The season started in Australia with the Down Under Classic and a sprint team built around our new main man, Erik Mohs. Hopes were high, as he returned to the place where he took a victory in the colours of Fablok.

Sadly, it would not be a repeat performance, and it would be a 16th place for our German on his debut. Not what we expected or hoped for at the start of the day, as he finished a long way back from stage winner Jacopo Guarnieri.

From Australia to Cuba, and the Clasico San Cristobal, a hilly classic where we looked to see how the team of Gasore Hategeka and Gracjan Lejman would get on for us. In the end... not good...

As with previous editions, it was a step too far for GCN, as Johan Esteban Chaves would take the win for Azteca. Lejman would come home in 122nd place (thank god he was a free pick!) and Gasore would sprint to a respectable 10th place. The star of show though was Pavel Potocki, as the Croatian would turn his domestique duties into a star performance, sprinting to 7th place on the day!



Optimism was high though as we jetted off for the Vuelta al Tachira in Venezuela. Tibopino (his new name thanks for reporter Aquarius97) was defending champion, and looked set for a showdown with new CT beast Benat Intxausti. Before we got the first mountain climbs on Stage 6 however, there was a matter of the flat sprinter's days.

Our first victory of the year came at the hands of Erik Mohs, who paid back his faith after the Down Under Classic to take a great win on stage 1, but sadly it would be only one day in yellow, as the break was allowed to stay away on Stage 2 and Jos van Emden took a famous win for the amateur team.

In the other sprints, Erik would be there or thereabouts, but sadly never in a position to take the win. A wrong choice of sprinting position would put him in the wind too early and his legs would fade... is it the sign of his advanced years?


Stage 6 would be the first battle between Tibo and Benat, with the Spanish rider coming out on top up the final climb of the day. Taking the win by 23 seconds, Tibo would come home 2nd place on the stage. Stage 7 ITT would see very little between the pair, but it would be on Stage 8 were cracks would begin to show on the DK Zalgiris rider. If it wasn't for Le Bon, it could have been curtains for him.

Tibo would take a good 2nd place on the downhill finish on Stage 8, but sadly he would have too much to do on Stage 9 to take the jersey. Conceding defeat on the line, his attacks in the last kms would not be enough to take Yellow.

That wouldn't stop him on Stage 10 though... a hilly circuit but with a finish suiting a sprinter, Mohs would turn lead out man for Pinot, as the Frenchman finishes off the race with a 2nd place on the day. Valuable bonus seconds, but with Benat in the main group, it would be 2nd on GC as well for our Mountains Leader.


The final race of the month was back in Australia at the Great Ocean Race Classic. A sprinter's stage on paper, but as previous editions have shown, the break always seems to do well here. With Mohs at Tachira, it was down to Sandor Szalontay to lead the sprint... and his result was 124th place and over 4 minutes down on the stage winner Morten Reckweg. There were no words to describe that performance on team bus afterwards... just silence.


With the first month's racing out of the way, the early rankings have been released from the MGUCI. Thanks to his performance in Tachira, Thibault sits in 4th place with 84 points, and the team in fact sit in the same position in the Team Rankings, scoring a total of 174 point.

Luis Leon Sanchez wrote:
A pretty solid start to the season for the GCN boys!

Pinot will need to have a good season and, thankfully for you, he's off to a great start.

Despite his stage win, Mohs definitely needs to and should perform better as the season goes on as he's better than his PPRD suggests thus far.

Racing in Venezuela had given us the first battle of Tibault vs Inxtausti, and Tour of Langkawi would give us Thibault vs Ratiy vs Nibali vs Valls... the climbing strength of the CT peleton is ridiculous this season!

Before we got there though, we had a prologue and a sprint stage to come first. Gaeten Bille shows what we had missed and took a nice 4th place in the prologue, and with no sprinter in the squad, Stage 2 was a simple ride to the finish and avoid gaps for Pinot.

