Cool Ian, I just added Germany (Colonge) and Andorra (Andorra la Vella), I'll do Zagreb later (made the route, don't have time to write it).

I will repeat it once again. The level of involvement is totally up to you. It can range from a casual player (follow the game and comment rarely) to the die-hard cx fans here, who are already bend over the calendar, trying to figure out how to make the most of the season.

I want to thank everyone for their input and enthusiasm so far. This is by far the most amazing reaction I've ever had on the site. I hope the game won't disappoint


If you're waiting for the game thread to open, here's what you can do: create a banner for your rider(s). I strongly advice using a banner for the role-playing thread. I didn't link the riders to users on the site, so when role-playing you have to use your riders' names.

Tomorrow the thread can open and I'll open with a season preview, a bit like in post 2 here, maybe more in detail. Expect the first race report by Monday or Tuesday. After that, I'll always give you a few days before a new race, so that everyone has the time to catch up (and comment if they want).

In the game-thread, only in-character comments are allowed. If you want to comment as yourself, you can do it in this thread. But I'll explain that again when setting up the thread.

Francorchamps was a really nice race this year, maybe use that.

I meant an existing race in the game I've already gone too deep into the fantasy world, I'm afraid

Really Excited as well Ian, great game!

Making races is a lot of fun as well, hoping to have made the European continental champs route and maybe the worlds

Doing the Zagreb one now, so that'll be on my list soon and I'll probably do some more tomorrow.

Some more fun facts:
There is not a single American rider. That's odd.
There is 1 Asian rider.

Therefor, the Continental Championships will be held in 3 groups:
Eurasia (Europe and Asia)
Africa
Oceania

Don't worry about the absence of some countries, I have a plan for that next season...

I was thinking of doing an American rider as slightly more of a pack filler than full role-play (famous last words) but if entries are full it can be pushed to next season

Made my banners, interested to see what everyone else will come up with. Just a little bit confused with regards to calendars, what exactly do we have to do?

You don't have to do anything. Cyclo-cross is a sport where all riders practically appear at all races. But you can link the calendar to the races I placed underneath them and set your goals for the season.
Why is that important if I'm racing every race? you might ask.

Say you have a weekend with World Cup race and Superprestige race. In the World Cup, you are already way behind on the classification. But in the Superprestige, you're in 2nd. Then you might decide to skip the World Cup race to be fresh on Sunday for the Superprestige race.

Also, when the game-thread opens, you might post a season preview of your own, listing your main goals for the season etc.

Like most things will be at this game: you don't have to do anything, but you can do about anything you want with the information


@TMM: I'm sure next season new spots will open up. We have 63 riders from about 25 players, I guess. I hope not, but some of them probably won't be active or will grow more inactive by week. At the end of the season, the riders with inactivity will "retire" or something, and new spots will open up

There are still some spots open now. If nobody steps forward that has no riders yet, we might fit him in, though.

"There is 1 Asian rider."
Did the Afghanis get killed off since the last time you posted a list of riders?
If not, it'd be kinda fitting if they join Ittehad, being from the region and what not.

Woops yeah you got me there. There are 3 asian riders

I've had one too many PM and suggestion for the teams so I'm not sure everyone is at their right place
Please check your riders in the teams below and contact me if there's been a mistake.


I also remind you that the sign-ups close tonight. There are two spots open for those who have no or 1 rider. If the spots don't get filled, we'll race with a 61 men peloton for season 1.

Reminder of the next few days:
Tomorrow I'll set up the game-thread, along with a season preview and maybe even a team analysis. You can already post role-playing elements as soon as the thread is made.

Monday or Tuesday, the season will start with the Duinencross.


Also a final version of the calendar. Some dates changed to limit airtravel. Now we have a very tough week with 4 races in the USA in November, after which we go to South America.


that (do) at the Christmas special means Thursday (instead of Wednesday)

Maybe one small remark about the calendar, I feel it misses overlapping races. Usualy in the weekends where there's no classification cross, half of the riders does a cross in Belgium and the other half goes to Holland. This often gives some great racing, as there are some lesser riders coming to the front that way. I feel that aspect is missing a bit here

Maybe that's for next season.
I don't want to do too much from the start, let's take it slow next season I can keep this calendar but add more (overlapping) races, maybe.

The Continental Races will be overlapping. For the African championships, that'll be very interesting

If there is possibility of getting a second rider here's my American. If not doesn't matter and i'll re-suggest him for next season.



Also i'm loving the calendar, especially November's run through the Americas and into South Africa (though personally my favorite of those RSA routes was Fish Hoek). And as you'd expect with so many of my races i get to open and close the season

Wasn't James Carlisle riding for BP?

This looks really original Ian looking forward to roleplaying Elliot, he looks like he has some talent too! love the fact he is distancing himself from other British based teams.

Wait is that Kimi Haikkinen guy out of the game now? Because I was just looking forward to a Finnish rivalry

I suggest that the African Continental Championships are on Sand that isn't too technical.