I thought i would give story writing a go, considering i enjoy reading everyone else's stories. Hopefully mine will be as enjoyable to read as the other stories here.
I picked an interesting team to start with, Auber 93. Im using the Spain database, and im playing on the hard setting.
******
Having recently joined the team Auber 93, a French based continental squad, I quickly analyzed the team members for talent, or lack of, based on their previous results. The conclusion i jumped to was that the team would require a new intake of talent. Where better to look then in France itself. As i started to scan the French free talent in my first week as manager, i compiled all the information i had on my three leaders for this year.
As can be seen, Drujon will be my leading sprinter for the year, with backup coming from the slightly older team members. Hopefully in a few years, he will mature into a great sprinter.
Another leader for the team, Levarlet will be hoping to win a few mountains jerseys, and a few hilly stages here and there. The aim is to get him to fullfill his potential and start getting some top 10 places in stages races.
The last leader on the team is Pioline. However, i feel that he cannot perform at a high enough standard to achieve all that is required of him. This year is not the worry as my sponsors have given me goals that do not include the Northern Classics, however in the following years, i believe he would be unable to compete as a leader should.
Here he is though anyway.
Those are my three leaders for this team and this year.
With a big transfer budget already available, i couldnt resist seeking out more talented youth, including another french trainer.
Edited by rjc_43 on 23-10-2012 15:16
As you can see, most of them are early season, and so are easy enough to plan for and achieve if the team is flying. But the last goal arrives in October and so could be more interesting to plan for as a few riders may have to hold back on their training to give it a dig later in the season.
As already mentioned, i was of course already searching for extra talent in France, but upon my travels in the previous year, two outstanding riders had grabbed my attention. With a large continental transfer budget, i set to spending it!
My first two offers were to riders from Russia and Italy, the only riders from other countries i was interested in. The first being Davide Malacarne, the italian Northern Classics rider, who, at a young age showed great promise to develop into a rider whom i could trust on for results.
Lets hope i get him!
Another foreigner, Maxim Belkov, would be helpful for stage races, and in a few years, could well be leading the team, or winning some small stage races.
Again, i hope he signs for me!
As well as searching for free talent, i was of course looking for some sponsors to help out with the yearly bills.
Having already put out my interest in getting a fairly large sponsor just the day before, i was surprised at recieving contact from a company under the name of TotalFina Elf. They offered a massive 12750Euros per month, and of course i jumped at the chance of having that kind of backing.
With one large sponsor on board, the year looked as if it would be more successful then not, and this kind of help early on in the season also gave my riders a little extra boost in morale.
A few more riders i had stated a desire in signing had at last got in contact with the team, and i sent out some offers.
The first of which went to a young track rider, who, with the right guidance, could potentially become the next Boonen.
Jollet should become a great signing for the future.
My second offer of the day went to a certain Tronet. Hopefully a great team mate would be found in this talented young man.
Another day goes by, and not a great deal to report today, apart from the final offers being sent out to a superstar, and another team rider. I happened to stumble across this find during my travels at the Paris-Roubaix Espoirs race. He won it! So of course a massive offer went out to Damien Gaudin.
The last team rider of the squad will hopefully be made up by another young allrounder, in the form of Martinez. Hopefully this youngster can develop and form the backbone of this team in the coming years.
Finally i managed to steal another sponsor for a 24month period. Considering the teams results from last year, i was surprised to see anyone offer a long sponsorship deal. But obviously the transfer offers i was pouring out must have been catching someones eye!
Ville de Nice promises 2000Euros a month for 24 months, and reduced prices on a few training camps through contacts in the travel business.
With the offer of Absolute leader having gone out to Gaudin, i felt i needed to sort out a few issues with, whom i classed as a team rider, Pioline. So like the professionals we are, we discussed the coming year, and decided that it would be best to let Pioline stay for this year as a leader as well, and have him step down the next year to let Gaudin, who by then would have settled well, to take over fully as the Northern Classics leader. Of course Pioline would also get a pay increase due to his support to the team, and to sweeten the deal
5/1/07
The responses to the offers i sent out to riders came back in today. And luckily for me, all were pleased with them, and signed straight away. I was, of course, over the moon with excitement at how this season was already shaping up! Roll on the racing!
