After we labelled February a "crucial" month (which went rather well so far), March isn't much less of that, actually. We're only racing about half as much - but with plenty of cobbled races on our schedule, it will be crucial to see how Eddie Theuns can still keep up with the best after a slight decline!
Besides the cobblers, the puncheurs and the TTers will have their share of racing as well, before stage racers take over with the GT season starting next month.
7 races, 4 classics, only one PTHC race - and the second monument of the year! Here are the details:
Mar 01 - 03 | Ronde van Nederland | PT
Profile
Lineup
Rider
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Kaden Groves
75
62
72
65
75
73
80
66
80
79
64
67
71
Mauro Schmid
72
76
79
68
71
78
73
69
70
79
78
74
66
Edward Theuns
71
66
73
64
74
71
72
79
76
74
63
66
69
Teten Rohendi
70
75
75
70
73
75
74
55
62
73
71
70
71
Lorenzo Delco
73
72
73
70
75
74
75
67
64
72
68
77
71
AOP Setiawa
68
70
75
74
76
72
71
57
62
70
76
66
74
Filippo Colombo
72
64
68
67
73
72
64
72
71
72
71
71
67
Felix Stehli
67
68
71
62
70
70
69
62
69
71
69
69
66
Tactics
Even though we weren't here last year, we bring the defending champion! Groves won the GC, points and U25 last year - whereas we already know he won't repeat the latter, winning the GC again would take a lot of things to fall into place again. He'll still be our leader, and if he gets his positioning done better than in some other races, he should definitely be a top contender again.
Mauro could be a candidate for the white jersey this year; if Kaden doesn't feel well enough, Schmid could take over, in particular on days 2 and 3. Or he could just protect Theuns and deliver him in great position, while getting some nice depth results on his own.
Theuns could act as our final leadout, and most of the others also have some kind of skills on the hills. So another good depth team result would be nice to get.
Track Record
--- none ---
Expectations
Stages: 2x Top 10
GC: Top 10
Points: 160
Mar 10 | Strada Appia Antica | PT
Profile
Lineup
Rider
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Edward Theuns
71
66
73
64
74
71
72
79
76
74
63
66
69
Tomas Paprstka
75
62
69
62
74
70
68
75
70
72
69
78
63
Stefan Küng
73
70
73
77
74
72
73
72
63
71
73
78
78
Clement Berthet
65
75
74
60
70
74
66
60
62
73
72
75
60
Lorenzo Delco
73
72
73
70
75
74
75
67
64
72
68
77
71
Filippo Colombo
72
64
68
67
73
72
64
72
71
72
71
71
67
Hugo Page
69
65
67
61
71
69
65
63
73
76
68
69
66
Felix Stehli
67
68
71
62
70
70
69
62
69
71
69
69
66
Tactics
First cobbled race of the year! And it's one of those that suit Eddie Theuns rather well, with quite a lot of climbing involved, some flat cobbles at the end, and probably sprints of smaller groups to the finish.
Eddie took 6th place here last year; he may have declined a bit, but his skills should still be decent enough to get a solid result. If not, we'll probably be somewhat screwed this month.
The domestique lineup isn't impressive, as sadly Tediashvili left us and Sommer isn't maxed yet (and loaned out moreover). But Paprstka has often delivered good results in the past, and Küng is one of these riders who do pretty well on any terrain. So there's hope!
Track Record
Best: 6th (Edward Theuns, 2023)
Expectations
Result: Top 15
Points: 80
Mar 12 - 15 | Praha - Karlovy Vary - Praha | PT
Profile
Lineup
Rider
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Szymon Rekita
72
58
63
79
70
73
73
62
69
70
63
73
78
Stefan Bissegger
74
68
69
78
73
77
72
60
72
73
64
71
77
Alexys Brunel
75
67
71
78
72
78
73
66
61
65
69
66
78
Stefan Küng
73
70
73
77
74
72
73
72
63
71
73
78
78
Ethan Vernon
73
60
65
77
72
75
72
66
75
70
63
65
78
Krzysztof Marchewka
65
64
60
77
73
75
74
50
52
64
62
65
77
Kaden Groves
75
62
72
65
75
73
80
66
80
79
64
67
71
Gabriel Chavanne
75
58
64
65
71
76
74
57
76
76
53
67
82
Tactics
Another new stage race for us rounds off the first half of the month. And it's the race where we'll most likely have the biggest regrets of not having been able to sign Ganna...