Stage 3 was the first big climb, and the ride to Cameron Highlands. All was set up for Pinot to pick up from his Tachira form, but sadly it seemed his legs were left in Venezuela... As the attacks happened at the front, he was unable to hang on and lost almost a minute on the stage winner Nibali. It was history repeating itself, as our Frenchman had a similar ride 12 months ago.


Stage 4 was a protection stage, before the fireworks of Gentings Highlands on Stage 5. We needed a ride from Pinot and by god we got one. Only able to take 2nd place on the stage, he would gap many of his rivals to take back a lot of time and move to 4th on GC. That is more like it!!

Two flat stages finished the race, and with no more time gap opportunities, we would have to be happy with a Top 5 ride and the Team Standings, with Michal Kwiatkowski taking the GC win for Netia.

The Mountains of Malaysia to the Cobbles of Denmark and the GP Herning. Our first time in the race, we had hopes of strong performance from our Classics team. The pave would be brutal and slowly the selections were made as the race wore on. Each time though, we had Pieter Jacobs in the right places. The ride from the Belgian would be a delight to be hold.

The race win would go to local rider Niki Ostergaard but a podium for Jacobs would be the just reward for his efforts. A massive pat on the back for him and the celebrations were going on long into the night.


The C1 race of Ras Tailteann and given it's location in the world, it was practically a home race. Erik Mohs would be our man, and we hoped for Tachira Stage 1 legs rather than Down Under Classic legs... it would be the latter though. Achieving the best finish on 5th on Stage 2, he would not have enough to challenge the best in the PCT division and could only take a 12th on GC finish. Mark Cavendish would take the GC win after a stage win and some consistent riding throughout.

Hong Kong Challenge finishes the month, and with a route containing hills, a TT and a mountain stage, it would be a pure all rounder that would take the overall win. Thibault would be amongst the main group on Stage 1, but the +2'41 lost in the TT would be the killer again.

With too much work to do, we just wanted to make the most of the final Mountain stage. And by god, Pinot gave us a show! Holding the wheel of Nibali, the man who had defeated him in Malaysia, before going hard under the red kite, our man would take the win by 25 seconds on the line! The gaps behind would not be enough after his TT ride, but he would climb back to 6th on GC.


A great month of riding, and #2 Ranking release showed it was a strong month against our rivals. Moving up to 3rd on Teams Ranking with 454 points, we knew we would need to consistent over the season to maintain this position.

Thibault remained our best rider, sitting in 2nd on the Individual Rankings with 194 points.

The month of March started for the team in Mexico at the Circulo de Juarez. A flat stage race, it is a sprinter's paradise and a rare chance in the MG for them to battle on every day of a race.

Erik Mohs was the man for us again, and after a 3rd place on Stage 1, we were looking forward to a fun week... but how wrong we were. Stage 2 - 12th Place. Stage 3 - 13th Place... It was facepalm moments, as he was dropped off in a great place, only to fade approaching the line.

A Stage Win and thank to the Bonus seconds from teh stage but our German into the Leader's jersey with 1 stage left. Surely we can do this and take the overall. Yeah... Nope! Mohs inconsistent as ever, and rolled over the line in 15th place and ends up in 4th place on GC! Mate... you had one job!



The colder climes of Belgium was next up, and the Geraardsbergen-Bosberg. Pieter Jacobs would lead a strong team, which showed its worth as Oumaru Minoungou and Geoffroy Ngandamba attacked on the first cobbled section. The rest of the race would be a war of attrition, but making sure Jacobs would be well piloted throughout.

In the end, it would be a dream race for us. No victory, but like in GP Herning, it would be the attitude of the riders that impressed us. A day in the break for Geoffroy.. pfft! That is nothing to him, as he stuck to the wheel of the favourites deep in the race and crossed the line in 4th place! And behind him? Well that's Jacobs, giving us 2 riders in the Top 5.


The final race of March was in Africa, and the Tour of Eritrea. Our first time at the race, it was going to be fun riding on the gravel mountain roads. The first first 2 stages belonged to the sprinters, and with a team dedicated to Tibopino, it was all about protecting him.

The Queen Stage 3 would no doubt be the decider of the GC - a pure climber's wet dream, and Thibault showed why he is the big man for the CT peleton. Riding the big names off his wheel in the last 2km of the summit finish, he would take the win and the GC lead with it. Oh how we love you Pinot!


Stages 4 and 5 would be for the Sprinter's again, although the breakaway would steal the glory, but the final stage was a day to be careful. Looking like a shark's tooth, it looked more like an Ardennes Classic than a final stage of a Stage Race. The attacks needed to be neutralised, and we did just that. As Pinot crossed the line in 5th place, it was a massive sigh of relief with the GC win with it. Excellent work by all involved at the race though.


Top point scorers for the month of March, GCN would remain in 2nd Place on Team Rankings in Update #3, behind NENT Racing. 687 points in total after 44 Race Days, meant our Projected Finish would also be in 2nd place if we continued this sort of form all season.

Individual Standing continue to have Dan Holloway in top spot, with Thibault sitting in 2nd place with 345 points.

A trip to New Zealand for the Tour de Vineyards was first up in April, and a 7 stage race lay ahead. We came with Vinhas and Potocki as the leader, aiming for the Queen Stage 3 as the main stage to set the GC. The final TT on the last stage could thrown cats amongst pigeons, but we hope the stage before then should set up the standings beforehand.

After an uneventful opening prologue and a sprint stage we had no interest in, the Queen Stage was upon us. Vinhas didn't have the legs on the final climb, but thank god Potocki did! Taking a strong 4th Place on the climb, and moved into a Top 5 place on GC. Michal Kwiatkowski took the stage win in what was one of the most dominating displays so far this season.


The next group of stages went without hassle for the team, with Potocki coming into the final stage in 4th on GC and currently hitting the Team Goal. Sadly though, he is not TT-er and slipped to 7th overall after finishing the stage nearly 5 minutes down on stage winner Stelly Robert. Goal failed...

We jetted to Hungary after a few weeks break, and the Betonexpressz GP. Erik Mohs was our man, but looks like it was the inconsistent, old man legs Mohs that turned up on the startline. Dan McLay worked off his ass for the German again in the sprint, dropping him off perfectly after being badly positioned. 500m to the line, Mohs was in prime spot, but the legs would fade and 10th place is the best he could muster.


The month finished on home soil in Lincoln for the Lincoln GP. We wanted a win, and that was drilled into the team pre-race. Yes, it was ambitious, but given our rides in Herning and on the Bosberg, it could be possible.

Sadly, it wouldn't happen. Bram Welten in the day's break was all we would see on the TV and when the big moves happened, Jacobs, Minoungou and Ngandamba were nowhere to be seen. Geoffroy would be our best placed rider in 11th place, but nearly 4 minutes down on race winner Samuel Coronel, The disappointment was not hard to hide on the team bus, with even fingers pointed at each other as tempers boiled over. It was important to make sure this was a one off, and we hit the road stronger in May.


Just 111 points would be won in April, seeing the team drop from 2nd place in the Rankings to 5th Place (798 points) in the #4 update, Our projected points still had us in 3rd overall, but we would have to look at drop with some element of worry.

No racing for Pinot, so he remains on 345 points, dropping to 3rd in the Individual rankings. Form rider Michal Kwiatkowski sits in 1st.

The local roads for Team Manager Phil Hoyle started the month of May, as the GCN boys tackled the Cheshire Cycling Tour. Predominately made up of Cobbles and some stages for the PCT fastmen, it was going to be a big task ahead for us.

And that was shown instantly on Stage 1, with with Team Leader Pieter Jacobs finishing more than 29 minutes down in 90th place. In fact across the first 4 stages, the highest we would place would be 75th! The difference of CT and PCT was clear to see and it gave us an insight to what we faced if promotion remained on the cards this year.

