cycling4freaks.com

Start with an expensive team, first tour since Pais Vasco, suspect will be as successful..

nr 1 Ramirez, he's there to be there mostly... not good enough in the mountain very likely, but with his 11 races in his career he needs to ride. Since Ape climbers refuse to ride cat 1 one day races.. he doesn't have that many chances to shine. Here he has the chance, just won't do it.

The real leader though is Alighieri... x stages look possible for a sprint of the +/-70 with 6x sprint... Let's hope he isn't dropped regularly and can win one...
Todea, there too, help Alighieri a bit, probably a top 15 GC..or so.. mmh, might even beat Ramirez actually...

Gong, Olteanu, Sekiguchi, Wei, Legrand the awesome 60-80 or similar army... last one Montandon...Not sure why I need all 5 of those guys now that I think of it... will recheck and maybe bring Leibundgut or Toure instead!

Lots of unknown guys at the start last time I checked... probably a few more joining

I believe you need Touré

SM Team will start here

1) Stoffel Van Der Woodsen, the Leader with a big 'L' , starting to try to win a 10th tour
2) Martin Parkkola, the climber to help Stoffel
3) Jon Arbuckle, a classic with reg, we need reg here to control the race
4) Vasja Rupnik, another classic with some reg
5) Dominik Vilkovik, the cheap guy
6) Per Gunnar Tverendahl, cheap strong flat rider
7) Zlatko Bozovic, the flat rider with reg
8) Wayne Griffin, another cheap guy, eager to work
9) Roland Ovidiu Gerbacea, the old flat rider, still powerful!

493,447k

Goals : the 2 TTs and Tour win, all the rest is bonus

Mmh, no Yesid seems like a good idea after all... He has form for the TdF prologue too it seems... 439k instead of 492, Leibundgut after all wants to ride in Switzerland.
Doesn't really change much from the goals anyway, for Yesid 11 races seem enough for the moment anyway

Lizard here too:

Zachary Soneau 81-71-61-53-58, 60 Reg
Alexandré Albany 53-77-70-49-53, 52 Reg
Armand Annosoun 45-77-72-49-53, 38 Reg
Alan Bosh 46-84-53-49-54, 37 Reg
Bronco Bruni 53-80-76-55-46, 44 Reg
Enzo Gabbana 61-74-64-56-58, 39 Reg
Renzo Spezileziatti 57-84-72-46-43, 35 Reg
Wilco Westermans 59-77-77-51-53, 61 Reg
Arno Wollfinger 72-79-54-49-57, 58 Reg

Salary: 428.945 Credits

Aims: Win as many stages as possible and the points classement

Anti Leonardo!

Nice one by Wollfinger... I put Vasja on him 2 sec too late, and with 927 energy before (and 877 after) the sprint, I would have won grrr
but Stoffel gain 4 sec on Chicot who will try again tomorrow at the last cat 3 I think

Grr... I don't like Stoffel at all.
Still 3 chances for Leonardo... tomorrow probably the smallest, then the 2 next days seem easier again... Ape will keep trying.

grrrrrrrrrrr

In front the chances that it ends like that were actually fairly big. You and Samurai on each other.. Ok, the third wheel then was Soneau who surprisingly went late too, if I had followed somebody else would have been him I think... ok Wollfinger with 57 a possibility too.. but the one that takes that wheel will get almost one bonus less normally, still can win, but... the chances decreese...
At least you were clever enough to take the right wheel

Wollfinger for a safe wheel because I knew no one takes him. Soneau good enough that a 60+ might take his one, so for points' jersey Soneau's chances decreased, but hey, who cares when you win.

As expected today mostly... although didn't think that SM would gain 42" to Chicot. With that now it really looks very good for him... Clear only favorite now I'd say. A time gain today was almost expected, such a big one not.
The apestory didn't get better... yesterday followed the wrong one, today tried to attack the km the rest went in front.. ahhhh, what stupidity... with 76 I try to attack...ok, not used to that yet, he used to have 78 I think... But ok, even in front I'm 6th or so.. .like this 10th.. not a big problem.

Tomorrow better chances for a sprint again, today almost none, Alighieri was helping Todea at one point too. Tomorrow... hopefully Alighieri can stay there.

I'm the idiot of the day

NO, I am.

Or actually maybe Chartreuse is... You are nr 3 max. Not even that probably.

