[retired_42Army]

Originally posted by mr_shushhh:
Looking at the money you gain it doesn't make much of a difference. The order for the 0 pointers is based on GC.

Correct.

[retired_kritty925]

Vuelta Squad

Ferruccio Polito (29y/o Italian) – The leader of my Vuelta squad. Unfortunately lacking in most areas to make any kind of challenge. His best shot is the time trials.

Sjon Duquet (24y/o Belgian) – A recent addition to the squad. The Belgian is a flat specialist and will struggle over some of the more mountainous stages. Not a challenger overall but looking for a stage win or two on the some of the flatter stages.

Isocrates Vlaminckx (27y/o Belgian) – Another recent addition but has an outside chance of being a contender in the GC. This all rounder could struggle on some of the bigger hills. Most likely could pull off a stage win or two if his lucks in.

Reinhold Martel (21y/o Belgian) – Another addition and comfortable in whatever direction the road is going. The best GC contender on paper, it could all come down to how well he time trials.

Nadhir Verwei (23y/o Belgian) – The mountain specialist of the team, hoping to pick up the polka dot at the end of the tour. Could be an outsider but will struggle on the flatter stages. Again maybe best hope could be to pick up a stage win.

Grand Prix Ouest France – Plouay Squad

Astley Luolo (26y/o Italian) – Hoping for a good showing here to bring him back into contention for the Grande Tour squad. Competent rider, who fails to shine in anyone aspect but could provide a shock if in the mood.

Caspar-Jan Hoebeke (26y/o Dutch) – Riding here to regain his fitness, may be able to shine, but really just looking for a good performance. On his day could challenge anyone, this race is just a bit early for him.

Verne Blaga (20y/o Romanian) – Like Luolo, looking for a good performance to help his chances of a big tour ride. A good all rounder that should go on to bigger and better things.

Lacking fit riders to put out a full squad.

[retired_princess160]

Cool, won the mountain jersey (and got 9th and 10th. With 0 points They were simply well placed in the general classification.) Great ride by Suhr. If only he hadn't fallen in the second stage and lost 8 minutes in the last 40km

Got 3rd, 8th and 10th in the green jersey.

6, 7, 11, 13 and 15 in the overal classification.

A long green list greeting me on the finances screen, already making this a money-making week

I'm gaining quickly on number 3, so a third spot looks on the books, against my expectations, whereas number 5 is losing ground fast.

[retired_princess160]

Vuelta

Aric Rustichell (26) - Leader, TT, Mountain man. A relatively recent addition to my team, had to nurse him to fitness first.

Dareh Ludwig (29) - Sprinter

Chimento (30) - Mountain man, steering 17, bravery 18. Got him this weekend. Sounds like a good catch.

Zeth Jeckel (23) - Winner of Catalunya - still in a boyant mood over that.

Taksony Anda (29) - has some skills in TT and flat, but can drive down a mountain with the best of them.

All in all, an experienced and versatile team, all of them top fit. I should be able to get some points from this.


Ouest France

Cremer (squad filler, not fit)

Blasig (24) - a hill specialist, counting on him to compete in this one.

Schulz (squad filler, not fit)

Legai (squad filler, not fit)

Kers Aubert (28) - a man for flat stages really, but at least he's fit

As the amount of cyclists in the squad has an influence on the chances of the individuals, I put three guys with 85% fitness in this one. They'll lose 5% and then be on 100% again come Sunday, nothing to lose by putting them in.

[retired_shaneargy]

Vuelta Squad

Floréal Verschueren (20y/o Belgian) - already plenty of experience and knows how to manoeuvre his troops despite his tender age. Will peptalk the other riders while he sits back in the grupetto together with our sprinter. Lacks a bit of fitness but really isn't really good enough to be more than a also-ran anyway.

Odetta Franceschi (30y/o Italian) - the designated sprinter who has already picked up a green jersey. He's quite an all-rounder with the one weakness of climbing, so he will suffer

Fonda Lamboray (21y/o French) - the featherweight mountaingoat who will attack for mountain points. He will need years of training before he will be a force to reckoned with though

Sabri Samson (19y/o French) - the domestique in the squad who will fetch bottles for the rest. He could do a top ten in the time trials though. Mostly in the squad to learn (and because I lack fit riders)

Jevon Aubineau (23y/o French) - the rookie my youth squad picked up last week. A good allrounder and could be able to pull off top ten in the GC if all goes to plan. His stats characteristics reminds me of 'Il Falco' Paolo Savoldelli.

Grand Prix Ouest France – Plouay Squad

Waldemar Heck (27y/o Belgian) - He was dropped from the Vuelta squad due to his giant build. He's a decent climber none-the-less and his leadership skills will hopefully help the <STRIKE>no-hopers</STRIKE> riders yet to shine I had to choose to decent placings.

Benin Henry (30y/o French) - He's the rouleur of the team, not very good though and after looking on the stage map he questioned my sanity after choosing him to race. He will do as he is told though.

