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Impossible cobbles...
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| 7king |
Posted on 21-04-2010 11:24
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Under 23
Posts: 65
Joined: 10-08-2009
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Hello!
I'm playing a career on extreme difficulty because i find it more realistic and therefore more fun than hard. But when it comes to the cobbled classics, i'm considering changing to easy.. It's just impossible! I've read several threads on this, but can't seem to get any help from them.. So that's why i'm starting a new one. Has anyone ever won a cobbled pro tour classic without playing Quickstep?
Would appreciate any tries for help 
Cheers |
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| rjc_43 |
Posted on 21-04-2010 11:28
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Team Leader
Posts: 6716
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Well, the cobble races (on extreme) are probably quite realistic, as you've said. Unless you're Cancellara or Boonen, you're always going to be racing for a Top 3 at best.
[url=cleavercycling.co.uk]  [/url] |
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| Kami |
Posted on 21-04-2010 11:30
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3485
Joined: 19-06-2009
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I've once won with Pozzato on hard, but it was really one of the harder races i've ridden. It's quite realistic though, you won't see ppl that don't have 80+ cobbles in-game win P-R in real life, except for some suprises, but mostly it's just the best that wins.
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 21-04-2010 11:35
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Team Leader
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 , I am the complete opposite, I love the cobbles, whereas I really struggle in the mountains.
It really depends on the riders you have what your strategy should be, I find that unless you have a top 5 favourite attacking before the final 10-20km is a waste of time and you will die. SO you should just sit at the front of the peleton and watch it fall apart around you, then if you are feeling good attack in the last 20km and see if you can catch dead attackers in front of you/ ensure that no one in your group beats you.
If you have a favourite follow wheels/attacks until again 10km to go before trying to go solo. On Extreme it is almost impossible to stay away solo so don't bother trying unless you feel you are strongest. Just hang in there and go for the sprint.
Obviously riding on dot near the front is important, especially for RVV where the peleton often splits over the climbs and you can sometimes get a gap that way without bothering to attack.
Hope this helps.
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
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| RHW |
Posted on 21-04-2010 12:02
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Free Agent
Posts: 101
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I find the cobble races really fun, as you have to concentrate the whole time. Taking on Boonen, Cancellara etc. is great, as although they are the best they can be beaten. One of my finest performances was 5th at Roubaix with Niki Terpstra! in the 2010 DB.
The key is to concentrate, and hold a position right near the front of the pack. and pray for no punctures |
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| 7king |
Posted on 21-04-2010 15:47
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Under 23
Posts: 65
Joined: 10-08-2009
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Thanks for answers. I totally agree that cobbles are fun, don't get me wrong I love that i just can't use the 8x speed at all .. But it always ends in misery.. Maybe it's because my ambitions are too high and i always counter Boonen or Cancellara, and end up dead?
Maybe you can answer me on this question?: When i have attacked or counterattacked, what do i do then? If I control Flecha (as I do, playing Sky) and is in a 4-5 man group or so. I die if I use short relay or the dot.. Even in 99 form and great daily form.. What's the trick?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! |
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| neve57 |
Posted on 21-04-2010 18:43
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Domestique
Posts: 672
Joined: 13-09-2009
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7king wrote:
Thanks for answers. I totally agree that cobbles are fun, don't get me wrong I love that i just can't use the 8x speed at all .. But it always ends in misery.. Maybe it's because my ambitions are too high and i always counter Boonen or Cancellara, and end up dead?
Maybe you can answer me on this question?: When i have attacked or counterattacked, what do i do then? If I control Flecha (as I do, playing Sky) and is in a 4-5 man group or so. I die if I use short relay or the dot.. Even in 99 form and great daily form.. What's the trick?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
same thing to me...whatever i try to do....i end up dead 
roses are grey, violets are grey, everything is grey,
im a dog
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| BouBBox |
Posted on 21-04-2010 18:57
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 892
Joined: 01-06-2009
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Cobbles races are quite easy in any mode... the only thing to do is to put your leader on the "dot" on the cobbles with 30% at the beginning and then higher at the end of the race ... (also use protection)
I won Paris Roubaix with Guesdon like that in extreme (98 form 78 cobbles)!
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| 7king |
Posted on 21-04-2010 20:06
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Under 23
Posts: 65
Joined: 10-08-2009
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Thanks. I'll try that! |
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| Lachi |
Posted on 21-04-2010 20:22
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8516
Joined: 29-06-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Yes, you have to use the dot, not only on the cobbles but also over the steep climbs. If you don't, then either your cyclist gets dropped or looses much yellow.
But I dont use the dot all the race but only at the end when the heart beat gets to high on cobbles or climbs. |
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| BouBBox |
Posted on 21-04-2010 22:10
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 892
Joined: 01-06-2009
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In my game each time there is a cobble passage one of the strong teams (Saxo or Quick Step) start accelerating so I have to use the dot even at the beginning  .
Because of that the races are very long I have to be careful all the time. |
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| lechia |
Posted on 22-04-2010 16:15
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 13-03-2007
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Yeah, I just won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad by 1.5 mins with Ballan. On one of the climbs (with about 40 km to go), I put him on dot and since the peleton goes through this accordion effect near the top (guys at the front slow down while somehow the guys further back accelerate causing this jammin up of riders) he managed to get a small gap. Even though there were a couple of small groups up the road, I easily passed them and got a 1.5-2 min gap on the peleton by putting Ballan on dot 65-67%. I also have Cancellara on my team and I used him to just follow the wheels of the other favourites without contributing to the chase. Even though they attacked and brought the gap down to about a minute, they couldn't catch Ballan. I got 3rd with Cancellara. This was on hard. I do agree wth 7king that it's harder to get good results on cobbles and hence in the past I've actually lowered the difficulty setting. The problem with cobbles (especially climbs) is the accordion effect which causes you to lose energy unnecessarily. To do well, you have to use the dot.
