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English Cff Forum => General Forum => Topic started by: Vos on July 31, 2022, 01:42:58 PM

Title: Season 26
Post by: Vos on July 31, 2022, 01:42:58 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/gevfoxJ.jpg)
The s26 world championship road race is in Doha ( Qatar ) and perfect for sprinters.

Previous winners Doha Road WC :
season 16 = (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/inglaterra.jpg) Bud Power ( BlackHole )
season 12 = (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/francia.jpg) Christian Bordeneuve ( Thorboassonarvesen )
season   3 = (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/inglaterra.jpg) Seb Walkins ( SaulSalinasTeam )

Have fun & good luck everyone in season 26 !  :)

Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on July 31, 2022, 02:26:01 PM
Overview of previous season 25 =

(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/1equipos.gif)  OphiukoCT
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/2equipos.gif)  LottoStelvio
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/3equipos.gif)  Rekutxuteam
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/1indi.gif)  Dada Azarov ( CaptainOrange )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/2indi.gif)  Aad de Jong ( Bikeos )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/3indi.gif)  Daumants Simsons ( OphiukoCT )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/copaq.jpg)  MortoviaCycling
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/copaq2.jpg)  Thorboassonarvesen
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/arcoiris.gif)  Aziz Kavalerov ( °Peachy°Melocotons )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/arcocrono.jpg)  Gregor Arzdorf ( Rekutxuteam )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/giro.jpg)  Martine Perec ( OphiukoCT )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/tour.jpg)  Dada Azarov ( CaptainOrange )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/vuelta.jpg)  Elton Fevola ( Bikeos )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/joven.gif)  Sammy Alfier ( Aurora_Australis )
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/camiclasicas.jpg)  Gregor Arzdorf ( Rekutxuteam & (https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/de.png) NT manager Statoil )

(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/australia.jpg) = NT WORLD CHAMPION ( OphiukoCT & all managers with Australian top cyclists )
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 08, 2022, 07:44:47 AM
NT race 2
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/etapas/leukerbad.jpg)
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/iconoscff/1victoriaint.png)   (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/usa.jpg) Ryan Beckham ( SPORTLIFE )  8)

For the first time ever that a SPORTLIFE cyclist wins a NT race !  :)
With a very big THANKS to the American NT manager JGMTeam !  8)
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Combuijs on August 08, 2022, 05:39:56 PM
That's a nice milestone to have!
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: JGonmar6 on August 10, 2022, 12:42:40 AM
NT race 2
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/etapas/leukerbad.jpg)
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/iconoscff/1victoriaint.png)   (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/usa.jpg) Ryan Beckham ( SPORTLIFE )  8)

For the first time ever that a SPORTLIFE cyclist wins a NT race !  :)
With a very big THANKS to the American NT manager JGMTeam !  8)

You are welcome!!
Congratulations!!!
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 10, 2022, 09:03:53 AM
Thanks !  :)
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 19, 2022, 10:36:04 AM
My season goal of getting 3 victories is already achieved :  :)

(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/etapas/eze.jpg)
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/noruega.jpg) Osland ( 25, SPORTLIFE )  8)
2º (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/australia.jpg) Daniel Finn ( 29, Rekutxuteam ) on 0:00"
A very close battle of Osland versus his former teammate Finn, who was in my team very shortly.

And a big shame that Daniel Finn is fired some days later. :-[
And yes, according to me it has to be mentioned when Australian top cyclists are fired.
The 29yo( ! ) Finn could have been easily sold with a low asking price.
But his manager put him on the TL too expensive, and I guess he needed space in his team desperately.
Although I'm not entirely certain of this, maybe also an option is that he was sold and the new buyer fired him.
Well, if there are no NT climb time trials in the next 3 NT seasons, it is not a big loss to Australia.
So far in all 25 NT seasons there was just one NT climb time trial, so, probably it does not matter that Daniel Finn is fired.

