Stage 3: Pibernik in the winning break, but dropped late
Pibernik tries it again with a breakaway on Stage 4
Nommela in the break on stage 5
Final stage 6: Pibernik again in the break, caught as the last one under the flamme rouge
1
Marco Canola
MOL - OMW Petrom
24h08'18
2
Andreas Stauff
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 13
3
Michael Torckler
KAYAK-Clas Ohlson
s.t.
11
Luka Mezgec
Isostar - Adriatic
+ 1'03
Goal: Top 5 + Stage Win --> failed
2.5/10
Man of the Race:Luka Pibernik - He tried as good as he can with several breakaway appearances. Very unlucky though with fading in the winning stage, dropping in the Echolons and then getting caught under the kite on stage 6...6th in KOM, 10th in points (all from breaks, ahead of Mezgec!!!) and 23rd overall is a great showing of the young Slovenian
Retard of the race:Luka Mezgec - 1 Top 10 in a 6-day sprinters race? Are you kidding me? The allmighty lord of going too early and throwing away good positions like that...
Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:17
Man of the Race:Igor Anton - He did what he was there for, being one of the Top 3 climbers in the peloton.
Retard of the race:Helpers - Why wouldn't you actually chase to help Antón in one of the biggest races of his season?
Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:17
A disappointing start meant two complete missed opportunities. In the first sprint stage our best man was Drucker in the low Top 20s; the second stage, which should have had a perfect punchy sprint finish for Grega, only found Kasa in 9th. Stage 3 though gave us a first good result with...
...Kasa in 8th and...
...Tennant in second. Another two pathetic stages would follow, where both Mezgec and Bole completely failed to show anything in there home race. On the bright side, Tennant was able to hold on to his 2nd overall, which is pretty good given the presence of the mighty Russian. Kasa even went up a place to 7th overall on the final hilly stage, which is a nice points bonus.
Man of the Race:Gabor Kasa - These types of races are why he was brought in, some nice extra points in 7th. Tennant also performing like he was supposed to, which was a good sign here in second.
Retard of the race:Stage Hunters - A no-show by Mezgec, a no-show by Bole. Not even one single Top 15 by either is just pathetic. Also no breaks is sad, only Drucker shining with some half-decent sprinting attempts but without countable results. A big disappointment.
Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:17
July confronted us with some major disappointments. The only thing our stage hunters are clinical in is failing pathetically. On the bright sight, we say some breakaway appearances by our youngsters in Africa and Poland, a decent GC result in our home race and a strong Antón in his penultimate leaders race. Still, looking at the rankings direct promotion seems to be out of reach with our spare racing calendar remaining.
Promotion contenders:
1
1
Kraftwerk Man Machine
1544
2
2
Podium Ambition
1417
3
4
Ferrero - Samruk
1360
4
3
Chiquita - Universal
1114
5
6
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
1107
6
5
Isostar - Adriatic
1047
7
12
La Poste - Mavic
925
8
10
MOL - OMV Petrom
919
9
13
Xero Racing p/b Octagon
867
10
7
Sauber Petronas Racing
856
11
8
Team Ticos Air Costa Rica
815
12
9
New Balance
775
13
11
cycleYorkshire s/b ASDA-Savers
682
Having to watch USAPCC from distance will hurt us, instead we have two 1-day options to try and shine: Tatranska as the last leading race for Antón and the penultimate chance for Drucker to show his worth in Cigar City.
Cigar City Brewing Twilight GP
16.8.
cobbled
Captain: Jempy Drucker
C2
Value:
Jempy Drucker
Captain
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Albert Timmer
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Martin Laas
Domestique
Ahmet Örken
Domestique
Druckers last one day race. He has to shine here, as the race is perfectly made for him and a small bunch sprint expected. His support isn't great, but especially Timmer has already proven his worth for us several times this season. Some youngsters among the party too, trying to gain in experience and attracting a breakaway. We also welcome our stagiare Ahmet Örken!
