Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Boonen for 4 in a row? Who will shine in place of Cancellara? The 'Hell of the North' beckons.

With Cancellara out (I'm sure we all wish him a speedy recovery) who is going to challenge OPQ and Boonen?

I'm keeping Boonen and Pozzato and maybe Sagan if he rides, but the 4th eludes me. Thoughts anyone? Doesn't have to be the real rider you're going to pick if you don't want to give too much away  3  3 .

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

66 comments

Avatar
TERatcliffe26 replied to James Warrener | 12 years ago
0 likes
jimmythecuckoo wrote:

No Ballan?

In relation to?

Avatar
meninblack | 12 years ago
0 likes

I agree with TERatcliffe26, there are very interesting cheap star riders: Pozzato, Ballan, Flecha, Degenkolb, Boom... we are gonna have a load of credits this time!!!

Avatar
Alan Tullett replied to meninblack | 12 years ago
0 likes
meninblack wrote:

I agree with TERatcliffe26, there are very interesting cheap star riders: Pozzato, Ballan, Flecha, Degenkolb, Boom... we are gonna have a load of credits this time!!!

The question is, is it worth spending them on expensive DSs, such as Eisel, Bak, Jerome, Duque, Vansummeren or are the medium-priced ones just as good? Vanmarcke, Terpstra, Paolini etc.

Avatar
TERatcliffe26 | 12 years ago
0 likes

Id say having a balance will be the key, and all the choices (because it seems credits wont be an issue), should be weighed on there individual merits and not looked at based on price

Avatar
seabass89 | 12 years ago
0 likes

I know I am a patriot, but I am actually putting in Hushovd and Boasson Hagen.

Hushovd has one, uno, ein goal for the year - to win Paris-Roubaix. I think he will be hanging in there until he breaks down and dies  10 Bsides he said before the Tour of Flanders that he doesen't really like that race.

So for roubaix, Hushovd will have the majority of the team to help him, and a couple of free roles (Van Avermaet, maybe?) and I think he will deffo be up there.

Eddy the Boss I think showed that he handles the cobbles pretty well. Was hindered by Vansummeren in that little shunt and used a lot of energy trying to get back. And as the man said himself (with a wink, that is) "I am not saying that I would have won, but I would have doen alot better [if I wasn't caught in the crash]"

For Sky, they will probably do the same as the Flanders race were EBH is the captain, and Flecha is a free role rider.

But the big, huge, number one favourite must be Boonen.

Avatar
TERatcliffe26 | 12 years ago
0 likes

The majority of the team helping Hushovd? I disagree, i think the team will be behind the leader Ballan, he has mainly gone well at roubaix and has form

Avatar
londonplayer | 12 years ago
0 likes

is peter sagan and florencio out for definite?

Avatar
Gkam84 | 12 years ago
0 likes

Peter not definitely out, he's still listed as a sub, but no Flo

Avatar
londonplayer | 12 years ago
0 likes

thanks gkam

Avatar
Gkam84 | 12 years ago
0 likes

I'd hold off on making any changes if you can, because i see a few riders that are in the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco, so might not ride P-R

Avatar
Alan Tullett replied to Gkam84 | 12 years ago
0 likes
Gkam84 wrote:

Peter not definitely out, he's still listed as a sub, but no Flo

Oh shit. I might have 5 not in P-R and 4 transfers. Please ride Peter, forget all I said about overdoing it!

On the leaving-it-late front; some crashes in Scheldeprijs as well. Maybe some more broken collarbones.

Kittel won from Farrar by the way.

Avatar
Gkam84 | 12 years ago
0 likes

Unlucky Alan, I've got 6 transfers and only 4 none riders so far  19

Avatar
JAndrewHill | 12 years ago
0 likes

4 of my riders are 'greyed out', but if i pick replacements now, they'll cry off with a bit of a cold.
 20  20  20  14  14  14

Avatar
orli replied to allezrider | 12 years ago
0 likes
allezrider wrote:

Provisional start list at http://www.letour.fr/2012/PRX/RIDERS/us/engages.html. Looks like I'm going to need all my transfers...

Me too. I don't get this.

Why is Van Avermaet 'grayed out' in the game when he appears in the provisional start list as riding?...

And why would Liquigas put in Sagan as a substitute instead of a primary rider?

Voeckler, Florencio and Sabatini had a decent race at Flanders... why aren't they riding Roubaix?...

And why is Vandenbergh a substitute?

And why aren't Hoste and Devolder riding?... Crap!...

What's going on?...

Avatar
TERatcliffe26 | 12 years ago
0 likes

sagan, preliminary as they dont want to over do it, but injuries mean he should ride

again with others, they dont want to over do it, and remember the next 3 after roubaix all occur within a week!