Anyway, back to the glorious (and maybe lucky) victory of Osland ;
he even achieved a CFF record in this climb TT stage despite he is/was very unexperienced with just 10xp.
Osland was a 2½M trainingsproject, and due to having always amazing racing staff in my team, my trainingprojects cannot gain xp.

(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/etapas/getxo.jpg)(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/viento1.jpg)(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/nieve.jpg)
stage 5 Itzulia ;
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/ukrania.jpg) Udod ( 30, SPORTLIFE )  8)
A very unexpected victory of my new buy ( 4 M ) of this season,
because he could by far not challenge any favorites and I assume there were many rivals with TC bonus too.
Thanks to a superb helper's job of Meijer, because only my team had n s4 a captain-helper combo in the first chasing group of 5 cyclists.
I must say, my team was lucky that in s4 the Astanadena teamcaptain suddenly solo attacked with a gap of just 4 seconds,
otherwise Astanadena would have had a captain-helper combo in s4 too.
Now that team did not, and was missing the very important extra bonus.
In contrast to Udod, who certainly won thanks to Meijer / great tactics.

(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/etapas/zinal.jpg)
stage 1 Romandie ;
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/inglaterra.jpg) Lewis ( 27, SPORTLIFE )  8)
Solo victory with 0:20" ahead of just one chaser.
With thanks to a magnificient helper's job of Beckham, because the s4 front group of 5 had just one teamcaptain-helper combo.
The 2nd victory of my former 2,6 M trainingsproject, because in previous season Lewis won the climb TT stage in the Tour de Suisse.
I guess he likes Switzerland a lot, by winning now a pure mountain stage in Romandie.


Why a season goal of getting 3 victories somewhere ?
Because despite I very often have the GC as goal, I was close to this prestigious milestone / achievement, what is now realized ! :)  8)

(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/iconoscff/100victoria.png) = 100 victories ( one day races and stages ) in division 1A.
Only 3 managers have this achievement :

Yvo_Meppelink_ProCycling   11/02/2022
Thorboassonarvesen   23/05/2022
SPORTLIFE      19/08/2022

edit ; also Caracoles ( 113 victories ) had this achievement, but that team does not excist anymore.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 30, 2022, 09:26:26 AM
The Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France are my main GC goals this season, so it is time to make a forum post again. :)


(https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/logos/8e2fd4d4ee620c3f1192c94b40da9db9.png)   (https://i.imgur.com/GvIPZ8B.png)selection SPORTLIFE

The undisputed teamcaptain is Milne, who already had good GC results this season ; 5º Paris-Nice and 5º Catalunya.
In previous season he was 10º Tour de Suisse and 7º Tour de France.

111 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/inglaterra.jpg) Milne ( 30 ), tour
113 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/belgica.jpg) Masschelein ( 30 ), tour
112 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/hungria.jpg) Szõnyi ( 30 ), climb
114 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/portugal.jpg) Vasconceles ( 29 ), silver climb & bronze sprint
115 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/italia.jpg) Caneschi ( 28 ), climb

TdS, stage 1, mountains ;
  Szõnyi ( free role )   0:43"
17º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   1:09"
18º  Caneschi ( masterhelper )   1:09"
More than excellent result, thanks to a magnificient job of Caneschi.

TdS, stage 2, heavy-hills-sprint ;
27º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   0:46"
Bad luck, because Milne finished as 1st of a very big third group ( nrs 27 to 59 ), what is never good to a GC contender.

Even his exhausted helper Masschelein finished in that same group, what is another sign that Milne had bad luck.
And this unlucky "loss" of 21 seconds was even a missed opportunity to get the GC lead,
because now Milne is 4º GC on 0:00" ( the top 6 GC is on 0:00" ).

Perhaps I should be satisfied about this stage 2, because the helper did a great job,
and before the race I would be happy with a 3rd group finish of Milne, because he has just 4 stars on hills and a bronze sprint icon.

