Summary: Limerick didn't bring its shooting boots. Unable to finish a handful of clear-cut chances, Galway takes advantage. Greg Moorhouse with a brace in the final 10 minutes.

Rating: 6.8 - Could of had a few assists today, but my teammates couldn't find the back of the net. One of those games.

Player of Game: Greg Moorhouse, Galway United (9.2)

Summary: This one will sting for Limerick. They had Shamrock on the ropes, but a questionable penalty call sways the final outcome. Greg Bolger the hero from the spot in the 80th minute.

Rating: 6.7 - Fatigue a factor in this one. Stupid challenge in the 66th minute got me a deserved yellow card. A forgettable game. I missed the next league game three days later to race the Czech Cycling Tour. Limerick FC beat Bray Wanderers, 2-0, in Match Day #27.

Player of Game: Dane Massey, Shamrock Rovers (7.4)

Summary: Limerick was surprisingly the slightly better team on the road, but unable to put Dundalk away. A second leg is needed.

Rating: 6.4 - Bad game. It was no surprise when I saw the team sheet for the second leg and didn't see my name on it. Yet, without my help, Limerick FC pulled off the upset with a 3-1 home win in the second leg to advance to the second round. But, the draw screwed over Limerick again... Shamrock Rovers up next.

Player of Game: Sean Hoare, Dundalk (8.0)

Summary: McCloskey gets shutdown, but so does Limerick. Another scoreless draw. After not having any all season, Limerick goes nil-nil the last two games.

Rating: 6.8 - Fitness is slowly coming back after my ankle injury, but I still haven't had a good game to really get my bearings back.

Player of Game: Jamie McDonagh, Derry City (7.8)

Summary: Stunner at Markets Field in Limerick. The Super Blues knock off the heavyweights with a pair of first-half goals. David Whyte nods home the first on a perfect near-post cross by Marcus Diamond. Liam Donnelly gets the second on a keeper mistake by Shane Supple.

Rating: 6.9 - Pretty poor rating considering I got what turned out to be the game-winning assist.


Player of Game: Liam Donnelly, Limerick FC (8.3)

- Each member gets 5.0 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 1.0.
- Stats are bumped up in FM when they hit that number, ex. 2.9 = 2 in-game, and 13.4 = 13 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 20. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery and is different from the cycling progression scale.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.

Summary: The undulating route has cut the peloton down to 12 riders with 12kms to go. Looking at the group, INM looks to be in the best shape with top sprinter Hugo Hofstetter and Marcus Diamond in the mix. How will they play their cards?


Movistar also has a three-headed Spanish attack with Garikoitz Bravo, Alex Aranburu and Carlos Barbero. They are controlling the tempo. INM right behind them. 10kms to go.


INM putting the pressure on. Hofstetter gives Diamond the green light to attack with 7.3kms to go. He is followed by Ronde van Vlaanderen winner Silvan Dillier and Amund Jansen. Does Movistar have the firepower to bring this group back, and if they do, you got to like Hofstetter's chances in a sprint finish. Great team move here by the Irish squad.


Diamond puts in a hell of a shift and looks back at those sucking his wheel.

"Your turn!" Diamond shouts as he peels off. Dillier and Jansen aren't getting a free ride to the finish. Behind them, Patrick Muller is trying to bridge the gap.


The audacity of Dillier... He waves up Jansen after a poor showing on the front. The time gaps don't lie. Muller is just 14 seconds back now with Hofstetter's group 32 seconds back.

But, only 3kms to go, this will be close!


Diamond looks at both of them and gives them a figurative middle finger. He isn't here to play games and shows off a burst of acceleration. But, did he go too soon?


Yes. Dillier and Jansen pull even right after the banner. But, surely somebody in this trio has now won. Hofstetter's group can be seen in the distance, but the gap is reading 40 seconds.


Diamond hits his limit. The race win slips away.


Dillier takes it. Some might say undeserved after trying some questionable antics in the final kilometers, but a win is a win.

Result: 3rd - If I don't start my sprint early, we get caught. Simple as that. We still almost got caught. The riding ethics of Dillier and Jansen can be questioned, but they did what they had to do to win the day. Sucks, but you can't win them all. I'll happily take a podium.

Hofstetter finished 11th.

Summary: Milliseconds give Katusha the edge over Bahrain-Merida.

