Michael Barry, Steve Cummings, Juan Antonio Flecha, Simon Gerrans, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Thomas Löfkvist, Serge Pauwels, Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
HTC-Columbia for 2010 Tour de France: Mark Cavendish [GBR], Bernhard Eisel [AUT], Bert Grabsch [GER], Adam Hansen [AUS], Tony Martin [GER], Maxime Monfort [BEL], Mark Renshaw [AUS], Michael Rogers [AUS] and Kanstantsin Sivtsov [BLR].
You should add Rogers to the TdF overall winner poll
If offense is the best defence, does it mean that defence is the worst defence?
If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord will delete my browser history.
I'm running through three simulations of TDF on Stage Race mode. Once as Columbia, to see how many sprint stages, and twice as Radioshack, to see if its possible to beat Contador, et al.
Results from first playthrough as RSH using Bruyneel's 2010 roster: Prologue (Simmed) - Popo wins by 3" over Leipheimer, and by 5" over Contador. Popo takes yellow jersey! Stage 1 (Simmed) - Farrar, Allan Davis, Freire, William Bonnet(?!), and Greipel. Yep, the computer decided to use Greipel instead of Cav, but it does have enough sense to use Renshaw as leadout. Stage 2 simmed - Crosswinds + Hills splits the peloton towards the end, but it all comes back together. Winners Voeckler, Bennati, and Nuyens have enough gas in the tank to finish ahead in the sprint. Stage 3 simmed - sprint teams keep the breakaway under control, no surprises over the cobbles. It's Freire, Greipel and Petacchi at the line. Stage 4 simmed - JJ Haedo, Henderson, and Freire. Stage 5 simmed - Greipel, Napolitano, Chicchi Stage 6 simmed - Hushovd, Greipel, Ciolek
Stage 7, played -
In this mountain finish, the requisite breakaway is caught at the bottom of the Cat 2. Col de la Croix de la Serra. Everyone except Rast and Murayev makes it over with the favorites. Minutes into the last climb - Cat 2. Cote de Lamoura - Contador launches an attack, followed by Andy, Menchov, LL Sanchez. I have Lance, Levi, Kloden counter, and settle into their diesels towards the top. Contador attacks again, taking Menchov with him. Andy is dropped. Sanchez can't respond, as Lance and Levi pass them. Contador wins the stage by 15" over Menchov, 34" over Lance and Levi. On the GC, its Contador, Menchov, Levi, Sanchez, and Lance.
Stage 8, played - Another mountain finish, Astana paces Contador through Col de la Ramaz, but he is isolated minutes into the climb to Morazne-Avoriaz. Contador attacks mid-way through the climb. Schleck, Wiggins, VDV, Menchov respond. Lance, Levi, Klodi don't panic, and are paced by Jani, Popo, and Horner. The teammates bury themselves to get the Big 3 back on Contador's wheel.
Contador attacks again, but Klode shuts it down. Schleck counter attacks. He's a 1:24" behind Contador on GC, and everyone lets him go. Lance and Levi mark Contador's pace, while, Klodi is shelled. Menchov and Wiggins, lacking support, ease up a little. Lance and Levi pip Contador at the line, and cross over 2nd and 3rd, 1'30" behind Schleck, who takes the yellow with a 4" advantage over Contador.
Stage 9, played -
with the last, giantic climb up Col de la Madeleine a good 30m away from the finish, the AI doesn't quite get it right by having the major protagonists punch it on the last climb. Schleck, Contador, Menchov, Vino, Wiggins, Anton, Krueziger, Gesink, Cunego... they must feel really good after the rest day.
RSH doesn't panic, and the domestiques bury themselves to get Lance, Levi, Klode, and Jani near the top. Levi is having a bad day, and as he is spent, Lance launches towards Contador, making up 45" as they crest the top with Schleck and Sanchez. The quattro are careful down the descent into la Chambre, and from there, they begin to ease into the finish, feigning at cat and mouse.
Tomorrow is another medium mountain stage, so none of the protagonists want to spent too much energy on a win... except me! Lance launches a sneak attack, and while Contador, Schleck and Sanchez look at each other, Lance puts 10" on the clock. It's a slight rise to Saint Jeane de Maurienne, and Contador has to respond, and he goes. Sanchez tries to respond, but can't catch the duo. Shleck doesn't have the fight.
At the line, Lance and Contador has 20 well-earned seconds on Sanchez. Contador regains yellow by gaining 40" over Schleck.
Stage 10 played - after yesterday's surprising win, Team RSH is motivated. Chambery to Gap should be a day for the rolleurs, but RSH, with help from Astana and Saxobank, take turns monitoring the breakaways. A few other teams pitch in a rider or two. The breakaways never get more than 5', and by the top of the Cat 1 Cote de Laffrey, not even half-way through the stage, its all together.
No one tries to escape until Gadret (AG2R) takes a solo-flyer manages to get 1'. As the peloton crests over the Col du Noyer, and it looks like it might be a sprint for 2nd, and everyone relaxes through the descent and up the next uncategorized hill... where Lance, Levi, Klodi, and Horner launch a sneak-attack. It catches everyone off-guard, and Astana can't organize the chase fast enough. The Quattro turns on their TTT motors and pass Gadret just 5km from the line.
With a 1-minute gap, Astana and Saxobank are charging hard to defend 1st and 2nd, but the Quattro is too good, and the other teams are too gassed. RSH lets Gadret lead the quintent cross the line, 1' ahead of the Contador-Schleck group. Lance in yellow by 23" over Contador.
Stage 11 - simmed, a day for the sprinters, Greipel captures the Green jersey by beating Bennati and Petacchi to the line.
Can Lance hang onto the jersey all the way to the Champs Elysees? Find out in the next post!
Edited by jaialin on 25-06-2010 08:32
jaialin wrote:
I'm running through three simulations of TDF on Stage Race mode. Once as Columbia, to see how many sprint stages, and twice as Radioshack, to see if its possible to beat Contador, et al.
Results from first playthrough as RSH using Bruyneel's 2010 roster: Stage 10 played - after yesterday's surprising win, Team RSH is motivated. ... Lance, Levi, Klodi, and Horner launch a sneak-attack. It catches everyone off-guard, and Astana can't organize the chase fast enough. The Quattro turns on their TTT motors and ... cross the line, 1' ahead of the Contador-Schleck group. Lance in yellow by 23" over Contador.
Can Lance hang onto the jersey all the way to the Champs Elysees? Find out in the next post!
Now the exciting conclusion...
Stage 12, played -
one day after the a day for the sprinters, the GC teams haven't gotten much rest. RSH has been putting Contador on the ropes. Has El Pistolero fired his last bullet?
The major protagonists are all together at the base of the Cat 2 climb into Mende. With Andy Schleck in 3rd place at 3'35" behind Lance, RSH can afford not to make a huge effort to the finish. Climbers and GC contenders from the other teams smell a chance at victory, and 12 of them attack each other throughout the brief -- but steep -- climb.
Vino comes out the victor, besting Sanchez and Andy at the line. Cunego, Karpets, Rogers, Kirchen, Monfort, Hesjedal, Karpets, and Hushovd (?!?!?!) squeek past 55" later.
RSH is looking for Contador, but can't find him. He couldn't be ahead. It was Vino who attacked. While fearing the worst, race radio reports that Contador is isolated 50" behind the whole of the RSH team. In the maelstrom of the attacks at the front, no one knows what happened to Contador. A flat? Bonk? A Paris-Nice moment?
All we know now is that Lance has just over 1' over Contador in the GC.
Stage 13 - simmed. Hushovd, Bennati, Freire. Greipel is 8th, but still in green.... barely.
Stage 14 - played.
This mountain top finish may be decisive. With Lance at 1' over Contador in the GC, its up to El Pistelo to reload and fire first. RSH controls the race, and over the Port de Pailheres, Jani, Horner, Popo, and Paulinho are spent. Lance, Levi, and Klodi roll over the top in a very select group of 20.
On the AX-3 Domaines, its Menchov, Kreuziger, Wiggins, Gadret, and Anton providing most of the fireworks. Contador launches a blistering attack to catch Menchov and Andy. Klodi buries himself trying to shut it down. But both Levi and Lance are having a good day, and they take turns pulling through the climb fast enough to catch Contador, Menchov and Andy. 1km from the line, Menchov burst out of the group. Contador responds, marked by Lance and Levi. But Contador has run out of teammates, and he's run out of road. He lets Menchov go in the last 100m, and Menchov wins by a meager 13".
Stage 16 - played
Its another mountain stage, but with the Port de Bales just 20km from the finish, all RSH has to do today is get Lance over the climb within a few seconds of Contador. But that will prove to be a challenge.
Almost like a replay of yesterdays climbs, its Andy, Wiggo, Menchov, Sanchez, providing the fireworks. Kreuziger and Rogers also were in play today. RSH, one by one, keeps Lance in that select group, until only Levi is left. He and many other hopefuls are shelled 1km from the top, and they lose a minute on the elite 8.
At the line, Andy pips Menchov and Contador on the line. Lance doesn't contest the stage, and cross safely in 6th.
Stage 17 - played
The Tourmalet. Murayev and Paulinho are great support all the way through the Cat 1. Col du Soulor. But the many days of jersey defense has taken its toll, and the manager orders them to take it easy up the Tourmalet.
It's Jani, Popo and Levi supporting Lance, Klodi, and Horner today. Levi is having another bad day, and he also can't go full gas two days before an important 50km ITT.
Sanchez, Wiggins, Gadret, Kreuziger and Rogers are instigating on the lower part of the slopes. By the time the leaders are 2/3rds of the way up the Tourmalet, Lance and Klodi are holding a steady tempo against Contador. They're with Andy and Menchov, and there's a minute back to Frank Schleck, Wiggins and Sanchez. Kruziger and Rogers are a little farther back.
5km from the line, Contador launches. Lance, Menchov, and Andy must respond. Andy, 6' back on GC and going for a stage win, is first to bridge. Lance and Deni work together to save their GC placement. Everyone is gassed, and Contador, marked by Menchov, accelerates in the last 50m and gains 8" on Lance.
Only 58" now separate Lance and Contador on GC. Can Lance ride the TT of his life to win a record 8th Tour de France?!
Stage 19, ITT - played
Alright... you all know how this one turns out. Contador's in-game TT rating is 82, and Lance's is a paltry 76. Lance only has 58" on Contador, and there's 50km to ride.
Roll the dice...
If Lance has a great day, Contador gains about a 45 seconds.
If Lance has a average day, Contador gains about two minutes.
My Lance, gets an average day.
Contador wins another Tour de France.
Stage 20 simmed
I ordered the team only to chase dangerous riders. And no dangerous riders were in the breakaway. The game yells at me for the team not doing what was expected of it. But I think Bakelandts of Omega-Pharma Lotto was really happy. He, Sylvain Chavanel and Dimitri Champion won on the Champs-Elysees by a whopping 8 minutes. The fans must've been pissed!
Was out training with@schleckfrank hit a big bump in the road, went down pretty hard,lost quit lot of skin all over my body but I be okay
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