And for a good GC result the upcoming stages are most likely more important ;
a windy, tricky flat-climb stage  &  a sprint stage with storm(!)  &  a time trial.

So, maybe these 21 seconds "extra loss" in stage 2 do not matter in the end.
And besides this, Milne certainly overperformed / won unexpected extra time in stage 1, thanks to his climb helper Caneschi.
What is excellent support, and therefore fun to mention this too ;  :))

Dauphiné, stage 4, mountains ;
  Caneschi ( teamcaptain ) --> the 4th victory of SPORTLIFE this season.  8)
It was the very first victory of Caneschi in his career.
Thanks to an amazing helper's job of NT race 1 winner Beckham,
because in s4 a breakaway group of just 4, where only my team had a captain-helper combo.

By the way, Beckham was planned to ride this Tour de Suisse as well,
but on second-thought I decided not to select him because now he is in full training mode for the important NT race next Sunday.
And to TdS teamcaptain Milne it does not matter, because he "has" excellent helpers already.
Or better said, "should have", because the helpers have to prove themselves too in the upcoming stages, but so far they did excellent.
Let's hope the helpers perform in the next tricky stage too, so Milne can get a good result on the Tiefenbachferner-climb in Austria.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 30, 2022, 10:05:03 PM
TdS, stage 3, flat-climb ( 2x wind ) ;
  Milne ( teamcaptain )   0:26"
Great result !  :)
Thanks to excellent tactics that were based on an expected battlefield in the windy flat sections.

And my expection came true and paid off.
because in particular OphiukoCT made this stage brutal by a very fast pace in the flat sections =  34 - 30 - 30 - 28 - 3.
Milne had 4 helpers, and only Vasconceles was good enough to be the very important helper in the relative small s4 front group.

Currently Milne is 0:05" behind GC leader Acosta ( Elgrand ),
together with Steine ( ValeronIdolo ) and Perec ( OphiukoCT ), both are also on 0:05" and Robinson ( ICSluj ) on just 0:15"
But I guess that all the GC contenders have fear for the storm in the upcoming flat sprint stage, what can cause big time differences.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 31, 2022, 02:01:46 PM
TdS, stage 4, sprint ( storm ! ) ;
54º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   1:15"
Finishing in the 4th group is a very good result, possible thanks to great help of Vasconceles, who was with Milne in all sections.

Out of the GC rivals, only Steine finished in the 4th group too, and barely, because he finished as 66º and second-last of the group.
Robinson finished just 4 places behind Steine, but in the 5th group on 1:42"
The other 2 GC rivals Perec and Acosta do not have a sprint icon, and lost more time by finishing in the 6th group on 2:03"
Former GC leader Acosta was most likely unlucky by finishing as 1st of that group and just missing the cut.

Milne is now on 0:00" in the GC, together with new GC leader Steine ( ValeronIdolo ).
Unfortunately Milne has no chance to win this Tour de Suisse,
because Steine has a silver TT icon and much better in flat TT than Milne,
for example, Steine finished as 27º on 1:44" in the 36km flat TT stage 5 of Romandie.
Milne did not ride Romandie, but if he would have, Milne for sure finished many seconds behind Steine in that time trial.

Too bad, because the Tour de Suisse and the Tour Down Under are the only 2 little tours that my team never won.
I guess Milne has to battle for a second place now,
what looks achievable if I assume that the current gap with Perec is big enough :

TdS GC after 4 stages =
1    Tor Steine   29   ValeronIdolo   0: 00" --> I assume he wins this TdS because 27º on 1:44" in TT stage 5 Romandie 36km.
2    Mike Milne   30   SPORTLIFE   0: 00" --> 45º on 2:02" in TT stage 1 Tirreno 22km.
3    Phil Robinson   29   ICSluj   0: 37" --> no TT results of this season known, but just like Milne, he has a bronze TT icon.
4    William Acosta   31   Elgrand   0: 42" --> 38º on 1:51" in TT stage 1 Tirreno 22km.
5    Martine Perec   31   OphiukoCT   0: 47" --> 24º on 1:41" in TT stage 5 Romandie 36km.
6    Koen VanAmerongen   30   CaptainOrange   2: 10" --> too far behind.