Result: 15th (out of 20 teams) - Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's my first team trial event. Could have gone better. We finished +1'26" back. Just gives us more leeway to attack the next couple of days.

Summary: While the peloton gears up for a standard sprint finish, a young Brit decides now is a good time to get his face on TV.

Not sure what Marcus Diamond is thinking here by throwing his body out in front of the peloton like that with 6kms to go. The race officials in the car need to get out of the way as well if they don't want to get run over.


Enjoy the spotlight kid. A move like this is a suicide mission.


Wait... WTF! The sprinters have royally screwed this up.

I don't believe my own eyes. Marcus Diamond stays away from the field for the stage win! And behind him...


Teammate Gabriel Cullaigh takes second. A double for INM! And I take back everything that I said, Diamond delivers with a calculated attack. A high risk, a high reward type of move. He'll wear the green jersey tomorrow.

Result: 1st - When you see an opportunity, you take it. No organization from the sprinters and I made the most of it. And props to Cullaigh.

Summary: Large breakaway of 15 is pulled back, time to have some fun as the peloton hits the cobbled climb for the first time.


Attacking on the second to last time up the climb is Ecuador RR champion Jhonatan Narvaez. Nice effort, but the peloton isn't letting that go.


Team Sky's Diego Rosa gives it go on the final ascent.


To no avail, caught at the top.


After flying down the backside of the climb, 11 cyclists remain for a sprint finish. The green jersey of Marcus Diamond is well placed while the yellow jersey is nowhere in sight.


Tricky roundabout in the final meters groups everybody together.


Photo finish for the ages! Incredible!

Six bikes lunge at the line at the same time. It's Narvaez who wins it after a lengthy official review. The new race leader will be Maxim Shirshov ahead of Brandon McNulty by two seconds.

Result: 5th - Oh so close. That was exhilarating. I moved up to 10th in GC (+1'16") and keep the green jersey.

Summary: An entertaining tour comes down to a rather interesting stage. Some cobbles, some climbs. Expect plenty of action.

The first major split comes with 19kms to go, as 29 riders get out in front of the peloton. There are still four breakaway riders in front of them.


After the peloton reforms and breaks up again, the remnants of the breakaway are pulled back with 8kms to go. There are 37 cyclists in the front group as they start the final climb of the tour.


Would you look at that! The green jersey is going for it. Marcus Diamond probably could have waited to get a good result in the sprint, but decides he wants it all. Can he grab a second stage win here?


There isn't much of a gap, but the road is going down. Jan Polanc tried to follow, but now finds himself struck in the middle.


Onto the cobbles, Diamond's specialty. He continues to hide in the shade.


Under the banner and into the sunlight, the finish is right around the bend. Everyone looks exhausted, does anybody have anything to catch Diamond at this point?


Yes. The peloton goes flying by. This isn't a repeat of Stage 2.


Sprinter Simone Consonni with the stage win, and the Top 22 finishers picked up +1'06" gap. Maxim Shirshov holds off Brandon McNulty for the overall GC win. Marcus Diamond barely hangs onto the green jersey, beating Jonas Bokeloh by a single point.

Result: 18th, 8th GC - Great tour. Shame I couldn't snag another stage win on the final day, but people are starting to recognize that I'm a dangerous rider now — not a two-sport wannabe. A little reckless at times, but being brave at this age is part of the learning experience. Bringing home a green jersey as my souvenir.

Date	Race	Winner
1-Aug	PostNord Danmark Rundt	Jasper Philipsen
1-Aug	Volta a Portugal	Stephen Cummings
4-Aug	Hansa Bygg Kalmar Road Race	Alexandr Kulikovskiy
4-Aug	Tour de Pologne	Tony Gallopin
4-Aug	Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian	Michael Woods
5-Aug	La Poly Normande	Silvan Dillier
6-Aug	The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah	Damiano Caruso
7-Aug	Vuelta a Burgos	Kilian Frankiny
9-Aug	Czech Cycling Tour	Maxim Shirshov
11-Aug	KOGA Slag om Norg	Jonas Rickaert
13-Aug	BinckBank Tour	Nathan Van Hooydonck
15-Aug	Tour du Limousin - Nouvelle Aquitaine	Sebastian Henao
16-Aug	Arctic Race of Norway	Michael Woods
16-Aug	Colorado Pro Classic	Primož Rogli�
19-Aug	EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg	Rick Zabel
21-Aug	Baltic Chain Tour	Alan Banaszek
21-Aug	GP Stad Zottegem	Timothy Dupont
22-Aug	Arnhem-Veenendaal Classic	Moreno Hofland
23-Aug	Deutschland Tour	Artem Nych
25-Aug	Vuelta a España
25-Aug	Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde	Tim Merlier
25-Aug	Bretagne Classic-Ouest France	Nacer Bouhanni
26-Aug	Ronde van Midden Nederland	Julius Van Den Berg
26-Aug	Croatia-Slovenia	Evgenii Kazanov
29-Aug	Druivenkoers - Overijse	Matteo Trentin
1-Sep	Brussels Cycling Classic
2-Sep	OVO Energy Tour of Britain
2-Sep	Schaal Sels
2-Sep	Circuit de Fourmies
5-Sep	Tour of South Bohemia
7-Sep	Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
8-Sep	De Kustpijl
9-Sep	Chrono Champenois
9-Sep	Tour du Doubs
9-Sep	Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
12-Sep	Grand Prix de Wallonie
14-Sep	Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
15-Sep	Coppa Agostoni
15-Sep	Primus Classic	Marcus Diamond In
16-Sep	GP Jef Scherens - Rondom Leuven
16-Sep	Coppa Bernocchi
16-Sep	Int. RAIFFEISEN GP Judendorf
18-Sep	GP Industria e Commercio di Prato
18-Sep	Giro della Toscana
20-Sep	Coppa Sabatini
21-Sep	Omloop van de Westhoek
22-Sep	Memorial Marco Pantani
22-Sep	Tour de l'Eurométropole
23-Sep	Gooikse Pijl
23-Sep	Grand Prix d'Isberques	Marcus Diamond In
23-Sep	Trofeo Matteotti
26-Sep	World Championships ITT
27-Sep	Famenne Ardennes Classic
30-Sep	World Championships	Marcus Diamond In*

Some schedule changes for next month since the team was denied invites to the Quebec and Montreal classics. I picked up one day races in Belgium and France. There was talk about me joining the Tour of Britain roster, but that lineup was already submitted and I couldn't join late.

- Each member gets 3.0 points to spread however they like over the 13 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 55.0.
- Stats are bumped up in PCM when they hit that number, ex. 55.9 = 55 in-game, and 61.4 = 61 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 85. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery.
- Comment below to provide stat upgrades

Summary: Limerick FC was assertive, but nearly was wiped out. Youngster, 17-year-old striker, David Whyte found the equalizer in the 60th minute to force a replay game three days later in Limerick.

Rating: 6.6 - Poor showing, after the game I was told I was hovering around a 6.0 rating for most of the match before I made some clinical through balls. So, I wasn't exactly surprised when head coach Sam Allardyce decided to keep me off the team sheet completely for the replay match, citing lack of fitness and form.

Whyte scored again in the replay, but St. Pat's escaped the night with a 2-1 extra time victory. Eoghan Morgan was the hero in the 97th minute. Limerick stunned.

Player of Game: Matthew Shiels, St. Pat's Athletic (8.3)

Summary: Revenge in a much less significant match for Limerick. A brace for Aaron Connolly and Nathan Tormey.

Rating: 6.7 - Still going through a rough patch.

Player of Game: Nathan Tormey, Limerick FC (9.1)

Summary: Limerick runs into a red-hot Bohemians team — desperately trying to avoid relegation — at the exactly the wrong time. Evenly played match, but Bohemians finished their chances while Limerick couldn't hit the target.

Rating: 6.8 - The slump is real.

Player of Game: Keith Buckley, Bohemians (7.3)

Summary: Limerick, trying to play spoiler, gets absolutely steamrolled. Dundalk came ready to play, while Limerick looked like a bunch of high school kids learning how to play the game.

Rating: 6.5 - Came off the bench, didn't make an impact.

Player of Game: Kyle Callan-McFadden, Dundalk (8.2)

Summary: Limerick break out the sexy lime green jerseys in hopes of ending this recent slide. It produces a 1-1 draw against the worst team in the league, not great. Marcus Diamond with the lone goal to break out of his slump, though.


Rating: 7.6 - Made the necessary run and got a simple tap-in goal. Player of the Match honors are great, but we still didn't win. That's what really matters at the end of the day.

