Horrible, horrible, horrible. I have no idea what it is, but Per's positioning is just absolutely awful this year. He's halfway down the pack the whole of both cobbled classics so far, so he can't react to any attacks and misses every split. It's like he's not even considered a leader by the game engine and just sneaks into the top 15 by inertia cause he's so strong. Same with Wisniowski. But how? They're both very very obvious top favorites.
The difference to last year despite no game change is so stark. I wonder if making my cobbles team stronger hurt us? We keep sending guys in the breakaway and attacks this year, which we didn't last year before we got Meiler and Matsangos. But Per was always at the front and reacting last year, nabbing constant podiums. This year, he's nowhere to be seen when it matters.
I guess the relegation strategy will be interesting to play out. I didn't think Per totally flopping would be the reason we'd end up there, but you really never know year to year in Man Game.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
Cool to see the finish on video. Almost crazy the amount of attacks from Pidcock, but he burned himself out, I guess. But it also looked like Pedersen perhaps started a bit too early to catch, so might have been the quite influential after all. Still, very happy with 2nd for Pedersen in such a finish.
[...] Macskako Kerekparverseny, which, according to Google, translates to cat circle race.
I don't know which Google you use, but mine results in "Macskako Cycling Race"
Looks like Macskakő actually means cobblestone, so the race name should simply be translated to "Cobblestones Cycling Race"
Now that bit of random knowledge has been shared, to the race itself. Very happy with 4th from van der Poel, which hopefully bodes well for some of the other hilly cobbles races he'll be entering. Congrats to knockout and thanks for the report!
Tommy P! You are a crazy crazy man and almost pulled off something truly special - obviously nothing would compare to a monument victory but in terms of the racecraft that would have been his craziest moment of this season yet. Heartbreaking finish inside the last kilometre but very proud of himn and for a 74CB guy I can't be too mad with 14th still especially as Vermeersch improved to the 30s. I can't figure out if I should be very proud of my Pidcock race planning, or he's just the rider who will look good no matter where you send him and so it took no skill from me
Much like in Strada I really enjoy Polanc and Pedersen success, next to Per (whose struggles are really tough to see - sure he will turn it around) they're pretty much the guys I'd most like to see overtake Pidcock in that situation so happy for that, congrats to both managers Polanc still so amazing - can see why you've never sold me him knockout
Thanks to Abhi for the capture and Nemolito for putting together a fantastic report from it - would never have guess you weren't reporting it first-hand so great job
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Wow, what a finish by Theuns
He was in a similar position last year, but finally never was in contention and dropped to 11th - and now, after a decline, he sprints to 3rd! Our first ever PT classics podium - at least the first one we're getting points for (Theuns also was 3rd in RvV last year). And a big relief for the team to see that even after his decline, Theuns can still be very much in the mix in those more hilly cobbled races
Sending Schmid here might look as a mistake after all, given that he only finished 40th. But I'm sure that his attack allowed Theuns to just sit in the group of favourites and save energy - unlike in Strada Appia Antica, where he had to participate to the chase. This might be the decisive difference - if so, it was worth sending Schmid. But given his personal result, it likely still won't happen again.
And then, this fantastic depth result from Küng and Paprstka in 20th and 21st! But wait - what is Delco doing in 22nd place? The guy has a 67 Cob stat, really no clue at all what he's doing there - but we'll take it obviously! So all in all, that's more than 200 points for us, which obviously is yet another massive result this month, and already has us above 2,000 points after less than 1/3 of the year - I couldn't ask for more, definitely!
Big congrats obviously to Polanc for the win! I still don't really get why these sub-80 cobblers (also includes Theuns by now) beat the monsters like Pedersen, but Polanc has been awesome over and over again! Pedersen with another 2nd place, surely not what he expected, but I guess 2nd/2nd isn't the worst possible outcome from these two races
Thanks for the video and the report, was fun to watch and read!
Polanc still so amazing - can see why you've never sold me him knockout 
