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Rapha Condor - The Best of British: April 2009
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| G_Larsson |
Posted on 19-02-2009 15:52
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Sprinter
Posts: 1779
Joined: 25-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Unlucky in the sprint with Cronshaw, I also have big problems picking up points in my Pinarello story.
Team Manager of Team IKEA-Bianchi
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 20-02-2009 09:50
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Giro d'Oro
After trying to play the stage several times with it crashing, i finally gave in and simmed the race. The squad was the same as at the Profrande van Drenthe as my EMC squad get their last chance to get some racing in their legs before we head back to Britain.
Here's the results:
We failed to get an invite to anymore races this month so the lads will have to go to the EMC at less then 100% condition. Hopefully the other British teams will be in a similar position.
In other news this week Uran became the Columbian TT Champ and Soler the Road Champ. |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 20-02-2009 11:55
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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East Midlands International Cycle Classic
Here it is, the first of our sponsors goals of the season is to get a win at this race. However, Columbia, Saxo Bank, Garmin, Astana and Katusha have all sent teams so the chances of us getting the win are very slim. We also haven't been helped by the lack of races available to my squad throughout April. However, my team is still going to give everything today as more then anything we need to start picking up some continental tour points.
Squad: Downing, Craven, Cronshaw, Greenwood, Holoham, Lapthorne, Lloyd, Richardson
Initially i send Greenwood into the early break. 6 riders get away but before long others start to junmp accross. The peleton thinks it is getting too big and so chases them down. When the next break goes i decide to leave them to it. Again 6 riders get away. However, the group is soon reduced to 5 as the astana rider goes down just after the first set of cobbles.
The first set of cobbles is eventful for us as well as both Craven and lloyd puncture at almost the same time. They work together and chase the peleton down.
From then on Astana sit at the front and the break is chased down. As the peleton enters the last 10k and gets nearer to the last set of cobbles the big names start to attack. First to go is Schar of Astana.
Craven decides that he is feeling good and also launches a counter-attack.
Downing is also still feeling good and also sprints out of the front of the bunch.
As they go over the last set of cobbles botgh Craven and Downing are amongst the strung out leaders.
However, as often happens Craven is caught by the group behind him who's momentum takes them past him.
At the front Mikhailov of Katusha takes the win.
Craven isn't a sprinter and this shows as he crosses the line in 8th. Downing comes home in 10th.
So we have failed with our first goal of the season, however, it was always going to be our toughest goal and with some quality riders turning up from the pro-tour it's hardly a suprise. I would have liked to have finished ahead of wilkinson of Team Halfords though.
Edited by ringo182 on 20-02-2009 12:03
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| G_Larsson |
Posted on 20-02-2009 11:59
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Sprinter
Posts: 1779
Joined: 25-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Good results there!  It's great to see that you can do a top 10 here because then I know that maybe I can achieve my goal in the Pinarello story 
Wrong SS in the beginning
Team Manager of Team IKEA-Bianchi
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 20-02-2009 12:06
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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yeah, you've got Russell Downing so you've got a great chance. just hope that the big teams don't send strong teams like at mine. My squad isn't really that great i'm quickly learning. It's bigger then the other British squads but i've got no-one who can challenge for wins like Russell Downing at Pinarello or Hayles for Team Halfords. I've got a team of domestiques
oh well, i'll keep plugging away. |
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 20-02-2009 13:01
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7681
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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tough field! wish it was like that irl
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| biscuit |
Posted on 21-02-2009 00:02
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Junior Rider
Posts: 26
Joined: 19-10-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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This has been a great story, really enjoying it. What's your sponsor happiness like at the moment?
(It doesn't matter what I do with my Rapha team the sponsors hate me. I was a bit lucky and got Dean Downing home in 6th at East Midlands and they didn't even acknowledge it.
138 CT points by May and I'm guaranteed to get the sack!) |
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 21-02-2009 00:25
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Team Leader
Posts: 6045
Joined: 20-07-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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better luck with next goals tou'll see 
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 21-02-2009 12:29
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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my sponsors hate me too! the only thing they've acknowledged so far is lapthorne finishing 12th at the aussie champs. everything else they've ignored. Personally i think we've achieved some pretty decent results so far.
like i said before, i've got a big squad but no-one it it really stands out. Hopefully Cronshaw will develop this year and be a decent stage racer next season, if i don't get the sack before.
also, my scout been in Britain for 4 months now and hasn't found anyone. is this normal or has something gone wrong? what am i paying him for? |
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 21-02-2009 13:33
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7681
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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edit the sponsor confidence - we dont want to see you sacked
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| beagle |
Posted on 21-02-2009 13:35
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4200
Joined: 06-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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ringo182 wrote:
also, my scout been in Britain for 4 months now and hasn't found anyone. is this normal or has something gone wrong? what am i paying him for?
I played for team Halfords more then half of season and two scouts (int + nat) founded only 2 very poor riders during 6 month. Now I play with Venezuelan continental team and have no scouts |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-12-2024 14:53
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 21-02-2009 13:55
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Vuelta Asturias
A 5 day stage race with a couple of mountainstages. We've got no chance at all of making any impression on the overall GC as there are a number of pro-tour teams in the field but we'll try to compete in the sprints and maybe get in a couple of the breakaways on the flat days.
