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The new breed: Smowz's CT preview.
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| Jesleyh |
Posted on 04-04-2014 19:52
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15274
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Ouch, Fernandez is 73 SP. I thought Moreno was the strongest sprinter among the climbers.
Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy
PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
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| NTTHRASH |
Posted on 04-04-2014 19:56
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3192
Joined: 09-09-2012
PCM$: 3540.00
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Well at least I got a paragraph dedicated. Shame that, but we'll be better than said. 
"America. Show a nipple on television and the whole country goes ape-shit." -DubbelDekker
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 04-04-2014 19:58
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
PCM$: 500.00
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Btw Smowz. It is nice to know what an experienced manager thinks.
Thanks for the preview.
@Jesleyh- Yeah Go Fernandez!!!
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| ryant |
Posted on 04-04-2014 20:07
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2322
Joined: 15-08-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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I'm happy to avoid that 'bottom half' in your predictions but I wonder what you'll say about the wages of my leaders 
 John St Ledger in Team Bunzl-Centrica and Team U25Red Bull Driver in RFactor
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| Smowz |
Posted on 04-04-2014 20:32
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Team Leader
Posts: 6479
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Thanks for the feedback so far guys:
@ryant: Of course you have some high wage guys but the Stannard signing does offset that quite a lot. That really was a great signing and of the fully flavoured sqauds I think yours could be quite successful.
@LLS: I found your squad hard to assess - last year was a terrible year for climbing squads and this probably skewed my thinking. It really does depend on who turns up at your races - if you get a weak climbing field you could really gain huge points. In the past some climbing teams have really scored massively on single races. That said I am a little concerned that (and this happened to me in previous seasons) that PCM manages dual leaders very badly.
Jesley: Moreno is getting old I think, don't see him sneaking out so many bonifications this year.
BBL: As I said in my preview, you squad is very likeable - and they will be a big factor on cobbles nice to see the Belgians challenged 
Ollfardh: That really is the full on developmental squad I'd be tempted to go for if I was CT. Very difficult to predict top end and climbers are always expensive.
Stomeon: My thinking is there is several Americas climbing outfits and yours is marginally weaker and it really is marginal I think. On the flip side there are few better teams with talents than yours. The future looks good.
On Punchaers: I think there is a lot more depth in hilly squads and really the Gazelle model is not going to be so lucrative this time out - other than and I have been told by SN the fact Dubbeldekker took on ZERO C1 races which was a big factor in his success. Of course his season went so well it was almost a bit dull for him I think!
fjhoekie: Ameriabank could be a lot better than I predicted but I just worry about sprinters really.
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| Jesleyh |
Posted on 04-04-2014 20:34
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15274
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Well, Moreno is still 70 SP, so who knows?
I have some good hopes for that mountain one day stage with a DH(I forgot the name). That one probably comes down to a climbers sprint. I think Moreno is at least the second-fastest of the CT climbers.
Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy
PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
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| Kentaurus |
Posted on 04-04-2014 20:46
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3999
Joined: 26-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Love the preview, really the first time I'm getting a nice in depth look at the competition as well as basis for expectations. Excited to see the review of my team when it comes, but will be just fine if that takes a bit
AZTECA - NBCSN  |
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| Firefly21 |
Posted on 04-04-2014 20:51
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Domestique
Posts: 506
Joined: 15-09-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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In general C1 races tend to be bad gambles - Dietmar Mehr-Wehnge raced in a bunch of C1 races and often did okay, but he almost certainly would have been better served by using those racedays on C2 races and tyring to beat out Gazelle. I think its fine to go to HC and C1 races as a CT team, but probably better off sending a team of stage hunters/prospects for development rather than their best leaders - its generally not a gamble worth taking.
I actually think the most underrated team so far has been Nordeus. I like the look of their team a lot, provided they get in the right races.
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| Jesleyh |
Posted on 04-04-2014 20:55
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15274
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Agreed, Nordeus looks quite strong. But Smowz takes the amount of C1 & HC races into account as well.
TomTom only participates in 6 C1 races, whom 4 BeNeLux(mainly for the sponsor ).
Edited by Jesleyh on 04-04-2014 20:55
Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy
PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 12:26
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 04-04-2014 20:58
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Team Leader
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I have 2 HC races and 2 C1 Races. So a majority of my season should not have tooooo strong competition.
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| 547984 |
Posted on 04-04-2014 21:12
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5008
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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That's about where I'd rank myself as well, near 17-21 ish is where I think I might finish. As far as the thing about XP: Yes, that might not have been the smartest thing to sign 4.xx riders, but I ultimately decided to use them for what they're worth, despite having to pay higher due to overbidding PCT managers. This is obviously due to the lack of choice in the US market. 
