[CT '23] Ekoi - Le Creuset | The big "end of season" post
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 09-12-2023 12:50
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March was probably the most important month of the season as we had two goal races (and two filler races) this month.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 05-Mar | 10-Mar | () Vuelta al Pais Vasco | - | GC Top 25 |
The profile of this race should have met the qualities of our riders who were expected to show the team jersey in the breaks, though a good GC result wasn’t realistic due to the TTT, the ITT and no actual leaders at the start. The riders followed this plan by being in one break and further riding for Russo in the GC, who perfectly used his hilly sprinter skillset by ignoring the hilly sprints and trying to stay with the favourites in the GC stages. At least this approach resulted in a 22nd place in GC for him, though there should have been more promising approaches to this race.
 
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 17-Mar | 20-Mar | Tour of Guadeloupe | - | - |
The only French stage race available for CT teams (apart from Avenir) and how did we show our colours? Not at all, and that’s no exaggeration. No appearances in the break, no participations in sprints, not a single mention in any race report. Just lower the curtain of silence over this race.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 30-Mar | | GP Izola | Top 5 | Top 10 |
Our next goal race was held in Slovenia and we should have been well equipped to achieve a Top 5 result here, but as we already feared in our March preview we weren’t the only team with this goal and approach. In the end APP finished 8th with the rest of the team riding mostly anonymously. This result is okay, the goal was only missed by a small margin (like in Gisborne) and given the competition it could have gone worse, but somehow it still feels disappointing. Once again, damn those expectations …
Edited by kandesbunzler26 on 30-12-2023 18:18
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Imladrik |
Posted on 10-12-2023 23:07
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I'll let you do my HQ now, as we have quite similar reviews 8)
I guess you're more happy that I am on Pais Vasco, and I'm happier on Izola.
Congrats on the achieved goal though!
Can't wait to see your schedule for the next months, as I guess we'll continue to follow each others.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 12-12-2023 22:25
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April sees the team in just one race (and that’s an one day race on top), but it’s already our last goal race, so at least those riders at the start there still have to work hard this month.
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Nemolito |
Posted on 13-12-2023 12:42
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Only one race in a whole month is not ideal, definitely because it's a classic. I hope your guys make your waiting worth it and come as close as possible to that win goal. Let's make a deal, APP and Higuita try to leave everyone behind together on the penultimate hill and if they succeed APP is allowed to cross the finish line first?
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Laurens147 |
Posted on 13-12-2023 13:53
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Congrats on reaching your goal in TOME, well done
Almost two in a row, just the bad side of the hills lottery this time.
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 01-01-2024 20:04
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There are still lots of races in April for everyone else, but we’re already done this month as there’s only one race to review, but at least it’s a goal race (and already our last one too).
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 20-Apr | | Badaling International | Win | Top 5 |
Our preview for this race was indeed quite accurate. We didn’t win, but APP finished 5th continuing our streak of good (though not great) classic results this season after the team worked all day – not too bad in a C1 race. And though we already missed our third goal this season and the gap increased in every goal race, it was the third time we just missed it by a small margin and the gap increased from 2 to 3 to 4 places. Given that we achieved the fourth race goal and are on a good way regarding the team standings goal, we already have great hopes for our budget next season.
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 12-01-2024 19:57
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After a pretty uneventful month with just one one-day race the team has some more RDs to ride this month. As all our goal races are already done the rest of the season is about staying at least in the Top 10 of the division (thus achieving another goal) and maybe even get into the fight for the reserve promotion spots. So good results are still needed (and of course wanted) and especially some more podiums or wins would be enjoyable – though probably not realistic this month.
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 12-02-2024 19:51
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May saw us participating in some more races than April, but without Teuns and APP starting in any races the expectations weren’t the highest. And we were right with this approach.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 03-May | 08-May | Tour de Romandie | - | stage Top 5 |
Russo was our biggest hope here to snatch some results in a rather weak sprinter field. And he delivered a 5th place in stage 2 as well as a 7th place in the final stage which was disappointing nonetheless as he actually won the sprint of the field which wasn’t quite able to catch the break. So our highlight of the race was Vauquelin wearing the KoM jersey in the 4th stage after taking the lead a day earlier.
