Summary: Bright, sunny, warm day to kickoff the new season for a handful of squads. No better way to get the show on the road and get those team photos out of the way early with a Stage 1 team time trial.

The heavy hitting Pro Tour teams sweep the podium with Team Katusha Alpecin beating the hosts UAE Team Emirates and The Guardian.

Result: 50th, Team 8th - I pulled our team across the line. We finished tied 8th, down 45 seconds to Katusha. Right about where we expected.

Summary: Welcome to the desert. After playing in the hills for a short while and catching the morning breakaway, it's time for the sprint trains.


Sovac-Natura4Ever is setting up for Dusan Rajovic down the middle of the road. Fighting for space in blue and purple to their right is SEG Racing Academy with Marcus Diamond leading the charge with Dennis Van Winden and Lucy van der Haar waiting in the wings. There are a few Amazon sprinters scattered at the front as well.


It's Sovac-Natura4Ever and SEG going head-to-head. No separation between them. Who pulls off first? Daniel Oss or Marcus Diamond?


Both peeled off about the same time, but the SEG train has about a bike lengths lead over the Sovac crew.

Lucy van der Haar is going to find herself in a prime position here to be the first female under the new UCI rules to win a stage.

But, let's not speak too soon. We haven't even passed the banner yet.


What a sprint! Rajovic and van der Haar are waiting... waiting...


Noooo. They waited too long. Other sprinters come shooting up from behind them. Who timed their sprint to perfection?


Oh my. It's Phil Bauhaus coming through for the win. Narrowly beating out... Coryn Rivera. While we were watching van der Haar, Rivera (a second round Entry Draft pick for Amazon) snuck through up the barrier and nearly stole that first win for the females. Wow.

Rajovic rounded out the podium, ahead of Paolo Simion and van der Haar.

Result: 22nd - Did my part. Too bad Lucy couldn't finish it off. So close.

Summary: Hard day on a tricky hilly circuit was always going to give the morning breakaway a chance. They capitalized with eight cyclists surviving to the end. The first four got a 14-second gap to the other four. The depleted peloton arrived 56 seconds later.

Result: 23rd, 16th GC - I wasn't feeling too good today so I mostly looked after Lucy van der Haar, who has been in excellent form to start the season. Despite not being the best climber, Lucy finished in the peloton. I slipped off the back on the climb to the finish and sadly lost an extra minute. Easily could have been more.

But, it's not always about me. I'm trying to be a better teammate.

Summary: The breakaway nearly stays away again, but the peloton goes flying back with 2.3kms to go. No time to set up organized sprint trains. It's a free for all.


Dusan Rajovic leads everyone under the banner. Then, fades hard.


Paolo Simion picks up the pieces. His first win of the season.

Result: 23rd, 16th GC - For having bad form and not feeling 100%, I'll happily leave here with a 16th overall and second in the youth standings. Helping Lucy van de Haar to 11th overall in her first race with the team was a plus as well.

- Each member gets 3.0 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: Just when FC Eindhoven thought they were doing enough to keep Helmond Sport at bay, the home team final broke through for two goals in the 62nd and 78th minute to secure a more than deserved win.

Helmond Sport outshot Eindhoeven 23-5 (5-4 on target) and held 54% possession. The fact it took them until the second half to score was more than surprising.

The debut for Mo el Hankouri on the wing was underwhelming with a 6.8 rating before being subbed off with a minor cramp. New Helmond Sport signing Huseyin Dogan from FC Oss (97,000 fee) also made his debut as a defensive midfielder. Helmond Sport with cash to spend now.

Rating: 7.2 - Made five key passes, so that's something.

Player of Game: Giovanni Hiwat, Helmond Sport (8.4)

Summary: An instant classic that Helmond Sport spectators are going to have nightmares over. Marcus Diamond played out of his mind, but NAC rescued a draw with three goals in the final 20 minutes.

Diamond was a part of all three Helmond Sport goals.

No. 1 (30th minute): From the center of the pitch, Diamond picks up Giovanni Hiwat cutting in from the wing to get behind NAC's backline. A perfect through ball.

No. 2 (38th minute): A cross in from Hiwat glances off the head of Jordy Thomassen and finds Diamond all alone the box. Easy finish.

No. 3 (77th minute): Diamond whips in a perfect free kick from 30 yards out that Dylan de Braal laces with one-time finish.