With nothing to report from the 6/1/07 to the 10/1/07, i felt all was going well. As nothing to report, means nothing went badly for 4 days!
11/1/07
Shock news came through that Paulo Savoldelli would be retiring after this years racing. Obviously having not lived upto the post Armstrong era greats, he felt it was time to end the racing and head into management himself.
The Australian TT champs also ran today with Luke Roberts of CSC winning, and Navigateurs Insurance pulling out a great ride to see Ben Day ride into second place ahead of T-Mobile Veteran Michael Rogers.
14/1/07
Maxim Belkov is reported to have grazed his wrist during a fall. Im of course grateful a graze is all it was.
15/1/07
With the transfer period truely over now, i can list my team in full.
Leaders are:
Fr-Pioline
Fr-Drujon
Fr-Gaudin
Fr-Levarlet
Team
Fr-Brouzes
Fr-Mespoulede
Fr-Chainel
Fr-Diguet
Fr-Morizot
Fr-Martinez
Fr-Tronet
Fr-Jollet
Fr-Galland
Fr-Mederel
Ita-Malacarne
Rus-Belkov
So thats 4 leaders and 12 team mates to back them up.
First race will be the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise on the 6th of February, quickly followed by the Sponsors first season goal of weaing the climbers jersey in the Etoile de Bessege. I personally shall be aiming higher then my sponsors, and hope to wear the jersey for the majority of the small stage race. If events go in our favour, walking away with the jersey at the end may be another aim.
Edited by rjc_43 on 07-12-2007 18:17
15/1/07
Australian RR Champs
Won by Michael Rogers who is obviously in form to pull out two great performances so early on in the season. 2nd placed was Karl Menzies from Healthnet, and 3rd was Benjamin Brooks, Navigateurs.
28/1/07 - 4/2/07
Training camp for Levarlet, Belkov, Morizot, Brouzes, Martinez, Mederel, Chainel and Mespoulede. These lucky 8 were going to be doing my first sponsors goal for me, so some of them had to be flying. Luckily by the end of the weeks training Mederel informed me that he felt brilliant, and had 71 fitness. That was without any racing! Brouzes wasnt far behind with 66.
6/2/07
The first race of the season has arrived. Im looking for an aggressive ride just to test other teams' legs and to test our own.
Km1
Mederel attacks from the gun to test everyones legs, and tire out those would-be attackers.
Km25
Mederel and the largish group is brought back into the pack.
Km 27
Morizot attacks, and gets in a break with 6 others. The main teams are all represented, so the pack lets them go.
The maximum lead the break got was 5mins 20.
With 10km to go, at the bottom of the final slope, Morizot attacks. Le Mevel counters instantly, and goes past Morizot. The main pack isnt far behind at this point (30secs) and so Sijmens jumps out, and past le Mevel and Morizot.
At the 1km to go barrier Morizot is swallowed up by the bunch to finish in a respectable 28th.
With the bunch having overtaken Morizot, Brouzes takes part in the sprint with his Ok sprinting skills (65) and manages to follow some wheels into 18th place. Not too bad for their first race in this new season together.
A fairly flat stage with just the one climb that mattered. I was aiming to win this climb to get an early lead in the mountains jersey, and to tick off one of the sponsors' goals.
Mederel who was flying, even without many races in his legs, would be my number one bet on getting those points.
On the first little hill, Mederel gave it a dig and managed to get away in a group of 4 others. 2 more riders came across the gap to form a nice little break, which, thankfully, the peloton didnt chase down.
Mederel followed Omloop to claim 2nd place in the intermediate sprint, personally i dont blame him, who wouldnt want some more bonus money?
At the hill of the day, Mederel sped to the front of the hill, and powered his way up the climb, pulling his escapee companions along with him. As a thank you, they let him take all the points.
Sponsors goal achieved!
Just before the last intermediate sprint, the group were hauled back in. In an effort to make sure Mederel finished in the time limit, Belkov was sent back with him.
