whitejersey wrote:

Don't think it comes as a surprise to anyone that this is an unreal talent crop. If you manage to stabilise this year in PCT you should be able to have one of the most amazing young rosters with a strong regional focus moving forward, fantastic work!

knockout wrote:

Some interesting wildcards. Im most curious to see your team in ToNE and who will be treated as the leader by the AI with Zepuntke being the better cobbler for the early cobbles stage that could be crucial but Kung being the one with the best shot at a GC position imo.

AbhishekLFC wrote:

Packed start of the season, along with an early wildcard. Exciting!

seancoll wrote:

Rajovic is obviously a great option in the two sprint classics, but what a flat demon duo of Katrasnik and Quispe. I expect one of them to make a huge difference in at least one of the races. For you, hopefully both!

Good luck to start the year!

Start	End	Race	Cat
01-Feb		Omloop Het Nieuwsblad	HC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Alain Quispe	81	52	53	53	61	63	61	65	53	67	74	85	55	61	31
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

We send our (nearly) best setup to the traditional cobbles opening weekend with only Kung missing. With Zepuntke among the division’s best cobblers we hope for a podium and some depth.

Start	End	Race	Cat
03-Feb		Viana do Castelo	C1

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Stefan Kung	73	70	72	73	77	74	72	73	72	63	71	73	78	78	32
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

Cobbles part 2 and now we have our best lineup including Kung. The profile is pretty unique with its mix of cobbles and big hills. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Swiss will be our best rider here.

Start	End	Race	Cat
14-Feb	16-Feb	Tour of Eritrea	C1

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Alan Boileau	67	75	76	77	65	68	71	73	62	67	76	68	67	64	26
	Arman Garibian	70	76	74	71	73	74	75	78	55	60	71	66	70	73	25
	Lenny Martinez	65	72	71	70	65	70	72	71	57	56	72	70	70	64	22
	Thibaut Pinot	68	76	73	70	61	70	73	66	54	58	63	68	63	61	35
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Dusan Rajovic	72	58	61	64	59	70	76	70	55	78	82	57	57	62	28
	Suranga Ranaweera	67	80	77	73	76	75	75	74	52	58	65	57	69	73	30
	Kevin Vauquelin	69	77	73	69	74	70	74	73	58	68	69	72	71	73	24

We send Ranaweera here to aim for the GC and he’s got plenty of help with him. Vauquelin could get a good result in the U25 classification and Rajovic is here for the mass sprint in stage 1.

Start	End	Race	Cat
19-Feb		Le Samyn	HC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Alain Quispe	81	52	53	53	61	63	61	65	53	67	74	85	55	61	31
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

It’s the same lineup as in Omloop and so are the goals: getting Zepuntke on the podium and adding some depth.

Start	End	Race	Cat
25-Feb		Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne	HC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Alain Quispe	81	52	53	53	61	63	61	65	53	67	74	85	55	61	31
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

It’s the third HC cobbles classic of the month, it’s the same squad once again and so are the goals for this race.

Start	End	Race	Cat
28-Feb		Gent - Wevelgem	C2

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Gabriel Grozev	66	65	68	70	63	67	67	67	60	62	64	66	67	63	22
	Alexandre Kess	66	68	69	69	65	67	68	70	57	62	64	65	66	64	22
	Jesse Kramer	70	57	59	61	60	65	67	66	67	68	66	69	62	63	22
	Lenny Martinez	65	72	71	70	65	70	72	71	57	56	72	70	70	64	22
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32

The final classic of the month is our first C2 outing of the season. Our lineup will be the same for all our C2 races with our five neo-pros to gather XP, Costiou to do so as well as being a decent domestique for our two captains Mestric and Roosen. With the weak cobbler field in the CT we have some hopes to get a nice result here, though that’s far from a given.

