Booker wrote:
As has been mentioned, a very mixed bag. I think that is a fair assessment for most teams not named Repsol-Honda.

@Abhishek - Yeah a lot of emotions in one short month Was certainly a podium on the cards the way he rode the first five days, so hoping he can do well in Trentino, yeah.

@trekbmc - It looked so good Yeah we're banking on a positive February to give us the momentum to maintain some promotion form throughout the season

@Booker - Haha that's true February should be a month of opportunities for us, with a good start for Stijn, a restart for Bennett, and Roux hopefully carrying on his form in our biggest race of the year Trentino should be fun, best of luck to your fellas there

@Aquarius - Yeah the first 6 days of our month were amazing, the last 6 not so much. The loss of a goal hurt for sure Top 5 is at least on track, you're correct, if below where we were looking for.

TUnfortunately the team seemed to think my view of our highs and lows was positive, presumably due to the fact that I said that they had good moments which I didn't say that much last season. Thankfully those highs were even higher than last month, and our lows not as low. This was a good month, really. Let's get going

Onodera in the morning breakaway

1	Yoeri Havik	Kulczyk - DMTEX	4h33'48
2	Mohamed Harrif Salleh	Sauber Petronas Racing	s.t.
3	Raúl Granjel Cabrera	Aeropostal Venezuela Ciclismo	s.t.
8	Simon Clarke	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
20	Jamalidin Novardianto	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
37	Stijn Vandenbergh	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
42	Tom Davison	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
68	Rei Onodera	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
75	Carl Ngamoki-Cameron	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
84	Hamish Schreurs	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
125	Dylan Kennett	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.

A fairly anonymous sprint from Clarke, 8th is acceptable really, probably the bare minimum. Certainly less dissapointing than the Great Ocean Road Race where he should have easily made the top 5 in that group. Onodera making the morning breakaway is very nice to see as well.

1	Pierre Paolo Penasa	Kulczyk - DMTEX	19h07'54
2	Denys Karnulin	The Balkan Cycling Project	+ 5'52
3	Rafael Valls	Repsol - Honda	+ 7'09
5	Jonathan Salinas	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 10'08
14	George Bennett	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 13'23
31	Igor Antón	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 19'37
78	Marvain Kossouhorou	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 36'35
80	Geremie Nzeke	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 36'56
81	Egidijus Juodvalkis	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 37'18
156	Dylan Kennett	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 1h40'25
162	Rei Onodera	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 1h43'33

Not our greatest hour really. Stage 1 was expected and we knew we'd have to make up time but stage 2 really sucked - not one of our riders could follow the favourite's attacks and so we ended with Salinas and Bennett close on either side of the top 10. Stage 4 they both felt very good and it ended with a perfect stage for us really, a 1-2, both inside the top 6 and the potential for a massive points haul. However for reasons unknown they were very bad on stage 5, giving us overall a dissapointing finish. Salinas in 5th is a nice result though really and the stage win a decent consolation. A tale of what might have been.

1	Guillaume Van Keirsbulck	Goldcorp - Nordstrom Rack	5h09'26
2	Jempy Drucker	Philips - Continental	+ 32
3	Gregory Hugentobler	Sauber Petronas Racing	s.t.
9	Stijn Vandenbergh	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 1'03
28	Jamalidin Novardianto	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 2'34
36	Carl Ngamoki-Cameron	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 4'53
65	Marvain Tognama Kossouhorou	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 8'46
72	Hamish Schreurs	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 11'20
87	Tom Davison	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 12'07
144	Anthony Roux	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 18'39
146	Matthew Lloyd	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.

Vandenbergh was dropped early but recovered. He made the group behind Van Keirsbulck but didn't have the legs to make a move or do much in the sprint. Top 10 is still decent but a tad dissapointing. We hope for better in the flatter cobbled races.

The attacking pays off as our duo starts their sprint for the win!

