Welcome to the sixth season of the Podium Cafe's in-house, one-of-a-kind year-long pro cycling fantasy game! Formerly known as the Virtual Directeur Sportif, we are changing the name to welcome sponsor for the 2012 season, Full Speed Ahead!
Better known as FSA, the company has been putting out great components and wheels for eons -- just ask the good folks at Liquigas. We've featured some of their products here before, so it is especially gratifying to have them come on as a partner for our year-long game. Here is a direct message from the FSA guys:
Let's Play! FSA is excited to sponsor the Virtual Director Sportif fantasy season on Podium Cafe. As makers of world class bicycle components for many Pro Tour teams, club riders and people who just like to ride their bikes, we are fans of the sport too. This season ought to be a lot of fun.
Best of luck!
FSA USA staff
Look for FSA USA staff to join the competition. Maybe they can goad their Italy office into taking part. They may know great components, but do they know which Katusha-Itera graduates from the one-pointer list are ready to break out? Possibly. I don't. Anyway, it'll add to the fun around here.
The other big, big BIG news is that the Official FSA Directeur Sportif Website is ready and waiting for you to play the Men's and the Women's games! Last year, you may recall, was the inaugural Women's competition, which was operated by sending a spreadsheet to Jens, who then copied it by hand into his master spreadsheet. Every two weeks Jens would mark the points next to each rider's name for each team in the master spreadsheet, hop a ferry to Copenhagen where he would have it scanned and emailed to me, which was then posted to the site for standings updates. However, Superted has come to the rescue, cut out the middleman (Jens), and automated the entire game -- team selection, submission, standings, etc. Just like the Men's game! At the official site, you can toggle back and forth between the M and W games by use of the selection tool at the top of the page.
OK, to get things started, let's run down the basics:
The FSA Directeur Sportif is our yearlong cycling game reminiscent of fantasy sports, without the creepy name. You assemble riders onto your team, then follow them throughout the season as they accumulate points for your team. If you're like majorly wicked lucky good at picking your team and you finish on the podium at season's end, you're in line for some awesome Podium Cafe swag. [Last year: Capo-produced Podium Cafe jerseys. This year... something else you can wear? And as always, the respect of your peers, or at least their bitter envy.] And if you don't technically win, you'll still have a great time and probably learn a lot about the riders you picked... or ditched at the last second, just before they embarked on their historic campaign.
You have a budget of points to spend in assembling your roster. In doing so you don't have to spend all 150 points but you must fill the entire roster. Once you assemble your team, the work is over. There is no in-season swapping, no setting your lineup every day. Cycling isn't baseball. You can make a men's team, a women's team, or one of each. What you can't do is make more than one M or W team; one submission per person per competition!
Men's Game: You have 150 points to spend on a roster of 25 riders. You don't have to spend all 150 points but you must have exactly 25 riders. Riders cost anywhere from 1 to 36 points. You can't have more than one rider who costs 24 points or above. You are also limited to three riders TOTAL who cost 18 points or above. [The latter includes your one 24+ guy, if you have one.] Check the rider list here.
Women's Game: You have 150 points to spend on a roster of 15 riders. You don't have to spend all 150 points but you must have exactly 15 riders. Riders cost anywhere from 1 to 65 points (guess who?). To make things trickier you are not allowed to spend more than 100 points on riders that cost 20 points or more. Check the rider list here.
Please note that the website of the women's game is not yet fully operational. The rider and race lists are correct but the rules function isn't set correctly yet.
Points are scored in a list of races we have designated at the Podium Cafe Race Calendar [M and W]. How many points? Which riders can I hire? Any other wrinkles? Go read the rules [M and W]! There aren't very many, but if you don't follow them, the submission will be rejected. Nobody likes rejection. Also, we do rather strenuously enforce the one team per person rule. Please, keep it fair!
No money. No portion of your soul. No strings attached. No, I'm not joking.
Well, no, you do have to become a registered member of the Podium Cafe before you can start. If you're not one already, that is. Look in the upper right corner for signup info. It's free, simple, and requires very, very little information.
Head on over to the FSA Directeur Sportif Website, login in the upper right corner using your exact same user ID from the Podium Cafe login, and get started! If you played in the past year or two, your existing login and password have been saved for you to use again this year. Just sign in and you're good to go. If you are new to the game, sing up first and a new password will be sent to you.
Nope. Get started picking your team now. As you are hiring riders your picks are automatically saved to your account, no further action needed. You can log in to the VDS site whenever you want to tinker with your team, hiring and firing riders endlessly, until deadline day... as long as you do not submit your team! Once you hit "SUBMIT", you can't make changes without groveling to an administrator first.
Not yet, but if your team isn't completely filled out, meeting all the requirements, and submitted by Deadline Day, February 24, 2012, then you're out of the competition until 2013.
Use the comments below. Tell your friends! Taunt/sandbag them into your own mini-competitions! Stay tuned for in-season mini-comps, like the Classics or the Grand Tours! Ready... set... GO!
0 recs | 441 comments
Not paid in advance, perhaps. But payment usually comes due soon after February 24th…
straw dog - February 2, 2012
let the disappointment begin!
ant1 - February 2, 2012
+1
Now is the winter of our discontent…
(and we love it)
JustJoshinYa - February 2, 2012
soon to be followed by
the Spring of our disappointment
the Summer of our frustration
and the Fall of our team into the bottom 100
straw dog - February 2, 2012
and thanks to FSA for sponsoring the game
can’t say enough good things about them. their products, and customer service department, have been treating me right for years.
ant1 - February 2, 2012
Everyone, over here.
the line for bowing to our new corporate overlords forms behind ant1…and me. ;-P
swells - February 3, 2012
Me too! Me too!! (bow, scrape, bow, scrape!!) Thanks FSA!
2thvet - February 3, 2012
+1
and congratulations to the team behind the great game. Getting FSA onboard is a significant endorsement of the best cycling game on the planet.
Uphill - February 3, 2012
it only starts on Saturday????
perezbike - February 2, 2012
Nope, I updated the dates, it's on NOW
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
great! now I can pick the green bullet
Despite a very unfair price.
Can the ones who have Sagan for the last 2 seasons get a discount on his price?
Fortunately, Tommeke is cheap.
perezbike - February 3, 2012 via mobile
You're right--Valverde's price is unfair.
His TDU performance should have bumped him up to 28.
majope - February 3, 2012
he is the only returning rider ever priced that high
which is a sign that he is indeed freaking awsome….hauhauhauahuha
perezbike - February 3, 2012
What?
The TDU? I am so tempted to make this comment my sig line. Majope, you should know by now!
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
+1 on the loyalty discount
i mean, there can’t be that many, right?
JessicaH - February 3, 2012
I even picked his brother...that's gotta be worth something.
JustJoshinYa - February 3, 2012
+1
Seahorse - February 3, 2012
Got my team all picked.
