Start	End	Race	Cat
01-Mar	03-Mar	Ronde van Nederland	PT

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Belohvosciks	Kristians	70	60	62	67	69	71	65	62	59	67	69	65	72
Delbove	Joris	65	74	72	58	67	72	74	62	60	69	71	72	58
Garibian	Arman	69	74	70	71	72	73	76	55	60	70	66	70	71
Hadi	Janvier	68	74	72	74	73	70	71	61	74	71	68	69	74
Juntunen	Antti-Jussi	68	63	72	61	67	70	65	61	68	71	68	61	60
Lund Andresen	Tobias	66	56	60	60	68	68	62	60	71	73	57	63	59
Oliveira	Rui	70	67	76	70	77	72	72	66	75	78	65	67	71
Paret-Peintre	Aurelien	72	76	77	72	73	75	73	63	72	74	72	70	72

We’re in the Netherlands for our second PT wildcard race of the season. 5 out of 8 riders are here for the XP, but APP and Oliveira could be good options for some stage results and even more for an okay GC result. We won’t get any points out of the race anyway, so it’s mostly about seeing how well our hill leaders can cope with a strong competition.

Start	End	Race	Cat
03-Mar		Lillestrom GP	C1

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Askey	Lewis	67	63	70	58	69	65	69	72	66	73	60	67	67
Costiou	Ewen	71	66	72	68	71	68	63	66	70	72	68	69	69
Daniel	Maxime	72	55	68	55	75	75	72	79	75	71	68	73	63
Dunne	Conor	66	74	74	69	71	72	73	70	62	69	74	69	69
Lapeira	Paul	73	69	71	61	70	70	67	71	72	73	75	70	64
Louvel	Matis	75	64	71	71	73	76	69	74	67	67	67	66	71
Mestric	Matija	73	63	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67
Pithie	Laurence	72	66	72	71	73	73	70	73	72	73	67	72	69

While our puncheurs are riding in the Netherlands our cobblers head towards Norway. With a high percentage of cobbles Daniel should be among the favourites once again, especially with the deep support he once again has with him.

Start	End	Race	Cat
05-Mar	10-Mar	Vuelta a Colombia	PTHC	-

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Chevrier	Clement	65	75	74	57	69	69	69	50	60	67	77	60	57
Delbove	Joris	65	74	72	58	67	72	74	62	60	69	71	72	58
Garibian	Arman	69	74	70	71	72	73	76	55	60	70	66	70	71
Hadi	Janvier	68	74	72	74	73	70	71	61	74	71	68	69	74
Hodeg	Alvaro	72	53	65	67	69	74	70	51	79	78	53	64	73
Pinot	Thibaut	70	78	72	63	73	76	70	56	60	66	70	65	63
Ranaweera	Suranga	67	80	73	76	75	75	74	52	58	65	57	69	73
Vauquelin	Kevin	68	73	67	72	68	72	70	58	68	68	71	70	71

The travel to Colombia is also Ranaweeras first outing as GC captain in a race where he can score points. He has a full support cast with him which also has some nice options for the breaks with riders like Chevrier, Hadi or Pinot. And home rider Hodeg is here to once again get us some nice result in one of the two sprint stages where we hope for a weak competition due to the four mountain stages.

Start	End	Race	Cat
12-Mar	16-Mar	Tour of Norway	HC

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Belohvosciks	Kristians	70	60	62	67	69	71	65	62	59	67	69	65	72
Boileau	Alan	67	73	75	65	68	70	72	62	67	74	66	67	64
Le Gac	Olivier	70	69	77	60	73	74	71	52	64	69	74	73	60
Lund Andresen	Tobias	66	56	60	60	68	68	62	60	71	73	57	63	59
Oliveira	Rui	70	67	76	70	77	72	72	66	75	78	65	67	71
Paret-Peintre	Aurelien	72	76	77	72	73	75	73	63	72	74	72	70	72
Paulus	Daniel	69	74	77	64	71	68	73	56	62	71	73	67	64
Pithie	Laurence	72	66	72	71	73	73	70	73	72	73	67	72	69

Our second trip to Norway this month is for the puncheurs. Oliveira is our sprinty option, but it’s mostly about APP here, who could do well in the GC if the last two stages are hard enough to drop the time trialists.