1	George Bennett	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	5h33'03
2	David Boily	World Cycling Centre	s.t.
3	Maxime Monfort	Team Reddit	s.t.
4	Anthony Roux	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
33	Tom Diggle	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 1'06
99	Marvain Tognama Kossouhorou	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 4'48
103	Geremie Nzeke	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
115	Tom Davison	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 6'30
123	Matthew Lloyd	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
144	Hamish Schreurs	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 8'42

What a fantastic result! Not in our wildest dreams did we imagine such a great race - we were aggressive, smart and most of all WE FREAKING WON WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. The crowd was a great size and they all enjoyed our home rider Bennett's win - the climber showing these puncheurs how it's done. Roux needed a couple more meters to make it onto the podium but fourth, helping Bennett and making the first attack was a great result for him too. Our biggest goal achieved and our home race won. Perfect

Loanee Watch

Our loaned-out riders this year are Jordan Schleck and Nils Schomber, both of whom race for Statoil Pro Cycling. February saw a variety of races for them, all with a steep learning curve. Schomber was 135th but a decent help to his team in Barcelona whilst Schleck, unfortunately, didn't feel too good in Italy where he had to abandon on stage 4. They joined up for the Geraardsbergen-Bosberg classic where neither fared to well either. However they have got some experience riding hard races and helping their team, and have continued their development. We just hope for maybe an easier March for the duo.

Screenshot of the Month

He had some big dissapointments but our team's best ever result and another stage win to boot don't lie...

Goal Race, Home Race, Home Crowd, Happy Crowd - Gisborne GP

		Team	Total
1		Xero Racing p/b Octagon	354
2		Kulczyk - DMTEX	352
3		Repsol - Honda	280
4		Philips - Continental	266
5		Azteca - NBCSN	224

Well what a shocker! We're top of the league! We're focused on the next few months but this little surprise has been cause for a bit of celebration and boosted morale at the HQ. We didn't expect to edge into the top spot but we'll take it. Despite our definite, immediate, fall from the title-elect spot, the manager can only dream of what might happen if the team gets more results he's actually positive about the ungrateful bastard.

			Team	Total	Rd	PpRD	Proj
1	1		Xero Racing p/b Octagon	354	25	14,16	1699
2	2		Kulczyk - DMTEX	352	27	13,04	1565
3	3		Repsol - Honda	280	25	11,20	1344
4	4		Philips - Continental	266	27	9,85	1182
5	5		Azteca - NBCSN	224	23	9,74	1169

Of course with not so many RDs so far it's basically the same here. Take note of the PpRD - we're on track for "promotion numbers" of about 10PpRD so it's all okay so far.

1	Pierre Paolo Penasa	ITA		Kulczyk - DMTEX	197
2	Rafael Valls	ESP		Repsol - Honda	180
3	Denys Karnulin	UKR		The Balkan Cycling Project	110
4	George Bennett	NZL		Xero Racing	110
8	Anthony Roux	FRA		Xero Racing	82
16	Jonathan Salinas	VEN		Xero Racing	63
30	Igor Antón	ESP		Xero Racing	43
48	Simon Clarke	AUS		Xero Racing	27
67	Stijn Vandenbergh	BEL		Xero Racing	17
109	Geremie Nzeke	CMR		Xero Racing	6
161	Marvain Kossouhorou	CAF		Xero Racing	2
162	Jamalidin Novardianto	INA		Xero Racing	2
175	Tom Davison	NZL		Xero Racing	1
176	Dylan Kennett	NZL		Xero Racing	1

Four in the top 30 and two in the top 10 - our hilly classic winners - is very pleasing to see and obviously is the main reason why we're in first (though technically it's Jams' two points which gives us the edge - despite a slow start he's still our hero). Bennett with the C2HC win in Gisborne and a stage in Trentino makes it into the top 5, another record for us. 11/17 of our riders already with a point to their name is pleasing, with Clarke already on track as well. Only big big dissapointment so far has been Diggle, who has taken inspiration from Said Haddou and taken up the mantle of the red and white jersey in CT Where's Wally 2017,

4th January 2017 | Cape Town, South Africa
I didn't expect fronting up to Octagon to go very well for us after the minor disaster of our South African focus again being shafted during transfers but this was going worse than I had foreseen.

'Look, I am very disappointed with the situation too, Mr. De Vrijs-' I stammered.
'I don't really care how you're feeling at this point.' the big South African man said cooly, 'But next year better see some god damn improvement. People will start to think you don't even care about us. And we are, in the end, putting the most money into the team.'
'And we're very grateful for your contributions to the project and we promise that we will hire-'
'I know what you've said, but here's the endgame: One: The team promote. You have to achieve the vision we set out now after failing your end of our deal anyway. Two: The South African focus is much stronger next year. Failing these will see us not renew our contract as a title sponsor. Clear?'
'Yes.'
'Good.'