Lyman Bodson (29y/o French) - He can manage some climbs and hills and will hopefully be able to help longer than Henry will.

Selene Tano (25y/o Italian) - The squad's main hope for the race because he's the one-day specialist who loves hills. Unfortunately he drops like a stone as soon as they are called mountains.

Jevon Aubineau(23y/o French) - due to the lack of fit riders in the squad he has to double with the Vuelta and will take it easy in the race. With his talent he will probably do better than some other team members though.

[retired_42Army]

Jevon Aubineau(23y/o French) - due to the lack of fit riders in the squad he has to double with the Vuelta and will take it easy in the race. With his talent he will probably do better than some other team members though.

He can't double Maple.

If he competes in the Vuelta he won't be able to do anything else until its finished.

[retired_kris1971again]

Vuelta

Lemuel Ricciardo

Squad father at 29, 4 leadership, 2 for all the main skills, solid rider who has been in 22 races this year, always a solid top 20 finisher.

Gamble Westerink

Now with this weekends pop. solid on the flat, a mountain sprinter who dominated the mountains in Germany, expect him to do the same comfortably here in spain.

Senne Van Der Laak

Lacking in the mountains, he makes up for it by being dominant on the flat and hills. Expect him to pick up early stages and hope he can hang on as the gradient increases.

Indiana Depyper

Took both ITT stages in France, hoping he can do the same here as he will be looking to add the vuelta points jersey to his one from the TdF. Probably my best flat rider.

Kana De Muer

Best all rounder in the squad, and my GC hope. Hopefully his consistancy will carry over into his first big tour.



Grand Prix Ouest France - Plouay

Low priority perhaps, but a good enough money spinner. Fielding a team of young talent and will se how they manage.

Floridia Vito

The young Italian hope of my team, 19 and dominant on the flat, and already an experienced leader. Will be hoping to lead the team to victory.

Sarjog Lanser

Debut for the sprinter, will he be as good as he looks, having pop.'d already at the weekend.

Slim Piot

The new all-rounder also gets his first taste of racing for PTR.

Cailan Dostriche

Last of Saturdays buys, rough around the edges but has talent, just a first run out.

Issay Paviot

Will his obvious talent ever show in his results. Still to be moulded but yet to show anything in his previous 7 starts, in as he needs races and experience. Hopefully he'll manage a good result.

[retired_kris1971again]

Selene Tano (25y/o Italian) - The squad's main hope for the race because he's the one-day specialist who loves hills. Unfortunately he drops like a stone as soon as they are called mountains.

heh, my trash has ended up with you then, treat him good.

[retired_42Army]

Grand Prix

Preview of Cougars riders.

Tujan Constantinescu-23yo Romanian
A late change sees the outgoing Rossius dropped & in comes Constantinescu who was signed for 35k about 5 mins ago. A natural leader who is comfortable but not skilled on most terrains, the club will be looking for him to marshall the troops on small tours next season and the Grand Prix represents his first chance.

Asella Bernabo-20yo Italian
Picked up from Phoenix Team Racing mid-season for 30k, he lacks experience & leadership but should turn into a solid squad rider in a couple of seasons. He can time trial & sprint and is only left behind when the % increases, TtD has made a mistake in letting this one go! His season started in the Criterium du Dauphine where he finished a disappointing 26th but picked himself up to finish 12th out of 60 in the Vattenfall Cyclassics a race that didn't really suit his skills. The Grand Prix however is a race that matches his skills and he will be pushing hard to prove his worth to the team.

Leeto Desimpel-18yo Dutch
The Cougars first 100k+ signing joined at the end of June for a record 209k. Strong on any terrain and can sprint as well, those in the know say this rider has major tour winner written all over him. His career has started well as he beat 49 others to be crowned winner of the Clasica San Sebastian last week and is the bookies favourite to add the Grand Prix title to it.

Kynton Ritz-18yo German
A product of the Cougars youth squad, this young sprinter just doesn't cut it at this level and will probably be moved on next season. This season has seen him compete in the Criterium du Dauphine (26th & 3rd place on stage 1), Vattenfall Cyclassics (22nd) & Clasica San Sebastian (8th). Top 10 would be a good result for this rider.

Zachery Alonso Perez-18yo Spaniard
Unique is the word used to describe Perez who joined mid-season for 44k. A strong sprinter who has limitless potential and will win many races when he stays upright. Experience beyond his years mean he is marked down as a contender whenever he enters a race and this season is proof of that. He started in the Tour de Suisse (3rd overall, 1 stage win & the points jersey) before moving on to the Clasica San Sebastian (12th) where he was found out in the mountains. The Grand Prix should be much more suited to him and if he is still in touch at the finish don't bet against him to add to his CV.

[retired_jasminens]

Put in a 4-man team for the Vuelta and just a twosome for the Grand Prix.

I'm sure the best I can hope for in either is a top 25 finish.