Start	End	Race	Cat
18-Mar	19-Mar	Franceville Classique	PTHC

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Askey	Lewis	67	63	70	58	69	65	69	72	66	73	60	67	67
Belohvosciks	Kristians	70	60	62	67	69	71	65	62	59	67	69	65	72
Daniel	Maxime	72	55	68	55	75	75	72	79	75	71	68	73	63
Dunne	Conor	66	74	74	69	71	72	73	70	62	69	74	69	69
Juntunen	Antti-Jussi	68	63	72	61	67	70	65	61	68	71	68	61	60
Lapeira	Paul	73	69	71	61	70	70	67	71	72	73	75	70	64
Louvel	Matis	75	64	71	71	73	76	69	74	67	67	67	66	71
Mestric	Matija	73	63	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67

The Gabonese race is one of our personal favourites because who could not love a cobbled stage race? Daniel is clearly our biggest hope for a GC result, though he clearly won’t be among the top favourites with the PT competition. But we also hope for some U25 points here.

Start	End	Race	Cat
18-Mar	23-Mar	Tour of South Africa	C1

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Berhe	Welay Hagos	67	71	69	69	71	68	71	60	61	66	67	64	67
Boileau	Alan	67	73	75	65	68	70	72	62	67	74	66	67	64
Costiou	Ewen	71	66	72	68	71	68	63	66	70	72	68	69	69
Garibian	Arman	69	74	70	71	72	73	76	55	60	70	66	70	71
Hadi	Janvier	68	74	72	74	73	70	71	61	74	71	68	69	74
Oliveira	Rui	70	67	76	70	77	72	72	66	75	78	65	67	71
Paret-Peintre	Aurelien	72	76	77	72	73	75	73	63	72	74	72	70	72
Vauquelin	Kevin	68	73	67	72	68	72	70	58	68	68	71	70	71

This one is another chance for our puncheurs. The TTT is clearly a handicap, but our squad isn’t too bad there actually. And with 5 hilly stages there are plenty of opportunities for APP and Oliveira to score in the stages and the GC.

Start	End	Race	Cat
25-Mar		Strade Bianche	HC

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Belohvosciks	Kristians	70	60	62	67	69	71	65	62	59	67	69	65	72
Berhe	Welay Hagos	67	71	69	69	71	68	71	60	61	66	67	64	67
Boileau	Alan	67	73	75	65	68	70	72	62	67	74	66	67	64
Costiou	Ewen	71	66	72	68	71	68	63	66	70	72	68	69	69
Daniel	Maxime	72	55	68	55	75	75	72	79	75	71	68	73	63
Lund Andresen	Tobias	66	56	60	60	68	68	62	60	71	73	57	63	59
Mestric	Matija	73	63	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67
Oliveira	Rui	70	67	76	70	77	72	72	66	75	78	65	67	71

Oliveira is our leader here with a supporting cast consisting mostly of our cobblers – our hopes aren’t too high here realistically.

Start	End	Race	Cat
27-Mar		1 Jour de Dunkerque	C1

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Askey	Lewis	67	63	70	58	69	65	69	72	66	73	60	67	67
Costiou	Ewen	71	66	72	68	71	68	63	66	70	72	68	69	69
Daniel	Maxime	72	55	68	55	75	75	72	79	75	71	68	73	63
Dunne	Conor	66	74	74	69	71	72	73	70	62	69	74	69	69
Lapeira	Paul	73	69	71	61	70	70	67	71	72	73	75	70	64
Louvel	Matis	75	64	71	71	73	76	69	74	67	67	67	66	71
Mestric	Matija	73	63	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67
Pithie	Laurence	72	66	72	71	73	73	70	73	72	73	67	72	69

A cobbled classic and a home race: there is no doubt we have high hopes here for Daniel. He has his usual support cast with him.

Start	End	Race	Cat
29-Mar	31-Mar	Tour of Eritrea	C1

		FL	MO	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR
Belohvosciks	Kristians	70	60	62	67	69	71	65	62	59	67	69	65	72
Delbove	Joris	65	74	72	58	67	72	74	62	60	69	71	72	58
Garibian	Arman	69	74	70	71	72	73	76	55	60	70	66	70	71
Hodeg	Alvaro	72	53	65	67	69	74	70	51	79	78	53	64	73
Lund Andresen	Tobias	66	56	60	60	68	68	62	60	71	73	57	63	59
Pinot	Thibaut	70	78	72	63	73	76	70	56	60	66	70	65	63
Ranaweera	Suranga	67	80	73	76	75	75	74	52	58	65	57	69	73
Vauquelin	Kevin	68	73	67	72	68	72	70	58	68	68	71	70	71

This is probably the first race where Ranaweera could really be in contention for a high GC result. He has Pinot, Delbove, Garibian and Vauqulin here as support. And Hodeg is there once again, hoping for another weak field of sprinters.