Vauquelin in his first ranking jersey.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 18-May | 24-May | Int. Osterreich Rundfahrt | - | stage win; 2nd KoM; 3rd KoM; 3rd U25 |
Our only C2 race this month was also the race with the highest expectations as we brought the two locals Gall and Paulus for some stage hunting and potentially a GC Top 10. The latter was already obsolete after the first stage where Gall lost nearly 6 minutes. But he made up for it with an impressive win from the break in stage 2, our first win since January (thus surpassing our win record of last season). He also took over the KoM jersey, but for some reason stopped going into the breaks to defend the jersey while Paulus took over KoM duties. The result was a 2nd and 3rd place in the KoM classification which is weirdly disappointing. The further stages only brought some minor Top 10 stage result by each Austrian.
Gall on his way to win in Kitzbüheler Horn.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 19-May | | 1 Jour de Dunkerque | - | - |
We came here without any hopes and our riders delivered: Delbove and Le Gac made it into the break and the latter was dropped on the first cobbled sector while the former just lasted a bit longer. Russo was our best rider in 65th, thus perfectly reflecting our cobble skills this year.
On a side note our loaned out talent Matis Louvel only narrowly missed his maiden win in Norway when he was just caught by one sprinter after an impressive effort from the break to finish second. A great result in a HC race that gives us big hopes for his future with us.
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Laurens147 |
Posted on 13-02-2024 07:55
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Congrats with Gall's win on Kitzbüheler Horn! The KOM jersey would have been the icing on the cake indeed, what a shame.
Vauquelin and Louvel showing some glimpses of their talent. Definitely something to look forward to in the future!
Hoping to see APP/Gall performing again in Vancouver?
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 13-02-2024 20:29
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After a rather mediocre month with mixed results (including a stage win by Gall) we’re heading into another month with the same signs.
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 13-02-2024 20:31
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It'll be Gall indeed. APP has another month off.
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Posted on 10-11-2024 04:58
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 09-03-2024 20:38
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June was kind of a copy of May, though without a win. Teuns and APP were still on hiatus and so we relied on our second tier of potential scorers. Like in May (and most of the earlier races where we did so) that didn’t went too well. At least we already have an idea what our goal for the next transfer season must be: adding some more riders who are consistent scorers (and a Saber or Chiarello kind of scorer wouldn’t hurt in any case …).
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 02-Jun | 08-Jun | Tour of Vancouver | - | 3rd KoM; 3rd U25 |
Our journey to Canada was a disappointing one. Gall already showed weakness in the opening MTT and only got a stage Top 10 later and a 21st place in GC. The 3rd place in the U25 looks nice, but gives only small points and was the worst result in this classification that was reasonably possible. Jiang added another two stage Top 10s from sprints, but again only 1 point in total. Chevrier showed himself in some breaks and ended 3rd in the KoM, but again that’s only a handful of points. And once again we missed the one big break that came through. With outings like this we won’t be able to achieve our Top 10 goal in the team standings in the end.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 18-Jun | | Frankfurt Eschborn | - | - |
We were hoping for an overperformance from Russo here, surprising after a hard race where some of the other sprinters are dropped. Instead, most of the sprinters made it over the hills but Russo was dropped himself. At least Delbove was in the break to get us some TV time.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 23-Jun | | Monterrey TTT | - | Top 10 |
We’re not famous for our TT lineup, but the 6 youngsters and 2 draftees we sent here surprised us (for once positively) with a 9th place, beating some higher rated TTT squads. That doesn’t amount for many points, but it still only missed the points haul of Vancouver by a tiny margin. That’s more a sign of the weakness of our backup scorers than of our TTT skill though.