Good luck everyone !  :) 
( except for Steine, no problem to me if he has a mechanical breakdown in every section :)) )
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 31, 2022, 09:07:46 PM
TdS, stage 5, flat TT 34km ;
35º  Milne   2:32" --> with mechanical breakdown in s5
This result was good enough to stay 4 seconds ahead of Perec ( OphiukoCT ) in the GC.

Final GC podium Tour de Suisse =
1    Tor Steine   29   ValeronIdolo   0: 00"   
2    Mike Milne   30   SPORTLIFE   0: 37"   
3    Martine Perec   31   OphiukoCT   0: 41"
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on August 31, 2022, 09:40:03 PM
(https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/logos/ec365cb5b403c66bf9212fc15b3d4289.png)   (https://i.imgur.com/GvIPZ8B.png)selection SPORTLIFE

Milne did very well in the Tour de Suisse, but I expect that this Tour de France suits him less compared to the many GC rivals.
Battling for a podiumplace seems to me far out of reach, but I hope and assume that he is good enough to ride top 10 GC.
In contrast to Suisse, he does not have a sprint helper because I failed to buy such a helper. Instead, he has an extra climb helper.

The main helper of Milne should be Boyar ( in 5 out of the 10 stages ).
Although I have a doubt who is better suited for this TdF, because Boyar is much better in the hills ánd in the mountains.
For now, I gamble on Milne, because he has a better sprint and a better time trial.
Maybe the wrong gamble, and the problem is that Boyar has to be the helper in stages 1 and 2,
so a late switch of GC teamcaptain might not be a real option due to the expected time loss of Boyar in a helper's role.

In the 3 stages with a mountain finish, Milne should have excellent support of the climbers.
But it is also an option to try to go for victory in pure mountain stage 4, and then Milne gets a free role.

101 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/inglaterra.jpg) Milne ( 30 ), tour
102 (https://i.imgur.com/xavQvw5.png) Boyar ( 31 ), tour
103 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/hungria.jpg) Szõnyi ( 30 ), climb
104 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/italia.jpg) Caneschi ( 27 ), climb
105 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/inglaterra.jpg) Lewis ( 26 ), climb

Good luck everyone ! :)
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 01, 2022, 11:10:18 PM
TdF stage 1, sprint ( 1x wind ) ;
47º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   1:01" 
As 2nd of a very big 3rd group.
Probably an unlucky finish, on top of that Milne was isolated almost the whole race, because Boyar was just good enough to help in s1.
In hinside the helper's role of Boyar was a bit of a waste, and he finished in the 5th group on 2:02"

TdF stage 2 MMMHF ;
  Milne ( teamcaptain )   0:00"
  Boyar ( free role )   0:00"
Excellent results !
Although my 3 climb helpers were less good as I expected, and could only help in s1.
But before the race I estimated that Milne could finish on 0:00" without help, so, a good opportunity for Boyar to ride in a free role.

After 2 stages, there are 15 cyclists on 0:00 in the GC, and guess who of those 15 gets the yellow jersey ? :  :))
(https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/jerseys/jersey_yellow.png)(https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/gb.png) Mike Milne ( SPORTLIFE )
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 02, 2022, 07:37:28 AM
TdF stage 3, flat TT ( 1x wind ) ;
36º  Milne   2:31" 
46º  Boyar   2:47" 
Milne lost the yellow jersey and dropped to 9ºGC on 0:52"
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 03, 2022, 01:12:50 AM
TdF stage 4, mountains ( 1x wind ) ;
  Szõnyi ( teamcaptain )   0:52"  :-[
16º   Caneschi ( "helper" who did not help )   1:14"
40º  Milne ( free role )   2:31" 
47º  Boyar ( free role )   2:49"  --> with mechanical breakdown 
50º  Lewis ( helper who did not help )   2:49"

