Latest Winners:
2017: Michał Kwiatkowski - 2016: Fabian Cancellara 2015: Zdeněk Štybar
Squad:
Magnus Cort Nielsen - Omar Fraile - Luis León Sánchez
Oscar Gatto - Hugo Houle - Laurens De Vreese - Andriy Grivko
Expectations:
We haven’t got the outright favourite, but we got three different and good riders in Cort, Fraile and Sánchez, the team have set an official goal of top 5 and we will do what we can to deliver.
Strade Bianche famed for its difficult “white roads” is one of the few races becoming an instant classic, first race in 2007 it was already upgraded to a 1.HC-ranked race after 8 seasons and just two years later becoming part of the World Tour.
Since 2016 the race have started and finished in Siena about 60 km straight south from Florence, the town dates back to the pre-roman Etruscan civilization (BC 900-400). From 1125 to 1555 Siena was a state of its own “Repubblica di Siena”.
At first glance this race do not seem to be that difficult, but the many narrow gravel road and small climbs, will force the riders to constantly fight for position, wearing on the riders and open options for the daring riders to set in that late attack.
Top 5 media favorites:
Dylan Teuns (BMC) Primoz Roglic (Lotto Jumbo) Michael Woods (Education First) Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) Gianluca Brambilla (Trek)
After winning the race three times Fabian Cancellara had a Milestone raised eith his name on the 11.5 km Monte Sante Marie sector.
Race
Km: 136
The race opens with 25 km where all the riders enjoy the fine Italian spring morning in a calm pace.
Then Luca Chirico (Androni) finally decides to open the race, Nuno Bico (Movistar) and Nicola Bagioli (NIPPO) soon to join up.
Within the next 5 km the breakaway extends to six riders with the addition of Edward Ravasi (UAE), Lucas Hamilton (Michelton) and Domen Novak (Bahrain), but the peloton keep up the pace and they do not get away.
We get a new acceleration from Bart De Clercq (Wanty), Simone Petilli (UAE) and again Lucas Hamilton.
While those three riders slowly build a lead of 4’19” other riders do their best to start a pursuit Clément Chevrier (AG2R), Mark Padun (Bahrain), Luca Chirico and Matteo Bono (UAE) but none of them able to stay clear.
Belgian Bart De Clercq leads the breakaway into the first gravel sector, it is his 3rd start in Strade Bianche, 28th in 2016, last season he did not finish
Km: 10
The peloton slowly starts to up the pace, cutting the distance bit by bit, and you also slowly start to see more and more riders with pain in their faces, but is not until the Bivio per Asciano gravel road climb, that we see some significant selection in the peloton some 65 km before the finish line.
After that Lotto Jumbo takes the lead with 3 riders, upping the pace another level and splits the peloton in two equal sized parts. From here the backdoor of the peloton is wide open and at the same time the breakaway was reeled in.
With 11 km left we get the first really dangerous attack form Trek’s Gianluca Brambilla, but it was closed down by a counter from Luis León Sánchez who also attempted to extend his acceleration but did not get away either.
Italian Gianluca Brambilla first of the favourites to try the late attack, Brambilla was born in a small town on the shore of Lake Como in the Italian Alps. Starting in Bardiani the 30 years old have spent the latest 5 years at Quick-Step, before moving to Trek–Segafredo for this season
Km 1.5
That was the end of attacks from the distance, the peloton even slows down and about 10 rider get back to form a leading group of 39 riders moving into the final stretch up to the finish line, 1.5 km left.
Omar Fraile leads the group under the city gates.
Omar Fraile have had a great season so far, but today he was acting as domestic for Magnus Cort Nielsen who has announced he feels great today
Km 0.0
The sprint starts quite late as all riders have already used a lot of fuel, Sánchez with a fine kick on the uphill finish almost loses Cort, but the Dane fast enough in the end to pass his teammate.
The acceleration by Sánchez opens quite a gap, but over the last 300 meters Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) Michael Woods (Education First) and Dylan Teuns (BMC) coming back very fast.