Big Kudos to Chris for bringing this home-and geting a sponsor no less! And Superted shows again why he’s the master of game design!
ursula - February 3, 2012
New players can't sign up?
Get some error message saying can’t sign up until the 5th. Another 48hours of foot tapping I guess :D
RollinRollinRolland - February 3, 2012
Old players can't sign up either
I’m trying to create a team and it’s not working.
Tyler Bleszinski - February 3, 2012
Hang on
We need to do some minor fixes.
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012 via mobile
FIXED!
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Superted FTW!
Well, not literally, of course.
majope - February 3, 2012
Great :)
RollinRollinRolland - February 3, 2012
So you outsourced cheap labor from Sweden to cheaper labor in Holland?
Did you sell Jens an incredibly crappy mortgage that will force him to sell his business and move to Norway while you were at it?
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
Awesome!
Tyler Bleszinski - February 3, 2012
Re:
even if my “existing login” is no longer my “exact same User ID”?
Just asking.
swells - February 3, 2012
Keep using the old VDS login
The identity check is only done at sign-up.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Done.
Thx, superTed.
swells - February 3, 2012
There's one hitch,
if you no longer have access to the old email address you used when signing up for the [FSA|V]DS and you don’t have your password anymore, the website can’t help you. Sorry, I meant to include a “Change My Email” function but haven’t got around to it yet. Post here or email me if you need help with this.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Got the first draft of my team done.
Now, to see if they can all stay on their bikes until the deadline…
majope - February 3, 2012
With 25 Heinrich Hausslers, I think you can hope that one or two will remain upright.
ursula - February 3, 2012
Aw, you peeked!
majope - February 3, 2012
Hmm
I heard you guys talk all about this all throughout last year (I didn’t join this site until May last year). I’ve never been quite sure if I wanted to dive-in. I flatter myself that I know the sport reasonably well, but I’m sure I’d finish dead last in this competition, somehow.
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
sandbagging already?
You’re qualified! Jump in.
swells - February 3, 2012
I don't know what that means
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
To sandbag
to pretend you’re injured or sick or won’t do well in the upcoming race, while you really feel awesome and will kick ass.
See: Niels Albert, Alberto Contador
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
If you need some tips on who to pick
Just ask.
Jimbo... - February 3, 2012
And then do the opposite?
VirtKitty - February 3, 2012
Not even that
With Jimbo’s advice you then just pick random riders-just as long as they aren’t his picks.
ursula - February 3, 2012
I keep thinking of guys who I saw get good results from tiny teams last year
…but they’re on not-tiny teams now, and are probably gonna be bottle carriers all season, so what’s the use?
This is harder than it seems…and it doesn’t exactly seem easy
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
don't worry
you can’t do worse than Drew.
Jens - February 3, 2012 via Android app
sheeeeeet
If that’s not damning with faint praise, I’d like to see what is.
ursula - February 3, 2012
Thank you ursula
Wait……….
Drew Davis - February 4, 2012
I don't know anything..!
Finished first 300..! Is fun jump in…! Luck has nothing to do with knowledge..!
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
So you're saying it's all a crapshoot?
Hmm (again), not my usual kind of game.
Gotta little time to decide I suppose :)
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
Very much... You have to know a little..
but at the end is pure luck..
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
I disagree
It’s knowledge, skill and objectivity that lends you in the top 50. But WHERE in the top 50, that may be up to luck, to a certain degree. Obviously you can’t exactly predict who will win every point there is.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Knowledge, skill, objectivity and luck
Surely. Or bad luck to others at least.
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
Objectivity, yeah
that’s where I always fail.
paisley - February 3, 2012
+1
majope - February 3, 2012
I was thinking of you when I wrote it
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Twenty two days
until the team submission deadline.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
The more I know
the worse I do.
civetta - February 3, 2012
Thanks to everyone that makes this game possible...!
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
Prices seem high ; ))
I mean with all the talk of how Cance had a bad year,Andy can’t win a race,seems like they are overpriced.
I’m so happy this has started! It makes the races extra fun! Thanks to all of you who work on it,participate,and the new sponsor.
Jump in everyone,you will not be sorry!
Dustbunny8 - February 3, 2012
What, all the prices are high?
If all the prices were halved and the team budget changed to 75, would that work better for you?
straw dog - February 3, 2012
The "popularity factor' is also figured in
so we don’t have ~200 of ~identical teams. Or even 10 groups groups of 20 ~identical teams, grouped around the same favorite one or two riders.
JFS_PGH - February 8, 2012
WOMEN'S VERSION!
Please do also check the flip switch on the top-right of the FSA DS page: men/women. You don’t need a new login but you do need a new team to play M or W, obviously. The rules are slightly different as well, watch out for that.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
I need riders pictures to do my Women VDS SuperTed!
Otherwise I can only pick Marianne Vos for awsomeness and Emilia Fahlin.
perezbike - February 3, 2012
That's what Google image search is for
It’s how I picked my mens team last year
VirtKitty - February 3, 2012
So very happy that both are under the fully superTED'd interface now...
…not to slight Jens’s work last year.
Thanks to both!
Ed K - February 3, 2012
And they are off!
Oh boy! In my last night’s dream, boys from my team’s draft #6 were fighting with boys of the team’s draft #2!
Thanks God! More peaceful boys from the draft#3 were dating ladies from my women’s team
holmovka - February 3, 2012
dude do you have any comments that aren’t awesome?
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
When can I pick the babies that were the result of the draft#3 scheme?
They’re bound to be good riders!
Lopex - February 3, 2012
hehe
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
Ha! You are too late, my friend!
In the same dream I saw Vlaandaren90 with notebook and pencil.
holmovka - February 3, 2012
Hey, what else am I supposed to do when I'm bored in class?!
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
“ferry to Copenhagen” AHAHAHA
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
I know. Chris is so nineties
we have a bridge now. I know cause I just went over it to watch the sixdays. Can you hear the dernys?
Jens - February 3, 2012 via Android app
Question: Will I be able to log in to the VDS site?
I don’t actually have a login “for PdC” per se. My login is from the Yahoo Sports site. The one time I forgot about that and tried to log in to SBN directly, I was very confusedface for several minutes. So….would that carry over?
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
It's only about the user name
Yours is Alexandra_5236. Click it and you’ll get your SBN user page: http://www.sbnation.com/users/Alexandra_5236
I see you already put your email address up there, so you should be good to go. Use Alexandra_5236 as your FSA DS user name on the sign-up page.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Booo Vlaanderen90!
“Timmy” hype bumped him to a 2 :D
RollinRollinRolland - February 3, 2012
I know! Looks like I have to keep stories about amazing prospects until after Feb. 25
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
Or, you could publish now...using the ones you decided not to name on the list...
throw everyone off the scent ;)
Seahorse - February 3, 2012
Yeah someone who barely rides for 2 years (doesn't score at all) is worth a 2? Hmm...