Following Soneau in this situation wasn't the WRONG decision from the start. It was a risk, but one that you can take. Especially because all other options were risks too. Going purely by numbers, you still were the strongest sprinter the way it went.
2 Heidfelds wiht 46-48 sprint. If he goes early and helps one of the 2.... you get the wrong one, the one that helps, you are still stronger than Soneau, who is guaranteed to be on your wheel. By roughly the same margin as you are stronger than Superchi the way it worked out. If you get the right one, then you are more clearly the strongest, yes.
2 TUTTI. one 58, one 48. Follow the 58 logic.. .but then actually he is likely to follow you or Soneau too. And play for his chances with the second one. Take the other one then... what if he does the train.. see above... you will still be stronger than Soneau, by the same margin that you were stronger to Superchi the way it worked out.

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't..

ok all clear !

As I said, Tuttis 58 surely the wheel to take. If he goes early = Kashanov wins, and Soneau 100% in his wheel. Even like that chances if Tuttis 58 goes from 50 dont change, though in terms of chances today it went the same. Btw Todea had 79, and he should really just stay in wheel in that situation to have a little chance for the right attack in the end. What I was wondering was why Heidfeld didnt attack earlier with Romain maybe. Was clear that SM couldnt follow, one attack followed already and 65 is not the most flat. And if Romain doesnt get away alone, no problem, he can still do a 2nd attack with him or Tychonov.

Yeah, good job from me, I could play for the stages now

Again a bad stage for me, was on Heidfeld classics with mine, I won't ride anymore for stage, bike Austis has to ride tomorrow, after the TT, that will be my job

Mmh, you weren't riding much today either. Neither did I.. the 2 guys that rode today in the back where Black stars and Samurai. And Black star probably shouldn't have. (or at least try to follow the others in the end then)

I gave up on the sprint after something like 10 km... maybe less... ok, escape with Bouletten for red. Mmh.. ok, kind of understandeble... hasn't had success with Pfennig, out of GC too. With him Austis with a 66. Mmh.. so of the 4 sprinters that had chances to work, 2 in front. One of the 2 with one of the possible helpers for the end, wasn't completely impossible to cross the 6 6 with 66 riders today... Next Wizard in front again, despite the fact that in the end he's always in the mix, everybody knows he'll be in the mix, he knows it too. And would be today again. While he is not an "obvious clear favorite" that I would ask to do tempo in the peloton... see no reason to have him take another walk in front without investing anything, while I work with 2 or 3 riders... He can attack, no problem, but I'm not going to work... So.. no work with those 3 in front. 2 possibilites, I go i nthe group too, immediately, or I do nothing. First tried to come closer to the group and "jump"... then ok, not working, so was going to do nothing.. .then Black rode a lot.. ok, helped him a bit, (10km maybe...) since he worked that much and not be too far back and then attacked with Olteanu and Sekiguchi.. the attack was 3 things... see if I can get to the front and do something there, and second see who reacts in the back.. Samurai did.. he was right, but probably he should have asked for some help. Only 64 mountain, wasn't sure to be there. 3 thing was to eliminate Sekiguchi from possible helper duties in the end .No, wasn't going to ride with Sekiguchi for a sprint if he passes the mountain, which today was possible.. .thought it unlikely but possible. And if dropped not too far back so tempo with him would put some pressure on the front maybe.. no thanks. Partly worked, then of course was following the wrong guy in the final again with Alighieri.. .but that was kind of ok too. Austis won it... he is really cold blooded with Kashanov... excellent. I'd have been nervous and ridden more... he did the minimum possible... will have to learn to do that too... start tomorrow, Alighieri won't ride first. Or second. He'll ride after all other sprinters with 6x will have ridden...maybe

Now tomorrow... sprint possible too in principle.. but by now nobody should have an interest. Black after today? Why should he, he was left alone by every other sprinter. Samurai, 64 probably too weak, was dropped today. Bouletten, showed no interest today.. .maybe tomorrow with Blau who is deadish.. maybe.. .Austis has his stage win, so he doesn't necessarily need a sprint. Unless he wants green, then he really needs one, otherwise will be Soneau.. but stages more important for him, and I agree. Finally the ape is notoriously ill tempered and might not collaborate tomorrow either. So... don't see it ending as a sprint really tomorrow, but we'll see, it is possible... what I know is that I'll be more a reactive "sprinter" than an active.. if I see enough power that it seems possible to have one.. ok. Otherwise, noo...

Here's my point of view. Some jerk always working in the peloton for no reason, why should I? I cannot do much from my perspective, so many better sprinters, I'm just there because I had the right hand for wheels until today, not because I'm something like a favourite. Secondly, I am sick of the noob riding all the time, rather go in the escape and stay safe to have chances since stages is my aim, so when noobs try out themselves let them learn by the opposite thinking.