Overall, nice write up so far, will definitely continue reading when you update.
baseballlover312, 06-03-14 : "Nuke Moscow...Don't worry Russia, we've got plenty of love to go around your cities"
Sarah Palin, 08-03-14 (CPAC, on Russian aggression) : "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a nuke is a good guy with a nuke"
Big thanks to jdog for making this AMAZING userbar! |
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 04-04-2014 21:15
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2073
Joined: 14-09-2013
PCM$: 4500.00
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Great to see the previews coming out. Thanks to Smowz for taking the time to shine an experienced MG manager light on the CT .
I'm going to be very intrigued throughout the season to see the impact of the new C2HC race band given the strong points available at these races. Additionally the absence (hopefully) of very undersubscribed races that had quite an impact last year will also have a positive bearing. Overall, think it is going to be very tight across the division, partly due to these innovations, and in large part due to the vast majoirty of the division's managers all lacking experience of (i) effective squad building, and (ii) effective race planning. Whatever the outcome, I'm sure we are all guaranteed to have fun across the season!
Edited by Scorchio on 04-04-2014 21:44
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 04-04-2014 21:38
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3507
Joined: 06-10-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Jesleyh wrote:
Well, Moreno is still 70 SP, so who knows?
I have some good hopes for that mountain one day stage with a DH(I forgot the name). That one probably comes down to a climbers sprint. I think Moreno is at least the second-fastest of the CT climbers.
I think you mean the Transfagaragafasaragafan GP or however it's spelt. I just call it the Fag GP, much easier to remember
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| CountArach |
Posted on 04-04-2014 21:59
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8290
Joined: 14-07-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Thanks for your writing here smowz, really enjoying it so far!
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| cio93 |
Posted on 04-04-2014 22:07
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
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Transfaragasan. So easy.
And sorry guys, that one will go to Herklotz 
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 04-04-2014 22:09
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Team Manager
Posts: 33046
Joined: 08-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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cio93 wrote:
Transfaragasan. So easy.
And sorry guys, that one will go to Herklotz
Surely you mean Transfagarasan?
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 04-04-2014 22:52
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Totally agree with what has been written about Eddie Stobart Pro Cycling, but i am hoping for a steady season with 1,2 or maybe 3+ wins as well |
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| Bikex |
Posted on 04-04-2014 22:58
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Team Leader
Posts: 7257
Joined: 25-08-2012
PCM$: 600.00
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I am surprised that my team hasn't been listed yet and will be in the top 15 of your preview. |
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 05-04-2014 00:06
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3634
Joined: 03-07-2012
PCM$: 300.00
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I'm glad that you think we'll improve on last year, It will be interesting to see how high up you are going to place us.
Though it might be a lot harder to repeat the exploits of Scarponi and Hugentobler this year, I doubt the new CT teams will get to find out what it's like to be Sauber'd this year. (for those that don't know look up the Tour de Korea (first stage and final GC) and the final stage of the Tour of the Middle East)
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| Smowz |
Posted on 05-04-2014 07:43
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Team Leader
Posts: 6479
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Decided to post the rest of them this morning - rough night with my baby boy not sleeping, so today could be tricky to post in sensible time gaps.
So the rankings from 1st through to 15th are posted. On reflection I think Siam Cement are a bit too high and maybe Ameriabank a bit too low, but I am not going to overthink it. This is just a bit of fun and usually I make a complete hash of a couple of my predictions!
Kent: I am sure you will enjoy my assessment of Azteca - I have a soft spot for this team I think it has a great theme and a nice jersey
Firefly: Nordeus kindly posted their race schedule on the Team HQ, I had him at around 7th. But too much C1 and definitely any HC races are just wasting race days in my opinion. That said it is fun competing with the PCT's, they are just so much stronger with much bigger budgets.
Numbers It's always a tricky one whether to go fully for a flavour squad or not. I had a flavour squad in the first year and then I just went for results with a little dash of flavour
Scorchio Agreed I think it will be very tight indeed - crowded races could lead to some disappointing results for some teams.
Sutty It is a solid team with a real good base your one. It just lacks something at the top end, reminds a bit of Cadburys that I race planned for last year - with a bit of luck results should hopefully come your way.
BikeX I have a soft spot for Asian built teams that has the heart of Red Bull 2011 - I tried it out and built a squad of odds and sods.
Sammy I certainly think Sauber will improve, not as much as Risa and ONCE but you should be in with a shout of moving up divisions. Looking at the PCT (which I have a preview done for too ), a lot of old CT teams really struggled to bring in better quality riders and ended up paying massive wages for average riders. So it may have been better to stick with CT for another year!
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