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Barloworld Story - Tour of Qatar Soon
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 15:35
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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I've been a big fan of Barloworld since they started. Now that I have PCM07 (somewhat disappointing for a $50 game but what else is there?), I get to manage them and take them to the top.
I'm PensFan101, and while I'm a newbie in PCM, I hope to share my Barloworld experience with you guys here on pcmdaily. I can't make any promises as to how often I'll update, as I will not be available Labour Day Weekend on top of school starting next week, but I hope to post at least once a week.
I am using the PCM GeeksDB for now with a few modifications to stats on riders I felt they missed.
So first off, here is the introduction of Team Barloworld 2007:
Team Leader:
Mauricio Soler (Col)
Co-Leader:
Pedro Arreitunandia (Esp)
Protected Riders:
   
From left to right: Robert Hunter (Rsa), Giampalo Chuela (Ita), Ryan Cox (Rsa), Fabrizio Guidi (Ita)
Teammates:
      
From left to right: Giosue Bonomi (Ita), John-Lee Augustyn (Rsa), Dieggo Caccia (Ita), Enrico Degano (Ita), Alexander Efimkin (Rus), James Lewis Perry (Rsa), Hugo Sabido (Por), Geraint Thomas (Gbr)
New Signings (Teammates):
 
From left to right: Charles Dionne (Can), Edvald Boasson Hagan (Nor)
Leaving Team Barloworld: Kanstantsin Siotsou, Felix Cardenas
My sponsors' goals for Season 1 are:
Top 3: Milano Torino
Win: Coppa del Appennino
Stage win(s): Giro di Itialia
Stage win(s): Brescia Tour
Top 10: Klasika San Sabastien
Overall the goals are fairly simple. Milano Torino and Klasika San Sabastien will simply require Hunter to be in good form. Coppa del Appennino will be tougher, as I'm not great in that race. Brescia Tour will require some luck as it only has 3 stages, and the Giro will quite frankly have to be a miracle.
My goals for Season 1 will be:
-Recieve wild card for either Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico
-Recieve wild card for the Giro and Vuelta
-Win a classics race
-Win a stage at Tour of Qatar and Malaysia
Of course, being promoted to the CTT is a primary goal, however it is very hard for me to beat out Tinkoff and Wisenhoff Felt in Season 1, as they both rack up huge points with 1 or 2 guys.
First off is the Tour Down Under!
Edited by PensFan101 on 31-08-2007 16:44
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| Addy291 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 15:41
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8915
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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nope it's crap Geraint isn't the leader 
nice presentation hope you do well
YORKSHIRE BORN, YORKSHIRE BRED... |
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 15:58
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Addy291 wrote:
nope it's crap Geraint isn't the leader
nice presentation hope you do well
lol thanks. Geraint was one of the guys I improved a bit, because his cobble rating was in the pits. |
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| Crommy |
Posted on 30-08-2007 16:06
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Nice, hopefully will be a good story
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| Addy291 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 16:06
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8915
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you have no idea how annoying it is seeing in every single db Geraint with a cobble stat of 54 or something
they obviously don't do their research as it is fairly easy to find out he won the junior Paris-Roubaix only 3 years ago
YORKSHIRE BORN, YORKSHIRE BRED... |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 29-12-2024 01:50
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Bot Agent
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 16:19
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Tour of Australia
The first real race of the season is the Tour Down Under. My team for this race is:
Soler (GC)
Guidi (Sprinter)
Chuela
Thomas
Bonomi
Perry
Degano
I'm saving Hunter for Qatar which is just days after.
Stage 1: I had a lot of high hopes, as Guidi was in the 2nd tier of favourites. Without Hunter I really had no chance of beating O'Grady in a sprint, but with Soler I have a chance to grab the GC later on.
The first stage is only 48km, and is just a few circuits through Adelade. It is going to be a big sprint finish, and since I'm in slightly better form than most AI's, I should be able to grab a Top 5.
O'Grady is a clear favourite, and will challenge for the GC if he can hang tight in the one mountain of the tour.
As if on cue, a breakaway started. Ongaroto of team Milram led out a group of 7 hoping to create a gap (#7 was in E3)
CSC was leading the peloton, and they soon reeled the group in.
As we got closer to the line, Guidi was in +4 form, and could easily overtake O'Grady in the sprint, but then the race fell apart.
Several crashes happened at the back of the peloton, this one involved 13 riders, including my two support sprinters.
Just as I was about to turn on the bindrs, Guidi fell! What a shame.
O'Grady took the stage as expected. However, there was a silver lining here, as Geraint Thomas was able to get into the sprint and take home 5th place on the stage.
Disappointing would be an understatement, but Thomas was able to get right in the sprint and grab a good finish. Guidi will lick his wounds and then be back on track tomorrow. Luckily, nobody lost any time outside of the sprint bonuses, so there is lots of time yet.
GC (I lost the exported file, so I won't have times yet)
1st O'Grady (CSC)
2nd Bonnet (CA) +8
3rd Eckhout (CHJ) +12
4th Nazon (A2R) +20
5th Geraint Thomas (BAR) +20
Edited by PensFan101 on 30-08-2007 16:22
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 16:24
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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lol I know. I may have given him a bit too much, but he'll end up being a sprint/cobble specialist with cobble around 75 maybe when all is said and done. |
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| Addy291 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 16:25
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8915
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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very nice 5th with Geraint thoughB)
YORKSHIRE BORN, YORKSHIRE BRED... |
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 18:50
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Tour Down Under Stage 2
Well, first off I'll apologize because my program didn't take any of the pictures (if it doesn't work in Stage 3 I'll try some new settings). Needless to say it was an exciting stage with an unexpected result.
The race started, and with it the first bid for the KOM jersey. I sent Chuela into the break to try and grab it, but alas, he and the 5 other riders were caught just metres from the checkpoint. I still managed third however.
After that, an 8 man breakaway including Christian Muller and Lazlo Bodrogi took off. Luckily for me CSC had to do the work, and O'Grady's form suffered.
With 50km to go the breakaway was caught (Cancellara did an amazing job working during this rare moment), and the sprint I wanted was coming to fruition. Riders started to be shot off the back like pebbles during a hurricane, and only 80 riders were still with the peloton when we got to the sprint.
O'Grady was way back in the peloton so I sent Guidi to follow Nazon of AG2R. Then for fun, I threw Thomas on Guidi's wheel. When the sprint happened, Guidi was right there, but two guys went past and he was done. So as luck would have it, I let Thomas unleash, and indeed he won the stage.
It was a great victory, and I hope I can get the picture program working again. Also, my computer doesn't recognize the exported results page when I hit export. IF somebody could tell me how to do it (other than hitting export and then opening with notebook or something because it doesn't work), I'd appreciate it.
Here are the notable results.
Stage 2:
1st Geraint Thomas (BAR)
8th Fabrizio Guidi (BAR) +20
GC:
1st Geraint Thomas (BAR)
2nd Stuart O'Grady (CSC) s.t.
I also have the green and youth jersies on Thomas' back.
Stage 3 to come!
Edited by PensFan101 on 30-08-2007 18:51
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| Addy291 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 18:55
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8915
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Go Go Geraint
YORKSHIRE BORN, YORKSHIRE BRED... |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 30-08-2007 18:59
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Team Manager
Posts: 33046
Joined: 08-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Shame you didnt have the pic, Go Geraint!
Whats his sprint stat btw?
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| Addy291 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 19:02
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8915
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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also forgot to ask, what difficulty do you play on?
YORKSHIRE BORN, YORKSHIRE BRED... |
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 19:27
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Nonsense: I'm playing on normal currently. Have to give myself some hope since I'm still new.