Big fiasco ! ! !
I could not resist the temptation to try to go for stage victory.
But already in s1 it went wrong, because unexpectedly Szõnyi could not follow his "helpers". In fact, in all sections Szõnyi had no help.
In retrospective ; even if the race tactics went perfectly, there was not a chance to win this mountain stage.
Because the fully prepared helper Caneschi did great and had even 2 active weather icons,
and teamcaptain Szõnyi should have been in his wheel the whole race, including s4.
But in s4 Caneschi was riding in the 3rd group of nrs 5 to 8, on already 0:28" behind the escaped LottoGranadier combo.

Also very doubtfull if the free role tactics were good of Milne and Boyar.
Boyar has a much better climb GV than Milne, and both were riding in the same tactics,
and the results show the big negative impact that the mechanical breakdown of Boyar had, he even finished 18 sec. behind Milne.

From now on all focus will be on the GC. After 4 stages this is their GC ranking :
11º   Milne   2:11"
16º   Boyar   3:38"
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 03, 2022, 07:45:17 PM
TdF stage 5, flat TT ( 2x wind ) ;
36º  Milne   2:46" 
48º  Boyar   3:05" 

TdF stage 6, flat-climb ;
36º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   1:29" 
47º  Boyar ( free role )   1:50" 
This race did not go the way I hoped.
The s1 start was excellent, but suddenly in s2 ; free role Boyar and the helpers of Milne dropped all out of the s2 front peleton of 58.
Because Milne was isolated in s2, he could not keep up with the fierce pace in s3, and dropped to the 2nd group.
He did no see teammates there, because they all dropped in s3 even further behind to the 3rd group.
In s4 the isolated Milne could stay in the 2nd group, but of course bad that he starts the final climb 37sec later ánd without extra bonus.
Free role Boyar even started the final climb out of the 3rd group in s4, what was already 63sec. behind in s4.

Certainly unnecessary time-loss of my 2 tour cyclists due to wrong tactical gambles in stage 6.
GC after 6 stages =
11º   Milne ( 3x teamcaptain, 1x free role )   4:04"
18º   Boyar ( 3x free role, 1x helper )   6:11"
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 05, 2022, 07:17:27 AM
TdF stage 7, hills ( storm ) ;
33º  Boyar ( helper )   0:53" 
37º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   0:53" 
Perfect helper's job of Boyar.

TdF stage 8, hill-sprint ( storm ) ;
42º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   1:01" 
65º  Boyar ( helper )   1:44" 
I estimated that Boyar was not good enough to be a s4 helper, so, he was used as a 3 sections helper, what he did very well.
From s3 on, Milne had to do it on his own and due to the storm ánd due to not much energy left, he was struggling ;
Milne dropped in s4 from 2nd to 3rd group, and dropped in s5 to the 4h group.

TdF stage 9, FFMDM ( 1x wind ) ;
  Szõnyi ( free role )   0:28"
17º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   0:36" 
26º  Boyar ( free role )   0:57" 
Excellent race of free role Szõnyi( with just 41 flat ) and teamcaptain Milne, both were in the s4 front group of 22 climbers.
As expected, free role Boyar could not return in s4.
Helper Lewis was less good as expected ; just helped in the flat sections and far behind in s4 despite he used all his energy.