Luckily Mederel finished inside the time limit, 10 minutes down on the pack.
Having only Chainel as my sprinter here, and he wasnt feeling that great today, all we managed was a top 40 finish. But more importantly the Mountains jersey.
Again Mederel went with the breakaway, which after a few hiccups settled into a nice rhythm.
He managed to take a 2nd place in the mountains sprint, solidifying his lead in it by 8 points more. Also followed some wheels again to claim 2nd in the intermediate sprint, picking up a few more euros to add to the team winnings.
Morizot managed to claim a 4th place on the final mountains sprint to get his name on the board, and prevent anyone else picking up some points.
A respectable 20th place for Brouzes and 22nd for Levarlet means Levarlet is now 6th in the U25 classement.
A nice easy stage, or so the team thought. We could easily defend the mountains jersey by sending another rider in a break to collect a few points here and there.
To this end, we sent Morizot off in the break of the day.
He managed to get in the front break, with a group of 3 forming behind this 7.
However, many riders werent working well, so the break attacked each other, each time Morizot getting across.
He manages a 2nd place in the first climb, and 1st in the second, giving him a good amount of points towards the jersey. It could be a 1-2 for the mountains classification.
Like all good things though, the break was caught with a fair while to go.
As Levarlet had yet to do anything in this race, we had decided to let him have a dig off the front. With him went Brouzes as a lead out man. As they attacked, a large number of the favourites also decided to have a go.
Chavanel came storming past to win the final climb of the day, with Brouzes taking the last spot on the points. A group of 5 formed with Chavanel in front of them.
Brouzes and Levarlet were chasing hard to get away from the pack.
But it was not to be, and with 2km to go, they were overtaken by the sprinters.
What i only found out later over the race radio was that Mederel, the Mountains jersey wearer had crashed, and so his race was over as he withdrew without any obvious injuries. He must have known better i suppose!
Chavanel took the win, and managed to creep into 2nd place overall.
Brouzes and Levarlet came top 30 again, and Levarlet managed to get into 3rd for the U25 classification.
Morizot from his work during the day took over as mountains leader, so not all was lost!
With the last stage ending in Besseges, and with only 12 points up for grabs for the climbers, the team were over the moon starting as they knew they had taken home their first jersey of the season. And with it the sponsors would be extremely happy.
A fairly flat stage, and so the team protected its 3 possible candidates for a top 20 overall finish.
Brouzes felt the best out of Levarlet and Chainel, so given free reign to follow anyones wheel, he managed to get the best finish yet, a 9th place!
The next race coming up is the Tour du Haut Var, a fairly hilly race, which will be used in preparation for the 3 Jours de Vaucluse, another hilly tour, but i shall be getting the sprinters and northern classic riders ready with a few races under their belts, and honing the form of Levarlet.
Before the Tour du Haut Var, the sprinters are being sent off to another training camp to get them ready to race. 7 days in the south of France.
Its back, after a nice long break and playing my Tinkoff game
Tour du Haut Var
The squad for today will be
Morizot
Brouzes
Levarlet
Diguet
Galland
Pioline
Martinez
Belkov
Im looking for a top 10 finish preferably, just to keep team morale high, and sponsors happy.
After 20km, and some steep gradients, the break of the day forms.
With 70km left, and some of the big pro tour teams dragging the break down from its 9minute lead, Brouzes was the best of my three possible leaders for the day. So as a team we quickly organised a protection system of anyone and everyone to help! If they could!
Quickly after the long climb of the day, a lot of riders, namely those less used to lumps and bumps were dropped into a few groups behind.
With the final climb scaled, i had just Brouzes left in the leading group, and he was at the back at that! I told him to get to the front to find one of the main favourites' wheel for the sprint, those that were left in the bunch anyhow, as most had attacked off the front.
(He's the rider at the back!)
Even with the orders given, it was too little too late, and he dropped back to the next group on the road. Looks like if i get a top 60 result it will be a good day!
With 1.3km to go, Pineau (Bougues) started the sprint and comfortably eased to victory ahead of Garzelli and Casar and the rest of the break.
Took me a while to get it, but its done now 
)