Addy: Geraint has 71/71 in sprint stats. |
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| Addy291 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 19:30
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8915
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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wrong way round, but there's hope for this story yet
awesome to see you getting such good results with 71 SPB)
i normally put him to 72 SP 74 ACC but 71 probably reflects him better
and don't worry about playing on normal, we all have to start somewhere
YORKSHIRE BORN, YORKSHIRE BRED... |
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| samtheman |
Posted on 30-08-2007 19:36
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Domestique
Posts: 610
Joined: 07-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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I tried extreme(BMT):
I was close to throwing my computer out of the window because half of my team kept ending on the last few places(might have been the crap team though...)
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 19:49
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Oops, answered the wrong questions, but oh well. Also, this will be my last stage for a couple hours (mind you I haven't been on all day and in fact have done this all in about 45 minutes (all previous stages included).
TOUR DOWN UNDER S3!!!
Before I reveal anything, this was one of the weirdest stages I have ever played.
Stage 3, Geraint Thomas has emerged as my sprint contender. Can he keep it up? Stuart O'Grady appeared to be in good form, and would give him a run for his money. The downside to today's stage was that I had to work. There were short, sharp hills that would string out the riders. I wanted to keep Soler fresh for the deciding stage, but I had to keep guys up to catch the breakaway and some for keep Thomas good for the sprint...
Here we go, unkown of what would happen at the end of 146km.
There was another hill at the start of the day, so I sent Chuela to salvage something for himself before settling in to work. However, KOM wearer Brandt was too fast, so Chuela came second and sits second in that category.
This guy, whose last name surely ends in son, broke away after the hill.
Brandt did a stellar job defending his jersey. If only I had brought Dionne...
More riders attacked, pissing me off.
A short team hurts sometimes, as I had only three riders to spare for the chase.
On the first of many hills, I was closing in on the breakaway, now with 6 riders.
We lost more ground before the second last hill, but it wouldn't be long.
When we made it over, Cancellara led out O'Grady, and they pulled away. Even though my pace was 80 going over the hill (I wanted to weed out some sprinters), they got away. I caught Fabian, but Stuart was gone.
Despite my best efforts, including a frantic chase, I lost over 80 seconds to Stuey. Thomas finished 3rd on the stage, and Soler is still in position, but the fact that I have to make up 80 seconds with Thomas or two minutes for Soler may be too much.
It was a weird stage, as I simply wasn't strong enough to real O'Grady back in. Now I have about two stages to get some sprinter points back before the hill stage. I have a plan for it, and I plan to just burn up the course with my teammates, and see if I can tire out O'Grady enough before I send Soler off the front to get the win. Stage 4 may be tonight, or tomorrow, but I hope you're enjoying my story so far.
Here are the key standings:
Stage
O'Grady
Eckhout +1:21
Thomas s.t.
GC
O'Grady
Thomas +1.27
Should be intriguing. |
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| Addy291 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 19:59
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8915
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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i'm sorry but O'Grady is good enough to hold onto that lead
YORKSHIRE BORN, YORKSHIRE BRED... |
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| Crommy |
Posted on 30-08-2007 20:46
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Only just caught up - nice win with Geraint, and normal is fine to play on
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| Mulopeza |
Posted on 30-08-2007 21:52
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Stagiare
Posts: 199
Joined: 25-07-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Stuey is a good rider... I hope you'll catch up with him but 1.27 minutes will be hard;
Edited by Mulopeza on 30-08-2007 21:56
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| PensFan101 |
Posted on 30-08-2007 22:37
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Under 23
Posts: 75
Joined: 24-08-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Yeah I'm going to have to ride him hard, or hope Soler can open up a huge gap on the penultimate stage. The only problem is that CSC has Cancellara working and as soon as that hill is gone in the penultimate stage I'm done... But hey, if I can maintain 2nd in the GC, I'll be happy, especially with Thomas |
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