This thread contains various pieces of information that are important for teams to be aware of.
Stat Increases
Stat increases work in the same way as they have done in the past. There are 5 levels of riders: Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 and Maxed (Lvl 4 and 100 XP). Each time a rider gets to 100 xp they gain a level, and receive a stats increase of the manager's choice.
This choice comes from one of 11 categories. This file details the exact amount of gain that will be received, depending on Category, Level and Potential. https://www.dropbox.com/s/yoy46mu8u8b...s.xls?dl=0
The XP for these increases is gained by racing. Each race day earns a particular amount of XP, depending on the category of race and level of the rider. If a riders fails to finish a race, they still receive the xp for the full race.
XP
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
GT
0
0
1
2
M
0
0
1
2
PT
0
1
2
1
HC
1
2.5
1.5
0.5
C1/C2HC
2
2
1
0
C2
3
1.5
1
0
Additionally, the Tour de l'Avenir offers 20 xp to all riders who take part. Eligible riders this year are born in September 1993 or later. This 20 xp is the first XP to be added to a rider during the XP calculation process. XP gained from normal races is then applied to a rider in an optimum fashion.
Riders may only gain 1 level per season, with the exception of Level 1 riders who are able to reach level 3.
Any stat increases gained during the 2016 season will be applied after the season ends, ready for the 2017 DB.
The other form of stat increases is training. Prices might stay like last season but will be further explained later. There will also be the 2015 introduced restrictions on the amount of training a team can do each year.
Eligibility for Training:
- Only riders born in 1986 or later are able to be trained
- Only riders who are 'maxed out' - i.e. their xp is 4.100 - are able to be trained
- If a rider only maxed out during the 2015 season, then he is not eligible to be trained - as his stats have already improved inbetween the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Similarly, newly added riders to the DB, or riders whose stats have been improved, cannot be trained.
Stat Decreases
Also in the statgains file are the decreases that older riders will receive at the end of the season. Riders born in 1984 will receive their first decrease this time around.
When there is a tie in the Points or KoM competitions, points are shared. e.g. for TdF KoM 2nd place gets 50 pts and 3rd place gets 35 pts. If 2nd and 3rd are tied on points, they will each get 42 pts. As you can see, shared pts are rounded down - the exception is when the shared pts are less than 1, when it is then rounded up to 1 instead.
Race Eligiblity
PCT teams in C2 races:
- Rider OVL is less than 72 (72.00 is too high)
- Mo/Hl/TT/Cb/Sp stat is no higher than 77
Note: Level 1, 2 and 3 riders may ride C2 if they have an AVG above 72 - but not if their best stat is higher than 77.
PT teams in HC races:
Listed below is the maximum stat that a PT rider can have and take part.
OVL 76
MO 78
HL 78
TT 77
CB 76
SP 79
Additionally to those stat limits, any rider who reaches the maximum stat in any of those 5 main stats, is then not allowed to have any of the other 4 main stats above 74!
e.g.
Rider A: 78mo 75hi -> No HC eligible
Rider B: 75mo 77TT -> No HC eligible
Rider C: 79sp 75hi -> No HC eligible
Rider D: 78mo, 74hi, 74TT -> HC eligible if OVL below 76
...
Note the changes in OVL, MO, HI in comparison to 2015 as also the additional rule. Still could be changed if good arguments are made.
Team Sizes
PT and PCT teams have a minimum team size of 20 riders and a maximum size of 30 riders.
CT teams have a minimum team size of 15 rider and a maximum size of 20 riders.
These counts include Loaned in riders, but do not include Loaned out riders. Stagiares count as half a rider.
The team size for all teams in all races is 8 riders. There is a minimum of 6 riders for each race. If you cannot field at least 6 riders, you will not be allowed to take part in the race.
The only exceptions are Chrono des Herbiers, Isle of Man ITT and Windhoek ITT, which have a rider limit of 3 riders per team. Also Duo Differdange, which is for just 2 riders per team.
Salary Caps
PT: 3,500,000
PCT: 2,500,000
CT: 1,200,000
Each team has a loan cap of 200,000. The loan cap will be explained within the Transfer rules.
Wildcards (PCT>PT)
This year there will be 2 wildcard slots for PCT teams in all PT races - not just Grand Tours and Monuments. There is a package cost for applying to a particular race category - you can apply to as many races as you like within a category, once you have bought the package. (Although there is an overall limit of 16 races to apply for)
Prices are the same as last year:
Classics
€30,000
Monuments
€50,000
Classics and Monuments
€70,000
Stage Races
€70,000
Grand Tours
€100,000
Grand Tours and Stage Races
€150,000
All PT Races
€200,000
Points scored by PCT teams in PT races does not count towards the PCT standings, and the races do not cost any race days. Race clash rules do apply though.
Priority for Grand Tour wildcards goes to teams who have not previously ridden a GT.
Wildcards (CT>HC)
After PT teams have been assigned a HC race band, there will be a small number of spaces available in 1 or 2 of the bands. It will be possible for CT teams to apply for a wildcard to an individual race within those spaces.
This will not cost any money, but will cost race days - and will come out of the 60 race days CT teams have available for C1 or C2 races. Rankings points earned will count towards the CT standings. (But may be hard to come by!)
There are some races though, that are mainly sprinter focussed, hence getting a bit of a different system to reward consistent sprinters inside the top10 but without top results.
It`s mainly the 2015 rules with a couple adjustments. Hence read them carefully please as some things have changed and might influence your renewals/transfer decisions.
I really like the fact that there has actually been taken some meassures in terms of stats for these HC riders joining from the PT. I still think that an 80SPR rider or a 78TT or perhaps also a 77COB rider should be eligeble, especially as the 76OVL limit will sort out the best of those riders anyway.
I don't have any riders (Well Bernaudeau, but he won't ride them anyway), that will benefit from making those changes.
I do like the fact that we can actually send a GC squad this time, and Vasyliv, Campero and Hacecký is looking forward to scrape home a few points with backup from the likes of Kastrantas, Eibegger and Le Gac. Those should all be decent at HC level.
