Well then, if blocking was to become such an issue, why aren't races and the AI programmed to fight to be at the front with their team leaders like we'd see in a real normal life race (fighting for the Arenberg Forest section)?
Like in real life, a Mancuso would already mentally be grovelling at the back trying to hide and hope it wouldn't hurt too much, or he'd be off the front in the breakaway attempts.
Great that there is added realism, but you can't just add some new game-law in without considering the impact on the gameplay.
That seems to be a big issue with PCM 2011. Some teams have no problem having their leaders at the back of the peloton and do nothing to avoid being caught behind in a split. Even if they make it back to the peloton, they just stay put in the same position they were before.
De Vocht has 78COB was caught behind a peloton (of 100 riders) because of a split during a cobbled section with more than 120km to go.
From the top of my mind: San Luis this year had a similar case with a BIG favorite (VdB) being caught in a split.
And indeed, what you say about Mancuso is true. But what i suspect is that he was working for the team at the front (like all my other riders), thus making the split although they can hardly keep up.
I've read somewhere that the AI should be programmed to bring their leaders at the front, but what i've seen is that domestiques are also at the front, blocking out the other favorites. Sometimes some of these domestiques run out of energy, and just cause a split (what happened in a mountain stage in San Luis).
In a sprint it's the same case. A sprinter gets stuck behind other teams lead-outs. I've also seen in one of the Qatar stages, that the whole Vesuvio team was riding to get the break. Then the sprint starts and those riders blocked some of the sprinters. And this is something that can't be helped with being at the front, it's just a case that they get screwed by the game.
Edited by Kami on 17-09-2011 15:34
Excellent report, was very nice to read. For me, it was 2 surprises. One was that Drucker took second, and the other was that it was 1'17 between the top 20, I expected bigger gaps.
Well, Bewley finishing behind Drucker. That's bad. But 3rd place isn't really bad, I gladly take it. Still, next time would be better finishing 2nd behid Boonen, if there is a sprint finish.
Still, next time would be better finishing 2nd behid Boonen, if there is a sprint finish.
