February 2021

[luques]

http://www.cycling4freaks.com/radsport/february2021.pdf

[luques]

Before approving the calendar I would like to ask one thing.

As usual February is full of tours but how we handle that?
The new version of the game is starting to be each day better (at least playable I would say), but I am not sure that in February we can already say we will be at 100% capacity of users.

So what's your opinion about this?

[Robyklebt]

Probably with cancellations incoming, (but now inseason) a "lighter" schedule might make sense.

NC another thing, theoretically should be Feb. Would that work or would it need an extra effort (that would probably be better used for more important things?)

[Hansa]

i would try to avoid parallel tours for february Player base the last days was really low so lets try to avoid parrallel tours.

[Gipfelstuermer]

For MIT, actually seems 99% of players are playing somehow. I think most via time travel, some maybe on app or new version already... but ok, for one day races participation might have decreased due to the end of flash. Not sure but could be of course.

So what does it mean for February with many tours? Better no parallel tour, true! But if no parallel tour, even more important to select the right tours! Which are the right tours? Well, UAE Tour is a World Tour race, so certainly should be in. Then, Valenciana is 2.Pro, then Provence is 2.Pro and then we have Ruta Del Sol and Algarve in parallel.... grrr.... difficult to decide between them...

bah, and then every year the annoying timing of UAE... Start on the day that Ruta del Sol / Algarve end... End on the day of Omloop... really annoying. So probably means all those events with less editions? Or shift dates? Normally don't like it... but since we aren't sure of cancellations... I mean, everything was cancelled so far... TDU, San Juan, Mallorca Challenge.... would not be surprised by more cancellations....

3.2. - 7.2. Valenciana
11.2. - 14.2. Provence
17.2. - 21.2. Ruta del Sol / Algarve
21.2. - 27.2. UAE Tour
27.2. Omloop

[Hansa]

And for NCs its not really important cut them if its work. Put time in other things we dont need NCs.

[flockmastoR]

For MIT, actually seems 99% of players are playing somehow. I think most via time travel, some maybe on app or new version already... but ok, for one day races participation might have decreased due to the end of flash. Not sure but could be of course.

So what does it mean for February with many tours? Better no parallel tour, true! But if no parallel tour, even more important to select the right tours! Which are the right tours? Well, UAE Tour is a World Tour race, so certainly should be in. Then, Valenciana is 2.Pro, then Provence is 2.Pro and then we have Ruta Del Sol and Algarve in parallel.... grrr.... difficult to decide between them...

bah, and then every year the annoying timing of UAE... Start on the day that Ruta del Sol / Algarve end... End on the day of Omloop... really annoying. So probably means all those events with less editions? Or shift dates? Normally don't like it... but since we aren't sure of cancellations... I mean, everything was cancelled so far... TDU, San Juan, Mallorca Challenge.... would not be surprised by more cancellations....

3.2. - 7.2. Valenciana
11.2. - 14.2. Provence
17.2. - 21.2. Ruta del Sol / Algarve
21.2. - 27.2. UAE Tour
27.2. Omloop

Parallel program to MIT was not participated at all. Morning and afternoon was competing for about 4-5 active teams.

[Robyklebt]

The new proposal to Luq is 4 editions instead of 3+3.

Besseges and not Valencia: Profiles already available for Besseges. All at risk=>take the race where the profile is there.
Provence: Maps available. Murcia not.
Algarve over Ruta del Sol: Neither has maps or profiles, but last year Ruta del Sol so Algarve makes sense, if necessary we can use 2020 profiles and not ride anything twice.

[el Galactico]

Valencia actually decided not to post any route details to keep fans from watching the race live on the streets.
They just announced start and finish of each stage.

This might become a problem with more races going on.