But the Astana duo timed it to perfection taking the double in front of Van Avermaet
This was the 2nd season win by 25 years old Magnus Cort Nielsen and without doubt the most important not only of the season but of the career. Cort first international contract was with Mitchelton-Scott from 2015-2017, before transfering to Astana
Astana Pro Team
This was beyond our wildest dreams, a combination of great teamwork, several of our riders in top form on the day and the luck you always need – and we got a perfect result.
Latest Winners:
2017: Adam Yates 2016: Simon Clarke 2015: no race
Squad:
Andriy Grivko - Oscar Gatto - Nikita Stalnov - Laurens De Vreese
Dmitriy Gruzdev - Hugo Houle - Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev
Expectations:
This might be one of those few races where Andriy Grivko will be allowed to lead the team if not the only one. We do not expect to see a top result but maybe something like top 15-20. Oscar Gatto and/or Nikita Stalnov will be our preferred option in the breakaway if possiable.
The stage starts and finish in Larciano, a “comune” in provincia di Pistoia, Toscana.
The history of Larciano revolves around Larciano Castel, dating back to the 10th century where the castle was owned by the influential Counts of Guidi a major family during the Middle Ages dominating much of Tuscany, Romagna and Emilia.
The race is composed of two different types of laps, first four laps on a flat route in Val di Nievole south of Larciano and then four laps into Monte Albano mountain chain east of Larciano with a climb up to Fornello.
Due to the late climb the race is expected to be decided between the punchers or punchy sprinters.
Top 5 media favorites:
Simone Ponzi (NIPPO) Michael Albasini (Michelton) Arthur Vichot (FDJ) Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain) Gianluca Brambilla (Trek)
In 1225 the castle was sold to the City-state of Pistoia and became the most powerful stronghold on this side of the Albano Mountain
Race
Km: 121
Fabien Doubey (Wanty) opens he stage, a little further back Romain Sicard (Direct Energie) has Luca Raggio (Wilier Triestina) and Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev at wheel, they will soon close up.
Behind them attacking continues, Jeroen Meijers (Roompot) Elmar Reinders (Roompot) and Ettore Carlini (d'Amico), will take a while for Carlini to get into the breakaway but in the end these 7 riders will form todays breakaway.
Still on the flat section we get a huge crash with 38 riders down, most notable Amaro Antunes (CCC) Guillaume Martin (Wanty) Ivan Sosa and Fausto Masnada both from Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec, they lose 2’38” to the bunch but get back before the climbs start.
The breakaway will get close to a four minutes lead, but the peloton reacts early and stabilize the distance around 2’30”
Iván Ramiro Sosa was the best climber down in the early crash, the just 20 years old rider from Colombia may well be one of the next generation South American stars
Km: 13
Romain Sicard put a lot of energy into keeping the breakaway alive and they all do what they can to help, but their struggles don’t match the pace set by the bunch and on the third climb, the break was over.
On the final climb it is BMC taking the lead until we get the attack form favourite Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain) and Gianluca Brambilla (Trek), at that point it is up to the favourites to keep up as the peloton is no longer organized.
More or less at the same time Oscar Gatto and Laurens De Vreese was involved in a smaller crash.
Giovanni Visconti won Giro dell'Emilia last season in front of teammate Vincenzo Nibali
Km: 0.0
Brambilla can’t keep to with the acceleration from Visconti and can’t hold of the bunch either, he was caught.
Giovanni Visconti on the other hand extends the lead little by little with just 2 km left he got 17”
No one can keep up with the legs of the Italian today, he takes a clear solo win in Larciano.
Simone Ponzi (NIPPO) wins the bunch sprint in front of Michael Albasini (Michelton)
With a stage win and a podium in Dubai, now winning GP Industria & Artigianato a fine season start from 35 years old Visconti
The 1st stage in this edition of Paris-Nice will be raced close to Paris. From Chatou about 16 km west of the city centre, we are heading into the “Forêt de Rambouillet” a 200 km² forest located south of Paris, before heading back to for a finish in Meudon about 10 km southwest of central Paris.