This is my ranking of how hard/easy it is to win stages if you give the AI an advantage by setting your difficulty level to hard or very hard:
hills<flat<mountains<cobbles |
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| Batista15 |
Posted on 22-04-2010 16:49
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2704
Joined: 29-04-2007
PCM$: 900.00
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lechia wrote:
Yeah, I just won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad by 1.5 mins with Ballan. On one of the climbs (with about 40 km to go), I put him on dot and since the peleton goes through this accordion effect near the top (guys at the front slow down while somehow the guys further back accelerate causing this jammin up of riders) he managed to get a small gap. Even though there were a couple of small groups up the road, I easily passed them and got a 1.5-2 min gap on the peleton by putting Ballan on dot 65-67%. I also have Cancellara on my team and I used him to just follow the wheels of the other favourites without contributing to the chase. Even though they attacked and brought the gap down to about a minute, they couldn't catch Ballan. I got 3rd with Cancellara. This was on hard. I do agree wth 7king that it's harder to get good results on cobbles and hence in the past I've actually lowered the difficulty setting. The problem with cobbles (especially climbs) is the accordion effect which causes you to lose energy unnecessarily. To do well, you have to use the dot.
This is my ranking of how hard/easy it is to win stages if you give the AI an advantage by setting your difficulty level to hard or very hard:
hills<flat<mountains<cobbles
Congrats for your win!But I don´t understand this thing with the dot.When I put my leader on dot he always get dropped,so I´ve no clue what to do |
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| 7king |
Posted on 22-04-2010 18:28
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Under 23
Posts: 65
Joined: 10-08-2009
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I tried BouBBox tactic and got 4th in Paris-Roubaix with Flecha, less than a minute behind the winner, which is great considering that I usually lose several minutes in the end.. So thanks!
Just have another question. Does the difficulty setting have any impact on the 3d race or is it just the stats that are lowered? |
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| Crommy |
Posted on 22-04-2010 18:31
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
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7king wrote:
I tried BouBBox tactic and got 4th in Paris-Roubaix with Flecha, less than a minute behind the winner, which is great considering that I usually lose several minutes in the end.. So thanks!
Just have another question. Does the difficulty setting have any impact on the 3d race or is it just the stats that are lowered?
Just changes the stats of your opponents:
-1 on easy
0 on normal
+1 on hard
+2 on extreme
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| BouBBox |
Posted on 22-04-2010 18:33
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 892
Joined: 01-06-2009
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That's weird... If it is at the end don't forget to put a higher percentage : about 65-75 in the last 40 km... At least high enough to follow the other leaders.(The dot is a controlled effort)
And if you have a good team don't forget to protect your leader. 
Batista15*
Glad it helped you 7King.
Edited by BouBBox on 22-04-2010 19:00
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| Batista15 |
Posted on 22-04-2010 22:00
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2704
Joined: 29-04-2007
PCM$: 900.00
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BouBBox wrote:
That's weird... If it is at the end don't forget to put a higher percentage : about 65-75 in the last 40 km... At least high enough to follow the other leaders.(The dot is a controlled effort)
And if you have a good team don't forget to protect your leader.
Batista15*
Glad it helped you 7King.
Thanks a lot, I´ll try it! |
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| Batista15 |
Posted on 23-04-2010 11:34
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2704
Joined: 29-04-2007
PCM$: 900.00
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It´s still the same problem!
I´ve put my leader(Valverde on dot with 79%+protection by Brushegin (on Tourmalet!)
But he still dropped and lost his energy while Contador and Armstrong attacked.I really don´t understand how to do that |
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| hellboy |
Posted on 23-04-2010 12:19
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 850
Joined: 27-10-2009
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Batista15 wrote:
It´s still the same problem!
I´ve put my leader(Valverde on dot with 79%+protection by Brushegin (on Tourmalet!)
But he still dropped and lost his energy while Contador and Armstrong attacked.I really don´t understand how to do that
I have often same problem as you have.dot works for me only if it is on 80+percents,for me the better tactics are to relay with my best domestiques(for example relay with Bruseghin,Soler.. at 70-80percent from the start of the climb)as hard as they can and leader just maintain position behind them.Then the opposition is getting dropped and it is hard for someone to attack and after my domestiques are empty i attack or counter with my leader
But every race is special so it is not working always
Go Roman!
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| Lachi |
Posted on 23-04-2010 13:12
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8516
Joined: 29-06-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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The key to a race is the preparation. You will not get any good performance of a unhappy or unfit rider. But if your rider is fit and happy they should be able to follow other leaders. (Applies only if you play a career)
Obviously your riders should be in the front of the peloton when the cobbles or the climb starts so that they don't waste any energy while catching up.
There are two ways of riding at the end of a stage. Either you ride at constant % and don't mind the attacks from other leaders. This will save energy. After the attack the attackers might slow down to recover and your rider will be able to catch up. Don't forget to protect your rider when doing this.
Or you counter attack one of the attacks of a good rider. When counter attacking your rider should be able to keep the wheel else he looses to much energy. When the attack is over you could either set the dot so that your rider is just following the other attackers or you set short relay with a low % so that your rider will not lead (unless you want him to, of course).
Just a thought: Maybe somebody has uploaded a replay on youtube showing how to do it, you might get lucky looking there.
Edited by Lachi on 23-04-2010 13:28
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