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Best way to advance to the World Tour
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 08:51
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Classics Specialist
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I'm in my 2nd season and I will start to try to make the leap into the World Tour, if not this season maybe the next. I was wondering what the best way to do that might be?
Should I try for several wild card position? What is better; winning a 2.HC race or coming in the top 10 in a WT race such as Dauphine, Eneco, etc.? |
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| Lachi |
Posted on 05-09-2011 09:00
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Grand Tour Champion
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I think you should participate in as many races as possible. The TdF gives much points, but you might be able to get more points if you race 20 small races.
But in the bigger races you also get points for the mountain and sprint jerseys.
Also try to spread your riders across the whole season, you can win much points at the end of the season with a decent sprinter or hilly rider. Make them race about 80 days.
Edited by Lachi on 05-09-2011 09:01
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 09:29
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Classics Specialist
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Since I didn't get as much money from my new sponsor as I had hoped I could only strenghten my team a little bit.
My leader (from last year) is Vasil Kiriyenka and my best sprinter has 77 in SP and 79 in ACC. As helpers I have a few who can climb, David Arroyo being the best one, and 3 more with MO-stats around 72.
In the sprinting department I have my main sprinter (he's Italian, I suddenly forgot the name) Aleksander Kristoff and Roy Hegreberg.
I have several young riders so I'm nearly drowning in water carriers (no pun intended).
What if I devide my team into two; one with the climbers and one with the sprinters? The one with Kiriyenka will be going for the GC in somewhat harder races and the one with my sprinters will focus on stage wins in flat races, such as Tour of Britain. How does that sound? |
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| misar82 |
Posted on 05-09-2011 09:53
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Stagiare
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If you are trying to get to the top 18 teams in the ProTour I would focus almost exclusively on continental races and definitely forget about GTs unless you have a super continental team like Geox- the wild cards for ProTour races might give you more money but they don´t give you points for the continental ranking and they will be much harder to win.
I would create two teams with a solid leader each (with decent stats in hill, mountain and TT), maybe one of them more sprint focused as you say but with a rider that can also compete for the top ten general classification (winning races or finishing in the top 3 gives you far more points than winning stages) , and get them to race in as many races as possibles within a 60-75 days limit per rider.
"Between me and Eddie Merkcx we have won all the classics. I won the Paris-Tours, he won all the rest"
Nöel Vantyghem
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| Lachi |
Posted on 05-09-2011 11:34
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Grand Tour Champion
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Misar82: The continental ranking really does not matter if he wants to promote to the World Tour.
I would create three (or four) teams just to be able to race more races. 3*6 is better then 2*8 in my eyes. I would go for the flat races or flat stage races with the sprinters. If you follow the right wheel, you might get some results, even with your second best sprinter, better then building a train with both sprinters.
72 in mountain will not get you much points, what about the hilly stats, better try to win some of the hilly stages or hilly races.
But the most important thing: When does your sponsor contract end? If you go to the World Tour with that weak sponsor you might get relegated in the very next season. |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 11:53
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Classics Specialist
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It will expire at the end of 2012. However, I've not yet signed a co-sponsor so there is a small amount of money to be gained there.
I did fairly well with only L.P. Nordhaug as a helper last year and my team this year is alot better then the one I had. If I remember correctly I came 4th in the CQ ranking (of the Conti-teams ofcourse) with around 2200 points, only ca. 300 behind Cofidis who took 2nd place.
PS: Radioshack (now Herbalife) were relegated 
PPS: I do not need to advance to the WT this season either, but I would like to see that I can be up there. If I manage to sign a 2nd sponsor who should give me a bit of money i should be able to sign a few better riders for me 3rd season aswell as getting rid of some dead weight. My contract with Litex also expires then.
Edited by cactus-jack on 05-09-2011 11:55
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| Lachi |
Posted on 05-09-2011 12:02
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Grand Tour Champion
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Are you even able to search for an secondary sponsor if you have to search for the primary sponsor. (Assuming that you started in 2011, you must be in 2012 now and your main sponsor is retiring at the end of 2012 as you mentioned)
It should not be too hard to get enough points, even if the relegated teams might be a bit stronger then the promoted teams. |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 12:11
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Classics Specialist
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Sorry, I spy with my little eye a typo  Litex will retire after 2013.
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| misar82 |
Posted on 05-09-2011 12:24
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Stagiare
Posts: 170
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Lachi wrote:
Misar82: The continental ranking really does not matter if he wants to promote to the World Tour.
I would create three (or four) teams just to be able to race more races. 3*6 is better then 2*8 in my eyes. I would go for the flat races or flat stage races with the sprinters. If you follow the right wheel, you might get some results, even with your second best sprinter, better then building a train with both sprinters.
72 in mountain will not get you much points, what about the hilly stats, better try to win some of the hilly stages or hilly races.