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Laurens147 |
Posted on 11-03-2024 10:34
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Gall was definitely dissapointing in Vancouver. Especially on stage 4 with a mountain top finish, finishing 25th is much below par.
Russo should have been able to survive the hills in Frankfurt, if you compare him with my own sprinter Liepins for instance.
I can imagine it must have been a frustrating month for you. Hopefully some good results in July!
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 12-03-2024 19:31
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After a another disappointing month our drought is probably going on in June. With only 2 races (both C1) and a total of 5 RDs (with 4 actual days of racing) it’s improbable we’re having a high scoring month once again. Actually we’re a bit worried when all of our RDs are coming as we’re already at the low end of the division for month. At least Teuns is back racing, though APP takes another month of to prepare for his late summer / autumn campaign.
Edited by kandesbunzler26 on 14-03-2024 10:00
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Ezeefreak |
Posted on 14-03-2024 07:59
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First, Good Luck for July. Seems we dont cross paths here.
I guess we both expected a lot more from this season so far. APP seems not yet shown his best to carry you as muh as needed. But if i look at your team you may have a bright future, there will always be a next season. And maybe the last months will also be a great success for you ^^
Good Luck!
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 04-04-2024 08:55
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July was another month that didn’t live up to expectations (or – even worse – did, as the expectations were already low). It’s time APP gets back on his bike …
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 09-Jul | 11-Jul | Tour of Eritrea | - | 3rd KoM |
We had some hopes for this race as we sent some of our better riders here with Teuns, Gall, Paulus and Chevrier. Those four were indeed major disappointments as they weren’t able to keep up with the best on the hills and mountains by far and weren’t seen in the breaks either – and thus performed much worse than they should have been able to. So it’s been up to our youngsters to get us some action and results. Hopkins and (at least for a short time) Vauquelin were in the break in stage 1, with the latter taking the white jersey because of a time bonus. Thompson did the job in stage 2 and took enough KoM points to finish 3rd in this classification – another result that looks nice in the letterhead, but doesn’t give many points.
Start | End | Race | team goal | results | 20-Jul | | Paris Tours | - | - |
Delbove in the break, Russo finishing 59th. That’s it.
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 07-04-2024 20:29
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July is over and what’s to say? Essentially the same as in the last months … Over the last 4 months of racing we accumulated about 120 points, more than half of them from just two races – it’s been a long time for us following. But the good thing is we only spent 43 RDs in this time and though we don’t have the highest hopes for August either, at least we’re in lots of races which will make following the season a lot more interesting. 25 Rds in August (including Avenir), another 43 in September and still 11 in October will at least see us very active at the end of the season. So our main target for the rest of the season (apart from the now illusory Top 10 in the team classification) has to be an active racing style before APP should have some races that really suit him from late September onwards.
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Fabianski |
Posted on 07-04-2024 20:43
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Interesting that you seem to know already how the sprinter fields in Vineyards and Morocco are going to look like - wouldn't be against this in Vineyards tbh
The two races including TTTs could indeed be rough for you - especially Vineyards where the TTT comes last and doesn't leave any subsequent breakaway hopes like in Trentino.
I suspect many of PCT's top climbers to go to Morocco from what I've read in HQs, so I guess your best bet there will be breakaways and a good KoM challenge by your puncheurs.
Good luck for August, hopefully the string of mediocre results finally finds an end somehow!
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kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 07-04-2024 21:57
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Fabianski wrote:
Interesting that you seem to know already how the sprinter fields in Vineyards and Morocco are going to look like - wouldn't be against this in Vineyards tbh
I'm just exploiting the privilege of the reporters of having access to the startlists of the month to come
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Nemolito |
Posted on 08-04-2024 09:07
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July didn't go as you wished, hopefully August brings better results. We'll meet in France (twice) and in Maroc, so I'll be following your results there as well. Do me a favour and take away as many points from the PCT teams in Vineyards as you can
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