Player of Game: Marcus Diamond, Limerick FC (7.6)

- Each member gets 5.0 points to spread however they like over the 36 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 1.0.
- Stats are bumped up in FM when they hit that number, ex. 2.9 = 2 in-game, and 13.4 = 13 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 20. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery and is different from the cycling progression scale.
-Comment below to provide stat upgrades.

Summary: Three times over a cobble sector fatigues the peloton. Four late attackers get away and held off the peloton over the last 8kms.


Tiesj Benoot the victor over Oscar Gatto and Soren Kragh Andersen.

Result: 38th - Protected our sprinter Hugo Hofstetter and tried to reel in the late attackers. Hofstetter settled for second in the bunch sprint out of the peloton, 38 seconds behind Benoot's winning group.

Summary: Twists and turns a plenty. The profile might be flat, but this route was made for a talented bike handler. The sheer length of the stage (200+kms) also played a huge factor.


This allowed the morning breakaway to survive a lot longer than they should have. But, the peloton can basically reach out and touch them with 3kms to go.


It won't matter. They won't be caught. What a ride by those six cyclists.

Result: 13th - I protected and got to chat with Alex Vogel all day. So, pretty enjoyable day. She is the type of rider that can ride forever when the roads are flat. I know she had stamina left over at the end of day. Shame she got bullied out of the way with her smaller frame when the sprint started. Alex deserved better than 24th.

Hugo took 11th, so we both barely missed out on Top 10 finishes.

Summary: Morning breakaway of six have a really hard time working together. Not sure why you get in the breakaway if you don't plan to do a little bit of pace making.


INM's Marcus Diamond is the last breakaway rider caught with 28kms to go. This group never stood a chance, surprised they lasted that long.


Attack on the penultimate climb proves to be the difference maker. Xandro Meurisse wins in front of family and friends. Lotto Soudal makes it a double when Jens Keukeleire leads home a depleted peloton.

Result: 16th - Hung onto the back of the peloton after being caught. A solid second effort once the cameras were off of me.

Summary: Nothing like pulling on your nations colors and racing for one of the most coveted jerseys in the peloton. For some, just being a part of this race is a dream come true.

Five riders in the morning breakaway are basking in this moment. The brave souls going 250kms from the finish are:

Maxim Belkov (Team Katusha Alpecin) is coming off a stage win at the Czech Cycling Tour. The 35-year-old veteran is on his last legs, looking for a sensational send-off to a lengthy career.

John Ganser (Free Agent) is a 21-year-old amateur who broke onto the cycling scene this season with a 13th place at the U23 Ronde Van Vlaanderen. He will ride with Synergy Baku Cycling Project next season.

Eduard Prades (Efapel) is the sacrifice from the Spanish team. The 33-year-old hasn't won a lot in his career with his best result this season being 4th at the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia.

Michael Kolar (Israel Cycling Academy) is proven stage hunter. The 27-year-old has stage wins at the Tour de Romandie the past two seasons and won two stages in the Tour of Croatia this year.

Marcus Diamond (INM) is the youngest cyclist in the peloton at 20 years old. But, don't let that fool you. The kid can ride. This season he ranks 11th among U.K. cyclists in CQ points (146th overall).


Well, the breakaway had its fun. The peloton scoops them up with 70kms to go. They aren't messing around today. The stakes are too high.


Belgium controlling the tempo. With 60kms to go, only 20 cyclists remaining in the peloton. This group has already been torn apart.


The lead group keeps getting smaller and smaller until only four cyclists remain in the front: Magnus Cort Nielsen, Michał Kwiatkowski, Tim Wellens and Alexey Lutsenko.


And that's the order they finish in. Denmark has captured it's first-ever World RR Championship with Magnus Cort Nielsen!

Result: 48th - Great experience. I finished over nine minutes behind Magnus Cort Nielsen, but enjoyed every minute of it. Can't thank the team enough for giving me this opportunity.

- Each member gets 3.0 points to spread however they like over the 13 attributes listed above. One post per member.
- Stats work on a decimal system starting at 55.0.
- Stats are bumped up in PCM when they hit that number, ex. 55.9 = 55 in-game, and 61.4 = 61 stat in-game.
- The decimal numbers will remain hidden.
- There is a threshold for each stat when more points are needed to increase that stat. It's start off on a 1-to-1 scale where 1 point equals 1 stat upgrade. However, the scales get exponentially further and further apart the closer that stat gets to the maximum of 85. The increasing scale will also remain a mystery.
- Comment below to provide stat upgrades