That gave Helmond Sport a convincing 3-1 lead, but a horrendous turnover trying to clear the ball and a last-ditch NAC counter attack after an incredible point-blank save from goalie Bledar Hajdini tied the game.

Still, a draw isn't the end of the world. Helmond Sport could still win the Third Period next week on the final game of the period. They would need some help. The standings: NAC (17pts), Helmond (16) and Telstar (16).

Winner of the Third Period secures a spot in the playoffs.

Rating: 9.0 - Big performance. Tough draw.

Player of Game: Marcus Diamond, Helmond Sport (9.0)

Summary: Helmond Sport got caught scoreboard watching instead of playing its own game. While NAC went down to 10 men in the 8th minute, Helmond Sport went down a goal in 13th minute. That's how the situation remained going into halftime time.

Telstar took itself out of the running by giving up a game-winning goal to Almere City in the 71st minute. Telstar lost 1-0.

Then, Jong Utrecht finally took a 1-0 lead on the short-handed NAC in the 83rd minute. Next, Helmond Sport was gifted an own goal so bad that officials started to question if Jong PSV was trying to fix the match.


In the end, it didn't matter. NAC scored in the 88th minute to pull out a draw and Helmond Sport didn't score again. NAC takes the playoff spot by a single point.

Rating: 6.4 - Nobody on the team rated higher than a 6.8. Poor showing. We didn't deserve a tie or that playoff spot.

Player of Game: Ferdi Kadioglu, Jong PSV (7.2)

Summary: Marcus Diamond with eyes on the side of his head finds Mo el Hankouri for his first goal with his new club. It's a big one, a game winner.

Helmond Sport saw Huseyin Dogen red carded off three minutes later due to a poor challenge, but didn't give Jong AZ a shot on target in the match.

Rating: 6.8 - Not sure how I got the ball to Hankouri for that goal. Sometimes it pays to be a little lucky.

Player of Game: Urvin Regales, Jong AZ (7.8)

- Each member gets 5.0 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- 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.
-Locked stats can't be upgraded.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.

Summary: It's a perfect day. No excuses can be made about the sunny weather. The peloton has a pretty easy day and scoops up the six rider morning breakaway with 25kms to go. How have the favourites saved their energy for the finish?


An outside favourite, Marcus Diamond, is going for it with 17kms to go. The 22-year-old two-sport athlete must feel like he has the legs to do something incredible today. Surely the remaining 22 riders in the peloton aren't going to let this fly.


Yep, Diamond is put in his place and now the big guns have come out to play. Massive attack from Greg Van Avermaet, followed by Oliver Naesen and Mike Teunissen. Others trying to hang on behind.


Teunissen picked out the winning move and grabs a solo win. His first win of the season and he gets revenge after taking second here last season.

Result: 21st - I know. I already hear it from the team. It was a suicide move. Stupid and reckless. I just got excited. We learn and we grow. But, can you imagine if it actually worked.

Summary: Rain, rain, go away. Come again some other day.


Thank you. The water drops turn off with roughly 125kms to go. A six cyclist breakaway is out front. The peloton doesn't seem worried.


Sorry, we spoke too soon. The rain returns and causes a huge crash. Reports have as many as 45 cyclists have gone down. And yet our cameras missed it. A few cyclists have abandoned the race as well, most notably SEG's Grace Garner. We don't have word on the extent of her injuries, but will update when we do.


We pick up the action with 18kms to go, and oh no! Our cameras caught this one. A massive crash that collects nearly the entire field. It started near the front of the peloton and a domino effect ensued. Surely some favourites are tangled up in this mess, but it's hard to read numbers.

Let's see... Claeys, Van Lerberge, Vliegen, Van Den Broek-Blaak, Diamond, Vantomme and Mobach are the major ones I can pick out.


So, who is left? That would be sprinter Amaury Capiot claiming the win ahead of up-and-coming Canadian sprinter Jim Arghittu. Moreno Hofland rounds out the podium.

Result: 30th - I managed to grab onto the barrier and not hit the pavement when everybody started falling in front of me. Rode my... butt off getting back to the front of the race. I only finished 41 seconds behind the winner but, had I avoided that crash, I believe I could have at least got a Top 5. I was feeling good for a bunch sprint.

That said, it could have been a lot worse. Grace Garner fractured her kneecap and will be sidelined for at least six weeks. The team stopped by the hospital after the race to see her. It really put things into perspective that one day that could be me. She didn't deserve that.