Goal: Top 3
Tatranska Klasika
31.8.
climbers
Captain: Igor Anton
C2HC
Value:
Igor Anton
Captain
Gabor Kasa
Domestique
Egidijus Juodvalkis
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Alber Timmer
Domestique
Rok Korosec
Domestique
Martin Laas
Domestique
Ahmet Örken
Domestique
Antón final time to shine. We absolutely need a podium, if not a win, here to take the most points possible from the last climbing race of the season. He is supported by our best climbers and the two stagiares, of which we now welcome Rok Korosec!
Goal: Top 3Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:08
Man of the Race:Albert Timmer - The dutchie is one of our bright lights this season, here he was with another strong attack. A decent result & plenty of jersey showing from our dutchie.
Retard of the race:Igor Anton - Will end the season without a win in a stage race or a classic, that's disappointing. issed the chance of a podium result here by another bad choice in terms of timing for his attacks
Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:18
Difficult month for you with two missed goals. I wouldn't been too harsh on Anton in Tatranska. He was a marked man and seen as more of a threat with his attack
the_hoyle wrote:
Difficult month for you with two missed goals. I wouldn't been too harsh on Anton in Tatranska. He was a marked man and seen as more of a threat with his attack
well indeed a sad one for us - now we're transformed from promotion hunters to the hunted first disband promotion place...we need to hold on
Anton with a solid season surely - but sadly he lacked the one big stunning result beneath his consistency
Croatia14 wrote:
you're right knockout...at least we have to stay ahead of Xero, otherwise our main sponsors might rage quit
It will be a spectacular fail if you do
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
2 races in August, two major failures. Promotion is gone, defending the 6th place is the new goal. Can our races, including the last goal race, get the momentum back?
Herald Sun Tour
1.9.-5.9.
bumpy & TT
Captain: Andrew Tennant
C2
Andrew Tennant
Leader
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Luka Mezgec
Sprinter
Martin Laas
Domestique
Jempy Drucker
Free Role
Albert Timmer
Domestique
Siarhei Papok
Leadout
Ahmet Örken
Domestique
Our last goal race of the season, Tennant to deliver. He is supported by a load of youngsters and road captain Timmer, but has to deliver in the TT on his own. Additionally there is a strong sprint train there, Mezgec with another chance to show his value.
Sponsor Goal: Top 5 Goal: Top 3 & Stage Win
Acropolis Cup
3.9.
hilly
Captain: Grega Bole
C2HC
Grega Bole
Leader
Gabor Kasa
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Egudijus Juodvalkis
Domestique
Rok Korosec
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
A race for puncheurs, but with a flat finish we have a decent man in Bole. Can he survive to contend for the podium?
Goal: Top 10
GP Yekaterinenburg
24.9.
hilly
Captain: Grega Bole
C2HC
Grega Bole
Leader
Ahmet Örken
Domestique
Albert Timmer
Free Role
Martin Laas
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Bole with another C2HC hilly classic to lead us. This race should suit him less than the previous, but still a top 10 should be possible.
Goal: Top 10Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:08
GC: The TT + Wind + Hills was our hope for making Tennant achieve a 2nd overall behind the allmighty russian. He indeed was the second best of the CT guys according to his stats. But then again, a rather strong viking team sent a number of chrono guys, and two of those scratched the podium away from us.
Tennant proving to be the 2nd best CT chrono guy. That means a podium in Down U...oh wait
Additionally Drucker with a fantastic TT, and using the wind on the last stages a well taken 9th overall.
Sprints: check man of the race and retard of the race - 2 good and two horrific stages + 2 days in green
Mezgec fifth on stage 1 - Our first proper leadout of the season?
Mezgec second on stage 2 - The biggest result of the season?
Sponsor Goal: Top 5 --> achieved Goal: Top 3 & Stage Win --> failed
5/10
Man of the Race: - Luka Mezgec - 2 Stages in green. A really decent sprint. At least some points.Maybe Jempy should've sttod here for his surprising 9th overall.
Retard of the race:Luka Mezgec - Stages 4 and 5 perfectly represent our season. A no-show on stage 4, followed by a pathetic no-show on stage 5. It was nearly impossible to loose green, but Luka managed to do so. Just being as good as our leadout (Papok, Season score: 1 point) would've secured the win, instead we do stuff only Isostar can do.
Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:19
Currently the race of the young prospects is running, and Isostar - Adrictic has merged with Team Gen-I Festina to create a competitive team.
1490
Laas
Martin
Isostar - Adriatic
Isostar - Adriatic
3150
Potocki
Pavel
Team I-Gen - Festina
Isostar - Adriatic
3157
Vasyliv
Yuriy
Team I-Gen - Festina
Isostar - Adriatic
5742
Katrasnik
Gasper
Isostar - Adriatic
Isostar - Adriatic
5832
Korosec
Rok
Isostar - Adriatic
Isostar - Adriatic
5836
Pibernik
Luka
Isostar - Adriatic
Isostar - Adriatic
7006
Nommela
Aksel
Isostar - Adriatic
Isostar - Adriatic
The main aim of the race is a GC podium, for which Yuriy Vasyliv is our captain. Pavel Potocki is the superdomestique for him, and one of the best support riders in the race.
We also have some minor sprinters there, our level one talents try their best but are not expected to content for podiums. Additionally our loanee Xhuliano is there to infiltrate Aegons sprint train.
Stage 1: Yuriy our best rider close to the top 10, and already beating Herklotz for the first time.
Stage 2: Aksel Nommela with one of his few chances, and he took the right wheel brilliantly. He took the perfect wheel, and finished second behind Sondre Enger. What a result for the young Eesti!
1
Sondre Holst Enger
Spotify - Haglöfs
3h55'54
2
Aksel Nommela
Isostar - Adriatic
s.t.
3
Dylan Page
Sauber Petronas Racing
s.t.
All other riders of our team well placed, so a fantastic result for us. We can't wait for the further stages!
Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:19
Korosec (6th) and Nommela (8th) sprinting well on stage 3
Potocki controlling stage 4 for Vasyliv, who...
...keeps up with Herklotz and makes up major ground
Stage 5: You know it's hammertime when Potocki is at the front
Vasyliv keeps up with Silvio again, a tight battle
Stage 8 & 155km to go: savage
The dagger: Vasyliv puncturing at the worst possible moment, losing 3'28 here despite Potocki dropping back and helping him
Stage 9: The TT, and Potocki secures second with a decent chrono.
Vasyliv catching Ndayisenga and finishing second of the day, which secures the overall podium
Yuriy with the final showing of white, finishing on the GC podium!
Potocki, our lieutenant, saves 6th overall with another strong performance
1
Merhawi Kudus
Kenya Airways - Dimension Data
39h00'03
2
Silvio Herklotz
Ayubowan!
+ 36
3
Yuriy Vasyliv
Isostar - Adriatic
+ 2'36
4
Valens Ndayisenga
Kenya Airways - Dimension Data
+ 7'56
5
Stefan Kung
Sauber Petronas Racing
+ 9'47
6
Pavel Potocki
Isostar - Adriatic
+ 12'29
7
Matej Mohoric
Meiji - JR East
+ 15'57
An interesting race which was mostly great for us. Our young prospects did very well sprinting, especially Nommela, but also Korosec. The Potocki/Vasyliv duo worked incredibly well together, only dragged back by the puncture destroying all winnning ambitions. Still the duo, as in their season this year at Gen-I, had a good race with plenty of showings.
Finally I want to thank SotD for the great coorperation and constructive talks in beforehand. Vasylivs way will be followed even closer by the #meninlime surely, and we're happy to welcome him back at any day. Also it is great to see how our croatian talent has stepped up his game over the season so far at the Slovenian powerhouse.
Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:19
It's well down we go in September, and the graph of form does point exactly in the wrong direction. The Top 5 is over, P6 unlikely and more and more we go towards the places with a one ahead of the number. Disband promotion looks more and more unlikely with the rigged MGUCI talking about a new system of promotion possibilities.
October now has to keep us alive, but looking at the races there we can't afford to have too much hope in that. Anyway, it's three more hopes up for turning stuff around again for good.
