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2016 Planning: Calendar
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 30-12-2015 11:44
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If anyone has any suggestions for the race calendar, now would be a good time to say it.
e.g.
- Races that were rubbish last season and should be changed/removed
- Races that could be added.
- Suggested changes to the dynamics of the calendar. (amount of races of particular terrains)
- Suggestions for routes of PT stage races
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| jph27 |
Posted on 30-12-2015 11:58
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The Omloop Het Volk in PT could possibly do with being looked at - it just didn't really work. Perhaps a better solution to get racedays for cobblers would be to work cobbled stages into some of the northern european stage races? So for example Paris-Nice could have an early Cobbled stage, or the Deutschland Tour, alongside maybe another cobbled classic or two. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 17:43
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| matt17br |
Posted on 30-12-2015 13:56
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Just FYI, today I was testing whether PCM 15 dealt in the same way as PCM 14 when stage races had a hilly opener - we've seen breakaways always winning those and this had an enormous effect in races like Tour of Norway and Tour of Britain off the top of my head, and well, fortunately they don't at all. I tested Tour of Norway, Tour of Britain and Grand Prix Cyclistes - same routes as the ones of this season ofc, and in all of them there's been a favourite win in the opening stage.
Besides, I think that Cyanide found a pretty decent balance for the break wins with PCM 15. I'm playing a bit more lately and in every week-long stage race there's never more than a break win when it occurs which makes sense in my books really. So say goodbye to breakaways winning on the Champs Elysees from now on hehe.
That said, imo we should keep at least half of those hilly openers for another year considering PCM 15 AI is drastically improved compared to 14's.
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| Kentaurus |
Posted on 30-12-2015 16:05
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Second vote for Het Volk:
The PT Omloop Het Volk was a bit of a mess (though it was good for my team) stage one was a massive breakaway win by a pair of contenders, and the TTT over cobbles was a bit dicey. Really threw the whole race into a mess.
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| tastasol |
Posted on 30-12-2015 16:28
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Well. I've no problems with Tour des Fjords and Arctic Race of Norway being added, that's for sure 
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 30-12-2015 18:08
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It would be cool to see a fantasy C2 race in San Marino, I don't know of any that already exist so it would have to be made which is a downside.
And I'd like to see TSMoha's Tour of Southern Africa GT added, or at least some of the stages from that used in races.
I'd like to see a few more prologues in stage races in general, I think a few Hilly or Mountainous stage races could have them added without really changing the dynamic of them which would help TTer's and Prologue specialists score slightly better and be a little more useful across the board.
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| The Rider |
Posted on 30-12-2015 19:00
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Berlin Prorace - Two seasons - two breakaway wins. If we keep that race then maybe someone needs to re-design it a wee bit?
To change things up a bit:
- Interlagos GP > c2hc/c2
- Ruta America del Sur > HC
- Tour of Britain > c2hc
^ With at least four PCT teams being South American it could be cool to have the only South American HC race as that.
- Beijing - Java > HC
With about five Asian PCT teams maybe we could combine the Tour of Beijing with the tour of East Java? (To make it a 7 stage stage race, with the only mountain summit being the final stage so puncheurs/sprinters can fill their boots beforehand).
Also don't forget that the originally planned stage 1 of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo had an intermediate sprint right at the finish which screws up the AI. (The stage set in Algeria.)  |
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| roturn |
Posted on 30-12-2015 19:22
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The TdU could get a bit harder with the original 2016 route. Tougher Stirling stage. Rest pretty similar.
Also the Velothon Stockholm could be added as Swedish race or even replace the Scandinavian Classic. With Ahlstrand now maxed, I guess Sweden might like a flat classic.
If we want to go more exotic, then Margh made a couple of races like Tobago Cycling Classic or Barbuda Birdmen Classic.
Also togo95 made an interesting Tour of Bhutan recently.
Regarding a Giro I like Leon40`s version. Though I have not tested for narrows yet.
Edit: Barely have time at the moment. Will check closer in a couple of days, when having more free time. |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 30-12-2015 19:55
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sammyt93 wrote:
It would be cool to see a fantasy C2 race in San Marino, I don't know of any that already exist so it would have to be made which is a downside.
I'm having a play around with San Marino in the stage editor right now. Very suitable place for a MG race I feel!
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 31-12-2015 09:53
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The Rider wrote:
Berlin Prorace - Two seasons - two breakaway wins. If we keep that race then maybe someone needs to re-design it a wee bit?
IRL some one-day races are won by breakaways - why not in the MG?
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 31-12-2015 10:40
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I second sammy's mention of Tour of Southern Africa (or at least some stages from it). We have leaders jerseys for that, as I made some fantasy versions. Could be have CT Grand Tour?
Change to the Tour du Faso Stage 1 would be welcomed. The large cobbled section did nothing for the result and a normal sprint stage would be better. A cobbled stage with several sections would work more effectively.
I know there is no 'Scottish' team any more after RBS's early disappearance last season, but it would be nice to keep it at CT level. It is a good route.