After all, maybe tomorrow might be the stage when I work after all, actually see chances there. Btw, GC teams didnt have to work at all, why should the stage aimers take their work for them? If others do ok, but surely wont ride myself before I see GC candidates riding. Which isnt possible so far, since they weren't forced to until now. Totally see your point aswell Roby, but hey, you're still on the side asking if it's okay to do as I do, I'm on the side where I say they should intervene to take me back to peloton. And with bike austis and Tuttifrutti in front I surely wont do a shit in the peloton

Lizard wrote:Totally see your point aswell Roby, but hey, you're still on the side asking if it's okay to do as I do, I'm on the side where I say they should intervene to take me back to peloton

What are you talking about? I'm not asking if it's ok to do as you do in the least. Never said it's not ok, actually I explicitly said it's ok! And that you're not a guy I would ask for collaboration to get an escape from the peloton either. But with Bouletten, Austis and you in front it won't be me killing Legrand/Gong/Montandon/Leibundgut to control the first 100 km to then get a sprint where I'm one of the 4 guys with the most chances. With 2 of the other 3 in front, plus nr 5 (and Tutti, another outsider who didn't influence me) That's what I said. And then disagree on "we should get you back".. .that's not the only one option, there are a few others. Attack as well, let a nicely heterogenous group like this through. Nothing wrong with those 2 options either.. doesn't have to be the simplistic "work and get them back." Just explaining my race choices... (doesn't explain my talent with the wrong wheels for Leonardo... grr)

As for the GC teams... why should they work? Really don't see why they are expected to work. Guys with 10' + in the GC... where's the danger? SM can control together with Cosa if they get around 10'... or even let them 15' and get them easily back to 10' at the end. So far there simply was no reason for them to work. Yes, if Black Star hadn't worked it would have been up to them, they easily could have controlled it even if the puller alone had gotten 15'. But Black chose to work for his chances, which is ok too. But he's as bad as me with his "following" it seems.

Robyklebt wrote:

Lizard wrote:Totally see your point aswell Roby, but hey, you're still on the side asking if it's okay to do as I do, I'm on the side where I say they should intervene to take me back to peloton

What are you talking about? I'm not asking if it's ok to do as you do in the least. Never said it's not ok, actually I explicitly said it's ok! And that you're not a guy I would ask for collaboration to get an escape from the peloton either. But with Bouletten, Austis and you in front it won't be me killing Legrand/Gong/Montandon/Leibundgut to control the first 100 km to then get a sprint where I'm one of the 4 guys with the most chances. With 2 of the other 3 in front, plus nr 5 (and Tutti, another outsider who didn't influence me) That's what I said. And then disagree on "we should get you back".. .that's not the only one option, there are a few others. Attack as well, let a nicely heterogenous group like this through. Nothing wrong with those 2 options either.. doesn't have to be the simplistic "work and get them back." Just explaining my race choices... (doesn't explain my talent with the wrong wheels for Leonardo... grr)

As for the GC teams... why should they work? Really don't see why they are expected to work. Guys with 10' + in the GC... where's the danger? SM can control together with Cosa if they get around 10'... or even let them 15' and get them easily back to 10' at the end. So far there simply was no reason for them to work. Yes, if Black Star hadn't worked it would have been up to them, they easily could have controlled it even if the puller alone had gotten 15'. But Black chose to work for his chances, which is ok too. But he's as bad as me with his "following" it seems.

Completely agree, I didn't see why i should ride yesterday...
Today again I think, but I won't let Bike, you Wizard in escape today ... and maybe Tutti

Vasja!!!

just one thing is not clear to me :

Offline: 5
Black-Star(3)
HeidfeldFanclub(102)


Km: 195, Pendenza: 3
Romain Mantheou (HeidfeldFanclub) Attacco al km
Vasja Rupnik (SM Team) contrattacca

why SM has followed a runner of a team off-line ? and why Heid attack if he was off-line?
mah!

superemre wrote:just one thing is not clear to me :

Offline: 5
Black-Star(3)
HeidfeldFanclub(102)


Km: 195, Pendenza: 3
Romain Mantheou (HeidfeldFanclub) Attacco al km
Vasja Rupnik (SM Team) contrattacca

why SM has followed a runner of a team off-line ? and why Heid attack if he was off-line?
mah!

I didn't check offline list, I was on him because I see Heidfeld with full team when I have only 4 riders remaining, I thought he was online... so I put Rupnik on Manthéou...