GC after 9 stages =
7º   Milne ( 6x teamcaptain, 1x free role )   4:00"
13º   Boyar ( 4x free role, 3x helper )   7:12"
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 06, 2022, 09:07:20 AM
TdF stage 10, hills-sprint FFHHF ;
39º  Milne ( teamcaptain )   0:28" 
81º  Boyar ( helper )   1:06" 

Tour de France, final GC =
6º   Milne   3:23"
13º   Boyar   7:12"
Nice results !  :)


San Sebastian ;
12º  Boyar ( teamcaptain )   1:03"
Bad race and bad result.
The tactical gamble was to save energy early in the race and then return in flat s3.
But this did not happen ; in s2 too far behind and the s3 front "peleton" was this time much smaller ( 35 cyclists ) as expected.
The helpers did well ; 2 were riding in a so called "forward pawn tactic" but Boyar did not join them in the s3 front peleton.
Despite helper Milne stayed with Boyar in s1 and s2 ( and also in the 2nd group of s3 ).
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 06, 2022, 09:53:46 AM
A poor selection in the BinckBank Tour ;
2 hills specialists ; Udod and Ekkelboom. A few points in stages 2 and 3 should be possible.
3 xp cyclists ; Osland ( climb-TT ), Caneschi ( climb ) and  Szõnyi ( climb ).

My Vuelta selection should be much more promising :

(https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/logos/c8892128eff206aeb674bcc6880a73a6.png)   (https://i.imgur.com/GvIPZ8B.png)selection SPORTLIFE

101 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/belgica.jpg) Masschelein ( 30 ), tour
102 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/usa.jpg) Beckham ( 30 ), climb
103 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/holanda.jpg) Reigersman ( 31 ), hillsclimb
104 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/australia.jpg) Hunter ( 24 ), TT
105 (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/portugal.jpg) Vasconcelos ( 29 ), silver-climb & bronze-sprint

Unfortunately my Belgian GC contender is not of the same quality as (https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/be.png) Remco Evenepoel, but a top10 GC should be possible.

Beckham is the better CFF version of (https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/us.png) Sepp Kuss, and also a difference is that Beckham will finish the Vuelta.

(https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/nl.png) Thymen Arensman is doing great in the real Vuelta, hopefully my Reigersman is inspired by him.

Somewhere in the future, the young Hunter hopes that he will be just as good as (https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/au.png) Rohan Dennis, who rides the real Vuelta too.

And to finish this text, let's compare Vasconceles with (https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/pt.png) João Almeida for no reason at all, besides that he is also Portuguese.

Good luck everyone !  :)
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Aurora Australis on September 06, 2022, 09:57:54 PM
With health at just 93, the aging Tod Henderson gave a middle finger salute as he crossed the line with the fastest time at Stage 1 of the BinckBank Tour.  In what's expected to be close to his final race before retirement in a team that's already in semi-retirement having completely missed many races, Tod thanked his manager for a great career, expressed his joy at winning one more time for his manager, before his finger was raised again at certain sections of the crowd.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 10, 2022, 10:03:47 AM
Vuelta GC after 3 stages ;
(https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/jerseys/jersey_red.png)  1    (https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/au.png) Maurice Hunter   24   (https://www.worldcyclingstats.com/img/flags/small/au.png) SPORTLIFE   0: 00"   8)
He finished as and in the two TT stages, and as 77º on 2:36" as helper in hill-sprint stage 2.

With special thanks to thé best ever TT manager of CFF = Aurora Australis,
who trained Hunter for 4½ seasons before I bought him in previous season.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: ophiuko on September 13, 2022, 10:24:53 PM
With the end of La Vuelta, my 13-season journey to get the best GC team ever in CFF (fully trained in the team) concludes today. During this time I have trained 2 different generations. The first one were standard mountain GC riders, and the second was a double generation of sprint-hill-cobblers and sprint-hillers, potentially to cover TDU and BBT. After 11 seasons of training, last two seasons I competed full force. My objective was to get a podium place in all tours. Although I did not achieve this in only 1 season, it turns out I did during the last three seasons. 1st place in 9 tours, and just podium place in the remaining 3 (2º Vuelta España, 2º Tour Romandie, 3º Tour Suisse)

(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/564826389765816343/1019300420574793788/unknown.png)

This season was quite good too. 6 victories, 3 top3, 1 top5, 2 top10. I think it's the record with most tours won, beating the 5 tours won by Cykings on season 2.