But the most important thing: When does your sponsor contract end? If you go to the World Tour with that weak sponsor you might get relegated in the very next season.
Sorry, i'm a bit confused here, are we talking about promoting to the UCI ProTour here? If so, then the continental ranking obviously matters...
"Between me and Eddie Merkcx we have won all the classics. I won the Paris-Tours, he won all the rest"
Nöel Vantyghem
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 05-09-2011 12:33
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World Champion
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misar82 wrote:
If so, then the continental ranking obviously matters...
No, it doesnt. Two continental team with most CQ points are promoted
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| misar82 |
Posted on 05-09-2011 12:43
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Stagiare
Posts: 170
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Avin Wargunnson wrote:
misar82 wrote:
If so, then the continental ranking obviously matters...
No, it doesnt. Two continental team with most CQ points are promoted
Didn´t know that. I played a season with a continental team, and promoted not playing a single World Tour race - but being among the top 2 in the continental rankings. So several other continental teams had more ProTour points than mine (not too hard as I have zero points ^) ant the end of the season and it was my team that got the promotion, not them...how was that possible if what you are saying is true?
"Between me and Eddie Merkcx we have won all the classics. I won the Paris-Tours, he won all the rest"
Nöel Vantyghem
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 17:56
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 12:49
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Classics Specialist
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They probably had so few Continental points that you were still ahead.
World Tour points: Decides which WT-teams are relegated
Continental points: Doesn't mean squat
CQ points: decides which Continental teams are promoted |
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| misar82 |
Posted on 05-09-2011 12:52
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Stagiare
Posts: 170
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cactus-jack wrote:
They probably had so few Continental points that you were still ahead.
World Tour points: Decides which WT-teams are relegated
Continental points: Doesn't mean squat
CQ points: decides which Continental teams are promoted
Good to know, always thought the continental points were the important ones, no the CQ. Still, my example shows that it's actually easier to promote concentrating on continental races- they are easier to win :-)
"Between me and Eddie Merkcx we have won all the classics. I won the Paris-Tours, he won all the rest"
Nöel Vantyghem
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 14:10
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Classics Specialist
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Yes, as mentioned earlier in this thread, unless you have a team like Geox were you can fight for the win, there isn't really any point. |
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 05-09-2011 14:20
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Team Leader
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If you have a sprinter with a decent hill stat (or the other way round) go all in for the early season and you can pick up loads of points in Feb and March, then take it easy while the AI are peaking and the you can pick up plenty of points in AUgust and Spet/Oct if you have not overraced your leaders
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
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| Housies |
Posted on 05-09-2011 15:17
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Under 23
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Exactly,
the AI rides too many races with their leaders.
Therefore the races in september/october only have riders that are way too tired. |
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| Smoku |
Posted on 05-09-2011 15:28
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Domestique
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Definitely stay out of GT and other strongly casted races. Aim for the smaller races with smaller competition. It's better to get some small CQ points than to miss out on the big ones.
For one group it would definitely pay off to build form early in the season and participate in as many Feb races as you can. For almost all the teams Feb is a start of preparations so you can beat better riders purely on training + race fitness. With 80-90 pts of fitness early in teh season you can be very aggressive and watch others drop - it's almost like riding with 2 difficulty levels handicap. The points you earn will let you glide through the rest of the year.
In general it is also good to participate in stage races parallel to Giro and especially TdF. Since the best riders will be eather on a GT or restng in between them, you will not meet much of an opposition and you can get some nice results with ease. Austria is definitely the race to go for if you have a 73+ climber.
This is the approach which actually advanced me into WT by pure accident one season with quite an average CT team. |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 15:47
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3936
Joined: 31-07-2009
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My current plan is two have two teams; one with my climbers who will be going for the overall win in hilly/mountain races, the other one will be composed of sprinters who will go for stage wins and the overall win in flat races were it's usually decided on bonus seconds.
How does this sound?
Team 1: In shape for February and during the TdF (I won't be in the TdF, but rather be in other races during the three GTs)
Team 2: In shape for Giro and Vuelta/September. |
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| Lachi |
Posted on 05-09-2011 19:25
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Grand Tour Champion
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How many riders do you have in your team?
But I would rather not use level 6 fitness training and peak more often instead. Level 5 with race fitness of 20 gives fitness of about 94. (But it depends on the difficulty you are playing, obviously) |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 05-09-2011 20:38
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Classics Specialist
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I have 22 if I remember correctly. Roughly 14 are not yet good enough to do anything big other then reeling in the breakaway and getting water, etc. I have several young riders who should by all accounts reach up to 72+ in climbing statsduring this season, judging by their evolution last year.
Edit: I've included a photo of my roster. Three riders doesn't show: Vasil Kiriyenka as my best rider and two unimportant young riders at the bottom.
Edited by cactus-jack on 05-09-2011 20:56
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