[Pokemon Club]

Algarve and Ruta del sol postponed (mayve) to mMay it seems.
I start Besseges


Mintact km 125


Mintact km 129


Mintact km 136


Mintact km 127


Mintact km 1

[Pokemon Club]

Let's start Provence too


Mintact km 150


Mintact km 135


Mintact km 118


Mintact km 144

[Gipfelstuermer]

Poke very hardworking, so nothing left to design:

Valenciana we don't ride.
Ruta del Sol / Algarve cancelled and no route yet. (but we ride it, correct? would be parallel to UAE anyway, so could be a reason not to ride it...)
UAE no route announced yet.

Let me know when you need help with designing again
Maybe some one day races? But no PDF online so not easy to check.

[Robyklebt]

Waiting for the PDF....

No idea if Luques changes anything, but in the PDF Algarve is planned. Seems cancelled/postponed, but the reason that is in that preview is that we didn't ride 2020 so could just take that route and still ride something new.

Alternative would be Vars, which doesn't seem cancelled yet... would be 19-21st, still parallel to UAE, but that's the way it is, but would be a short tour in the spot planned for Algarve...

But well, depending on when the PDF comes we simply won't have time to discuss anymore, for the moment I assume it will be Algarve? But wouldn't start designing yet, wait for the final decision.

[Robyklebt]

Waiting for the PDF...

So that at least we can have comments, I post the preview Luques got here too. Colors to make it a bit more readable...

Mistakes?
Times?
4 too many with the flash/new site problems? 3 better? Would be something like 9-15-20/10-17-21/14-18-22 and UAE unchanged then. Basically everything in the evening (but once at 20, so a bit early?) morning-early evening 2 plus UAE, afternoon 2 without UAE
Categories?

And as mentioned one post above, with Algarve cancelled, 2 possibilities:
a) Use 2020 version. Guess can be found on la flamme rouge
b) Kick it and take Tour du Var in instead, 19th to 21st, so still overlapping with UAE. And that one is still planned IRL. Problem here might be that the version on la flamme rouge is a reconstruction. But comparing it with the video with the profiles on the Var site, seems close enough.
Ideas?
In theory I'd be for b, a bit afraid that Luques now then will post the old preview online one of these days and then we're stuck with that.

01.02.21
02.02.21
03.02.21 9-15-19-22 Besseges 2 8
04.02.21 9-15-19-22 Besseges 2 8
05.02.21 9-15-19-22 Besseges 2 8
06.02.21 9-15-19-22 Besseges 2 8
07.02.21 9-15-19-22 Besseges 2 8
08.02.21
09.02.21 NC?
10.02.21
11.02.21 10-14-18-21 Tour de Provence 2 8
12.02.21 10-14-18-21 Tour de Provence 2 8
13.02.21 10-14-18-21 Tour de Provence 2 8
14.02.21 10-14-18-21 Tour de Provence 2 8 Almeria 2 8
15.02.21
16.02.21
17.02.21 9-15-18-21 Algarve 3 8
18.02.21 9-15-18-21 Algarve 3 8
19.02.21 9-15-18-21 Algarve 3 8
20.02.21 9-15-18-21 Algarve 3 8
21.02.21 9-15-18-21 Algarve 3 8 10+19+22 UAE 3 8
22.02.21 10+19+22 UAE 3 8
23.02.21 10+19+22 UAE 3 8
24.02.21 10+19+22 UAE 3 8
25.02.21 10+19+22 UAE 3 8
26.02.21 Drome Classic 3 8 10+19+22 UAE 3 8
27.02.21 10-14-17-20-22 Het Nieuwsblad 4 9 10+19+22 UAE 3 8
28.02.21 9+15+21 Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne 3 8 12+18+22 Faune Ardeche 3 8

[Bear]

Looks good to me. I also like b) a little more.

Maybe 4 editions for Het Nieuwsblad is enough with UAE at the same day? For example just 19h instead of 17 + 20. But I dont want to make a decision for others as I dont ride one of these times.

[luques]

Sorry this week was a mess, now back.

No NC next month sorry. For the rest all ok for everybody what the Donkey proposed? So that I finalize and upload the PDF

[Robyklebt]

Now better wait for 2 days... See if we get more proposals/critique on the non-pdf preview

[Gipfelstuermer]

February is here! Nice!

a) Use 2020 version. Guess can be found on la flamme rouge
b) Kick it and take Tour du Var in instead, 19th to 21st, so still overlapping with UAE. And that one is still planned IRL. Problem here might be that the version on la flamme rouge is a reconstruction. But comparing it with the video with the profiles on the Var site, seems close enough.
Ideas?
In theory I'd be for b, a bit afraid that Luques now then will post the old preview online one of these days and then we're stuck with that.

I join you and Bear in favor of b) because that way we stick to what's planned IRL. Even gives us the option to include Algarve if it is raced later in the year.

Times for Besseges & Provence, I agree with 4 editions. Nothing major in parallel and gives everyone the possiblity to ride. 4 editions covers most of the important times.

But for the other races.... not sure about categorisation and number of editions. UAE is a World Tour Race, Algarve Pro Series Race. While I acknowledge, Algarve has more history and maybe even more prestige (so I can understand both classified as Cat. 3 in RSF), UAE will surely have the stronger field in real life and more media attention. In addition, last year Algarve was not even important enough to be raced... now it is still cat.3 and gets more editions than UAE? Instead, I'd expect UAE and Algarve to have at least same number of editions and not less for UAE. So 3 each or 4 each. You might argue that Omloop is parallel to UAE (yes, so stupid by UCI...) and therefore UAE really not that relevant? But I don't think I can agree with that. In the game it's more of a question, whether you prefer the tour or the classic (and have the team for it, not everybody has a classics team).

Now with Tour du Var instead of Algarve... even more true. So I suggest 3 each or 4 each or maybe even more editions for UAE than for Tour du Var.

For Omloop, it might even mean 4 editions is better than 5 for race quality. Yes, Omloop much more important than any other race in February, but not sure if we have the numbers for 5 quality editions. Classics sometimes attract players who don't play that often, but it's not always the case and with the current flash problems... and UAE parallel.... could make sense to make Omloop 4 editions only to ensure it's a proper race. Don't like it too much if a classic is decided in a 3/4-team race... I'm OK with 5 editions too, but we should definitely check the numbers and adjust for other classics if participation is low.

[Robyklebt]

The problem with UAE is that it's double overlap, that's why only 3, and still think that's safer from a participation number point of view, especially right now of course. Even if I hope that by then the new version is ok and our numbers are back to our usual low, not the very low we have now

Prestige, UCI, actually neither race really has any prestige IMO. And since it looks we're going with Var, ok UAE has more. Still minimal though. But still double overlap, which is the main problem it has here.

But since I'm not sure at all that 4 editions for Besseges, Provence, Var is the right way to go, 3 might have been safer, I'll think about a way for having only 3 Var as well, while keeping the others as in this preview up there. 9-15-21? And down to 4 for Het Nieuwsblad, yep, makes sense. Probably will send the proposal to Luq in very few hours, think 4 or so, so if there's other ideas, post them fast.

[RS Coesitz]

When will there be a final schedule for February? Do we ride UAE or not? Thanks

[luques]

UP

[Robyklebt]

Starting to put stuff online.

And designing UAE now.

Het Nieuwsblad no info on their site yet.

[Robyklebt]

Almeria done too, will be online later today, so I refrain from posting it here (same for UAE)

Designing Var now.

That leaves the 4 one day races at the end of the month. No info online yet, but we can expect them to be between unchanged and very similar to 2020.

[Gipfelstuermer]

By the way, very good work that we had Besseges, Provence, Haut Var and UAE all online before end of month under these circumstances!

Not gonna take long till my next complains... so praise the calendar manager and designers for one time!

[Bear]

Starting to put stuff online.

And designing UAE now.

Het Nieuwsblad no info on their site yet.

Still no official route of Omloop online yet. Maybe because of covid restrictions...

I just found this https://www.routeyou.com/en-be/route/vi ... sblad-2021

But not sure if this is correct