February 2017

[sgumgub]

OK,

I can see you guys wanna try something new, which is no real problem I guess. But mark me already down for beeing against something like that.
Reason is pretty simple: I can only ride at a certain time window and my team is only made for a certain profile.

Is that only my problem? yes! There are definitely teams (a lot!) that can ride all kinds of tours and for those its is probably not as much as a problem, even tho they still favor one kind.
But for smaller teams like me this is bad, really bad. Takes pretty much all the excitement of the february tours away for me, as I wont be able to ride the one(s) that make sense for me.

So try it, no problem. But if other have same issue as me, I hope they will speak up.

Greetz

[Alkworld]

With having so many different tours to choose from, the average player should have a wider choice than usual to pick something he likes. Maybe not the perfect one, but if there's only one or two different ones, it's possible that the perfect tour is not even offered at all. That's why I think it's good the way it's planned now.

[team fl]

Looking at the PDF file, I also see the problem for small teams that have their specific time when the are usually able to ride. The bigger problem I see are too small groups, despite only having two or three times per tour. The reason for that might be exactly the thing about the teams that are only able to ride at a specific time of the day. And don't forget that there are also one day races to ride... So let's say you have a max of x teams that would ride in the morning, then you have to divide that number by 5 (!) in the first week among 4 tours and one day races, That means x/5 teams per race on average! Always having in mind that the full point and money distributions starts with 10 Teams per race.

Especially in the first week, four tours in parallel don't look good to me. So why not put one out of the cat. 2 tours parallel to Costa Rica? I know that's not the date they are held in real life, but as long as the cat. 3 tours are not affected I don't see a big problem.

Personally, I would have cut some of the tours, like Provence and one out of Besseges, Valencia and Herald Sun Tour, depending on profiles. I just don't see the current version working out. But maybe February is a good month to try something new as the tours are not that important yet... Luckily, this won't affect my team very much. You can't do it right for everbody anyway.

[sgumgub]

With having so many different tours to choose from, the average player should have a wider choice than usual to pick something he likes. Maybe not the perfect one, but if there's only one or two different ones, it's possible that the perfect tour is not even offered at all. That's why I think it's good the way it's planned now.

Definitely! But as said, the problem is the times that go with it. So yeah, you can find a tour that fits you best. But chances are darn high, you wont be able to ride due to time reasons. If you can work from home, are a student, Hartzer or whatever then the current approach is obviously great.

Greetz

[sgumgub]

You can't do it right for everbody anyway.

This very much, sure. Just dont see this now beeing any better than the "old" approach

[Pokemon Club]

[sgumgub]

IMO, yes, give the portugees community those 2 Tours (which might cause a Butterfly effect tho), but please move one to the 2nd Week next to Costa Rica

And stop this 8rider Tours all over the place nonsense right with it

[Robyklebt]

Alentejo stays there just as a gift to the portuguese community,

Just to check: "It stays there" as in "in the calendar" or as in "at the dates it has now"?

Looking at the PDF file, I also see the problem for small teams that have their specific time when the are usually able to ride.

Don't see it as hurting small (specialized?) teams that much. By having 4 and not 3+1 or so it's the big teams that "lose" another "points-cow" with the second tour they can't ride. Ok, nullified a bit by having Costa Rica there... grrr.

The bigger problem I see are too small groups, despite only having two or three times per tour.

Groups will be smallish, but not really different than if it was 3+3+3 as last year. Still 9... And the number of teams riding has been estimated at "roughly the same, possibly a little less than 16" by Sherlock Klebt. So... in the end we can expect something similar to last year I think.

Personally, I would have cut some of the tours, like Provence and one out of Besseges, Valencia and Herald Sun Tour, depending on profiles.

Ok, that probably is what I would have done too.

I just don't see the current version working out.

Don't really see why.. .yes yes, you just explained it, but.... the other option would have been 3+3+3? Or would you have gone for 2+2+2?

[team fl]

With the "current version" I meant offering so many tours in parallel in general.

[sgumgub]

Groups will be smallish, but not really different than if it was 3+3+3 as last year. Still 9... And the number of teams riding has been estimated at "roughly the same, possibly a little less than 16" by Sherlock Klebt. So... in the end we can expect something similar to last year I think.

Cant prognose that. For once, the distribution is a total wildcard at the moment, as you cant know what kind of tour will draw more attraction. Might be split, but dont know.
Also, if you only qualify for one kind of the tours (or 2) but those are not offered at the time slots you can ride, you will see guys not riding at all (a tour). That will prolly be the case for me for example.

Not saying it wont work out similar to last year. just saying you cant know

[Pokemon Club]

IMO, yes, give the portugees community those 2 Tours (which might cause a Butterfly effect tho), but please move one to the 2nd Week next to Costa Rica

And stop this 8rider Tours all over the place nonsense right with it

Anyway just have a look at Costa Rica, UCI Calendar says it is in June now

[Robyklebt]

You can't KNOW, but you can make a prediction, you can estimate stuff.

And there's nothing wrong with people riding one day races btw.

[sgumgub]

IMO, yes, give the portugees community those 2 Tours (which might cause a Butterfly effect tho), but please move one to the 2nd Week next to Costa Rica

And stop this 8rider Tours all over the place nonsense right with it

Anyway just have a look at Costa Rica, UCI Calendar says it is in June now

Even bigger reason to move one or 2 of the tours in week 2

And there's nothing wrong with people riding one day races btw.

Sure! Totally agree

[Liquigas-CND]

Hi,

I think is ok for February to have such a distribution of races in order to avoid situations like tours cancelled due to low particioation etc ...but for important tours /races starting in March I think everybody should have the possibility to ride...
That means at least 4 starting times for each important race is needed IMO ( i.e. 10AM, 3 PM, 7PM, 11 PM).

Important race/tour In my opinion should be rated at minimum 3 cat (according to RSF system...even if here we may have another problem..)


Thx

Liqui

[Pokemon Club]

Mintact start km 147, so 2h05min without the sprint if my calculation is good

[Pokemon Club]

Some news about some races which aren't draw for the moment :

Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol ESP ME 2.HC :
1 We 15-2 Rincón de la Victoria – Granada 155.4 km hilly / The route takes in the climbs up the Zafarraya, Navazo, Alama, Alto del Lucero and Puerto de Monachil. The last summit is crested with 19 kilometres remaining.
2 Th 16-2 Torredonjimeno – Mancha Réal 177.9 km mountains / Queen Stage. The route takes in ascents of Valle Puerto Viejo, Siete Pilillas, Torres and the Será la Peña del Águila. This is a 6 kilometres toil that takes the riders from an elevation of 770 metres to 1,269 metres above sea level. The Peña del Águila is averaging 8.3%.
3 Fr 17-2 Lucena – Lucena 12.0 km ITT
4 Sa 18-2 La Campana – Sevilla 179.3 km hilly / After leaving La Campana the route takes in the middle mountains with climbs up the Alto de las Minas, Alto de Cazalla and Alto de Constantina before a flat finish on Avenida Maria Luisa in Sevilla.
5 Su 19-2 Setenil – Coín 151.5 km hilly / Following the ascents of Viento and Abejas the riders drop down to the Mediterranean Sea. After a first passage in the arrival town the race is set to conclude with a hilly circuit of 57 kilometres featuring Alto de Jarapalos


Tour Cycliste International La Provence FRA ME 2.1
21 février 2017 . Etape 1 Aubagne - Istres / Long stage, around 200km, it looks, and without big difficulties to avoid a MS
22 février 2017 Etape 2 Miramas -La Ciotat / Hilly, a MS looks hard but possible
23 fevrier Etape 3 Aix en Provence -Marseille (arrivée Notre Dame de la Garde par la corniche ) / Hilly stage and hilly finish


Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne BEL ME 1.HC
Looks similar at 2017, with Nokereberg as last helligen at 50km of the end

[Hunsrueck]

I try to do Ruta del Sol the next days

[drei.zehn]

I don't see that you covered every time of the day.
You offered just one time in the morning.
Nothing in the early morning (8or9) and nothing in the late morning (11or12).

From 14h there are many possibilities to choose and to ride.
People who can just race in the morning got nothing to choose.

I don't like that.

Put a tour in the 2nd week and offer more starting times for each. That's my opinion

[sgumgub]

I don't see that you covered every time of the day.
You offered just one time in the morning.
Nothing in the early morning (8or9) and nothing in the late morning (11or12).

From 14h there are many possibilities to choose and to ride.
People who can just race in the morning got nothing to choose.

I don't like that.

Put a tour in the 2nd week and offer more starting times for each. That's my opinion

Love this opinion!