RollinRollinRolland - February 3, 2012
Can it be long before you start pitching a draft preview publication.
For a price . . . ., you are a poor student after all.
flying dog - February 4, 2012
New strategy this year
We’re thinking of doing a team consisting entirely of riders whose names Phil and Paul can’t pronounce. Tjallingi, Hutarovich, Moullema. There are sure to be at least 25 good picks there
bdr - February 3, 2012
Very safe strategy, I
ursula - February 3, 2012
...say
ursula - February 3, 2012
Last names only?
Otherwise Valverde is fair game :p
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
oh that is a dilemma
And will P&P, there are even some they pronounce the first AND last names wrong. Just as an aside, Tjallingi is the team leader simply because his name is never pronounced the same way twice in a row.
bdr - February 3, 2012
Are either Bart or Stef Scheirlinckx still racing?
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
Bert is on Geofco-Ville d'Alger
The team is a continental team registered in Algeria, so there’s a bunch of Algerians but also Belgians (Phil Gil’s brother) and Estonians (Janek Tombak is one of them).
Staf is on Accent.jobs – Fugly kit (or whatever they call themselves), so he’s available.
TheFigurehead - February 3, 2012
This is my problem...
…i keep giving my teams silly names and yet trying seriously to do well.
Ed K - February 3, 2012
I'm giddy with crunch time adrenaline, making the deadline relief and opening day excitement
Cheers!
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
supposed to have:
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
interesting graphics on that drinking vessel
umwolverine - February 3, 2012
Duvel does artsy glasses
This one by Parra (no longer sold)
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
looks like we need to have another discussion about boobies on cycling sites
ant1 - February 3, 2012
I'm assuming that's something
we’re in favor of, right?
bdr - February 3, 2012
for some reason
not everybody seemed to be pro boobies. the female form makes some uncomfortable, i guess.
ant1 - February 3, 2012
Vagina
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
you mean coitus?
ant1 - February 3, 2012
If you're referring to act of making the beast with 2 backs...
Yes.
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
Shadaim!
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
Is that Dutch for coitus? Or the name of a Belgian superhero?
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
Breasts, breasts, breasts!
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
I didn't see Ricco on the list?
PopUp Rolen - February 3, 2012
http://www.podiumcafevds.com/riders.php?mw=1&y=2012&pid=44&name=Riccardo+Riccò
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
+1
PopUp Rolen - February 3, 2012
seriously? again?
JustJoshinYa - February 3, 2012
Alrighty.
Got my 25 in (but not submitted) & “preliminary” team name.
Commence the hand-wringing!
swells - February 3, 2012
is that your team name" (commence the hand-wringing!)
umwolverine - February 3, 2012
No, but that ain't bad.
But, on 2/25 it would have to change to Commence the 2nd Guessing.
swells - February 3, 2012
ditto on having my 25. subject to change anytime btwn now and the submission deadline.
umwolverine - February 3, 2012
I like to consider mine subject to change
but every time I think of adding someone I forgot, I can’t find anyone to delete to make room.
majope - February 3, 2012
and, already have swapped our 4 riders
umwolverine - February 4, 2012
I'm slow to start
kind of exhausted by the process of getting things going. But I have picked my team name: Sep Vanmarcke and 24 underachievers.
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
Couldn't you shorten that
to 25 underachievers ?
swells - February 3, 2012
What?!
Do you want me to punch you in the face?
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
You'll have to get in line
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
So much hostility.
I’m sure FSA has a policy regarding, er…workplace violence.
swells - February 3, 2012
My team name, fyi,
is Sependipity
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
I'm going to run "The Orthopedic Ward"
2thvet - February 3, 2012
Ha
well chosen
slowK - February 3, 2012
Ta
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
burn!
ant1 - February 3, 2012
Picking the team name
Is the hardest part of all.
bethie - February 3, 2012
Yep
Now that I’ve got that covered there’s no way I’m going to lose.
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
unfortunately, my team name
and team philosophy doom the team’s performance . . .
R Mc - February 3, 2012
Totally!
Hardest part of the process for me every year.
Veloki - February 4, 2012
Man
What is wrong with me? I planned on lamenting, fretting and stressing about who to pick for the next 20 days or so. Instead I got inspired, picked my team within 20 minutes and then submitted it.
Not exactly the way I planned it but I guess it’s like when you meet someone you love, you just know it and you marry them immediately. I just hope I don’t want a divorce by May.
Tyler Bleszinski - February 3, 2012
Submitting!
Blez, I admire your enthusiasm, but you’d better hope none of those guys get hurt before 2/24 and you’d wish you replaced em. We can do un-submissions for people but we prefer not to. That said, if you’re sure, you’re sure. :)
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
I know
Really silly of me especially because of injuries.
Tyler Bleszinski - February 3, 2012
If anyone of your riders get injured
you can count on us to not post the Nelson “haha!”-pic.
TheFigurehead - February 3, 2012
Have you thought about annuling your team?
I know some good lawyers.
Not Chris of course, he works the animal husbandry side of the street…………..
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
Dont' worry
as long as none of them are on Majope’s provisional team you should be OK.
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
Yo - I've got a salmon / mackerel dustup
You available for a consult?
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
He doesn't seem to be taking the bait
Jimbo... - February 3, 2012
Oh stop your carping.
ursula - February 3, 2012
Just floundering around as usual
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
I can't believe I'm herring this bs again
Jens - February 3, 2012 via Android app
You're giving me a haddock
Don’t you have a Cube Squared album to listen to?
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
If your haddock persists
Perhaps you should see a Sturgeon
Jimbo... - February 3, 2012
fish jokes are the best
sometimes I make them for no reason, just for the halibut
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
Alright
This was funny for a while, but now it’s starting to flounder.
jsallee00 - February 3, 2012
on the contrary,
I think it really tipped the scales
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
I know I was hooked.
majope - February 3, 2012
I think jsallee’s just heard too many of these jokes, probably stuffed to the gills with them by now
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
can you guys trout to keep it down?
i’m having a hard time herring the on-topic comments with all that noise.
ant1 - February 3, 2012
Man, you have no sole.
majope - February 3, 2012
had your fill, eh?
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
Cod knows this must be annoying people
That said I am rather shellfish
randomgerbil - February 3, 2012
well comments seem to be slowing down
so there’s at least a ray of hope, this may soon be fin-ished
according to some schools of thought anyways
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
ruh roe
JustJoshinYa - February 3, 2012
Anyone else
picking Ivan Bass-o
jsallee00 - February 3, 2012
gotta go back to the days
of Al Trautwig announcing the TdF!
plinytheelder - February 4, 2012
Echelons like this....
Only a sucker would read to the end.
But I’m disappointed by the lack of a lamprey sighting.
flying dog - February 4, 2012
Only a lumpsucker you mean?
Jens - February 4, 2012
Cyclo-pteridae
Who knew? This where teams go when they “sleep with the fishes”.
flying dog - February 4, 2012
Leave the mackerel
take the salmon cannolis.
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
I just threw up in my mouth
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
Can I get a link to this exact reply?
Trying to tweet this to Andy Saltzman, he would be proud !
FrenchKheldar - February 4, 2012
Zaltzman, damn it
I send a tweet to the Bugle and I misspelled his name… FAIL !
FrenchKheldar - February 4, 2012
Mine was submitted that night too.
Sometimes you have to live a little… No regrets.. ok, maybe a few.
BTW, is Roger Hammond retired?
Mr Van P - February 5, 2012
I have been looking for news about him and haven't seen any
Neither that he is retired or that he is signed.
He crashed out of Paris-Roubaix last year, but the year before he was, what, fourth? I think he is still a very useful rider.
lieutenantmudd - February 5, 2012
Dude I fear you may regret this “prefer not to” baloney, better make yourself an hard and fast policy to avoid last year-type stuff ;)
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
Yay!
Game on.
bethie - February 3, 2012
How could I not have room for the Great Heinrich Haussler?
I better go take a walk.
sebastiandeluded - February 3, 2012
well...
1. he’s not great
2. he’s not glorious again either
umwolverine - February 3, 2012
says you
jsallee00 - February 3, 2012
We'll see. I dropped Anton for him
sebastiandeluded - February 3, 2012
So you dropped one guy who keeps crashing for
Another guy who falls off his bike a lot.
ursula - February 3, 2012
That's exactly what I did.
Still, I think Haussler’s problem lies between the ears. I can relate so I had to go with him.
sebastiandeluded - February 3, 2012
His hair?
But that is Barbie Barbie’s most attractive feature, the one the girls love.
straw dog - February 4, 2012
There are women who love troubled and complicated men, too. Thank god.
sebastiandeluded - February 4, 2012
Okay I started by picking Phil Gil
And with one rider I am over the limit.
ursula - February 3, 2012
THIS " Submit your team" Button is hypnotizing me!
Must resist! Must resist! Mast………
holmovka - February 3, 2012
Spreedsheet
Is there any way of separating the men’s an women’s list in the downloaded spreadsheet?
Hons - February 3, 2012
Oops, it should be different versions, of course
I didn’t update the export script, apparently. Sorry, will fix.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Daaaang, they're gonna deduct 2% off the fee you're charging
VirtKitty - February 3, 2012
Fixed
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Meine U-26 Wunderkinder p/b Rob Goris Super PAC is filled out...I have 5 points left over so there will probably be changes
As it stands now though, my team has 2,500 more points than I did at the end of last year. I’m also really light on the cobbles and there isn’t much I can do about it…unless I hire Sepmunas Vanmardauskas
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
Who cares about cobble races?
ursula - February 3, 2012
What is Belgium?
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
Try Mitch Docker...price is right and the cobble s will be his forte. He's also under 26 :)
Seahorse - February 3, 2012
And currently recovering from a training accident :(
RollinRollinRolland - February 3, 2012
I am well aware of that, but I'm trying to keep the faith. He's going to be very, very good :)
Seahorse - February 4, 2012
I hope so! Enjoyed his cameos last year
RollinRollinRolland - February 4, 2012
Me too, although this convalescence is coming at a very awkward time.
Seahorse - February 4, 2012
So,
can we change the name of the team up until the deadline? I was not ready for having to choose the name! So Team BIG KItty became" Changed their Spots".I can’t use “Diapers and Depends” this year because I am avoiding the children because of Olympics(track and all).
Dustbunny8 - February 3, 2012
Yes, you can change the name up until you submit the team.
When you submit, it asks if you about the team name.
ursula - February 3, 2012
Yep, can be changed until submittal
but must be unique per year and male/female team division. (I.e. you can give your men’s and women’s teams the same name and you can also re-use your team name from last year (unless someone else claimed it first).)
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Wohooo!
Now for weeks of indecision, vacillation and equivocation.
Thanks Ted, Chris FAS and everyone else involved for organising this.
slowK - February 3, 2012
Another Question: What of Contador?
Is it buyer beware?
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
Isn't he always?
;-)
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
Well you know what I mean
If somebody picks him, and he should then, for whatever reason be ruled out of competition for some period of time, does that somebody have 30 points of dead weight on their roster, or is there some reparation?
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
Yes
Team compositions are final after submittal. So you still have some time to decide, maybe get a CAS verdict in the mean time.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
30 points of dead weight baby!
We call it the ‘Ricco Clause.’
Drew Davis - February 3, 2012
Aka 20% of a Drew-team
Jens - February 3, 2012 via Android app
All right, good to know
From the outset, I expected the final Contador verdict to come sometime around the London Olympics. If they prove me wrong, fantastic, but I still expect that.
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
You think it will come thru THAT EARLY?
Wishful thinking, my dear….
VirtKitty - February 3, 2012
CAS was supposed to confirm this week that they would come out with the verdict on Mon, Feb 6th
but they didn’t, yet, so that day may be up in the air. Again.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Shocking
Jimbo... - February 3, 2012
No wait!
They just confirmed this evening, after all, that Monday WILL be the day.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Monday WILL be the day.
Read: Monday they announce another delay.
ursula - February 3, 2012
Ugh
I think I’ll sleep late.
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
A sponsor this year, huh
Nice job guys, this site is moving up in the world, ha! With that being said, I’m looking forward to another year in the competition for sure.
agl - February 3, 2012
Is there a limit on how Dutch neo-pros a single VDS team can have?
lieutenantmudd - February 3, 2012
Niet
Jimbo... - February 3, 2012
(nee)
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
(nein)
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
(njet)
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
Dialect allowed too?
I know Broakels and some Gents
broerie - February 3, 2012
Yoah
Doe ma joeng
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
mah jong?
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
moh how seh!
broerie - February 3, 2012
yoah
tgsgirl - February 4, 2012
Let me hear you say yeah!
No No, There’s No Limit.
http://youtu.be/8yY4PiQ22AA
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
Much Dutchness
(and a bit of Belgianity)
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
YEAAAAAH
He :D
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
I read that as
belge-inanity : (
JFS_PGH - February 8, 2012
Understandable
tedvdw - February 8, 2012
"It was the biggest selling record of 1993 in Europe."
lieutenantmudd - February 3, 2012
This made me laugh
broerie - February 3, 2012
Ha ha!
He’s enjoying himself, too.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
damn, now I'm listening to that stuff again
broerie - February 3, 2012
Damnnnn...! I am old..!
I remember every single one of this songs…! And everyone of them reminds me of something….!
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
I wish Sui were here
he loves teh mashups …
OMG. http://youtu.be/T4vil3nZB90
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
my favorite mashup
broerie - February 3, 2012
my favourite mashup
tgsgirl - February 4, 2012
Nice one!
broerie - February 4, 2012
works quite well doesn't it?
tgsgirl - February 4, 2012
Also VELITS 4EVA
lieutenantmudd - February 3, 2012
Argentinian Gauchos & Co... Is ready to start the season...!
I have to go with my boys plus others I like…. (thanks God is only 3 and they are cheap)
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
How many points is Lance?
Jens - February 3, 2012 via Android app
Doping free baby!
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
My team (I couldn't find a place for all the Dutch neo-pros)
lieutenantmudd - February 3, 2012
Needs more Belgium
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
I am very belgium this year. 6 riders.
perezbike - February 3, 2012
I trump your Belgianness
with ease
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
does Belgium love the Hoff as much as Germany?
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
I've heard they named a city after him
Hasselt
TheFigurehead - February 3, 2012
haha!
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
dang and “hof” means courtyard or garden in Dutch — this clearly means that the real Hoff grew up in a courtyard or garden in Hasselt
plinytheelder - February 3, 2012
I am sure you couldn't pass on Boonen at 12
What I wonder is Gilbert at 36
lieutenantmudd - February 3, 2012
I am too predictable :(
tgsgirl - February 3, 2012
Is that a yes on Gilbert?
lieutenantmudd - February 3, 2012
At the moment, I have twice as many Dutch riders as Belgians.
majope - February 3, 2012
Which means
you have at least 1 and at most 8 Belgians.
tedvdw - February 3, 2012
7 Belgians
5 French
2 Colombians
2 Russians
1 convicted doper, Dutch of course
broerie - February 3, 2012
Dekker
ELVISGOAT - February 3, 2012
Dekker????
Like anyone would take that over priced oiled up pants dropping big nosed party boy cheating fuck of a Porsche lizard.
majope - February 3, 2012
Oh.
So he was your first pick.
ursula - February 3, 2012
Well, yeah.
majope - February 3, 2012
I hope you get first pick in the Ed's league
just so I can witness your breakdown as your brain struggles with ………. ehhh something else over who to pick.
Jens - February 3, 2012
I'm sure it would be very entertaining for everyone.
Didja hear that, Chris? A great argument for giving me first pick this year!
majope - February 3, 2012
You Hoosiers
and your first picks. Basta!
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
Does that mean Majope will sign Levi for 28 points?
Drew Davis - February 4, 2012
Will you please stop revealing my strategy????
majope - February 4, 2012
(chastened)
Drew Davis - February 4, 2012
Stefan Van Dijk, of course
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
but you are indeed belgian :)
perezbike - February 3, 2012
Who told you that?
tgsgirl - February 4, 2012
Not my 25 Belgian's like last
year, but 22 plus Van Der Flecha, so i can almost say 23. Couldnt go for the 36 points for Gilbert. Had him last year for 28 but have trouble with the extra 8.
Mr Van P - February 5, 2012
You should have a fantastic Giro
Jens - February 5, 2012
Gee
I wonder who #1 is…
Chris Fontecchio - February 3, 2012
But he's got two of them
tgsgirl - February 4, 2012
I feel we have a good amount of similar riders
Vlaanderen90 - February 3, 2012
Can I play too?
Here’s my first stab at it
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
I am surprised, looking at it like this, that I have only one Dutchie
And he’s really not even particularly high profile.
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
I have no idea who you have besides Sagan
lieutenantmudd - February 3, 2012
I'm already thinking of making some changes
But it’s a pretty solid first draft
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
Solid for a top 600 finish.
ursula - February 4, 2012
600?!? How many people play this game?
Aly Edge - February 4, 2012
Last year it was 682...should be more this year
Vlaanderen90 - February 4, 2012
Better than I did last year
Vlaanderen90 - February 4, 2012
Well J-Rod is the only Spaniard not Contador above Sagan.
bought with blood - February 3, 2012 via Android app
You missed one.
majope - February 4, 2012
Oh crap! Where did the green bullet come from
bought with blood - February 4, 2012 via Android app
We all know where he's been.
It’s where he’s going that’s the question.
majope - February 4, 2012
Shows how much I have been considering him for my team huh!
bought with blood - February 4, 2012 via Android app
Only 25 more riders and I am done...
hmm, but I really hate that team name too.
My DS is a moron.
JustJoshinYa - February 3, 2012
Your comment is 9 kinds of awesome
The only thing i am sure of at this point is my team name.
bought with blood - February 3, 2012 via Android app
First draft complete.....
What’s the betting all 25 riders change by the time the submission date rolls around?! I’m stressing over this too much – last year’s rabble took 15 minutes to pick and gave me a 9th place debut performance!
PrinceBuster - February 3, 2012
show off :)
paisley - February 3, 2012
Team consisting of 25 riders I rather like now chosen
Plenty of time to kick them all out in the hope of finding some who might actually get some points though. I mean I know picking Roche on the logic that he can’t be quite as rubbish this year can only be described as shaky at best.
randomgerbil - February 3, 2012
You're talking to someone who keeps picking the like of Gerdemann, Ciolek, and Steegmans.
One of these years!
majope - February 3, 2012
Gerdemann's rated 7th on the (Points Last Year)/(Score This Year) scale
Clearly he’s now lulled everyone into a false sense of security and is now coiled ready to strike.
randomgerbil - February 3, 2012
Yeah, as long as someone will yell his name once in the wile, to keep him awake in the Peloton.
holmovka - February 3, 2012
Hey, if he's equally rubbish this year he'd be a pretty decent pick at 2 points.
But he may find a way to be even more rubbish.
tgartner - February 3, 2012
FWIW, I think Roche is a good buy at 2 points. And here's another. Porte at 4.
sebastiandeluded - February 3, 2012
oops, I seahorsed.
And I think tgartner – former winner, I believe, and consistently at the top of the VDS standings, tgartner – did as well.
sebastiandeluded - February 3, 2012
Both currently on the team and I did like the price of them
Just being haunted by the Krispy Kreme nickname
randomgerbil - February 3, 2012
and I am actually thinking of picking him again.
I really do think I am broken.
JustJoshinYa - February 3, 2012
Actually, I had the same thought about Roche...
…he’s almost looking reasonable at that price.
Ed K - February 3, 2012
Of course, he thinks his price is spelled 'Too'
JustJoshinYa - February 3, 2012
I believe he is coming to bite everyone in their butts..!
But still… Should I pick him? Is he really going to score over 200 points??
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
lol
ant1 - February 3, 2012
Shit...
time to pull away from politics and WWIII
sminer - February 3, 2012
Yes, this is no time for petty trivialities
Jens - February 3, 2012
Hey! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
ursula - February 3, 2012
I want to submit my team already...!!!!!
I won’t… I am scared someone will get hurt and then what do I do???
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
learn all of the subtleties
of the verb “to steegman”
R Mc - February 3, 2012
l'ouch.
Ed K - February 3, 2012
Very lost... ?
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
(so I guess I'm doing this)
I wanted to look up Jan Bárta to see how many points he’d cost, but he’s not in there. I don’t think he retired..?
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
NVM
I had it set to show only 1 point riders, and he’s 2.
Aly Edge - February 3, 2012
Have fun..! After all is a game...
Freaking competitive but a game..
pablo777 - February 3, 2012
First stab at "La tête dans le guidon flavor" 2012
I haven’t done all the research yet but the grand strategy is in place :)
First nine riders hail from a different country and I guess there is a Nouvelle Vague coming after that :)
FrenchKheldar - February 4, 2012
Speaking of flags, one small error
World’s entries on the calendar still show Denmark flags and are not reflecting the oncoming Dutch Hegemony.
OnTheRivet - February 4, 2012
Bit of a strategy there
Or at least a theme ;\
Aly Edge - February 4, 2012
Oh no, a Swiss flag
Quel mystery as to who that is
tgsgirl - February 4, 2012
Joachim Parbo?
Drew Davis - February 4, 2012
So would you say playing the women's game is a good way to learn about the sport?
I knew very few of the names beyond the first page…and not even all of those on the first page. Putting together a women’s team would be even more of a crapshoot than the men’s one.
Aly Edge - February 4, 2012
Yes
Absolutely. I found last year very helpful in getting to know the riders and the races better. Not that I’m going to be any good at it this year either though.
omnevelnihil - February 4, 2012
Ditto on everything.
majope - February 4, 2012
And I'd add whilst we have a few experts on here,
many of the other DS’s are also there to learn, so you probably won’t embarrass yourself.
As evidenced by the fact that I finished almost exactly mid pack last year, entering in the spirit of the proverbial monkey with a typewriter. Come to think of it, “Monkey with Typewriter” is a pretty good team name.
straw dog - February 4, 2012
That makes me wonder...
What would a randomly picked team that meets the guidelines make on average?
ursula - February 4, 2012
Not much
Because the vast majority of riders are 1 pointers who score nothing.
A random team who had to use 150 points would be interesting, but too complicated for me to analyse in 15 minutes, so I’ll leave it for someone cleverer than me.
mb2612 - February 4, 2012
A random team who had to use 150 points would be interesting,
…that’s what I meant by “meet the guidelines”.
ursula - February 4, 2012
Hey rule maker,
you don’t HAVE to use 150 points.
tedvdw - February 4, 2012
heh
So true. You don;t HAVE to play with a full deck.
ursula - February 4, 2012
I resent that!
Some of us weren’t dealt one to begin with.
majope - February 4, 2012
WOW
FSA is a “must” brand here in Italy! (for me handlebar+stem on bike)…. very high quality and beautiful design.
so….ehm… no prize for VDS winner? :)))))))))))))
ceccovb - February 4, 2012
Definitely have this on my mind when picking my team
RollinRollinRolland - February 4, 2012
How many nat champs count for points?
i.e. can I just pick 1 point riders from tiny nations in the hope they win their RR and TT for 200pts?
mb2612 - February 4, 2012
You certainly can.
I can recommend 1-pointer Riccardo Ricco from a small country in southern Europe. I suspect that he may sneak into the national champs RR from behind a house, and storm to victory to great acclaim. Iron infusion during training has been the key to his success.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ricco-sneaks-into-italian-sportif-ride
straw dog - February 4, 2012
+1
Jimbo... - February 4, 2012
Yep, all nat champs, both RR and TT, count for 100 points
tedvdw - February 4, 2012
If you ask me
Kendall Ryan is a bargain at 1 point. I’d bet real money on her costing 20 times that within a few years.
John Cyclopunk - February 4, 2012
Aahhh , the lure of the promising talent in the VDS
Jens - February 4, 2012
I am learning that the secret rule of VDS (should we call it FDS now?)
is that there is always a one-pointer who scores 1000 points;
that he is not on your team;
but that he is on a sufficiently large number of other teams to make you feel stupid.
straw dog - February 4, 2012
1-pointers are a sucker bet.
Go play the lottery instead.
majope - February 4, 2012
when you have 5 points left and 5 riders left...
I usually pick the King’s and Duggans
JustJoshinYa - February 4, 2012
(and Sagan's brother)
JustJoshinYa - February 4, 2012
Yeah, not impressed yet with him.
There are more interesting minor players on Liqui, though possibly not at the one point level.
Ed K - February 4, 2012
Picked him last year... Not again this one..!!
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
He's both better and younger than Peter
(That’s what we were told during Tour of Beijing.)
TheFigurehead - February 4, 2012
Not a good impression from last year.
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
I'm sure he's a nice guy
But I’m also sure there’s only one reason to why he’s on Liquigas
TheFigurehead - February 4, 2012
you think it has to do with his Bro? Naaaaa...!
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
lets see.... How do you put the flags only? I am trying...!!!
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
Assuming you use Windows:
first PrtScrn, open a simple image editor like the free IrfanView, paste, select the area you want, choose ‘Crop’ or something like that (isn’t it Ctrl-Y in IrfanView?) and save the result. Upload to an image hoster like Tinypic, post pic here.
tedvdw - February 4, 2012
Thanks ted....
I will try, sounds like basic Chinese to me. I will try. Not a computer guy.
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
I give up..!
Argentinian Gauchos & Co.
1-Slovakia
2-Germany
3-Netherlands
4-Germany
5-Colombia
6-USA
7-Russia
8-Spain
9-Netherlands
10-Switzerland
11-France
12-Slovenia
13-Australia
14-Colombia
15-Ireland
16-Portugal
17-Un Gaucho
18-Uzbekistan (like there is so many)
19-England
20-Ireland
21-Colombia
22-Switzerland
23-Italy
24-Otro Gaucho
25-Last Gaucho
Longest no one gets hurt or doing something else I will stick with this guys. I like them..!
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
No belgians?
broerie - February 4, 2012
It's tempting to make a team called "boycotting belgium" just to see the reaction...
…especially from gs.
Ed K - February 4, 2012
Need a better name
Like “Burn, Belgium, Burn!”
TheFigurehead - February 4, 2012
Damn I have a feeling I will be hearing from her for this...
Should I start apologizing now or wait a bit?
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
I won't get mad
I’ll just cry bitterly disappointed tears
tgsgirl - February 5, 2012
Dont cry...
One team in over 700 that doesnt have a “Belga” I am thinking odds are in your favor.
pablo777 - February 5, 2012
You know I didn't realized that....
Nothing against you guys.. Just built my team and didn’t put any…
pablo777 - February 4, 2012
Terrible first year in VDS last year.
Embarrassing, was never in the hunt for anything other than trying to stay out of the bottom ten. And yet, SO HAPPY to be back at it again!
KnittingGene - February 4, 2012
I've been playing for a few years now
and desperately trying to stay out of the bottom ten is the only thing I’ve been game to hope for.
omnevelnihil - February 4, 2012
One of my friends sat 2nd to last for most of the season last year
A source of much amusement!
So far this year my team has gone from 35 riders to 42 riders, work productivity shall plummet this week…(and probably next)
blitzer maloney - February 4, 2012
Ahhh the Eskimo
Once again you taunt me…
Four points.
So much potential, for only four points…
I mean, have you heard of his numbers!?!?
And only four points….
How many years is it now that we’ve played this game Mr Danielson??
muk - February 4, 2012
Yep.
Also, Vandevelde.
Ed K - February 4, 2012
I LOVE reading this.
ursula - February 5, 2012
Shut the fuck up Donny
Screw you, I’m sticking to my new strategy. I don’t care how you taunt me with fantastically attractive 12 pointers.
Jens - February 5, 2012
I'll give him this, though...
…we need a self-imposed limit on Garmen. Also, FDJ is the new Garmin.
Ed K - February 5, 2012
Have you been peaking at my team ?
Don’t overlook Europcar. That team is packed with fighters who are unencumbered by big names in their team and free to ride for themselves….
muk - February 5, 2012
Well, the new Big Mat anyway
Jens - February 5, 2012
Can’t do the copy paste thing with the flags (for some reason) but it goes:
Switzerland, Belgium, Belgium, Belgium, Norway, Belgium, Belgium, Spain (but he could be Belgian), and then 9-25, Belgium.
Mr Van P - February 5, 2012
You will rule April!
JustJoshinYa - February 5, 2012
April rules
tgsgirl - February 5, 2012
I agree - I think I was 3rd at the end of April two years ago.
I wish I could have called it the end of the season right there. I ended up 52 (thanks Cance), but the summer was a long slow painful decline. I don’t think I scored a single point in May.
The + and – of choosing too strong a classics team.
JustJoshinYa - February 5, 2012
Been there done that
I led this competition at a similar stage a couple of years ago (had the fancy avatar and all!), only to fade into obscurity.
Well fade sort of makes it sound like my team lingered near to the top 20-30 for much longer than it really did. Plummet is probably a more appropriate word….
muk - February 5, 2012
I was leading the PCM daily competition after the classics
two years ago.
The game allowed for transfers, and for the Giro I brought in Pellizotti, Valjavec and Sastre I think.
My reign ended quite quickly.
tgsgirl - February 5, 2012
I will Rule March and early April.
But I don’t have the King of the Ardennes again this year.
Mr Van P - February 5, 2012
Albert dominated CX Worlds just to spite De Vlaeminck
Maybe this is the year Boonen wins L-B-L as well? RDV dissed him back in 2005-6 for just winning RvV/PR and not being competitive in LBL
Jens - February 5, 2012
The landscape of the sport has changed
too much to have a guy win Roubaix and L-B-L. When was the last time an L-B-L winner even lined up at the start of Roubaix?
Mr Van P - February 5, 2012
Perhaps 1999
I haven’t checked all the winners since, but VDB was second in RvV and seventh in PR before winning LBL.
TheFigurehead - February 5, 2012
Made a few changes
I like this lineup. I think I’ll keep it together till submission eve and then submit it (just in case someone gets hit by a bus between now and then).
I threw together a bunch of names for a women’s team, too, but I don’t imagine I’ll tinker too much with that one.
Aly Edge - February 5, 2012
The Flags of team "Shut UP Legs!
muk - February 5, 2012
Mmm not too sure why that is such a crappy image
And when I sort by nation like that I realise that a pattern stands out…. Do I really think that many French riders are going to do well in 2012?
muk - February 5, 2012
Man, it looks like everyone is going to have the same french riders...
I guess I’d be a damn fool not to have them too. (Thank you Joseph Heller.)
sebastiandeluded - February 5, 2012
Not me, I've only got 2 Frenchies
Had a third, but he went bye-bye. I probably don’t have the one that most people are picking, but I never had him (if he’s the one I’m thinking)
Aly Edge - February 5, 2012
I had two French riders last year. This year I only have one.
I therefore expect to do twice as well this year.
majope - February 5, 2012
2x0=0
omnevelnihil - February 6, 2012
I've got four at the moment, am contemplating a fifth, but thinking that the obvious one is overpriced...
Ed K - February 5, 2012
Gee I wonder who the last guy is :p
Aly Edge - February 5, 2012
Surely he is looking good for National Championship points though
Not too sure what happened in 2007…..
muk - February 5, 2012
I just tried to fire somebody
and couldn’t do it. On the other hand, I keep firing another rider just for the fun of it. Then I rehire him and fire him all over again.
majope - February 5, 2012
My spreadsheet now tells me I have a super-team
Would it lie?
Jens - February 5, 2012
=ERRNO
That’s all my spreadsheet tells me.
JustJoshinYa - February 5, 2012
If your team is registered in France
you have to pay 6 months salary to the rider – draconian labor laws there, impossible to run a business.
I’ve registered my team through a shell company in the Cayman Islands,
I just dump riders by the side of the road when I fire them.
Pour encourager les autres, you understand.
straw dog - February 5, 2012
That's why you finished almost a hundred places ahead of me last year.
But my riders are happier. Except when they lose and must be punished.
majope - February 5, 2012
oh...that is why I did so poorly last year. I failed to pay a single rider.
Oh, and I picked Krispy Kreme too.
JustJoshinYa - February 5, 2012
Wisdom comes with age, or so I hear.
majope - February 5, 2012
I got that.
tedvdw - February 5, 2012
me too, but I can't believe he really said that
broerie - February 5, 2012
https://twitter.com/dekkerthomas/status/165879121556160512
tedvdw - February 5, 2012
Pretty sure I haven't faked a sig line quote yet!
majope - February 5, 2012
Cheers.
tedvdw - February 5, 2012
hehe
:)
broerie - February 5, 2012
There go the remaining shreds of my reputation.
majope - February 5, 2012
Krispy Kreme?
The….donuts?
Aly Edge - February 5, 2012
Roche
he was running a zero for so long I had to call him something other than a swear word…I actually started hoping he’d end a donut too.
JustJoshinYa - February 5, 2012
Donut....ok, I get it
Thanks
Aly Edge - February 5, 2012
http://www.podiumcafevds.com/doughnuts.php?y=2011
tedvdw - February 5, 2012
Some riders don't mind being punished
fyi
tgsgirl - February 5, 2012
So, you had "caning his ass" on your mind
3 hours before Ed K made his comment?
Don’t worry, we’re very open minded here at PdC.
straw dog - February 6, 2012
I never said which n
tgsgirl - February 6, 2012
Dumoulin=Napoleon first draft done
kom vuelta - February 5, 2012
Tenative country list
3 Belgians
4 Italians
1 German
3 Spaniards
3 Dutchies
5 French
1 Slovinian
1 Dane
1 Swede
1 Uzbek
1 Czech
1 Iranian
kom vuelta - February 5, 2012
Iranian huh?
I don’t imagine Zargari or Sohrabi will ever really be featured riders at any race…but for 1-pointers, what the hell.