I decide to only send 6 riders in order to save the legs of some of my riders.
Squad: Downing, Holoham, Newton, Richardson, Rudling, Southam
Stage 1
Stage 1 is is quite flat and will most likely end in a sprint. As we only have 6 riders i don't want to wear out too many of them this early so i don't try to get into the break. A large group does go away. The peleton is always in control and the gap never gets too big.
The break is brought back and the peleton prepares for the sprint. Downing is our designated sprinter but he just isn't strong enough today and doesn't make an impression. It is a vey close sprint.
Shipilevski takes the win ahead of Isasi and Henderson.
Another flat stage tomorrow before we head into the mountains. |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 22-02-2009 13:54
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Vuelta Asturias
Stage 2
Another flat sprinters stage today. Today i try to get someone into the break. First Rudling goes but his group is brought back. Next Richardson goes. The 9 riders split into 3 groups of 3. Richardson is in the second group and they work together to close down the first group. However just as they reach them for some reason he slows down and stays about 30 seconds behind, a gap that he can't close down.
In the end it comes down to a sprint and Downing improves on his 40th place yeasterday to finish 25th We're only here for the training though so it's not important. The win goes to Mikhailov after a photo finish.
Tomorrow we head into the mountains. I haven't got a recognised climber in the squad so it's gonna be a tough day. Main aim will be for Newton to loose a good 5 or 6 mins on the leader so he will be allowed to get away on the transition stage the day after and hopefully stay away till the end. |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 22-02-2009 14:47
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
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Vuelta Asturias
Stage 3
We're into the mountains today. No chance of my team making any impression on the stage today. My main aim is to loose time so that one of my riders might be allowed to get away tomorrow. The main candidate is Newton. Anyway, i won't waste too much time explaining what happened. The big names were together at the end and my riders were slowly making their way up. Jufre, Colom and sevilla attacked in the final 3k and Jufre won the sprint ahead of Colom.
We achieved our goal as newton lost just over 10 mins to the leader. Hopefully if he can get into a break with some others of a similar deficit he may be allowed to stay away all day tomorrow.
Obviously some big changes in the GC today as the real contenders move to the front.
Edited by ringo182 on 22-02-2009 14:48
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| G_Larsson |
Posted on 22-02-2009 20:38
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Sprinter
Posts: 1779
Joined: 25-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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What a domination by Spain there
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| olabj |
Posted on 23-02-2009 14:09
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1105
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What can i say? It looks like the Spanish champs |
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 23-02-2009 15:06
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Vuelta Asturias
Stage 4
This is the stage we've been waiting for. A flat transitional stage between two mountain stages will give the break a good chance of staying away. Both Newton and Downing are over 10 mins down on GC so they will be my main men. Or at least they would have been if the stage didn't keep crashing. I tried it 3 times and it kept crashing so i gave up and simmed it. I think the pcm gods are against me.
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 23-02-2009 15:44
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
PCM$: 1348.00
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Vuelta Asturias
Stage5
Last stage today and it's another tough mountain one. I decided to sim it as there was no point in me riding it and the stage before had ruined the whole tour for us. Here are the results and the final GC.
April Review:
While i'm here i might as well give a bit of a review of the month. It's been a tough month for the team. Our only win of the season is now looking like it was a long time ago, and we're not helped by the game crashing on important stages that we've actually got a chance of winning. We failed our only goal of the month, however if the fields are that strong at all the british races this year then we don't stand a chance at all. We have picked up some points and so move off the bottom of our mini-league. The other 3 teams are running away with it and it looks like it is between us and Plowman Craven for the wooden spoon.
Here is the calender for April so you can see who won what.
And here is my current squad so you can see how little they have improved in the first 4 months of the game.
Hopefully they'll start improving soon!
Edited by ringo182 on 23-02-2009 15:45
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| ringo182 |
Posted on 24-02-2009 15:58
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3472
Joined: 03-01-2008
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Subida al Naranco
A tough looking 1 day race for the squad. Again no real chance of getting a result woth teams like Caisse and Euskaltel present. All we can really hope for is that my riders can finish well in the peleton.
Squad: Cronshaw, Lapthorne, Greenwood, House, Rudling, Richardson
We didn't bother trying to get anyone into the break as our main aim was just to keep the riders in some kind of fitness before our next set of goals in June. The break went away and was cought as expected. The end of the stage was pretty hilly and this is where the action took place. Race favourite Sanchez was amongst the first to attack. Followed by the other big names.
A group of 7 formed up the road but Mosquera decided to try and go it alone. However with about 3k to go the lead group had cought him.
In the end it went down to a group sprint between the 7 leaders. Ruben Plaza of Liberty Seguros was the strongest as he beat Bernabeu and Sanchez to the line.
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 24-02-2009 16:05
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7681
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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wow, frederic gueson wins a second Paris roubaix!
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