Giro Stage 16

Joint 7th on the stage with 102 points - thanks to De Marchi

Rising in all leagues but still miles off the top.

I guess you're right, it does reflect the real deal, if someone has a bad day then they drop away, if someone has a great day they could move up a bit but for the most part we're all watching each other and waiting for something to happen. In the real thing I'd be a Gadret or Rujano, 3 or 4 minutes down needing a couple of blinding days to make the top 10. You're a Rodriguez hoping to hell you don't mess up and watching those just below you like a hawk

Putting it like that has actually got me excited again, I was beginning to write it off but like Gadret I'm just going to have to go for it. It's time to "go big or go home".

I felt bad for Gkam. Poor, poor Gkam.

Don't worry about me, I'll pull a stage win sometime before the season ends.

But it seems my luck has returned from last year. I think it was mainly the TdF I would transfer a guy out the night before a stage and sure as hell he'd score more points than any of the rest of my team. I happened on back to back stages for nearly a week

75 today, up 2 in the premium giro but no ground gained, mainly because I have EXACTLY the same team as the guy in first My options seem to be to take stupid risks or hope that the 16 teams ahead of me suddenly become really stupid.

The GC points are a blessing and a curse, I need them to get decent points but everyone else gets the same points!

Well i had a shocker, could have been up in the 90-100 but ended up with 57

Bad day for premium guys?

Down 15 in Giro
Down 6 in premium Grio
Down 4 in overall
Up 4 in premium overall

There are prizes for winning individual stages though.

dr heaton,

I agree. There is a major flaw in the game that once you do badly on one or two stages, it's very unlikely that you will be able to catch the leaders again. I'm in the top 50 but I know I can't win this one.

I've had to play defensively as I don't want to slip further down the leaderboard. Perhaps the Spring Classics were more exciting because there were no GC classification points and it was a very much dog eat dog game where you loaded up with whoever you thought was going to be in the top 5.

Jerseys sound like a good idea to me. But until the rules of the game change and points scoring, I'm going to continue holding the top GC contenders in my team.

Hmm, bit of a damp squib today. Everyone must be saving themselves for tomorrow. Shame really, it's probably going to be a fairly low scoring day today unless someone's got 2 or 3 of the break.

Lol at the Pirazzi attack. Someone get him a Kit Kat

Lol at the Pirazzi attack.

TERatcliffe26 wrote:

Another rubbish day at the office it seems, just cant get it right. Maybe i will peak in le tour

This is why I think some fantasy jersey's would help the game, it'd be great to load up on breakaway guys in the hope of getting the KoM or breakaway jerseys, it'd give everyone something to fight for and by having to aim for specific types of stages (mountains or sprints etc) it'd stop the same people winning everything.

The people leading the whole competition are consistently top 100 or so on each stage, but not top 10 or 20 so you'd have to choose, go for the competition or the jersey.

Mother***************

I'm just in the door now and the man i've stuck with the whole tour and i transferred out lastnight Izagirre is going to win. I'm raging now

Clement is another rider i dropped the other day. I have Brandle, but thats not going to help.

I would go back on the bike to get rid of my anger, but i've just done 86 miles and my legs don't like me either

You should go 'stage hunting' TER. Plan to have a really good team for the TT or something.

Another rubbish day at the office it seems, just cant get it right. Maybe i will peak in le tour

but as per script no sky riders in there!

My team

Rodriguez
Basso
Hesjedal
Intxausti
Pozzovivo
Tiralongo
Golas
Pirazzi
Slagter

brought in Slagter for today 8th in Assisi , Pirazzi for today and tomorrow and kept Golas for today, was going to transfer him out for De Marchi for tomorrow

Still happy with Slagter in break, currently virtual Pink Jersey (by over a minute) and 12 minutes with 37km to go, he will keep most of that, outside chance top ten

ah brilliant! 3 riders i looked at all in the break

Looks like the break will take the stage, 10 minute lead with 60km to go. Pity, but hopefully some guaranteed points will keep me in the hunt.

No starter today Stefano Lucatelli (Colnago)

Argh!! Took out Boaro for Pirazzi!!!!

I hope it doesn't stick, banking on another Rodriguez win today.

Go Brandle.

Got one of them. If it sticks i cant see past Bak for another stage win.

It took until 90km to go but we have a break:

Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela
Mathias Frank (BMC Racing Team)
Io Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Lucca Mazzanti (Farnese Vini-Sella Italia)
Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto Belisol)
Nicolas Maes (Omega Pharma-QuickStep)
José Herrada Lopez (Movistar)
Stef Clement (Rabobank)
Matthias Brändle (NetApp)
Manuele Baoro (Saxo Bank)

Looks like I went with the wrong Rabo rider. Looks a strong break and should stick at least until the final climb.

Made a few changes for today so looking for a good result and see what i get left with for the sprint stage on 18.

Sergio Luis Henao (SKY)
Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT)
Ivan Basso (LIQ)
Ryder Hesjedal (GRM)
Allessandro De Marchi (AND)
Paolo Tiralongo (AST)
Damiano Caruso (LIQ)
Dario Cataldo (OPQ)
Stefano Pirazzi (COG)

Without realising i have 6 italians in my team. Hope one of them brings me some luck.