Tour du Faso
4.10.-6.10.
cobbles
Captain: Jempy Drucker
C2
Jempy Drucker
Captain
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Rok Korosec
Domestique
Martin Laas
Domestique
Ahmet Örken
Domestique
Drucker has the last chance to show his worth. We desperately need him to score big, although we don't have the supporting cast for him to do that. But his skillset is perfect worked out for that. 7 young tempo-hard talents will support him on his mission on the cobbles.
Goal: Top 3 GC
Ruta America del Sur
8.10.-15.10.
bumpy tour
Captain: Andrew Tennant
C2HC
Andrew Tennant
Captain
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Grega Bole
Stage Hunter
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Luka Mezgec
Sprinter
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Rok Korosec
Domestique
Martin Laas
Domestique
One last breath. It might turn out to have been some smart planning to bring Tennant here. Many thought that his season is over, but with a strong move in the opening prologue he could add some valuable points. Aware of the short time gaps in there we know that he might not hold on for long at the front, but still could score some nice GC points as the race doesn't look too hard.
Sadly Kasa, who should've been the second TT & hill option here, is injured and thus not available.
Bole is the option if hills turn out to be the decicive factor. Not only the pure hilly finish on stage 3 will benefit him, but even more the hilly stages with a flat finish where he can play out his strengths, such as stage 4, 5 and 8.
For all other (flat) stages we have Mezgec here. Yes, we know he hasn't delivered too good yet, but he can still do some valuable stuff, also in terms of the points jersey competition. He goes over hills better than most other sprinters, and on top of that he offers a pretty fast speed, which launched by Andrew & Grega could lead to some great results.
Goal: Top 10 GC & Stage Win & Top 3 Points Classification
Zuri Metzgete
18.10.
hilly
Captain: Grega Bole
C2HC
Grega Bole
Leader
Egidijus Juodvalkis
Domestique
Igor Antón
Free Role
Martin Laas
Domestique
Luka Pibernik
Domestique
Aksel Nommela
Domestique
Gasper Katrasnik
Domestique
Mikhel Räim
Domestique
Closing the season we need a big result. The long stage is perfectly made for Grega, who'll try to finish the season with a sprint victory. If the hills really shoot some trouble on the day, then we have an X factor in here.
On which is probably his last day as leader of the #meninlime, our Basque goat Antón will try to trick the puncheurs by attacking over the climbs. Can he deliver to make us promote in the final race?
Goal: Top 3Edited by Croatia14 on 25-08-2017 16:09
We needed a big score, as our main opponents, especially MOL and LaPoste, did not appear with a strong team here. Points to consolidate? The first 2 stages didn't look too good: On the bright side our stagiare...
...Örken found himself in the break, but sadly couldn't hang on with the victorious Kasperkiewicz. On the other side Drucker placed himself in the first group, but far down the order to loose major bonus seconds to the likes of Bush or Thomas. Stage 2 then was a rest day for us, waiting for stage 3.
There we set up Drucker, and look how he did:
Attacking from far out, giving it a huge fight, getting caught and beaten on the line, still securing 2nd on the stage and overall, additionally third in the points classification. That is what we are talking about, and what next season is required from him.
1
Geraint Thomas
Podium Ambition
9h13'55
2
Jempy Drucker
Isostar - Adriatic
+ 19
3
Przemyslaw Kasperkiewicz
Team Ticos Air Costa Rica
+ 1'20
4
Marc De Maar
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
+ 1'41
5
Bert-Jan Lindeman
TVM - Beslist.nl
+ 2'08
Goal: Top 3 --> achieved
8/10
Man of the Race: - Jempy Drucker - Scoring was needed here, scoring was done here. Job done, in great manner.
Ranking Update
The battle for 6th is on, 5 teams are clear, but we need to defend that 6th, which might be disband promotion for us.
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 
Volcan de Agua Classic 
Cigar City Brewing Twilight GP 
Tatranska Klasika 
Herald Sun Tour 
Acropolis Cup 
GP Yekaterinenburg 
Tour du Faso 
Ruta America del Sur 
Zuri Metzgete 