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
08-Jan	10-Jan	Tour of Tasmania	-	-

Stage 1 was rather unspectacular after Pringle wasn’t able to join the break. But our loaned in Kiwi was rewarded for his effort nonetheless by taking the white jersey after a 25th place in the stage. Stage 2 saw Pringle on the attack again, this time joined by Akhmaevi. Both weren’t able to really compete for KoM points (let alone the stage win), so we had to put or hopes on APP for stage glory and Kung to hold on for a good GC result. But in the end the stage was to unselective for our puncheur who finished in 25th and just that bit too selective for Kung who lost a minute. The final TT was rather anonymous and so were the GC results with a 29th and 38th place.

points:

n/a

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
08-Jan		Down Under Classic	-	Top 5; Top 25

We weren’t able to join the break, but with the short distance the peloton didn’t really allow anyone away anyway. In the end we had to rely on Rajovic in the sprint and our loaned in sprinter did really well to finish 5th in a stacked field and get us a good start to the season. Our rouleur duo also got some minor points in the end.

points:	71
Dusan Rajovic	61
Gasper Katrasnik	5
Alain Quispe	5

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
13-Jan	20-Jan	Volta a Portugal	-	GC Top 5; Stage Top 10

We had high hopes for this races once we saw the startlist. The prologue had Ranaweera in the middle of the GC riders. The flat stage 2 was totally anonymous for us. Ranaweera finished in the second group in stage 3, losing some seconds on some of the GC rivals. The next three stages were quiet for us which was a good sign as it also meant that Ranaweera didn’t lose any further time while gaining some time on some of the other GC guys in stage 6. Our GC leader managed a 8th place in the ITT, putting him in a good 5th place before the decisive mountain stage with only weaker climbers in front of him. Unfortunately the last stage wasn’t hard enough to gain much time on the other riders, so he ended 4th in the GC, being only beaten by some better TTers from the PT.

points:	145
Suranga Ranaweera	119
Arman Garibian	15
Kevin Vauquelin	3
Thibault Pinot	2
Lenny Martinez	2
Sulkhan Akhmaevi	2
Alexandre Kess	2

Start	End	Race	team goal	results
30-Jan		Great Ocean Road Classic	-	3 Top 25s

To make it short: it was another anonymous race for us, but Rajovic in 17th and Quispe and Katrasnik in 22nd and 23rd at least got us some solid points out of the race.

points:	10
Dusan Rajovic	6
Alain Quispe	2
Gasper Katrasnik	2

Start	End	Race	Cat
05-Mar		Strade Bianche	HC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Thibaut Pinot	68	76	73	70	61	70	73	66	54	58	63	68	63	61	35
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

It’s a mix of cobbles (or more precisely gravel) and hills, so it’s no surprise we send our cobbles squad here. It’s probably another profile not optimal for Zepuntke, but the likes of Louvel or Lapeira could do well as well.

Start	End	Race	Cat
10-Mar		Macskako Kerekparverseny	HC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Gasper Katrasnik	81	61	62	63	69	72	76	69	63	63	72	81	73	69	30
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

IT’s essentially the same here as in Strade Bianche, so we send essentially the same squad as well (just with Katrasnik replacing Pinot).

Start	End	Race	Cat
12-Mar		Lillestrom GP	C1

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Gasper Katrasnik	81	61	62	63	69	72	76	69	63	63	72	81	73	69	30
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

It’s cobbles part 3 and the exactly same squad as in Hungary. This time the profile should suit Zepuntke much better, so a podium is the hope.

Start	End	Race	Cat
14-Mar	18-Mar	Tour of Norway	HC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Sulkhan Akhmaevi	68	71	70	68	77	69	69	71	60	61	65	63	63	73	28
	Alan Boileau	67	75	76	77	65	68	71	73	62	67	76	68	67	64	26
	Alexandre Kess	66	68	69	69	65	67	68	70	57	62	64	65	66	64	22
	Stefan Kung	73	70	72	73	77	74	72	73	72	63	71	73	78	78	32
	Lenny Martinez	65	72	71	70	65	70	72	71	57	56	72	70	70	64	22
	Aurelien Paret-Peintre	72	76	77	77	72	73	75	73	63	72	74	72	70	72	29
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Dusan Rajovic	72	58	61	64	59	70	76	70	55	78	82	57	57	62	28

The first non-cobbled non-classic race of the month leads the squad to Norway once again. We have riders for all three terrains of the race: Rajovic for the flat stages 1 and 2, Kung and Akhmaevi for an outside shot at the ITT in stage 3 and APP for the final two hilly stages. Depending on how selective the hilly stages will be our GC hopes lie on Kung and / or APP.

Start	End	Race	Cat
18-Mar		1 Jour de Dunkerque	C1

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Gasper Katrasnik	81	61	62	63	69	72	76	69	63	63	72	81	73	69	30
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Alain Quispe	81	52	53	53	61	63	61	65	53	67	74	85	55	61	31
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

While our puncheurs and TTers are in Norway our cobbles squad is back together (this time with Quipse instead of Pringle) to challenge another hills-cobbles hybrid classic. It’s also a home race, so our sponsors are hoping for a good result.