- Each member gets 3.0 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: Poor first half from Helmond Sport but they turned it around with three goals in the second half to grab a deserved win.

Rating: 6.7 - Man marked the whole match. They weren't going to let the newest Feyenoord signing beat them.

Player of Game: Furhgill Zeldenrust, Helmond Sport (9.0)

Summary: What did we just witness? Mark this one down in the book of football oddities. Helmond Sport wins without recording a shot on target. An own goal off Marcel Appiah gifts Helmond Sport the win. Better be lucky than good?

Fortuna Sittard rested its star striker, Bolukbasi, and it cost them.

Rating: 6.1 - I don't want to talk about it.

Player of Game: Mike van Ooijen, Fortuna Sittard (7.6)

Summary: Go Ahead Eagles defender Xandro Schenk single-handily shutdown Helmond Sport's attack. Nobody from Helmond Sport finished with a rating above 6.8.

Rating: 6.8 - One of the better players on the team today, but that doesn't mean much when everybody doesn't have a good day.

Player of Game: Xandro Schenk, Go Ahead Eagles (8.2)

Summary: A free kick whipped in from Marcus Diamond finds the head of Jason Bourdouxhe three minutes in. From there, Helmond Sport did everything possible to try and hold De Graafschap out. It wasn't enough. Frank Olijve cleaned up a rebound for the equalizer with half an hour left.

Rating: 6.8 - Assist No. 10, tied for third-most in the league with teammate Giovanni Hiwat.

Player of Game: Frank Olijve, De Graafschap (8.1)

Summary: Local pundits were already starting to turn on newly appointed Nigeria head coach Jay-Jay Ochoa after a fourth-place finish in the CHAN Tournament. When Comoros scored first, you just know they went looking for their metaphorical pitchforks.

But, spurred on by an own goal by Comoros, Nigeria woke up and did what was expected. Arsenal star Alex Iwobi led the way with a goal and three assists. Oghenekaro Etebo also scored twice and got an assist.

Rating: 6.8 - Kind of just a bystander, and was subbed off in the 73rd minute for Victor Osimhen. Stamina also played a role. Back in the Netherlands, Helmond Sport drew 1-1 against Telstar without me.

Player of Game: Alex Iwobi, Nigeria (9.3)

Summary: Another win, but more scrutiny. Mauritania... yes, Mauritania pushes Nigeria to the brink with two counter-attack goals. Despite having a penalty saved, the Flying Eagles escaped with a 3-2 win behind goals from Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Kingsley Ehizibue.

Rating: 6.4 - Started on the bench, but was subbed in right before halftime because Oghenekaro Etebo, who assists two goals earlier in the game, was struggling with a calf strain. I didn't contribute much.

Player of Game: Ismael Diakite, Mauritania (8.8)

- Each member gets 5.0 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- 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.
-Locked stats can't be upgraded.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.

Summary: As the peloton hits the final cobbled sector of the day with 68kms to go, the full peloton (minus a couple of withdraws from an early crash) have the six cyclist breakaway down to 2'22".


The morning breakaway is caught with 24kms to go.


Under 5kms to go, those remaining in the peloton are trying to track down late attacker Guillaume van Kerisbulck.


Job well done on that catch. But, right after, another move by Lukas Postlberger. He knows he can't win this in a sprint. On his wheel, Marcus Diamond and Lars Boom — now you know this move is serious.


Boom under the banner. Diamond trying to close.


Huh... Boom just hit a brick wall and the chasers behind him went sprinting past with 800 meters to go. The win goes to Max Walscheid. Not sure what happened to Diamond as well, that was just strange.

Result: 13th - I was so hyper focused on following Boom that when he flat lined, I didn't realize it. Next thing I know, the cyclists behind us went flying by. Alex Vogel even managed a better result than me with a 7th.

She also hasn't stop bragging that she won a race before me this season. Alex won the Dwars door West-Vlaanderen race a week ago.

Summary: We pick the action up with 23kms to go. The peloton has just caught the breakaway and 61 cyclists are still up front and in contention to bring home a win today.


All late attack attempts have been pulled back with 5kms to go. Only 32 cyclists are around to challenge for the win now.


Marcus Diamond leads the group around the bend heading toward the banner. He has leading out team sprinter Bram Welten.


Diamond did his job. All he can do now is watch Welten go for the line.