1st March 2017 | Wellington, New Zealand
Well the MGUCI have released the second rankings updates and for the first (and probably last time in our team's history, we lead the CT. I haven't been generally overexcited about most of the racing thus far but there's no denying we've had some big highs. The win in Gisborne has had a great effect on publicity and the Kiwi sponsors were rapt with it. That should tide them over, especially with Bennett taking it out. Not that promoting won't hurt our relationship with them.

Octagon are happy with the season: Despite some bad moments and invisible ones, we're pretty marketable right now with the racing we've seen in the hills and Trentino Stage 4. Obviously, we're on the promotion path and I feel pretty good about it. We'll drop from the top but we're doing well enough and I believe in this team if we just focus. That's part one. We'll have to do our best with a hopefully PCT budget to get some South Africans, especially if the Project: Africa rumours are true. I hope they don't go but it would perversely help us. But that's 8 months away. All about the racing right now. That, and thinking about Mr. De Vrijs makes me want to cry.

Quieter month for us in March with only six race days across two races. We have a slim lead to defend but given Kulczyk will probably outperform us on all 6 days our goal is really just to make it out with a few points #banflatracesinCT

Startlist

	Simon	Clarke	Leader
	Marvain	Kossohorou	Domestique
	Dylan	Kennett	Domestique
	Carl	Ngamoki-C	Domestique
	Egidijus	Juodvalkis	Domestique
	Hamish	Schreurs	Domestique
	Stijn	Vandenbergh	Free Role
	Jamalidin	Novardianto	Free Role

Clarke is here in what is likely to be the biggest meeting of sprinters in the CT thus far. However GC points are probably out of the question, though MTK, Kennett and Jams are all capable of a couple on a good day. The man himself has a lofty stage win goal, but only because saying "podium stage" sounds really unambitious.

Startlist

	Stijn	Vandenbergh	Leader
	Egidijus	Juodvalkis	Domestique
	Carl	Ngamoki-C	Domestique
	Egidijus	Juodvalkis	Domestique
	Hamish	Schreurs	Domestique
	Dylan	Kennett	Domestique
	Rei	Onodera	Domestique
	Jamalidin	Novardianto	Free Role

Much the same squad lines up for the second cobbled classic of the CT calendar, with Onodera replacing Clarke the only change. We're hoping for a decisive race which could happen but we could also be looking at a sprint, in which case we're screwed. Otherwise a top 5 or 3 from Stijn is expected to try pick our points tally up for the month a bit.

I was expecting a below average month. I was dissapointed.

1	Richard Laningo Laizer	Andorra Cycling Project	18h58'34
2	Welle Jallays	Proximus CT	+ 3
3	Stefano Agostini	Repsol - Honda	+ 6
47	Simon Clarke	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 2'48
55	Stijn Vandenbergh	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 2'57
63	Marvain Tognama Kossouhorou	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 3'23
116	Carl Ngamoki-Cameron	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 8'09
135	Egidijus Juodvalkis	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 10'08
136	Jamalidin Novardianto	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 10'09
148	Dylan Kennett	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 11'45
176	Rei Onodera	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 19'44

A terrible race here, no life in the team with no results, no breakaways and next to no or even no points. Not good.

Schreurs in the first iteration of the breakaway

1	Sam Harrison	World Cycling Centre	4h29'46
2	Marco Brus	Proximus Continental Team	s.t.
3	Yoeri Havik	Kulczyk - DMTEX	s.t.
12	Dylan Kennett	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
19	Jamalidin Novardianto	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
22	Stijn Vandenbergh	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
40	Carl Ngamoki-Cameron	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 1'33
61	Hamish Schreurs	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 3'40
77	Egidijus Juodvalkis	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	+ 8'30
78	Rei Onodera	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.
79	Matthew Lloyd	Xero Racing p/b Octagon	s.t.

A pretty dissapointing race but with not many attacks to speak of an expected finish. A solid enough number of points with three scoring riders but not enough really. Kennett did a great job to make the breakaway and also finish pretty strongly to take 12th, even for a non-cobbler such as himself it's an achievement to even be in the front group.

Loanee Watch

Our loaned-out riders this year are Jordan Schleck and Nils Schomber, both of whom race for Statoil Pro Cycling. March only saw the former race as he took the the startline of Bayern-Rundfardh. He was a bottle carrier for his team and personally managed to keep himself off the bottom place on GC by about 20 positions.

Screenshot of the Month

He didn't suck which secured him the crown. But really a solid effort to overperform and salvage something from Kuurne earned this boy the award...

In the break - Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne