Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, I can't find it, though I'm sure it must be there somewhere. Two questions:
How many race days should a youngster have in a season?
How much stat increase do the potential stars correlate to? For example, I have a youth with 55 TTing, but 6* potential, will he ever be any good at that, or should I focus on other areas?
EDIT: some of you are talking about 10* potential - I can only see 6, and only space for 6.
Edited by Caruut on 31-03-2012 23:55
Iirc, race days have no effect on the young rider evolution/potential (he won't lose potential or anything because you put him in a lot of race days). Also, each star corresponds to 2-3 possible stats, so 6 stars are max 18 stats, meaning that his max in TT is 73 = not good. A rider to be very good on something has to start at least with about 65, and still with plenty potential left on that.
lluuiiggii wrote:
Iirc, race days have no effect on the young rider evolution/potential (he won't lose potential or anything because you put him in a lot of race days). Also, each star corresponds to 2-3 possible stats, so 6 stars are max 18 stats, meaning that his max in TT is 73 = not good. A rider to be very good on something has to start at least with about 65, and still with plenty potential left on that.
The game manual said this;
PCM manual
Worse still, young riders, who have too long a season, may actually burn
out and lose forever the potential that they once showed.
So, I was wondering exactly what constituted a "long season" for a youngster. Games can often be really nit-picky in this regard, and the never give enough clarity. For example, does a stage in the Tour of Qatar where he sits in the bunch just in case I need a pull or an extra man at some point have the same effect on his season as an MTF in the alps? One is a glorified training ride, the other one of the toughest says of his life, but I have no idea.
On the subject of potentials, it seems that my so-called "future greats" are nothing of the sort. Certainly not a patch on some of these fellas posted here.
Regarding your question (it still makes sense when you consider the fitness loss caused by many racing days in any rider), no, there's no difference between a hard day and an easy one (unfortunately). Both will count as 1 race day towards the 60 day "limit", and race days have no effect in fatigue, so no.
lluuiiggii wrote:
A rider to be very good on something has to start at least with about 65, and still with plenty potential left on that.
That isn't completely right, as scouted riders can have strange stat limits.
I once had two Austrian pre-scouted riders in a custom team with 53 and 56 MO each (6 stars remaining). Using the editor, I found out they had 84 and 83 MO limits.
Miguel98 wrote:
Onofrio Spiciarello
Italian
COB:69(9 stars left)
9 stars left? Doesn't the game only go as far as 6 stars or have I missed something?
Oh, ok then. I just made a quick math, if you can get 2-3 stats per star and max 6 stars, thats 18 stats so to be at 83 you gotta start with 65 Maybe I should actually play the game a bit more
And about the stars, it's because Pelizzotti also mentioned 'unless he's got like 10 stars left..' Initially I just thought it was just an overstatement, but then the guy goes and writes about 9 stars...
Maybe I should actually play the game a bit more 
