Made an effort for all you looking forward to the race. Here is the
Aosta Valley report! Enjoy

Sweet report. Looks like Coca-Cola will be a thrilling 4 way battle the next one, two races.

Can't say it was unexpected, but shame to see Milan's inexperience and lack of strength uphill compared to the others pay off. But still, 12 seconds isn't a lot and there was some signs of promise. Cook played him like a piano. Amazing report Ian!

Thanks for the great report Ian

Brilliant ride by Pierre and Sylvain takes third , he didn't win (wasn't really expecting to ) but the Coca-Cola time is good so now I guess that classification is the goal (behind Worlds and Christmas of course).

I like, yeah I should send tactics in more often
Yeah I had those weird shivers some films give, that men shouldn't have but sometimes happen to

That was one hell of a race: Matt felt as great as Lisbon and timed that attack perfectly, without wasting energy as he used to in his first experiences in the world of cyclocross.

Opposition was not irresistible and that made his plans Slightly easier but that surely doesn't change the fact he was tactically perfect. Cornelis looked to have the race in his hands at some point - but that's probably not even true and it just my oddly biased point of view - so I think he was the most dangerous today.

Also, it's nice to see Matt making a big jump in the Coca-Cola ranking, 5th is probably where he'll settle but can't give up yet, can't wait for the next reports to see how it is going to turn out eventually.

That was a glorious report under every point of view, thanks a bunch, Sir Ian Butler

Thanks a lot guys, great to be appreciated
Just for that, a little gift:

21 of the 42 races completed so this is our exact halfway point. This is how it stands so far looking at podium places!

Rider	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Francis N. Vague	4	3	4
Elliot Cook	3	3	3
Milan Listerijn	3	1	0
Dries Cornelis	2	3	3
Matt Mazzarelli	2	1	1
Michael Bollinger	1	3	1
Sylvain Lipawsky	1	2	1
Eddie Goldenberg	1	1	2
Christian Schiltz	1	1	1
Baris Dao	1	0	3
Shay Gormley	1	0	0
Fred Markson	1	0	0
Tariq Faizullah	0	1	0
Rudy Verboven	0	1	0
Rik Van Fleming	0	1	0
Naveed Alinejad	0	0	1
Iban Etxeberdea	0	0	1

Guys, before Guido talks doping, Milan is really fifth without NES

Nah nice stats table Ian. Shows how open it is, but look at the silvers and bronzes of Vague, Cook and Cornelis, that's what Milan has to have to be the best.

lol got be kidding me, just went through the reports to see the season result of Francis so far. 20 tabs opened and results looked up for nothing

Thanks Ian. Vague is having a great season so far, hope he can finish it off with the double. Who knows what happens.

I already knew it, but Sylvain is not getting many podiums this season...

Thanks for the stats though.

Haha Shonak, sorry about all that work for nothing

Anyway, prepare for a white hell.
Yes, the winter season is finally upon us.
Alpe d'Huez preview is done!

Yes, a Belgian monument! Vague and Cornelis can come on the lower steps of the podium to consolidate it if they like

Been too nice lately, time to get a bit the cocky side of Vague back.

So what are we thinking about the current pace?

Personally I think it's ideal. I understand some of you might lack the time to follow it perfectly but I don't want to move too slowly. If you can't follow perfectly, I understand that you can just look over the result and perhaps 'CTRL G' your rider in the race.

As for the rest, I'm happy with how it's going at the moment. Some amazing RP posts, love it.

Send in your tactcs for Alpe d'Huez by this evening. Race either this evening or most probably tomorrow!

Thats the ideal pace for me as well. As it stands now I can read each report, send tactics for almost each race, and write a rp post ince every 2 or 3 races, exactly as I would have wished.

Please make it this evening. I am stuck at work and will be there for a couple of more hours. Gimme something to read please.

Pace is good. Keep it coming.

Please make it this morning (evening for you). In an hour it will be half time at the RWC and I'll be stuck there for another 15 minutes. Gimme something to read please.

Pace is amazing, not too fast but not too slow, I feel I can follow and write on holidays or weekend and at least every 2-3 races at school.

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I had something planned and just back, so I'm afraid I won't make it this evening. Terribly sorry about that!

But if you're anything like me, you can just click a random page in the Game Thread and start reading it's fun to see older posts. Just an amazing thread. Thanks for that!

About the report: Will definitely try to do it tomorrow, then sorry can't do it tonight, though.

Actually hold on to your hats.
Imma try to make a miracle

Work modus: on

That changed quickly
Doesn't make a difference for me, but good to know for Shonak qnd jandal at least!

Much can be read and said about this one.
I'll leave that up to you.

Enjoy, or rather, undergo the Alpe d'Huez report