Races in Morocco (Tour du Maroc or Challenge du Prince as a 3 day race) would be nice. I know my focus is not Morocco, so it wouldn't be a home race, but I am turning more towards North / West Africa for a squad 
EDIT: Running the Challenge du Prince similarly to how smowz mentions running Omloop could mean issues with that don't occur here. Same 8 riders across the 3 races with different terrains on offer in each one
Edited by the_hoyle on 31-12-2015 12:51
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 31-12-2015 10:42
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More TT stages in first days of stage races in PT instead placing them near the end, because the way it was in 2015 calendar, TT specialists were often hindered by recovery and beaten by muchworse TT riders, even after couple of stages.
I dont see the reason for more cobbled races, we want Bewley 3000+ in points? 
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| Smowz |
Posted on 31-12-2015 12:44
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I think cobbles within stage races is a bit of a no-no. We have TONE and that is excellent but do we need more in PT?
An idea for Omloop is rather than have a three day stage race, have three linked 'semi-classics'. It works like a stage race in that the same squad of 8 riders are needed but they run as classics. TTT cobbles, flat few cobbles and hilly many cobbles. You could even run some sort of points based classification to sort out a mini general classification perhaps.
I don't think we need an increased amount of cobbled races.
Not sure what to suggest about chrono's I think late chrono's in a GT is fine - they are sorta supposed to be for the stage racers. But it would be nice if the chrono specialists did have something whereby the recovery system did not screw them over.
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| Silvio Herklotz |
Posted on 31-12-2015 13:42
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It has been annoying me a bit to see the tiny gaps in difficult stages (both hilly and mountaineous). Has anybody experienced if PCM15 handles this better? Because that has been a) supported breakaways and b) hardly decreased climers' chances when loosing time on the flat. Any chance we can so something about it?
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 31-12-2015 14:20
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the_hoyle wrote:
Change to the Tour du Faso Stage 1 would be welcomed. The large cobbled section did nothing for the result and a normal sprint stage would be better. A cobbled stage with several sections would work more effectively.
That would be like taking the Champs Elysses out of the Tour de France! Tour du Faso is iconic due to the long cobbled sector, for better for worse, and it is the main reason why it remains on the calendar.
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 31-12-2015 14:29
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SportingNonsense wrote:
the_hoyle wrote:
Change to the Tour du Faso Stage 1 would be welcomed. The large cobbled section did nothing for the result and a normal sprint stage would be better. A cobbled stage with several sections would work more effectively.
That would be like taking the Champs Elysses out of the Tour de France! Tour du Faso is iconic due to the long cobbled sector, for better for worse, and it is the main reason why it remains on the calendar.
Ok - I can accept that
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 31-12-2015 16:37
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Maybe there should be a slightly smaller number of sprinter races in the CT as it seemed this season that sprinters controlled the rankings (maybe that was just because Lavoine and Richeze were 1-2 but still) . Perhaps 1 sprint race could be replaced with a cobbled one?
Edited by trekbmc on 31-12-2015 16:47
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| jph27 |
Posted on 31-12-2015 16:41
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Thought I'd bring up my suggestion for calendar dynamics from before, seeing as no one commented on it
jph27 wrote:
Just had an idea, so thought I would float it out there. Obviously, we have the band system across all 3 divisions in some form or another now and it has been a great success in my opinion - makes the HC selection process much quicker, and leads to interesting tactical decisions. However, I wonder if we could possibly work it into transfers whereby teams can trade race entries - obviously race days would have to be equalised, so everyone has the same amount of HC/C2HC RDs - as a way of taking more cash out of the system, and also as another tactical dimension. For example, a team consisting mainly of climbers and puncheurs would likely take HC Band 3, but would then have to ride Baltic Chain Tour. They would be unlikely to take the cobbles and sprints heavy Band 2, but with this system in place they could trade Baltic Chain Tour for another team's entry to Bayern Rundfahrt - and possibly offer up some spare cash as part of the deal. Obviously, it has its limits, but I think it could work quite well and offer an interesting new dynamic. |
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| matt17br |
Posted on 31-12-2015 16:41
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Perhaps 1 sprint rCe could be replaced with a cobbled one?
There were a lot of cobbled races in the Continental calendar last year, so probably adding another is a no-go. I for one would put a mountainous classic in its place, or even a TT.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 31-12-2015 16:50
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jph27 wrote:
Thought I'd bring up my suggestion for calendar dynamics from before, seeing as no one commented on it
jph27 wrote:
Just had an idea, so thought I would float it out there. Obviously, we have the band system across all 3 divisions in some form or another now and it has been a great success in my opinion - makes the HC selection process much quicker, and leads to interesting tactical decisions. However, I wonder if we could possibly work it into transfers whereby teams can trade race entries - obviously race days would have to be equalised, so everyone has the same amount of HC/C2HC RDs - as a way of taking more cash out of the system, and also as another tactical dimension. For example, a team consisting mainly of climbers and puncheurs would likely take HC Band 3, but would then have to ride Baltic Chain Tour. They would be unlikely to take the cobbles and sprints heavy Band 2, but with this system in place they could trade Baltic Chain Tour for another team's entry to Bayern Rundfahrt - and possibly offer up some spare cash as part of the deal. Obviously, it has its limits, but I think it could work quite well and offer an interesting new dynamic.
But one of the key points of the bands is that it forces teams to be more all-round in order to score points across all HC races. The spread of race types across bands is very deliberate, in order to require that, and that's what makes the band choices an important decision - balancing the races you want to ride against the races you don't.
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