seconds ahead of them with Eiking and Haig around the next bend with about a 45-second gap. 16kms to go.


Not happy with the pacing from his competitors in the peloton. Diamond unleashes a downhill attack with 4kms to go. The three breakaway riders are still at-large.


The attack opens a decent gap with Diamond dragging along Gall, Bernal, Gaudu and Vos. But, they aren't going to catch today's winner...


It's Odd Christian Eiking outsprinting the KoM winner Jack Haig for the stage victory. Anna van der Breggen gets caught by group Diamond and finishes sixth.


Speaking of group Diamond, he gets credit for creating a 36-second gap to the other favourites but suffers by taking last in their sprint.

Result: 8th (+34", 13th GC (+8'06", 1st Youth - Only person that wanted to do something on the final stage. Didn't get any support, which is a shame because I think I could have won this stage today. But, alas, I'll take my white jersey and move on to the next race.

Summary: The oddsmakers liked Alex Vogel heading into stage's race, it's her teammate Marcus Diamond trying to escape with 6kms to go!


Doesn't work... The pack back together come to final cobbled climb.


It's a double for Team Saeco. Matteo Moschetti tops teammate Runako Tshabalala in a race decided by the sprinters. SEG might be a tad disappointed not getting at least a Top 5 here, but three in the Top 10 ain't bad: Diamond (7th), Vogel (8th) and Ramon Sinkeldam (9th).

Result: 7th - Made a move for the win. Not just for myself, but for Vogel as well back in the peloton. We just didn't have the speed to keep up at the end. Also, not often Vogel, Grace and I get to compete in the same race. It was quite enjoyable.

Summary: For those looking for a thrilling race, look away. The breakaway spoils this one. The favourites couldn't work together and squandered their chance to bring back the 9-cyclist morning break.

Result: 18th - Finished in the second favourites group. Not much to say about this one. Many helpers got dropped early on and we didn't have the firepower left to pull back the breakaway. That doesn't happen often in an one-day race, but it happened here today. Props to them.

Summary: You would think the favourites would learn their lesson after what happened two days ago at Record Bank E3. It's not the morning breakaway this time but a group of lesser known attackers get away with about 40kms to go and stay clear to take the front placings. Very poor from the peloton.

Result: 9th - Followed a late attack by Peter Sagan to nip the other lackluster favourites for a Top 10 finish.

Summary: A weird split sees a strong of eight cyclists separate from the pack with 45kms to go. They have some big names here with Per, Stuyven, Boom and Diamond. Plus, Liquigas has two helpers for Per.


This split is going to stick. A few cyclists realize this and try hard to get across the gap. Only one succeeds: Van Lerberghe (76CO, 75SP). He joins Van Gestel (72, 69), Diamond (79, 75), Per (83, 72), Boom (77, 69) and Stuyven (80, 76).

These six have a growing lead with 30kms left. Will they continue to work together or try to stab each other in the back?


We can say goodbye to Van Lerberghe with 23kms to go. Looks like Diamond is struggle a bit too on the back of the group. Looking comfortable is Stuyven with teammate Van Gestel pacing the group.


No! I don't believe it! Race favourite Per gets a flat with 16kms to go! Surely he can't make his way back now as the four remaining leaders aren't going to wait for him. What a terrible break for him.


Van Gestel is gassed and dropped. That means it's time for Stuyven to go! The Belgium tries to distance himself from Boom and Diamond with 13kms to go.


Stuyven is gone! But look at this, Per quickly gets his tire changed and has rejoined Boom and Diamond. Maybe the trio can work together to reduce Stuyven's one-minute advantage?


Per is a man on a mission. Boom can't keep up with the pace as we hit the final cobbled sector. Diamond is wheel sucking the best he can. Surely he would be the favourite if Per can pull back Stuyven and this turns into dramatic sprint to the line.


Diamond can't wait for a sprint. Per looks gassed and Diamond knows it. He will have 2kms to try and track down Stuyven. Is it possible?


No. Stuyven played his attack to perfection.


Result: 2nd - Quality race. Crazy with Per getting the flat and coming back. Maybe without the flat we pull back Stuyven's attack. But, regardless, I'll happily take second. Showed what I'm truly capable of.

- Each member gets 4.0 points to spread however they like over the 13 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 55.0.
- Stats are bumped up in PCM when they hit that number, ex. 55.9 = 55 in-game, and 61.4 = 61 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 85. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery.
- Comment below to provide stat upgrades