[11waterloo]

Are we allowed to start getting a bit excited yet? Looks to be a more varied route than usual with less of the endless nailed on sprint stages that normally dominate the first week or so (though a run of sprint stages does save on the transfers!) I don’t know about the practicality of it, but is there any way of opening the game up using the long lists that most teams already have or just using the full list of riders? It is quite good fun playing about with potential line-ups, especially for the purist game, even knowing that the final roster will probably change. Obviously, if it creates difficulties, I wouldn’t want to add to the burden of running the game but, if it doesn’t, let’s get the TdF party started!   Here are a couple of links to the current state of the start list. https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france/2022/startlist.                                https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=17&y=2022&k=8  

Topic

[Daniel Norton]

I thought it was funny that

Funny. Within a few hours of the news that Froome claimed he is “a few watts off his tour winning power at threshold” he became one of the popular riders in the game.  You can tell when people are struggling for £££ in the Purist game.

PogacAR (fingers want to type “ER”!!!) + VA + Sagan = Froome + Meintjes + Groenewegen

[Dr Winston]

Coquard out is a bit of a

Coquard out is a bit of a blow. Never gonna win a stage but like Trentin mixes it up well in the intermediates… I had Trentin and Coquard down as good enablers.

Where’s my drawing board.

[Dr Winston]

What time is Louis Meintjes

What time is Louis Meintjes going out? (Asking for a friend)…

[11waterloo]

I notice a lot of the decent

I notice a lot of the decent TT riders are going out early to try & avoid the forecast rain.

[Dr Winston]

Increase in wind speed for

Increase in wind speed for Sat.. now gusting up to 25mph.

[Daniel Norton]

Forecast changed! 

Forecast changed!  Interesting…

[Daniel Norton]

I don’t know what Matti

I don’t know what Matti breschel is on about regarding the EF team strategy.  I get Uran going for the top 10 again, but Guerrero (and Powless) for GC?  Nah!  Waste of time.  Might as well go for stages and mountains.  Take it easy first week and throw some time.  Guerrero would have been my polka pick otherwise…

Worrying number of COVID cases.  No rain for the TT.  Block headwind on the bridge for stage 2.  Meh!

We want chaos and carnage.  No Bore de France!

[11waterloo]

I’ve already made his

I’ve already made his acquaintance!

[Dr Winston]

Louis Meintjes says hi..

Louis Meintjes says hi..

[11waterloo]

He is a joy to watch!

He is a joy to watch!

[ktache]

I shall miss his wonderful

I shall miss his wonderful smile.

[11waterloo]

Chaves not riding is a blow

Chaves not riding is a blow for my purist. He looked good value at under £10 mill for someone climbing so well in Dauphiné & Mont Ventoux Challenge. Could have been top 10 on GC or a threat for KoM/stage wins. 

[Dr Winston]

Damn… my punt in the purist

Damn… my punt in the purist tested positive for Covid. Trentin does well for pts at the grand tours usually by reliably mixing it up at the intermefiates for a third or fourth place in the pts competition… he was a good buy at 13.6.

Also… rumours last night that Pinot may have it as well…

[Daniel Norton]

Trentin out!  Cobbles/wind

Trentin out!  Cobbles/wind support for Pogacer is looking decidedly thin on the ground.  Bjerg?  Hirshi?

If only he wasn’t completely awesome, it might even be a problem.  I’m looking for excuses to not pick Pogacer.  Really difficult to convince myself.

[Dr Winston]

EF last team to declare…

EF last team to declare… again… Gonna take a wild guess that we’re all waiting on the same pick.

[Author]

Replies