So it will be Rekita leading our team, but given that there's a plethora of other 79 TTers, we can't set the expectations too high. Our strenght once again is the team's depth, and so the goal will be to bring as many as possible of our 6 TTers in the Top 50.
Then there's obviously Gabby for the prologue - another chance for him to finally dethrone almighty SKA, but the competition will likely be far bigger than in Tirreno, with Ganna and Zmorka probably joining the party.
Groves is here for the two sprint stages, let's hope all the bumps especially on stage 2 play in his favour!
Track Record
--- none ---
Expectations
Stages: 3x Top 10
GC: Top 20
Points: 110
Mar 18 - 19 | Franceville Classique | PTHC
Profile
Lineup
Rider
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Edward Theuns
71
66
73
64
74
71
72
79
76
74
63
66
69
Tomas Paprstka
75
62
69
62
74
70
68
75
70
72
69
78
63
Stefan Küng
73
70
73
77
74
72
73
72
63
71
73
78
78
Cees Bol
76
64
70
67
75
77
81
68
79
77
68
67
69
Clement Berthet
65
75
74
60
70
74
66
60
62
73
72
75
60
Lorenzo Delco
73
72
73
70
75
74
75
67
64
72
68
77
71
Filippo Colombo
72
64
68
67
73
72
64
72
71
72
71
71
67
Hugo Page
69
65
67
61
71
69
65
63
73
76
68
69
66
Tactics
The race with "classic" in the name actually isn't one, instead it was transformed into a two-day stage race last year. We'd have loved to participate in 2023 once we signed Eddie Theuns, but it was too late to change the calendar.
Now, he's here one year late - sadly with slightly less power in his legs. We still expect him to do pretty well, in particular given that stage 2 should favour rider with some hilly skills.
Stage 1 turned out to be one for the sprinters who can handle some minor cobbles, which is the case for Cees Bol, so we send him here as well in case Eddie doesn't feel like sprinting. Otherwise, standard cobbles support, hopefully with at least Paprstka able to get a Top 50 finish.
Track Record
--- none ---
Expectations
Stages: 1x Top 10
GC: Top 15
Points: 70
Mar 21 | Macskako Kerekparverseny | PT
Profile
Lineup
Rider
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Edward Theuns
71
66
73
64
74
71
72
79
76
74
63
66
69
Tomas Paprstka
75
62
69
62
74
70
68
75
70
72
69
78
63
Stefan Küng
73
70
73
77
74
72
73
72
63
71
73
78
78
Mauro Schmid
72
76
79
68
71
78
73
69
70
79
78
74
66
Clement Berthet
65
75
74
60
70
74
66
60
62
73
72
75
60
Lorenzo Delco
73
72
73
70
75
74
75
67
64
72
68
77
71
Filippo Colombo
72
64
68
67
73
72
64
72
71
72
71
71
67
Felix Stehli
67
68
71
62
70
70
69
62
69
71
69
69
66
Tactics
The rest of the month consists of three cobbled classics, whereof Macskako is the first. Cobbles and hills combined, tailor-made for Eddie. So tailor-made that he got too enthusiastic last year - it was his only cobbled race where he missed out on the Top 10.
This wouldn't be too big of a surprise this year, although we'll happily take a better result. Paprstka and Küng will once again try to help him as well as they can.
And what is Mauro doing here? Well, it's a pretty hilly race here - and given that he finished 29th last year when still unmaxed, we just want to see what he can do in this kind of race. It's his only cobbles appearance this year - depending on the outcome, there might be more next time. Or less.
Track Record
Best: 11th (Edward Theuns, 2023)
Expectations
Result: Top 15
Points: 80
Mar 23 | E3 Prijs | PT
Profile
Lineup
Rider
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Edward Theuns
71
66
73
64
74
71
72
79
76
74
63
66
69
Tomas Paprstka
75
62
69
62
74
70
68
75
70
72
69
78
63
Stefan Küng
73
70
73
77
74
72
73
72
63
71
73
78
78
Clement Berthet
65
75
74
60
70
74
66
60
62
73
72
75
60
Lorenzo Delco
73
72
73
70
75
74
75
67
64
72
68
77
71
Filippo Colombo
72
64
68
67
73
72
64
72
71
72
71
71
67
Hugo Page
69
65
67
61
71
69
65
63
73
76
68
69
66
Felix Stehli
67
68
71
62
70
70
69
62
69
71
69
69
66
Tactics
More cobbles and hills! Hence one more chance for Eddie to have fun. Standard support squad, standard expectations. Not much more to say.