Aly Edge - February 5, 2012
I can't decide if I want to take Sohrabi or not
broerie - February 5, 2012
Askari
might get another natchamp jersey.
via wiki (linked)
tedvdw - February 5, 2012
Did you see DLS with Lotto?
tgsgirl - February 5, 2012
by country...
ELVISGOAT - February 5, 2012
convential cycle nations for the most part...
ELVISGOAT - February 5, 2012
*conventional
ELVISGOAT - February 5, 2012
How did you pick Oscar 5 times?
Jens - February 5, 2012
Yeah
Gotta have Oscarito in there…
ELVISGOAT - February 7, 2012
So I picked Viviani and Coppel yesterday morning
They have both now won, so now I feel they’ve peaked to early and I have to drop them.
Stupid game.
mb2612 - February 5, 2012
Viviani will win a lot
on the track
TheFigurehead - February 5, 2012
Grr....
…this is why I’m thinking of canning his ass, but he’s so cheeeeeep, with so much potential.
Ed K - February 5, 2012
Drop an 'n' somewhere in that sentence
and it gets a whole new meaning
tgsgirl - February 5, 2012
You win. Just, win.
and rec’d.
Ed K - February 5, 2012
hehe
tedvdw - February 5, 2012
Ok so finally sorted though the list and came up with...
60 riders on my shortlist…of 8 and under points. :D
Should make for an interesting 20odd days narrowing it down.
RollinRollinRolland - February 5, 2012
Could someone please tell me who this year's Kittel is?
So many people knew this last year, I must have missed the memo.
sebastiandeluded - February 5, 2012
Chicchi, it's always Chicchi
Jens - February 5, 2012
Thanks, Jens! I owe you one.
sebastiandeluded - February 5, 2012
Don't listen to Jens
It’s obviously Ciolek
tgsgirl - February 5, 2012
That's cruel.
Seriously, cruel.
Ed K - February 5, 2012
Don't you talk about Gerald that way
Vlaanderen90 - February 5, 2012
I think he's due for some solid 5th place finishes this year.
JustJoshinYa - February 6, 2012
He's either French, Dutch, Belgian, Italian, British or Russian
depending on who you talk too :D
RollinRollinRolland - February 5, 2012
He's Russian. And he's really, really good.
sebastiandeluded - February 6, 2012
And his name begins with a G?
Seahorse - February 6, 2012
An alliteration, possibly
RollinRollinRolland - February 6, 2012
Got to say
I love some of the team names people are thinking up.
John Cyclopunk - February 6, 2012
Alas my hibernation has ended.
Time to come out of my cave and throw down.
RRRRRRRRRRRARRRRRRRRRR!
etc.
Triki - February 6, 2012
Oh boy
There are so many credible 1 pointers, I might even be able to afford all my favourite “bigs”.
Triki - February 6, 2012
i was able to find impressive one pointers
on the wvds – but only by using google image. For the men i am totally clueless.
yeehoo - February 6, 2012
Ya I played that game last year.
Emilie Moberg FTW
Triki - February 7, 2012
I love these games, didn’t join the site in time to be involved last year so really looking forward to getting started.
Thanks to all those involved with organising, roll on the 24th.
wooley7 - February 8, 2012
What's the wvds deadline?
The rules page says before 25 feb, but first race is Tour kf New Zealand
This starts on Feb 22.
FrankV - February 8, 2012
Ha! Should be eve of the first race, so yes: before Feb 22
I’ll update the women’s deadline, sorry about the confusion.
tedvdw - February 9, 2012
One thing: New Zealand's timezone is UTC+12
and our web server is in the eastern US, timezone UTC-5, which determines the deadline time. So if I set it to Feb 22 (midnight EST), it’ll be 5pm on Feb 22 in New Zealand. Presumably, the first stage could have finished by then and if you leave your team submission up to the last minute, you could get some cheap points by quickly hiring the stage winner. I think wvds headmasters Jens & Monty aren’t too bothered by that. So I’ll leave it as Feb 22, for now.
tedvdw - February 9, 2012
Yes, we did this last year too
Feb 22 midnight EST is the deadline
Jens - February 9, 2012
Why exactly is winning GT kom jersey worth less than winning single stage ?
father_figure - February 13, 2012
Reflects their relative publicity and popularity
The battle for the mountains jersey is usually not very competitive.
tedvdw - February 13, 2012
I find it hard to imagine that standing on the podium in Saint-Flour is better for publicity than making podium in Paris…
As for popularity, i can name all kom winners of all grand tours 10 years back. I forgot at least 2-3 stage winners from last year only.
And while lack of competition may sometimes be true (like 2007 menchov – sort of a bonus for gc win) its more often than not a case of simply being too hard for most (as it requires either going for multiple breaks in hardest stages or being consistently up with gc contenders on hilltop finishes) not to mention having a teammates to cover for you.
So being harder… its worth less.
father_figure - February 13, 2012
Cause we hate David Moncoutie
No, seriously, we appreciate your um appreciation of the KOM prizes and we have given it thought for raising the points. But we decided to stick with the status quo because (and this is just me talking’ here) those competitions wind up being between just a couple of riders with the GC men, who could easily be heavily involved, don’t make any effort at all, so concentrated they are on the Big Prize.
Maybe we will change it next year though. We will keep it in mind.
ursula - February 13, 2012
Everyone loves David Moncoutie
No, seriously, im certain there is a lot of thinking behind point distribution in vds (good job). Nevertheless i believe the “ease” of being involved by gc guys is not quite right. As you probably know, early attacks on let’s say Col du Telegraphe can really spoil your gc win chances… They cant be involved unless they are already out of gc battle and that probably means they dont have it to go for kom either.
Following “being competitive” argument one could ask why is gc win so highly valued ? There is like 5-6 guys in the world you can win it and maybe once in a decade some underdog.
As for stages. Aren’t they highly predictable ? Sprint stages go to top sprinter (only Sutton and to a certain point Haedo can be seen as surprise). Mountaintop finieshes go to gc contender and/or top climber (only de Clerq is standing out). So in reality only hilly/transition stages are super competitive, meaning more than half of the peloton can have a good shot of winning it.
Kom jersey was chaning hands more often than any other jersey (apart from vuelta of course) last year and while this may not prove a point, at least week long battle tense battle for kom between Vanendert and Sanchez, Montaguti and Moncutie, Garzelli and his age might just do.
father_figure - February 14, 2012
It seems like more of a distinction
to win the KOM, but during the race itself, stages are very, very competitive, more so than some secondary jerseys for sure. Also IIRC prize money is equal if not favoring stages.
Chris Fontecchio - February 13, 2012 via mobile
Though, they get points from other stages
Since the leader in the KOM competition gets 10 points for every stage. Unless the winner get the jersey on the last stage – I’m not sure if that’s even possible this year – the winner will get at least the same points as a stage winner. Last year Sanchez got 90 points from his, Charteau in 2010 got 150.
TheFigurehead - February 17, 2012
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