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[CT] Podium Ambition - "-pation!"
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 09-03-2024 19:44
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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The Great Big "Teamwork, Makes The Dream Work" Post
We left off with a brilliant solo display. Since then, it's been all about the team. Things continue to gel and results continue to come in, ensuring the promotion battle is very much alive for now.
The Olympia Tour, a race all about the TTT which in recent years has seen teams dominate the standings based on one stage. Is it fair? That's for others to decide. Vanderpool kicked off with a Top5 on Stage 1, followed by stage podiums from Major on Stage 5, and the team in the TTT on Stage 4. Ending with Vanderpool 6th, Hasani 7th, and AC 10th in the GC. A ton of points bagged behind the Turtles.
The Tour of Austria (i'm not writing the full name, you all know i can't spell). Can a mountainous GC race really be a team event? When three different riders deliver stage Top5's it can! Jacob Morales-Ortega on Stage 5, Darren Matthews on Stage 6, and Vanderpool on Stage 7. Whilst O'Connor missed the Top10 overall this was still a successful race with Abner Gonzalez in a breakaway, and Kim Le Court in three of them!
Onto the Tour of Vancouver, yes it's a GC heavy period. Hennis delivered a surprise 2nd on Stasge 3, whilst O'Connor showed his climbing legs with a Top5 on Stage 4. But this race was all about the final day seven TTT. Another 2nd place powered O'Connor up the standings to finish Second overall, our best GC result of the year - and it was all built on teamwork!
Thus we come to the biggest team event the CT has to offer. The Monterrey TTT. We marked this out as a Top-5 Goal coming into the season, and our hopes were high. Whilst we had not yet beaten the Turtles and Gjensidgje to win a TTT we'd been consistently competitive in the discipline. The key to Monterrey? Getting over the half-way hill at speed and as a unit. This was where we held the advantage, out depth at TT and ability for O'Connor and Canty to lead that segment. Some might think we could be wasting 2 RD from our GC leaders, but no. The team delivered a crushing victory. Huge, clear out front, in style. A legendary team victory, taking us to three-from-three on Goals.
We've never hit three Goals in a single season before. A truly remarkable feat when you consider each of these results was acomplished either by a homegrown talent, or lead by them. Knowing the Tour of America is ahead to tank our PPrD we need a few more race stretches like this one. Promotion is still within reach but it's far from secured. And even if we do miss out, the cash rewards from three Goals is huge and should allow us to push over the top next season. Things are good right now for the Pirates!
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 09-03-2024 20:43
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1119
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Great to see your approach finally works out. And though it would be shame to compete in the CT next season without some Caribbeans around it's probably for the better of us others to not have your trained pirates around.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 07:08
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 09-03-2024 21:41
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4669
Joined: 29-09-2018
PCM$: 185.00
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Great job these last two or three months! Sure, the start wasn't great - and if you should indeed miss out on promotion, I guess the first three months would be the main reason (especially the repeated failures on the hills). But for now, you should be pretty much on track.
On the other hand, if you indeed go to ToA, there aren't many other races left. I'd suppose you'll go to Trentino (TTT) and Sun Tour (ITT), otherwise no clue. But I guess O'Connor and/or Canty should be pretty good candidates for breakaway - and looking at Tryg's ToA run last year, it's definitely possible for a CT team to do well there.
And as you say, if it shouldn't work this year, the money from these accomplished goals should allow you to get some really competitive CT riders next year - and even without training, you'll have a Glanbia-like TT armada next year with your maxed talents returning! Already looking forward to Podium Ambition 2024 - but first I hope you'll continue to rock 2023 
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| Laurens147 |
Posted on 11-03-2024 10:25
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1122
Joined: 26-04-2020
PCM$: 800.00
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I'm really happy that things have turned around for you  Another achieved goal and back in the promotion race. Great run mate!
MG - Lotto - Caloi
[MG] New Manager of the Year - PCM.daily Awards 2022
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| redordead |
Posted on 12-03-2024 08:11
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4881
Joined: 18-10-2017
PCM$: 200.00
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Steady approaching those pre season predictions
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 03-06-2024 18:11
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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The Great Big "Squeaky Bum Time" Post
I had to! You knew i had to! It's an iconic line. And entirely accurate to the CT promotion chase.
I could run down our recent results. GC Top 10's in Trentino and San Luis from O'Connor and Pons respectively. A raft of solid stage results. But compared to our direct competitors the last few months have been quiet. We knew this coming into the season.
What we didn't know was that Jesus Roniel Marte was going to be a Star! The Tour of America is the biggest non-PT race (don't @ me). Week 1 of the race was dominated. Not by all-time legend Eastman. Up-and-coming star McNulty. Or even the record chasing endeavours of Tivani. No, the Tour of America had one name on every managers lips - Jesus Roniel Marte. He was in the breakaway on every single road stage of the opening week. Stage 1-3 and 5-7. This included an assult on bonus seconds at the IS checks, which edged him into the outright race lead after Stage 3. We had a Caribbean neo-pro fight and earn a Grand Tour leaders jersey on actual pure merit and skill! What the actual fuck!