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
01-Mar	03-Mar	Ronde van Nederland	-	Stage Podium; Stage Top 10; GC Top 10

We came to the Netherlands hoping for a better PT appearance than in Paris-Nice, but stage 1 began much the same way as our first wildcard race: no one in the break, not even being mentioned in the report for anything. At least until the very end of the stage when we got noted once when Oliveira rocketed out of nowhere to finish second in the sprint, only beaten by the thinnest of margins. That clearly was a great debut for the Portuguese in our team. He also did well on the flatter finish of the second stage where he finished 8th. He nearly stayed with the first group in the last stage too, finishing 11th there. All of that was enough for our Portuguese to get a 7th place in the final GC and a 6th place in the points classification. It’s been a great race from him!

points:

n/a

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
03-Mar		Lillestrom GP	-	Top 5

Our first trip to Norway this month was another show of good team tactics. Costiou and Askey joined the break and spared their teammates from chasing. In the finale Daniel was attentive and followed a potentially decisive attack. This one lead nowhere, but he still managed to sprint to another 4th place in the end.

points:	41
Maxime Daniel	41

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
12-Mar	16-Mar	Tour of Norway	-	GC Top 25; Stage Podium

The first two stages were about Oliveira snatching something from the sprints. He finished 11th in the first stage and 13th in stage 2, though it looked like a much better result until 300 m to the line. Our two top puncheurs lost quite some time in the ITT, though they still had some chances to climb in the GC in the final two hilly stages. APP did his best with a 3rd place in stage 4, but still only stayed around 20th place in the GC. The final stage saw a win from the break with some GC upsets as well. At least Le Gac was part of that break and managed a 4th place in the stage, while APP fell to 24th in the final GC. All in all the race was one of our weakest this season.

points:	38
Aurelien Paret-Peintre	24
Rui Oliveira	10
Olivier Le Gac	4

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
18-Mar	19-Mar	Franceville Classique	-	GC Top 25

Stage 1 was rather unspectacular for us, but with Mestric in the big break of the day and him as well as Daniel and Louvel in the first group in the end all was well. So it came down to stage 2 and Daniel managed a 17th place in the stage and a 16th in the GC. Mestric, Louvel, Lapeira and Dunne added some minor scoring, making it another good race for us.

points:	49
Maxime Daniel	33
Matija Mestric	7
Matis Louvel	5
Paul Lapeira	2
Conor Dunne	2

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
18-Mar	23-Mar	Tour of South Africa	-	2 GC Top 10s; 2 Stage Podiums; Teams Win; 2nd U25

Stage 1 saw APP and Oliveira finishing in the top 10 despite missing the decisive attack. Our Portuguese did even better with a 3rd place. Stage 3 was rather anonymous. Stage 4 saw a TTT where we at least had hopes to not lose too much time after sending a well-rounded and decent TTT squad – and we actually did pretty well! We finished in 5th, making it our best ever TTT result. Even more important this put Oliveira and APP in 5th and 7th in the GC. Costiou was 2nd in the U25 and 13th in the GC by then, putting us also in 2nd in the team classification. So all was set up for a great result. APP added a 2nd place in the 5th stage to climb even further in the GC. The team was able to convert this good setup to a great overall result in the final stage (though it looked like Oliveira would lose some time for quite a while): APP finished 5th in the GC, Oliveira 8th and Hadi in 18th. 3 of our young riders finished in the top 5 of the U25 classification with Garibian best among them as 2nd. And most of all we managed to win the team classification – a historic result marking another “first time ever� moment for the team. Add some more depth points in the various classifications and you get some very nice scoring.

points:	126
Aurelien Paret-Peintre	56
Rui Oliveira	42
Janvier Hadi	10
Arman Garibian	10
Kevin Vauquelin	5
Ewen Costiou	2
Alan Boileau	1

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
25-Mar		Strade Bianche	-	Top 25

Mestric initiated the break of the day so the team didn’t have to work in the pleoton. Oliveira took advantage of this and finished in 11th against an armada of better puncheurs.

points:	22
Rui Oliveira	22

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
27-Mar		1 Jour de Dunkerque	-	Top 10

After Daniels great cobbles campaign we had some hopes for one of our few home races. And our veteran added another top 10 result as 8th, though it seemed like he could get an even better result before fading in the final km. But the depth scoring clearly made up for this with Pithie, Louvel, Mestric and Lapeira adding nearly the same amount of points as our captain, making this race a success indeed.

points:	63
Maxime Daniel	33
Laurence Pithie	12
Matis Louvel	7
Matija Mestric	6
Paul Lapeira	5

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
29-Mar	31-Mar	Tour of Eritrea	-	GC Top 10; 2 Stage Top 10s

Hodeg finished 9th in the stage 1 sprint which is okay. Ranaweera and Pinot survived the hilly finish in stage 2 in the group of favourites, thus giving them a good platform for a nice GC finish. And they both delivered with a 6th and 16th place in the final stage, resulting in places 7 and 13 in the final GC.

points:	56
Suranga Ranaweera	40
Thibault Pinot	15
Arman Garibian	1