If there sha'll be a shame list then we'd have two candidates So because of it and how the race starts in 3 days I'll still allow changes if wanted until the 20/2 at 09:00 CET. There won't be another team reveal post though it'll just go straight to the results sheet. BUT both managers must pick two riders that haven't been picked by any other manager, as seeing the other picks before your own is against the purpose of the game.
But well there is a lot of disparity in the current choices already, Poels showed great form in Australia and is reasonably the most picked with 6 managers trusting him. And surprisingly no-one to even match, his teammate De la Cruz had 3 and then there were 2 picks for Guerreiro, Domingos Gonçalves, Antunes and Brambilla.
Conti, Konrad, De Mateos and Oomen are all GC contenders aswell and all are predicted to have a good "price"/point. van Baarle may be fighting for the GC aswell depending on the cirumstances, aswell as EB Hagen.
Situation is the same here. As the race starts in 3 days I'll still allow changes if wanted until the 20/2 at 09:00 CET. There won't be another team reveal post though it'll just go straight to the results sheet. BUT both managers must pick two riders that haven't been picked by any other manager, as seeing the other picks before your own is against the purpose of the game.
Bilbao showed great legs in Valencia and Murcia so he is being heavily backed in Andalucia with half the managers backing him. Astana in general have a massive influence, I.Izaguirre has 3 picks, Fuglsang has 2 and LLS is also here.
S1- 16kM TTT.
S2- Pan-flat.
S3- Pan-flat with a mountain top finish.
S4- Somewhat rolling, Hatta Dam finish.
S5- Flat with some bumps.
S6- Pan-flat with a mountain top finish.
S7- Pan-flat.
So the Emirates races are slowly disappearing but all uniting in a mega sandy Tour, with a whole week in pan-flat roads with some climbs in the middle. UAE Emirates' home race, it has always been a race with a majour influence of all types of riders and this year is no exception.
This preview was written in the 17/2, startlist is far from complete so check the link before you choose. It is being posted as I asked for a favour, as I mentioned I won't post this week.
BUT WOW what.a.show we will have, this is GT quality in here, maybe even better than a GT. We have absolutely everything here, this is the first big test where everyone will pretty much be forced to choose a big gun if they wanna score well. In the climbers there are plenty of ways to go, it's every man's guess. We have the classics men here in big name aswell, although most opt to not come here as it's far from the Belgian weather they'll start facing next month.
Although no ITT the time-trialists will play a big role in the opening stage, and the sprinter show will be above maybe every race except the Tour, basically only Gronewegen and Sagan are missing.
Watched the final stage of Algarve. Had Poels and De La Cruz, so for the first time in my life found myself routing for Sky in a bike race. It wasn't worth it.
I had Conti and his teammate smashed it. I am back home, am reflecting on my bad choices Tomorrow I will try to have Oman/Andalucia/Algarve results up aswell as UAE teams.
Tomorrow the UAE teams and the February rankings update is coming so keep an open eye on the forum Wednesday the first cobbled classic preview is set so there are plenty of reasons as the high activity resumes in Le Duo!
Ulrich the first manager to call for the Bland Race bonus predicting an unexpected race. Agent David and Aquarius too likely cause of the dificulty I had with the heads up, same with Croatia sadly already with 4 uses of that bonus, over 5 there can't be any more use of it..
But onto the racing we've seen the climbers emerge as the priorities, and 2 having the spotlight. 6 for Kelderman and 4 for Buchmann, due to past results and profile compatability and also recent form. Dan Martin with a couple of picks, Galoppin, Zakarin, Gorka Izaguirre, Reichenbach, Gaudu and Roglic also on the list.
Moscon is the rider that represents the puncheurs in the list pretty much, whilst Sam Bennett, Halvorsen and Kristoff represent the sprinter's choices.
Just a little something from the main file, curious to see the different choices some managers have made. Although it's still very early we can certainly see some differences.
df_Trek is definetely making an early move, and his UAE team will likely give him a bigger edge over Tamijo who has been a little more spared so far. Some managers are still hanging low making some smaller picks, so everything does seem proportional, crashes and ilnesses haven't been afecting the chosen ones so far (except for Haas/O'Connor mainly), so the early part of the season get us these conclusions. Now in March starts a big bulk of racing and it'll be interesting to see who will force in these races and who will spare the picks a bit more for the final months of the season.
I'm sorry, beneath all projects I just don't find the minutes to focus on deadlines concerning this atm. I hope that this will get better, but I'm not sure atm
That's perfectly ok mate, if you so want you can send provisional picks for races in advance and I'll use them in case no pick is made in the days prior to the race. I really wanna point out that everyone can make picks for any race at any time, the previews are a way to help and guide better
HERE ARE THE COBBLES! That's right the opening weekend is here and Saturday opens up the racing in the Belgian cobblestones, it's been a long time and this time of year has something magical to it, so let's take a look at who will be the riders who will attempt to start their classics run with a high:
With exception of Sagan pretty much everyone is here, truly awesome. Last year the indecision on the strongest riders gave an opportunity for a solo win. The race is pretty hard, classic Flandres race, but as the first one of the season and so many rider's proper forms unknown there may be some hesitance in being offensive. Will depend on how the race goes, rain is predicted which can cause some damage and will make for an even trickier race indeed.
The simple combinatin of riders we have here is incredible, there are all types of riders, even the Ardennes puncheurs are in great number, the sprinters aswell, completing the top classics riders in here.
Deadline is 2/3 (saturday) at 10:00 CET. Send in 2 riders until that time by PM, remember those 2 riders can't be selected again this season. I will send a PM roughy 48 hours before the dealine, and you can choose any rider in the startlist, the list above is just an indicator. Reminder that signups are open all season long.Edited by Yellow Jersey on 28-02-2019 19:22
The cobbles are here! How good it feels to know that in a few hours I'll be having the first glimpse of live Belgian road racing in months.
Freitas choosing not to risk in the "season opener" and will use the Bland Race extra, Croatia and jandal too but for different reasons.
And by the looks we are gonna have quite a race here, no-one willing to risk too much with big picks such as GVA and Gilbert, so lots of different options coming from all managers, leading us to have 14 different riders in the 13 that have chosen, and there was no real stand-out.
Trentin leads the charts with 4 picks, Roelandts with 3. Last year's 1-2 Valgren and Wisniowski with 3 and 2 respectively, also with 2 we have Lutsenko, Vanmarcke, Lampaert and van Aert.
Then with a single pick we have Wellens, Stuyven, Vermote, Debusschere, Stybar and Tiesj Benoot. What we have here is really a show, every single one of these riders has the profile to win, and such an unpredictable race is a sure to have lots of fireworks, and possibily big fireworks in the rankings aswell.
Playing Roglic so early was risky, but once I decided that I wouldn't have chosen him for a GT this was a perfect route for him in a one week stage race, and he didn't disappoint me...like Vanmarcke did
After all I can't say I'm not happy about this weekend!
Welcome to Italy! The hills of Tuscany will once again receive the Elite of professional cycling and only the best is to be expected. The race has had some maginificent editions and this year we expect no less, let's take a look at those who may be able to raise their arms in the end:
Awesome startlist indeed, lots of riders in for the win and as last year several kinds of puncheur/climber combinations and we don't really know which one is more favoured.
Deadline is 9/3 (saturday) at 10:00 CET. Send in 2 riders until that time by PM, remember those 2 riders can't be selected again this season. I will send a PM roughy 48 hours before the dealine, and you can choose any rider in the startlist, the list above is just an indicator. Reminder that signups are open all season long.
S1- Flat.
S2- Flat.
S3- Flat.
S4- Hilly stage with flat finish.
S5- 25Km ITT.
S6- Hilly stage with a descent finish.
S7- Mountain stage with a 15Km summit finish.
S8- Classic Nice stage. Roller-coaster ride.
Bienvenue au Paris.-Nice! The 8-day stage race is one of the benchmarks of the early season and this year the route will take the riders over the country and into the Atlantic Alps for a thrilling finish. The race has a combination of stages that should attract anyone in, so let's see who fell for the bait:
Well I must say that I am blow away by this startlist, definetely an improval in regard to last year, or at least maybe the weather won't hinder the real climbers. Plenty of pure climbers, a very strong Astana, very strong time-trialists in the climbing domain. And the sprinter field is packed, hell even the puncheur field is even though the punchy stages aren't really that suited to them. There are great TTists though don't be fooled by the lack of names in front of it.
Deadline is 10/3 (sunday) at 10:00 CET. Send in 2 riders until that time by PM, remember those 2 riders can't be selected again this season. I will send a PM roughy 48 hours before the dealine, and you can choose any rider in the startlist, the list above is just an indicator. Reminder that signups are open all season long.
So because of it and how the race starts in 3 days I'll still allow changes if wanted until the 20/2 at 09:00 CET. There won't be another team reveal post though it'll just go straight to the results sheet. BUT both managers must pick two riders that haven't been picked by any other manager, as seeing the other picks before your own is against the purpose of the game.
Tomorrow I will try to have Oman/Andalucia/Algarve results up aswell as UAE teams.