Ah yeah, while I thought it was a new race for us, we actually already participated once here - back in 2021, in our first PCT year. With Basso as our best cobbler. But just to say, Basso finished 16th here last year, maybe we should've bought him back...
Track Record
Best: 46th (Leonardo Basso, 2021)
Expectations
Result: Top 15
Points: 80
Mar 27 | Ronde van Vlaanderen | M
Profile
Lineup
Rider
FL
MO
HI
TT
ST
RS
RC
CB
SP
AC
FG
DH
PR
Edward Theuns
71
66
73
64
74
71
72
79
76
74
63
66
69
Tomas Paprstka
75
62
69
62
74
70
68
75
70
72
69
78
63
Stefan Küng
73
70
73
77
74
72
73
72
63
71
73
78
78
Xuban Errazkin
71
74
78
70
76
75
76
64
63
73
69
67
70
Clement Berthet
65
75
74
60
70
74
66
60
62
73
72
75
60
Cees Bol
76
64
70
67
75
77
81
68
79
77
68
67
69
Lorenzo Delco
73
72
73
70
75
74
75
67
64
72
68
77
71
Filippo Colombo
72
64
68
67
73
72
64
72
71
72
71
71
67
Tactics
The second monument of the year - the only one that one of our riders was ever able to win so far. Yeah, it was obviously Eddie, back in 2021, when still riding for MOL. He showed last year that he really likes this race, finishing 3rd!
We can't expect a repeat after his decline, sadly, but we're still hoping for a good outcome. We even bring Errazkin to help him on all those non-cobbled hills. Don't ask me why Bol is here, though...
Otherwise, Paprstka and Küng again to support Eddie, with Küng also being able to handle some hills. Last race of the month, hopefully another good one!
Track Record
Best: 3rd (Edward Theuns, 2023)
Expectations
Result: Top 15
Points: 100
Summary
Although we have far less RDs to spend than last month, it's another very important month for us; if Eddie Theuns still can deliver at a good level, it could be looking pretty good for us. If not, well...
Otherwise, looking forward to Groves trying to defend his Nederland crown, and hoping for Chavanne to get us another prologue podium in Praha.
A lot of races again in March with a couple of big ones in Nederlands and Praha. Team has been doing fine so far, possible a chance to consolidate on it with these races!
A lot of races again in March with a couple of big ones in Nederlands and Praha. Team has been doing fine so far, possible a chance to consolidate on it with these races!
That's definitely the goal, and in particular Nederlands could be a big boost if Groves can repeat his 2023 performance. And yeah, we know he did it, so things are surely not looking worse than before
Should be a good battle to see which one of us comes out on top after March
I guess we should be better in Nederland, and you should be stronger in Praha. Then it comes down to how Theuns performs vs. Siric on the cobbles - and despite Eddie still having +1 Cob, I think Siric could already be the better rider there. Will be interesting!
Race Review | Tour of Ukraine | PTHC
A race we came to with pretty high hopes last year - and which we left deeply disappointed, with none of our riders really performing.
This year, we were rather optimistic as well - although this time we knew we didn't have a top contender given the much tougher nature of the hilly stage in the 2024 edition. Still, we brought a very solid mix of puncheurs, climbers and TTers, hoping to be prepared for most possible scenarios. But well conscious that we'd need some luck to do really well.
The first stage already had the first - rather negative - surprise for us; with pure TTers not doing well in this stage last year, and climbers getting good results, we thought that Valentin Darbellay would be a perfect fit as a solid climber, TTer and prologue rider. Well, he kind of was - but he only was our 4th highest finisher, behind all the TT specialists we thought he'd easily beat. But if he could stay with the front group on the hilly day 2, a great result was still on the table.
And we were obviously hoping that at least one out of Stefan Bissegger, Alexys Brunel or - most likely - Stefan Küng could make the split as well.
Stefan Küng underway in the prologue.
However, stage 2 turned out to be even harder than expected, so it would have taken an amazing day by one of the TTers to make the front group. Würtz was the only weak climber who somehow managed to hold on - we think that Küng could've done it as well, but it wasn't to be. Sadly, Valentin Darbellay wasn't positioned well enough, either, and finally got caught behind a split, losing 36 seconds. Definitely unnecessarily, but sadly it's pretty fitting for his season so far.