[clipper]

Here is my opinion on the February schedule.
Why three small tours during the same week? There will be only a few teams to participate (3 or 4 teams maxi). A one-week shift of one of these tours would be welcome. C4F is not obliged to follow the UCI calendar to the letter.
Small facilities may be needed for everyone's enjoyment.
I see, too, that The Dubai Tour (for sprinters) is category 3, while the Algarve, Valencia, are in category 2. ???; Why this difference? Because the UCI decided so ???? ^^

Positioning 2 of these small tours with several different start times for the 2 free weeks would be the best option in my opinion.
   It was just my opinion, do not insult me if you disagree ^^

[luques]

I don't see that you covered every time of the day.
You offered just one time in the morning.
Nothing in the early morning (8or9) and nothing in the late morning (11or12).

From 14h there are many possibilities to choose and to ride.
People who can just race in the morning got nothing to choose.

I don't like that.

Put a tour in the 2nd week and offer more starting times for each. That's my opinion

Love this opinion!

I don't see that you covered every time of the day.
You offered just one time in the morning.
Nothing in the early morning (8or9) and nothing in the late morning (11or12).

From 14h there are many possibilities to choose and to ride.
People who can just race in the morning got nothing to choose.

I don't like that.

Put a tour in the 2nd week and offer more starting times for each. That's my opinion

Love this opinion!

Disagree with this. And it's not an opinion but mathemathical facts.

The problem that the morning has less choice is not due to the system of 4 tours in parallel, even putting a tour in the second week would change nothing in times as long as we keep 9 fields. That is the important thing to consider. Putting a tour in the second week but keeping 9 times would result with the same time we have now.

So the problem is not the system but the total number of fields given (that actually is the reflection of the total number of players). The system doesn't also affect the total number of players for each tour, if we give 9 fields we divide the total number for 9, in whatever system.

A critic may be instead that the afternoon/night was too much supported, and you may be right on this, but looking at the past it seems to me that:

1) In general afternoon/night has more players.
2) Late night and afternoon lately have been more penalised that other times.

I will see how this work, can give also good indications for Paris Nice and Tirreno for the next month.

[sgumgub]

I don't see that you covered every time of the day.
You offered just one time in the morning.
Nothing in the early morning (8or9) and nothing in the late morning (11or12).

From 14h there are many possibilities to choose and to ride.
People who can just race in the morning got nothing to choose.

I don't like that.

Put a tour in the 2nd week and offer more starting times for each. That's my opinion

Love this opinion!

I don't see that you covered every time of the day.
You offered just one time in the morning.
Nothing in the early morning (8or9) and nothing in the late morning (11or12).

From 14h there are many possibilities to choose and to ride.
People who can just race in the morning got nothing to choose.

I don't like that.

Put a tour in the 2nd week and offer more starting times for each. That's my opinion

Love this opinion!

Disagree with this. And it's not an opinion but mathemathical facts.

The problem that the morning has less choice is not due to the system of 4 tours in parallel, even putting a tour in the second week would change nothing in times as long as we keep 9 fields. That is the important thing to consider. Putting a tour in the second week but keeping 9 times would result with the same time we have now.

So the problem is not the system but the total number of fields given (that actually is the reflection of the total number of players). The system doesn't also affect the total number of players for each tour, if we give 9 fields we divide the total number for 9, in whatever system.

A critic may be instead that the afternoon/night was too much supported, and you may be right on this, but looking at the past it seems to me that:

1) In general afternoon/night has more players.
2) Late night and afternoon lately have been more penalised that other times.

I will see how this work, can give also good indications for Paris Nice and Tirreno for the next month.

Even if, I would still rather see 3 different tours on the 9 times than 4 and move one or even 2 tours.

[Freudenfeuer]

Oman, Algarve, Haut Var..............Where are the 17-19 Time`s?

[Pokemon Club]

[Pokemon Club]

About Abu Dhabi :

Abu Dhabi Tour 2017
The 3rd edition of the Tour of Abu Dhabi will be held from Thursday, the 23rd of February, to Sunday, the 26th of February. The race features three flat stages and one mountain stage leading to a summit finish at Jebel Hafeet. The peak lies at an elevation of 1,025 metres. (Slideshow route/profile)


Abu Dhabi Tour 2017 stages:
1 Th 23-2 Madinat Zayed – Madinat Zayed 188 km flat
2 Fr 24-2 Abu Dhabi city – Abu Dhabi city 155 km flat
3 Sa 25-2 Al Ain – Jebel Hafeet 186 km mountain finish
4 Su 26-2 Criterium at the F1 Yas Marina circuit 143 km flat

Stages are longer buts profil are surely similar at last year.