On the line... It goes to Alan Banaszek in the middle over Giacomo Nizzolo. Welten settles for a third place.

Result: 13th - Followed team orders and tried to get Bram a win. Nearly worked, but came a bike length short.

Summary: Let's not mess about. Jacopo Guarnieri with a perfect lead-out for Kevin Deltombe going underneath the banner.


Don't count out Marco Haller or Marcus Diamond just yet. Sprinter Bryan Coquard is also coming very fast.


Deltombe holds out for the win. Can't beat a good lead-out.

Result: 3rd - Look what happens you stay out of trouble and don't make and silly attacks. A solid podium result. Just what I needed to build some confidence heading into the Dwars door Vlaanderen.

Summary: We are down to 125kms to go as the peloton approaches the first cobbled sector. The six cyclist breakaway is two minutes up the road and two minutes behind the peloton is a group of crash victims that includes two pre-race favourites: Edvald Boasson Hagen and Lars Boom. We just got word that Boom has called it quits and got in the team car. Bad luck for him.


Under 100kms to go now, and a handful of attackers have tried their luck in the last 25kms to go. There are now 19, yes 19 cyclists in the lead group. The peloton, led by AG2R, is keeping them in check with only a minute advantage.

The rain is still falling, hasn't stopped since we started a few hours ago, and doesn't look like it is going to stop.


Crashes have been happening everywhere. And here our cameras spot a major one in the peloton. Oh no, that's Marcus Diamond. He was staying out of trouble and now this happens. I can also see EBH (again) going down in this group, as well as Loic Vliegen and Oliver Naesen.


The peloton slows up to allow those favourites to make it back relatively easily. But, that also gave the cyclists up front another minute to work with. The gap is now three minutes and growing with 80kms to go.


The cobbled climb with 32kms to go has strung out the peloton. Looks like Marcus Diamond lifted the pace to high for his competitors to follow. He has got fellow Brit Ian Stannard on his wheel. They can now see the shedding group of leaders, which is now down to 12 cyclists.


With 23kms to go, Diamond has made the catch and brought with a few other strong men as well, including Oliver Naesen and multiple crash victim EBH.


Sonny Colbrelli is going for glory with 16kms left. He was originally a part of the second breakaway group that got away. Looks like he saved some energy for the grand finale.


EBH is the only one who can follow. This move has cracked Diamond.


It turns out to be the winning move for Calbrelli, who eventually shakes off a resilient EBH for an impressive solo win.

Result: 15th - Not too bad. If I didn't crash, then I think I could have been in the mix for a top 5-10 finish. Nevertheless, a long day in the saddle. I need an ice bath and a nap.

- Each member gets 3.0 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: Well, that was boring. Although, Helmond Sport will take its point and inch ever closer to a playoff spot with two games left.

Rating: 7.0 - Subbed off with tired legs with 15 minutes left. I took one final glance up to where Grace and Alex should have been: empty.

I checked my phone. Grace had sent me a text, and I was relieved that this wasn't some cruel April Fools joke.

"I'm so sorry. My knee was acting up, and Alex drove me to the doctor's office to get it checked out. More ice, less trying to walk on it and I should be fine. You want to meet for dinner?"

"For sure, Sandroos? You didn't miss much at the game."

Alex third wheeled our pizza date, but it was fine. We all had a good time.

Player of Game: Maikel Verkoelen, Helmond Sport (7.2)

Summary: Roland Bergkamp lives up to his last name. The nephew of former Dutch legend Dennis Bergkamp buries two first-half goals to deflate Helmond Sport. However, Helmond Sport received the news they wanted after the match. Both Go Ahead Eagles and Fortuna Sittard lost, which granted Helmond Sport a playoff spot.

Rating: 6.5 - Nothing to see here.

Player of Game: Roland Bergkamp, RKC (8.8)

Summary: Under intense pressure, diamonds are made. Marcus Diamond proves why he is Feyenoord's newest signing. Pure class from the Brit on the final day of the Jupiler League regular season. The result helps Helmond Sport jump up to eighth place in the final standings.

Rating: 9.0 - What? I had to put a show on for Grace. It was her first time watching me play. Also, shout out to teammate Arne Naudts for this world class back-heel assist. A classy goal to end the regular season.


Player of Game: Marcus Diamond, Helmond Sport (9.0)

- Each member gets 5.0 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- 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.
-Locked stats can't be upgraded.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.