Some shining light came on the final stage however, as a day in the break gave Jacobs the opportunity to take a stage win. Leading out under the flamme rouge, he was ambushed by his follow escapees and had to settle for 5th place in Chester. Pieter would be highest on GC, sitting in 55th place, more than 23 minutes down on race winner Danny Summerhill.


Off to Namibia next, and the Windhoek ITT. A small team of 3 would lead the line for GCN, with our best TT riders and talents gunning for the win. Two stages in total, with the 2nd stage being a reverse of Stage 1. Former British TT champion Steven Burke was best placed on both stages, but he was nowhere close to challenging the top men in the Division, and 20th place on GC would be the result.

Back to Europe and back to the Cobbles, at the 1 Jour de Dunkerque. Pretty much the same team as to Cheshire, but this time we would be mixing it with the CT boys instead of the PCT monsters. In what would be a war of attrition, in the end we would welcome Geoffroy Ngandamba across the line in a fantastic 5th place. Yes, he was more than 5 minutes down on Guillaume Van Keirsbulck but that was just proof of the battle at hand.

As soon as the race finished in France, the team were flying out to Africa again, with the Cobbles of Tour de Faso lay ahead. Stage 1 was a big one, and it would be bad luck that would be take any chance of victory away from Pieter Jacobs. Puncturing with 10km to go, he was left in no man's land to cross the line way down on the favourites. A day for the breakaway prevented Dan McLay from going for the win on Stage 2, and on Stage 3, Jacobs showed his form, taking a good 4th place and in the process 12th on GC.

The month finished back in Europe, as the riders tackled the mountains of Giro del Trentino. Without Tibopino in the squad, it was down to Potocki and Vinhas to try and mix it with the big guns of the CT mountains.


The opening TTT was not the best, with the squad finishing in 10th place, and as the likes of Eastman and Valls flexed their muscles on Stage 2, it was too much for Vinhas, who could only finish 15th on the Queen Stage.

The time loss by Cuming did give him some freedom to attack on the final stage and by god did he make full use of it! Heading up the road in a group of 15 riders, he would ride perfectly, and use the final kick to the line to take a great win. Fully deserved for a man who has been a loyal domestique for the 2 seasons he has been with the team.

He would finish the race highest on GC too thanks to his time in the break, tking 12th overall, behind the race winner Ryan Eastman.


The rankings update would come at the end of June for the CT Division so no confirmed figures from the month of May. However, it was not a good month, with a handful of top 5 placings and 1 win from the large number of race days across the month. Improvements would be needed in June, as this was becoming a worry...

Heading back to the roads of success in 2018, as the month of June started at La Tropicale Amissa Bongo. Last year we saw Jen Keukeleire shock the team with the GC win, and we pinned hopes on Erik Mohs this season. However, in true Mohs fashion, it would be only Stage 3 that he would look to threaten the sprinters for the win. After a 11th & 8th place on the opening stage, the 2nd place behind Holloway on stage 3 gave him a huge boost, with the bonus seconds putting back in contention for the win. Sadly however, that would be the closest he would get to a win, and with a 6th & 8th on the final stages, he would have to settle for 5th on GC.


The Lillestrom GP would be next and it was a great day for the GCN sponsorship on TV. Attacks from Bille and Ngandamba would give us plenty of time in front of the camera, and the race would end with Oumaru Minoungou contesting for the win. Usually a domestique, it was superb to see him up at the front, and 5th place would be his reward on the day. Excellent riding from the Burkina Faso rider on a day when the favourites would neutralise themselves and fail to catch the final parts of the break.


14 seconds... just 14 seconds! That would be the final gap between Tibopino and Eastman in the Tour of Vancouver. After the opening mountain ITT, we knew the mountain stages of 4 & 6 would be key.

Stage 4 - went to Eastman and it was 2-0 vs Pinot on the road after he took the opening stage as well. A gap of 1'11 separated the two going into the Stage 6 climb, and it was all on Tibo to attack. And oh how he attacked!


Taking 2nd on the stage behind Le Bon, he would leave Eastman behind, putting 1'04 into him, and with the bonus seconds, he had a 5 second lead going into the final stage... the TTT!