7 different winners, all trained in OphiukoCT: Tigo Grein, Sten Longva, Daumants Simsons, Silver Maasikmets, Martine Perec, Pedro Angel Casado and Joop Veneberg

Now my first generation of GC riders are for sale, except Daumants Simsons who will retire in our team. They are still 31yo, so next season they will be still quite competitive.

I will start a new generation of hillers next season and will slowly make the transition towards stage wins. Although I see it difficult to abandon completely the GCs.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 14, 2022, 12:42:47 AM
Very, very, very impressive, Ophiuko !  8)

Now some levels lower in quality, and yes, that is the notorious team of SPORTLIFE  :))
Vuelta final GC ;
9º  Masschelein   3:02"
Mission completed.
The best stage result of my Belgian teamcaptain was in stage 8 MDFMF,
right behind his teammate Vasconcelos who finished as in a free role ( who was bought this season for just 123k ).
Also Beckham did great in free roles ; in stage 4 MMMMM and in stage 10 FFFFM.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Combuijs on September 14, 2022, 05:18:26 PM
Very nice stats Ophiuko! And still something to improve, in winning all tours in three seasons. Nevertheless, very impressive!
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 14, 2022, 11:59:45 PM
Giro di Lombardia ;
10º  Reigersman
Nice result and he is for sale for just 1 M.
He has just one problem ; he thinks he can sing, but just like every person in his village, he cannot. If you buy him, buy ear plugs too. :)
https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/vision.php?ciclistaid=120821

Richmond TT WC ;
5º  Hunter ( 24yo )   0:24"
As expected, far behind in time on the top 3, but the result is excellent of my superprepared young Aussie.
Title: Re: Season 26
Post by: Vos on September 15, 2022, 11:33:55 AM
Doha WC, sprint ( a strange 1ºC in Qatar, and with storm ! ) ;
13º  Pahapill   0:00"
Magnificient result of my just silver sprinter, who finished in the front group of just 15 cyclists. :)

And even without help in the final 3 sections,
because his 2 helpers had both just a bronze flat-sprint icon and could only help in s1 + s2, a bit as expected.
But it might be that their help early in this stormy race was crucial for Pahapill to stay in the front.

A good decision to rest my 29yo climbsprinter to help a bit, ánd to give sprint-TC-bonus to my 21yo sprint-talent who had just 56 health.
The best decision was to buy 29yo silver sprinter Pahapill 13 days ago for 718k, especially for this WC ( good stamina and wind icon ).

Although it did not matter much in hinside, without these WC sprint points my team would have been one place lower in the 1A ranking.
Final 1A ranking, season 26 =
      SPORTLIFE   9977   (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/gold.jpg)=4   (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/silver.jpg)=3   (https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/bronce.jpg)=3
best little tour GC result =  2º Tour de Suisse
best big tour GC result =  6º Tour de France

Both GC results were achieved by ;
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/camiinglaterra.gif) Mike Milne ( 30yo tour cyclist )   1.982 points
By far the best GB cyclist this season, because the nr 2 has just 724 points.
And happy with this GB jesey because it was never won before. :)

At 1 am today there was an opportunity to buy the American jersey. Because the nr 1 in that ranking was for sale for 3 M.
Luckily someone else made a 3 M bid earlier as I did, so I did not had to spend money on this almost 33yo American,
to achieve my goal of getting the American jersey because the nr 2 was my Beckham with about 200 points less.
And no rivals below him, and also no rivals in the WC sprint, because there is just 1 USA golden sprinter and he is in the 2nd division.
(https://www.cyclingforfun.org/cff/imagenes/camiusa.gif) Ryan Beckham ( 30yo climber )   641 points
For the 2nd time in a row Beckham wins this jersey, and this season many points less as in previous season, because ;
he wins this American jersey without being a teamcaptain somewhere in a race, all points are scored in helper- and free roles. :)