Jesus Roniel Marte, and it's always Jesus Roniel Marte, no nicknames here (yet), has now been in 13 recognised break-of-the-days. 13! That's a crazy amount! He even finished 4th in the Nakhon Ratchisma Trophy as a result. The man from the Domincan Republic is re-writting the team record books for neo-pro performances. He's now a hosehold name across the CT & PCT divisions. Can we plow $6-7million of training funds into him and create a PT legend? Yes, if we can get promotion and keep up a turnover of local talent to sell for profit.
Oh, right, promotion. We've got a shot. Herald Sun Tour looks favourable. We have Zuri-Metzge to close the season where Lagane will go in as favourite based on Izola performance and our record with Goals this season. Good results in those two races should get us over the line. And yet, we've see our TT'ers struggle and Lagane/Meyer go totally awol this season. It's going to be tight. There's going to be elation and heartbreak.
It is the very epitamy of squeaky bum time! Luckily we have some of the strongest buns in the entire MG, courtesy of one - Jesus Roniel Marte.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 14-06-2024 18:40
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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The Great Big "Set Sail, Lads" Post
#SetSail
#PiratesOfThePCT
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 14-06-2024 20:25
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1119
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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What a final month to seal promotion for the Pirates! I'm curious which external leaders (if any) you'll chase in transfers or if you really rely on training only. Your project stays one of the most interesting in the entire game anyway!
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 19-06-2024 18:21
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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The Great Big "-pation" Post
Y'all probably didn't think i'd pay off that set up. Y'all probably don't even know i'm talking about! I write these HQ updates purely for me and dumb ass jokes. Onto the serious bits.
We did it! We promoted, legitimately! Our all-in push paid off, with crucial points coming from Ben O'Connor and Brendan Canty that lifted us past the line. We nailed 4 Goals - Top 5 Team Standings, Win GP Izola, Top 5 Monterrey TTT, Win A Stage in the Baltic Chain Tour. Heck, we even won the TTT outright! And whilst we could only finish 5th in Zuri Metzge, that's enough to take home a ton of Goal Points. Do we have plans for that cash? Of course!
Other highlights of the year:
Jesus Roniel Marte - Pirate Of The Year. 13 Breakaway raids! 4th Place in the Nakhon Ratchisma Trophy. And he legitimately went out and earned a day wearing the GC lead in the ToA. What a legend in his neo-pro season!
Christopher Lagane - Clutch Moment Of The Year. Yes it's for the Euskal Bizikleta, a race that sealed our position right as it was about to tall apart. As well as catapulting him to the Top10 Indi ranking when we could have missed the Top25 altogether. It was a big performance just when we needed it most.
Akil Campbell - Cool Under Pressure Yes it's a pun on his AC nickname. But also because he delivered a hell of performance at the Baltic Chain Tour to win the opening stage. And for his ability to power our TTT units throughout the year.
Jay Major - The At Long Last Award. Really this is hist best season to date as a rider. Eight Top5 stasge results, and a lovely win to put a silver lining on the Herald Sun Tour. He deserves recognition for leading the line so often despite knowing he is underpowered.
Right! Quick summary. Quick celebration. We'll have more on Stat progression when we open up a new PCT level HQ! Time for more Rum!
#PiratesOfThePCT
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 19-06-2024 20:23
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Team Manager
Posts: 6508
Joined: 14-09-2008
PCM$: 1090.00
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Huge congrats!! So cool to see the first major reward after all the pains you went through to go all in with this project. Loved the write-up, too. What a season indeed for Marte! Looking forward to seeing you spend all that goals cash
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| liefwarrior |
Posted on 20-06-2024 02:28
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 864
Joined: 04-07-2019
PCM$: 300.00
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Congratulations! Always love to see a regionally-focused team succeeding with regional riders leading the line. Pretty, pretty, pretty please don't spend a single dime on Lagane; gift Démare one more year as the best hill-sprinter in ProConti. Please?
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 26-06-2024 20:33
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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@Kandes - As demonstrated this year, for the very specific right rider i'm open. But i also want to see how good we can be purely on our homegrown talent and training spend. I would rather flail miserably on a principle than win on an easy signing.
@cunego - For some reason i always had faith we'd get there! Taking it all the way to the PT, could be a while  Marte is an instant hero for many, we need new cult-favourite MG riders so why not him?!
@lief - Lagane trained, oh it's a dream.... a dream that started with Simon Yates like 6? years ago! Pump Lagane in a bid to ride him to safety? Spread it around the whole team to create a sustainable future if we do relegate... who knows...
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