Not our strongest discipline, we knew we would be on the back foot, but with the power on Yellow on our backs. Azteca would cross the line in 10'18. GCN would come in 10'29... and it would be 14 seconds too late for Tibo. It was a hell of race and we had drama to the end but 2nd on GC we would have to take home.


The June update of the rankings from the MGUCI included May's racing, and the numbers did not look good until we got to June. Thank god for Tibo. We remained in 5th in the Team Ranking, with a points total of 1149, Our projected points had us in 2ns place if we continued to scored at our PpRD average, and more importantly, there was a 500 point projected buffer to 6th place. Promotion was a certainty looking at the numbers.

Thibault continued to be our top rider, sitting 4th in the Individual Rankings, moving onto 463 points.

The Tour of Bulgaria was first up in July, and with it coming mid-month, the guys had had a month off since the last race in Vancouver.

Tibopino would be leading the team in Bulgaria, but with his loyal Lieutenants heading to Georgia instead, he would have to see how he would cope without them. If Stage 1 is anything to goby, we wouldn't be too bad. Taking 3rd on the stage, it would be another show of form from our French climber. Sadly, however, our TTT team would be the downfall in the end. Losing over 1 minute to his rivals, it would be a lot of time to make up on the stages to come.

Stage 3 was followed up with another Top 10, before a miscalculation on the final stage would see Thibault miss out on another podium. The TTT result would be the difference on GC, with Pinot having to settle for 14th place.

In Georgia, the rest of our climbers team would tackle the Sakartvelo Trophy. Vinhas would lead the team, but Potocki and Cuming would also support.

After a day in the break for Ngandamba, the team would ride all i support of our Portuguese rider. As the climbs took their toll, Vinhas would do a great job stepping up to team leader and would sprint for a 3rd place finish on the line. After the disappointment of Bulgaria, this was the perfect remedy.

Vilnius GP next, and as stated, we are not good at TTTs. Finished 7th, 1'09 down on the winner, and there is nothing more to say about it really...


The month ended in the USA, at the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, the team's last goal of the season. Three flat stages with a 5.4km TT to finish, we would be hoping that the route would be favourable towards Erik Mohs. A 5th place on Stage 1, followed by a great lunge for the line took the win on Stage 2, panic set in on Stage 3 when he could only manage 12th place... The inconsistent Mohs strikes again!

Into the final TT, and all we needed to do was match those around us to take a Top 5 finish and succeed with the team goal. As Mohs crossed the line 29" down on the stage winner, our hearts were in our mouths, but with the GC results announced, celebrations began as a 4th place was secured by Erik.


Another great month from the team, the rankings showed this perfectly. Jumping Netia in the standing, GCN would sit in 4th place in the Team Rankings on 1415 points. Projected still had us in 2nd place at the end of the year, with more than 2000 points expected if we carried on at this rate.

Individual standings still has Thibault in 4th place, with 463 points against his name.

Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands would start the month, with the Benelux Challenge laying ahead for the team. We performed well here in 2016, as Gaeten Bille scored a podium place on GC. We would be hoping for something similar again.

The opening prologue would almost be a repeat of 2016, as Gaeten started with a fine 4th place, before a great ride from Nzeke on stage 3 would put him in GC contention. Anoth great ride on Stage 4 from our Cameroon rider would slowly move him up the GC before a huge effort on Stage 5 but him 3rd overall and just 4 seconds off the top.


The final stage would be a sprinter's stage so 3rd place for Geremie Nzeke would be the end result, equalling our best ride from 2016.

Canada was next, with the Grands Prix Cyclistes. Quebec circuit would be first and Michael Cuming would take a strong 6th place on the opening stage.

The Montreal stage would sadly be a different story, with Cuming losing 2'04 to all others and slipping to 11th on GC. a shame after his great ride the day before, but it is fair to say, this is not his usual terrain.


No Rankings update at the end of August, instead we would have to wait for a big update after September going into the final month of the season...