Start	End	Race	Cat
20-Mar	22-Mar	Tour of Ukraine	PTHC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Sulkhan Akhmaevi	68	71	70	68	77	69	69	71	60	61	65	63	63	73	28
	Arman Garibian	70	76	74	71	73	74	75	78	55	60	71	66	70	73	25
	Stefan Kung	73	70	72	73	77	74	72	73	72	63	71	73	78	78	32
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Thibaut Pinot	68	76	73	70	61	70	73	66	54	58	63	68	63	61	35
	Alain Quispe	81	52	53	53	61	63	61	65	53	67	74	85	55	61	31
	Suranga Ranaweera	67	80	77	73	76	75	75	74	52	58	65	57	69	73	30
	Kevin Vauquelin	69	77	73	69	74	70	74	73	58	68	69	72	71	73	24

A race with two TTs out of three total stages wouldn’t have been in our calendar in the past years. This year we send our TT squad to get us at least some depth points with Kung, Akhmaevi and Ranaweera. If stage two proves to be actually selective our Sri Lankan could be in for a good individual result as well.

Start	End	Race	Cat
20-Mar		E3 Prijs	PT

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Alexandre Kess	66	68	69	69	65	67	68	70	57	62	64	65	66	64	22
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Lenny Martinez	65	72	71	70	65	70	72	71	57	56	72	70	70	64	22
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

The fifth cobbled races of the month is a wildcard race. We hope for a good showing of Zepunkte, although he doesn’t get his whole support squad because the available XP is also needed for some youngsters.

Start	End	Race	Cat
22-Mar	26-Mar	Tour of Britain	C1

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Alan Boileau	67	75	76	77	65	68	71	73	62	67	76	68	67	64	26
	Alexandre Kess	66	68	69	69	65	67	68	70	57	62	64	65	66	64	22
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Lenny Martinez	65	72	71	70	65	70	72	71	57	56	72	70	70	64	22
	Aurelien Paret-Peintre	72	76	77	77	72	73	75	73	63	72	74	72	70	72	29
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Dusan Rajovic	72	58	61	64	59	70	76	70	55	78	82	57	57	62	28
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32

Our second hilly stage race of the month is also our first goal race of the season. Like last year on paper we’re here for the win, but realistically APP should be able to challenge for a GC top 10 and some stage results in the last three stages. Rajovic is also here to get some results in the first two stages.

Start	End	Race	Cat
28-Mar	29-Mar	Franceville Classique	PTHC

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Gasper Katrasnik	81	61	62	63	69	72	76	69	63	63	72	81	73	69	30
	Paul Lapeira	75	69	71	72	61	72	72	68	74	74	74	76	71	64	25
	Matis Louvel	77	64	68	72	73	75	78	70	76	67	67	67	66	73	26
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Alain Quispe	81	52	53	53	61	63	61	65	53	67	74	85	55	61	31
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32
	Ruben Zepuntke	72	56	63	69	65	79	72	64	82	72	65	66	68	65	32

And back to the cobbles for our second goal race of the month and season. The targeted top 10 won’t be a given, but should be a realistic goal for Zepuntke nonetheless.

Start	End	Race	Cat
31-Mar		Geraardsbergen - Bosberg	C2

		FL	MO	MM	HI	TT	ST	RS	RC	CB	SP	AC	FG	DH	PR	Age
	Ewen Costiou	73	66	69	72	68	71	70	64	66	73	74	68	69	71	23
	Gabriel Grozev	66	65	68	70	63	67	67	67	60	62	64	66	67	63	22
	Alexandre Kess	66	68	69	69	65	67	68	70	57	62	64	65	66	64	22
	Jesse Kramer	70	57	59	61	60	65	67	66	67	68	66	69	62	63	22
	Lenny Martinez	65	72	71	70	65	70	72	71	57	56	72	70	70	64	22
	Matija Mestric	73	63	67	70	63	69	70	68	[b]76	55	65	71	75	67	28
	Nate Pringle	69	60	63	66	69	68	67	64	65	63	64	70	64	68	22
	Timo Roosen	74	59	65	71	63	71	73	74	75	66	71	76	64	67	32

And the last race of the month is the 7th and final cobbled one. This time we don’t expect a result from Zepuntke as he’s not C2 eligible, but we have some hopes for a good result from Mestric or Roosen nonetheless.