We had a horrible February with our captains disappointing almost everywhere. March could go the same way, if we can't step up our game.
Grand Prix Herning
2.3.
cobbled
Captain: Jempy Drucker
C1
Value:
Jempy Drucker
Captain
Martin Laas
Domestique
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Albert Timmer
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
We are going a step up in C1. Only captain is Drucker, we are hoping for a Top10 here. A reduced bunch sprint of around 10-20 riders would be the perfect scenario. A breakaway appearance would be appreciated too.
Goal: Top 10sadly we know better
Tour of Southland
10.3.-17.3.
Stage Racing
Captain: Igor Anton
C2
Value:
Igor Anton
Captain
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Andrew Tennant
TT captain
Egidijus Juodvalkis
Domestique
Siarhei Papok
Sprinter
Albert Timmer
Domestique
Grega Bole
Stage Hunter
Gabor Kasa
Domestique
Igor Anton has the opportunity to make up for his missed showing off at the Middle East. Being an aggressive rider should help him to attack early on that decicive stage 5. His okay TT-ability should help him to get at least a Top5, but a Top3 is what we want (and kind of need). Juodvalkis should lead him into the final climb on stage 5.
Tennant is here for the 2 TTs. They both don't suit him too well, but he will be hot on making up for his failed attempt in the Middle East. Maybe we see him finally attacking a flat stage too.
Kasa could be a surprise placement if the mountain stage is raced calmly and the TTs have more impact. An outsider for the TT stages he might be too.
Papok needs to try a sprint here. If we would've known how desinterested he was in the Middle East we wouldn't have sent him here, know he's with Bole and Räim to maybe even create a train.
Bole is here for stage 3. Please get in tehre well positioned, then it could be our first victory of the season.
Timmer had a great day at the season opener, can he score via breaks or even late attacks?
It's Krasnoperovs race to lose, but anything is possible here for our basque mountain goat.
Goal: Top 3 GC & Stage Win
Tour of Bulgaria
18.3.-22.3.
Climbers
Captain: Igor Anton
C2HC
Value:
Igor Anton
Captain
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Andrew Tennant
Lieutenant
Egidijus Juodvalkis
Domestique
Grega Bole
Domestique
Albert Timmer
Domestique
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Gabor Kasa
Domestique
This is the most Anton race our team has. We have 3 tough climbing stages and a medium-long TTT. If Igor doesn't go too early he should be able to podium on the first mountain stage. Our strong TTT line-up including Tennant and Kasa could then lead to a fantastic position after stage 2, maybe even the race lead. From then on we have a strong squad to help Anton scoring.
Bole might be the only guy with a half-decent sprint here, so he could mix up and target stage 4. Our TT guys and Timmer also very much capable of doing so via attacks.
We might face strong oposition here (Garby, de la Cruz, Krasnoperov), but we feel like a GC podium is very much possible.
Goal: Top 3 GCEdited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:05
GC review: Before the race it was clear that 4 riders could win this thing: Krasnoperov, Sella, Tvetcov or Anton. Well who did it? Banana-man Yasmani Martinez! So was there room for improvement?
Before the race we would've taken this, but hopes had a rise as Krasnoperov lost tons of time early. The team did a great job guiding Anton into the decicive mountain, and there he screwed up his tactics completely. We waited far too long, putting Timmer in the pace making for Anton while the pair in front went away. At the end Anton gained time on the riders placed in front of him after his attack, which leads us to the speculation that he might could've won this thing by better tactics and using his acceleration. Cause his TT form was good.
Like this we took a solid 2nd, well-rounded with a 13th place overall by Tennant and a 16th by Kasa. Well played of these to scratch some minor points, especially for the earlier one of these it could've been more if the splits on stage 8 would've worked out. Timmer could've benefitted from that as well to join the points places. Juodvalkis again disappointing and nowhere to be seen near the front.
8/10
Stage Review: One stage win was expected at least, especially looking at the TT line-ups here. Giving up Differdange for this made it a must-stage win race for Tennant, being the best chrono guy here. Luckily he made up in the second time trial with a dominant win of what was before in the prologue a bloodless performance. Stage win achieved in style.
Bole attempted a good one on stage 3, the one with the hilly final. The outcome was only the unlucky 4th spot there.
On sprinters stages he shown our usual disease, doing nothing together with Papok. Sad stuff, as our flat power squad with Tennant, Timmer, Räim, Papok and Bole could've worked out really well here.
Instead we Zubeldia'd ourselves through most of the stages, for some reason avoiding to go into the break or spicing things up by provoking splits on the flat. Disappointing performance in terms of activity and participation there, which also leads to the fact that we completely lack to join any classification than the GC.
4/10
Man of the race:Igor Antón
Retard of the race:Egidijus JudovalkisEdited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:24
GC review: Pre-Race we could've been happy with a Top 3, seeing that the likes of Sella, Garby and the dangerous Southern Americans were here. But this race went elsewhere. Literally from 100 to 0.
Finishing 4th overall should've been okay, but as this race went it's a shocking disappointment. Cause 4/5 stage Anton was in contension for the win and a podium seemed safe. But then the man with the hammer came and hit us hard.
By the way, no other guys from our team finished up the points stands. Yes, not even Juodvalkis.
1
Serghei Tvetcov
cycleYorkshire s/b ASDA-Savers
14h54'30
2
Jonathan Salinas
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
+ 40
3
Martin Hacecký
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 55
4
Igor Antón
Isostar - Adriatic
+ 1'31
5
Marc Christian Garby
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
+ 1'54
On the bright side we got some additional points for leaders jerseys, especially as we won the points classification here.
Stage Review:
Stage 1 was amazing. Just amazing. We controlled the whole race. Kasa covering attacks in the first part of the race while the team was working.
Even Juodvalkis did a good job for the first time with our team. He lead Antón into the final 3kms of climbing where our main man attacked from his backwheel.
Our main man attacked from then on 2 times. Both weren't successful enough to create a decicive gap, but onto the finishing line no one was able to overtake Antón, so that he managed to secure his first win of the season and taking the lead in 3 classifications.
Stage 2 had a TTT for us. We were not the favourites to defend our lead, but we had Tennant and Kasa here to lok our TTT train. Limiting damage it was, losing the leaders jersey but staying far ahead of guys like Sella and Garby here.
Stage 3 presented the most horrible climbing one, and here most horrible means perfect for Antón. He went on the attack with Sella early, only to attack him and getting pulled back lateron.
He followed some attacks again on the last mountain. Finishing with the best of the pack again he lunched for bunusses on top there even but failed finishing fourth.
Stage 4 seen Bole in his captain role. But we didn't see him the whole race, including the sprint behind the breakaway. P27 won't help him if he wants a leader's role on the flat in the future.
Stage 5 was just horrible. It should've suited Antón perfectly, instead he followed everything overambitious and cracked. Attractive but dumb style. Podium lost to weaker opponence with smarter tactics. Shocking.
4.5/10
Man of the race:Igor Antón
Retard of the race:Grega BoleEdited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:24
Shame about your goal, however I think you should be a bit more satisfied with the result which is quite good. Sure, things looked better after 4 stages, but that's a part everyone will face at some point, leaders will fail from time to time, just sad that it now happened in a goal-race.
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game
fjhoekie wrote:
Shame about your goal, however I think you should be a bit more satisfied with the result which is quite good. Sure, things looked better after 4 stages, but that's a part everyone will face at some point, leaders will fail from time to time, just sad that it now happened in a goal-race.
yep of course, still a petty as we need every single point to defend a Top10 in the rankings
After an okay March, where Anton made up for what others lost and Tennant could finally win a TT. Now we have an equally turbulent month ahead, with Drucker's chances in De Pannes C1 cobbles, Bole in Almaty and the race clash with Langkawi and Azerbaidjan, where our climbers head east and our sprinters head far east.
KBC De Panne Tour
3.-6.4.
cobbled
Captain: Jempy Drucker
C1
Value:
Jempy Drucker
Captain
Andrew Tennant
Free Role
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Mihkel Räim
Domestique
Albert Timmer
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Siarhei Papok
Domestique
Our captain in this C1 race is Drucker, we are hoping for a Top10 here after Herning's crashing failure. A reduced bunch sprint of around 10-20 riders in the cobbled stage would be the perfect scenario, in generally the more riders reaching the finishing line together the better, cause then we could play out our strength in the short TT at the end, where at least Tennant is hoping for a Top10. Some breakaway appearances would be appreciated too.
Goal: Top 15 & Stage Top5
Tour of Almaty
11.4.
hilly
Captain: Grega Bole
C2
Value:
Grega Bole
Captain
Jempy Drucker
Domestique
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Mihkel Räim
Domestique
Albert Timmer
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Martin Laas
Domestique
In this C2 race we don't have too much hope for a great result. Hills are definitely not our greatest discipline, and our captain Grega Bole won't be strong enough to compete against the best. Still if this ends in a hilly sprint Bole could have chances for a Top3, if it's a hard race then even reaching the Top10 will be tough.
Goal: Top 7
Tour de Langkawi
19.-28.4.
flat & climbs
Captain: Luka Mezgec
C2HC
Value:
Luka Mezgec
Sprinter
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Jempy Drucker
Sprint Train
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Siarhei Papok
Sprint Train
Martin Laas
Domestique
Egidijus Juodvalkis
Climber
Tour of Langkawi has one big thing to achieve for us. A stage win. We came here with Mezgec and our best train to be highly competitive. Otherwise Drucker also targets the prologue, while Juodvalkis (yes, really!) will have the chance to captain our team for the climbs. But, as said, it's Papok --> Drucker --> Mezgec for the win here.
Goal: Stage Win & Top3 Points Classification
Tour de Azerbaijan
22.-25.4.
climbers
Captain: Igor Anton
C2
Value:
Igor Anton
Captain
Gabor Kasa
Domestique
Grega Bole
Stage Hunter
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Alber Timmer
Lieutenant
Mihkel Räim
Domestique
There is one rule in CT cycling in Man-Game this year. When Anton is there it's getting fast and furious, and at the end he can't live up to the expectations though drawing the lines of the race massively. Here he's got another chance to justify himself as one of the top CT Stage Racer. A win is needed though to do that, but a Top3 will do it. It also depends on whether he's got the toughest opposition here of if that has gone to Langkawi.
Both Bole in the stages for fast men and Timmer via an attack could score the much needed victory for us as well, but it's more likely that at least Timmer has to support Anton. Even without looking at the competition we can say that a GC podium is a must achieve goal. A stage win either from Anton or Bole seems possible too, but we need full gas of the team then.
Goal: Top3 & Stage WinEdited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:06
In our only C1 Tour it should've been all about Drucker for the GC, with Tennant hoping for a good TT as well and at least some kind of breakaway appearance.
Drucker already lost the GC on stage one, where he crashed hard. Coming in 8 minutes behind the winner it was all over, even though he climbed some paces by anonymous rides on the following days. Looking at the final results a Top10 would've been wel possible in terms of GC, now we have to be okay with P20.
Tennant has hoped for a good TT, and he missed the podium only by 2 seconds on freakin Vermote to finish 4th there. Good job from him though there. Trying nothing on other stages though is not impressive.
Our breakaway guys lead by Albert Timmer had some lazy days. Katrasnik saving the day coming 6th from a breakaway, but a disappointing performance in terms of breakaways too.
Shonak wrote:
Nice for Strava to meet up with Tennant at De Panne again. How about we split stage wins 50/50?
Well I like that idea! I take the TT and stage 3 from a break, you take the cobbled stages and the overall? Deal?
Despite the race not being so good for you you two weren't far off Nice writeup
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
We knew before the race that our captain Grega Bole won't be the strongest puncheur if it comes to climb a hill the fastest, but that we have our chances if a pretty big group comes to the final together.
Still if this ends in a hilly sprint Bole could have chances for a Top3, if it's a hard race then even reaching the Top10 will be tough.
The race then was incredibly uninspiring, which was kind of great for us. Especially as the attacks on the final climb could get pulled back and it was clear that a big bunch will sprint for the victory.
Firstly we then thought that captain Bole was too far back in the group, cause he was at least ten rows of riders in behind under the kite. But then he did a fantastic sprint onto the podium, even pulling Jempy Drucker onto a great position.
Double result, we can't complain about the amount of points scored here. Still with a good positioning Simon Yates might have been beatable for Bole, but that would've been the champaign on the party. We'll just happily suck that thought and celebrate!
We had one big achievement to get. Proving the worth of our train and showing what we are capable of in sprints. What was the outcome of it? Having the man-power but not delivering a single sprinttrain. Why? We can't tell.
Instead we had a lot of different results, from not even competing to winning the bunch sprint. Well Mezgec would've achieved a win and 3 podiums if it wasn't for breakaways. So yes, not a single podium for us. Great.
This of course lead to the fact that we had no shot on the points jersey which we planned. Also the stage win goal was failed in a horrible way, especially disappointing with Mezgec looking good at some points in Malaysia.
Are you kiddin me? Mezgec winning the sprint and coming 7th on stage 6 - at least beating Scully
I would've never thought that I might say it, but our real deal in this race turned out to be Egidijus Juodvalkis. Our lithuanian climber took a stunning 6th place overall after two strong performances in the mountains. Who would've guessed to see the guy that disappointed that much so far to score our majority of the points here?
Wait what? Juodvalkis leading Sella on stage 3...
At least every single of our 3 youngsters did some agressive racing. All three of Katrasnik, Laas & Nommela found their space to attack and gain some weightful experience. They could even achieve two decent breakaway results. Good job!
This was a big race for us. And you'll see, we went all in for him in terms of working for our leaders. Igor Anton is our man for the GC, while Grega "Geschke light" Bole is hunting for stages.
Stage 1: The best opportunity for Bole with the uprising last kilometer. So we did set up a train with Pibernik & Timmer. Our young slovenian then did the almost impossible and completely crushed the peloton:
With only Demoitie hanging onto our train Timmer launched it for the final kilometer, for giving our captain a 1 vs. 1. Grega Bole finished it off to make it a perfect start!
Stage 2 gave us a "mountain" stage that was raced as a flat one. So a big group came in together for a sprint finish, sadly Bole didn't make the cut. Timmer & Anton were there though, and so they grabbed an outstanding 3rd and 4th. Things can't become any better can't they?
But at Stage 3 it got even better. Another slow race, but our team lead captain Anton perfectly onto the last couple of hilly kilometers. There he rode from the front, dragging himself up the hill making sure that noone would be able to overtake him until they reached the finishing line, so that Anton would make it our second stage victory and even take over the yellow jersey!
So Stage 4 should make it our best tour ever? No! The yellow jersey disease hit us hard once again. Anton managed to completely fail his positioning and managed to fall behind when the vital moves were done.
Spoiler
Especially it seemed like Xero's manager chantal7 wasn't able to put his fading leader a little bit downer and thus intentionally destroying our race. You started an HQ war Kiwi!
Instead he finished fourth, thus also dropping down to fourth overall. This isn't considered bad at all with two stage wins and the green jersey, but again loosing a possible win on the last stage was rather disappointing.Especially cause GC placements matter the most ranking-pointwise, and we really need every point in the battle for promotion.
Goal: Top3 & Stage Win --> failed
6.5/10
Man of the race:Luka Pibernik
Retard of the race:Gabor KasaEdited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:22
If Anton had any strength he'd position himself second or third wheel - as yellow jerseys do - therefore he was struggling too as he finished with Salinas.
BOOM logic in your face
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
jandal7 wrote:
If Anton had any strength he'd position himself second or third wheel - as yellow jerseys do - therefore he was struggling too as he finished with Salinas.
jandal7 wrote:
If Anton had any strength he'd position himself second or third wheel - as yellow jerseys do - therefore he was struggling too as he finished with Salinas.
BOOM logic in your face
remember that he outsprinted Salinas with ease
we had that discussion already and you lost
Downhill sprint, Anton's a fatty, he wins that sprint, I win argument
Spoiler
You win points
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
Grand Prix Herning 
Tour of Southland 
Tour of Bulgaria 
KBC De Panne Tour 
Tour of Almaty 
Tour de Langkawi 
Tour de Azerbaijan 
Nice writeup 