Its tough, i planned well though, Devolder and Sagan not racing, but planned for that and know my 4 transfers so long as no injuries occur

Avatar
Alan Tullett | 12 years ago
0 likes

And why aren't Hoste Hoste's team are not invited so he along with Canc are definitely out. We'll see about the others in a few more days. No-one should confirm their team till Sat night unless they have to.

I hope Florencio rides though, but it was always going to be difficult to second-guess the team managers and Canc's injury has changed everything.

Avatar
Gkam84 | 12 years ago
0 likes

I very much doubt Florencio will ride Alan. He's not listed as a sub, So i think he'll be resting

Avatar
silas chime | 12 years ago
0 likes

Currently looking at

Goss
Boonen
EBH
Pozzato
VanMarcke
Van Summeren
Wynants
Boeckmans
Sutton

1 transfer left so may switch Wynants/Boeckmans if no-one else pulls out.

Avatar
Alan Tullett | 12 years ago
0 likes

It looks like I might have a greyed-out DS then, but it's not the worst thing as only 2 of my 5 DSs have scored in any stage of the Classics so far. This is a competition where the stars really are the stars.

Avatar
orli replied to drheaton | 12 years ago
0 likes

abudhabiChris said it last year:

abudhabiChris wrote:

I understand... we have unlimited transfers and categories [for the World Championships], which is good... and maybe how the Classics should work next year in my view... with nothing other than a 2 per team limit)... can you... confirm... we will have unlimited transfers... between them [the two world championship evemts]?

And drheaton said it, too:

drheaton wrote:

... Perhaps losing the 4/5 split could be something that is added... next year?

I'm up for having unlimited transfers and getting rid of the limits and restrictions on star riders and DSs if only for the Classics...

Avatar
ragtag | 12 years ago
0 likes

Riders should worry if I pick them.. they either crash or win. Had two crashes and 1st & 2nd last week. 4 transfers may not be enough  20

Avatar
thefatcyclist | 12 years ago
0 likes

I've no choice, as I wasn't with the programne and missed the 4 transfer rule, so I have Sagan and Canc out, my DS is a mess. But waiting till morning of race, because its going to rain, and I suspect withdrawals.

Avatar
veseunr | 12 years ago
0 likes

Do you get free transfers if picked riders withdraw now (I've used all transfers already).

Matti Breschel is looking doubtful.  2

Avatar
Raleigh replied to veseunr | 12 years ago
0 likes
veseunr wrote:

Do you get free transfers if picked riders withdraw now (I've used all transfers already).

Matti Breschel is looking doubtful.  2

Thats why you make your transfers on the night before the race.

Lesson Learnt, I hope.  19  19

Avatar
TERatcliffe26 | 12 years ago
0 likes

Whats with all these people wanting free transfers now rides have dropped out injured or for whatever reason.

Its a transfer limit for a reason, or else why not just give everyone unlimited

Avatar
drheaton | 12 years ago
0 likes

Agreed, although I don't remember nearly this many people asking this last year.

Perhaps the rules, or just the communication of the rules re the classics, could be looked at for next year. Personally I have no real issues with how its being implemented this year and know full well that I don't get free transfers for greyed out riders but I don't really care because I bothered to pick riders with a good chance of riding both the Tour of Flanders and the Paris-Roubaix.

Avatar
allezrider | 12 years ago
0 likes

Has anybody else picked up on Grieple being taken to hospital on Thursday? He's still showing on the start list (not that that means anything yet). Sagan (P) is no longer showing as a reserve either, unless they're going to swap him in for his bro and hope nobody notices!

Avatar
TERatcliffe26 replied to allezrider | 12 years ago
0 likes
allezrider wrote:

Has anybody else picked up on Grieple being taken to hospital on Thursday? He's still showing on the start list (not that that means anything yet). Sagan (P) is no longer showing as a reserve either, unless they're going to swap him in for his bro and hope nobody notices!

Not noticed, but he wont be anywhere near my team anyway. Toying between a few options now leukemans is out.

Think they did that with the sagans on a race earlier (not one on the game, maybe E3 or one like that)

Avatar
drheaton | 12 years ago
0 likes

Provisional team picked, got 30 credits left, could easily "upgrade" Flecha and Ballan for EBH and Hushovd but not sure its really worth it, something to mull over before the deadline.

Avatar
londonplayer | 12 years ago
0 likes

I can understand why people are asking for additional transfers. Three of my riders who rode in Tour of Flanders aren't riding tomorrow - Sagan, Florencio and Cancellera. Luckily, I've been able to swap them out for riders who I wanted to put in in any case.

The question therefore is presumably - should you automatically be given an additional free transfer for each rider that is greyed out? You would then though give an unfair competitive advantage to teams like mine. I would effectively have 7 transfers.

On the basis that the Pro Teams are potentially selecting completely different teams for the ride tomorrow, everyone should get 9 transfers. It seems bad that people should score lower because they haven't been able to transfer people in. Failing that, greyed out riders should be given a +1 transfer.

I'm open to comments/observations on this.

Pages

Latest Comments