The stage of somewhat undulated, on top of that we have a short uphill finish covered in cobbles. Should be a mass sprint finish but the cobbled uphill sprint may be asking for more than just a fast rider.
The famous Château de Meudon dates back to a relative simple construction from around 1200, but with time the castle became a beautiful palace. Today both Château Vieux (Old Castel) and Château Neuf (New Castel) have been seriously damaged by fire and for the most part demolished.
Top 5 media favorites:
Peter Sagan (BORA) Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step) Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) Arnaud Démare (FDJ)
“La Démolition du château de Meudon” 1806 Oil on canvas
(French painter Hubert Robert 1733 - 1808)
Race
Km: 100
Alexis Gougeard (AG2R) opens the stage just as we are about to enter Forêt de Rambouillet, behind him 5 riders start a pursuit hoping to join the breakaway lead by Willie Smit (Katusha).
After about 10 km there was a small hilly climb, making an opening for Sergey Chernetckii to slip away from the bunch.
The 7 riders unite and was allowed to build a lead of 2’32 after about 15 km, but the peloton keeps up a high pace and the distance stabilize around 2’10 leading up to the points sprint.
The four rider not yet mentioned is Sep Vanmarcke (Education First), Grégory Rast (Trek), Jai Hindley (Sunweb) and Alex Frame (Trek)
To the excitement of the spectator the riders attack for the uphill sprint, won by Vanmarcke, which was too much for Alex Frame he loses time on the hill and will never get back.
The rute was too undulated for sprinter Alex Frame, with the likes of Vanmarcke, Gougeard and Chernetckii in the breakaway
Km: 46
The peloton never let go of the pursuit, especially Sky’s Jonathan Dibben burning a lot of energy taking turn after turn, also Bahrain and BMC active from time to time. With 70 km left the gab decreased to under a minute.
Sep Vanmarcke with an early acceleration for the KoM splits the group, but a patient Sergey Chernetckii takes the KoM in front of Grégory Rast
Now with Jonathan Dibben’s workday over, Michelton and Movistar keeps up the pressure.
After the first KoM, Sergey Chernetckii and Grégory Rast alone in front, just able to reach the final KoM before they are reeled in, Chernetckii takes maximum points and will wear the KoM jersey tomorrow.
The breakaway is over.
Chernetckii previously participated in Paris – Nice in 2014 and 2015, best result 7th in Youth and 37th in GC
400 m
It is first Michelton and later Quick-Step keeping up the pace on the final kilometres, Peter Sagan (Bora) comes from behind and opens the uphill cobbled sprint from about 500 meters.
Peter Sagan won 3 stages in Vuelta a San Juan back in January
Km: 0
Peter Sagan wins in Meudon in front of Alexey Lutsenko and Richie Porte (BMC)
This was Peter Sagan’s 106th win, his very first win was also in Paris – Nice back in 2010
Due to the fact that PCM 2018 has sadly become way too easy if you play it as you usually would, I have decided to terminate this story, but just to continue in a new tread with a very different set of rules, hoping that it will make the game harder and provide more realistic results.
Rules of Crossroads 2019:
Measures to make more realistic results:
* Only pause to take pictures – and never adjust anything in the gameplay while doing so, everything will be done in real time.
* Only action regarding planning will be choosing riders for races, the premade “training” “rider goals” ect. cannot be modified, but I will be allowed to negotiate team goals – as it might be hard to make great results.
* Not allowed to make “trains” of more than 3 riders at the same time.
* Only one rider can be on dot at any point during the race
Measures to save time (shorten the season)
* Will only report form WT races and selected HC races.
* The other races will be played at x8 on automatic – and only the result posted
Setup
This will allow me to race the 2019 season with PCM.daily 2019 DB, something that also made me want to start again.
Level: Extreme
Crash Ratio: 0.7
Hope to see you for the Crossroads 2019 edition, starting at pcmdaily.com soon