We still had two riders in the front group with Mauro Schmid and Xuban Errazkin, which was positive. However, it was still disappointing to see that Mauro didn't even try anything on a finale that would have been a perfect fit for him - downhill, followed by a short ramp. He might have used up too much energy on the long climb, something we might try to work on next offseason.
Mauro Schmid (right) and Xuban Errazkin (left) finishing inside the front group, without a notable stage result though.
Heading into the final stage, we had Errazkin in the Top 20, with Schmid and Darbellay just outside. The goal was to roughly keep these spots, with the riders likely swapping positions though.
But we underestimated the gaps produced by the 20km ITT, with both Mauro Schmid and Xuban Errazkin losing even more time than expected. The former dropped to 33rd in the GC, the latter finished 24th. On the other hand, Valentin Darbellay gained and lost the expected positions, for a net gain of 7 places and a final 18th place in GC. Solid, but not more - and without those 36" lost the day before, it would have been a strong 11th place...
Valentin Darbellay on his way to another 18th place GC finish.
By the way, it was Darbellay's 3rd 18th place in as many stage races this month - with the two PTHC outcomes being rather meh, the Paris - Nice result a good one though.
Besides the three aforementioned riders, we also have to mention Stefan Küng, who with a good final ITT made the jump inside the Top 50 as well, finishing 43rd. All of the four other team members ended up between 78th and 83rd, scoring 2 points each. Mauro Schmid once again got a 3rd place in the U25 standings (like in Portugal), and thanks to a strong final stage we gained two spots in the team standings to end up 2nd!
All in all, it was a very solid race - like we've seen many already this year - but not an outstanding one. Maybe next year?
Outcome
Expectation
Outcome
Stages
1x Top 10
4x Top 20
GC
Top 30
Top 20
Points
50
91
Race Review | Milano San Remo |M
Our 2nd monument in team history - but the first one where it really mattered for us! And we did have some pretty high hopes, bringing Kaden Groves as one of the sprinters handling hills pretty well, and Mauro Schmid to make the race hard - and potentially for a late attack in the Poggio or in the final downhill.
It turns out that our plans were actually pretty good. But the execution was just awful, plain awful.
First of all, Pidcock winning and Vansevenant on the podium clearly shows that Mauro Schmid is a well-suited rider for this race. He just didn't think so - as he preferred doing some chasing late in the race, and then simply stop racing, get dropped and not even reach the Top 50. With many other great puncheurs getting a Top 20 or even better, this is just a huge missed opportunity.
And Kaden Groves? Well, he had a great position on top of the Poggio, right in the mix. But then he took it way too easy on the downhill, dropping back - and getting only a disappointing 17th place instead of what looked to be a safe Top 10. Given that this was our only scoring position (other than finishing points), this first monument was a big disappointment for us and our worst race of the season so far, by quite some margin.
The peloton at the foot of the Poggio, with a strong Jura GIANTS presence. Which vanished soon after.
So, definitely a bad race, and this clearly shows in our outcome analysis:
Outcome
Expectation
Outcome
Result
Top 15
17th
Points
100
68
February Recap
The Milano San Remo outcome just leaves a pretty bitter taste of what otherwise was a good month. Even a very good month, comparing the outcome to the expectations.
We were hoping to score 665 points - we came out of February just below 1,000. With a decent MSR - a Top 10 by Groves or at least some more Top 50 finishers - we'd have made that mark. We said pre-month that we'd likely need those 1,000 points to have a real shot at staying safe - well, given that we came very close to it, we think that avoiding relegation could indeed be possible.
Currently, we're sitting in 9th place in the rankings - which is amazing, and the even better news is that even in terms of PpRD, we're 11th and well on track. Having done our longest PTHC race of the year - and having it done pretty well, as the 3rd best scoring PT team - might put some pressure on other teams who still have all of their long PTHC events to do.
Also, with our 1,269 points, we're currently 394 ahead of our expectations, and our internal projected score is up to more than 4,700. We'll need more than 5,000 to stay safe, but if we can continue to perform a bit above expectations in most races, it could actually be doable!
A more in-depth analysis of rider scorings will come post March, where Eddie Theuns will have to deliver - and his level should give us a good indication of where we'll be heading to. Stay tuned!
Ronde van Nederland | 
Strada Appia Antica | 
Franceville Classique | 
Macskako Kerekparverseny | 
Tour of Ukraine | 
