2024 Women's CQ Manager game

[Samu Cuenca]

I couldn't find a way to fit her in once I'd made the other obviously essential selections because she took too much of the leftover budget, which was pretty small once Kasia and Demi had eaten up three quarters of the points allocation, and unlike last year the profit margins were going to be much slimmer as she did do most of a full calendar in 2023 whereas she missed a lot of 2022 injured. Marcela Hernández is subbing for her this season to cover Lilibeth's section of the calendar.

However, I came very, very close to just picking Vollering, Niewiadoma and Uttrup for 3995 points and then trying to figure out how to make a competitive team solely out of 0-point entrants. I can't believe y'all cowards daren't pick Demi-Goddess.

My first thought was actually to make a Demi Demolition Team, cause if there's one thing I've learned (big if), it is that you shouldn't bet against her in these games. However it was pretty difficult to imagine, she could have a much better season than last year. Had I been allowed that 17th rider, I might have picked Bodine for a bit of fun.

 

[Salvarani]

Completely missed Faulkner and Manly.

I blame it on that I only spent an hour putting the team together and then sending it in.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

There's still slightly over a week left before the submission deadline for my Emerging Female Riders game. Some of you have already decided to enter that game as well, which I'm very grateful for, but as always, the more the merrier.

Just like me, you might have had to omit a promising talent from your CQ manager teams, or perhaps you completely forgot about a rider or two. Fear not, cause if they're eligible for my game, those riders can still earn you prizes*. And @Armchair cyclist has even been so kind to provided you with a list of some of the riders, who can be picked for the game. So feel free to sign up, if you want, and let's make the 2024 season even more exciting!

*Probably not any expensive prizes, but there's definitely honour at stake

 

[Izzyeviel]

That's a lot of pressure on the Backstedts. Literally carrying everyones hopes & dreams on their shoulders...

 

[Armchair cyclist]

That's a lot of pressure on the Backstedts. Literally carrying everyones hopes & dreams on their shoulders...

Only on one of them: Elynor is only picked once. But as recent discussion iin the men's game points out, it is riders that are on about half the teams that are pivotal: anyone who is almost ubiquitous is almost irrelevant.

 

[Anderis]

As someone who hasn't picked Zoe Backstedt, I beg to differ.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't have any Backstedt either.
Maybe I should have included one of them... they're half-Swedish; almost counts for my Nordic Theme.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Me neither.
But I had both last year...

 

[Dk one]

Completely missed Faulkner and Manly.

I blame it on that I only spent an hour putting the team together and then sending it in.

I forgot about Van Dijk.

 

[Anderis]

I don't have any Backstedt either.
Maybe I should have included one of them... they're half-Swedish; almost counts for my Nordic Theme.

I have an idea for a team theme for next year for you.

A team wth 0 Danes, or maybe even 0 riders with Scandinavian connections.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

I was quite confused when the first team came in with Chantaal van den Broek-Blaak came in: we had already laughed up our sleeves at people (including the eventual winner) picking her last year after her retirement, and now its happening another year on. But then there was another, and another...

 

[Rufs]

I was quite confused when the first team came in with Chantaal van den Broek-Blaak came in: we had already laughed up our sleeves at people (including the eventual winner) picking her last year after her retirement, and now its happening another year on. But then there was another, and another...

Chantal van den Broek-Blaak to continue as a rider until 2024 - Team SD Worx

www.teamsdworx.com

 

[RedheadDane]

I have an idea for a team theme for next year for you.

A team wth 0 Danes, or maybe even 0 riders with Scandinavian connections.

Would that include teammates?
Or riding for Uno-X?

I'm actually already considering a "Riders Who Have Given Birth" theme.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Would that include teammates?
Or riding for Uno-X?

I'm actually already considering a "Riders Who Have Given Birth" theme.

Nan Peters?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

My first thought was actually to make a Demi Demolition Team, cause if there's one thing I've learned (big if), it is that you shouldn't bet against her in these games. However it was pretty difficult to imagine, she could have a much better season than last year. Had I been allowed that 17th rider, I might have picked Bodine for a bit of fun.

I did have a planned team which did include Chacón, but had a three-pronged leadership of Niewiadoma, Uttrup and Lippert because I figured that way I would never have to worry about cognitive dissonance between people I wanted to win and people I needed to win for the game. It's also why I couldn't pick Dygert or Deignan last year even though they came at a combined cost of 2 points, because I couldn't bring myself to be in a position where I might have to cheer for them.

But then it struck me that some teams might pick Kopecky, and my only chance in response to that would be to pick Vollering, and a solid policy of always picking Vollering has stood me well for three years now. I have no idea what to do with your emerging riders game because Demi isn't eligible. I'll probably have to pick Bodine because submitting a lineup without any Vollering would just be weird. But making room for a single rider who accounts for 55% of the entire budget is hard. And she'll probably break a leg and go down for the season in Strade Bianche now.

 

[hfgon1]

First real casualties of the season look to be the two teams that selected Shari Bossuyt, who seems to be about to start a 2 year Clenbuterol-related suspension.

One of them am I... Damn... But to be honest, I have no real clue about women cycling so I just play the game to start following women cycling a bit closer.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I did have a planned team which did include Chacón, but had a three-pronged leadership of Niewiadoma, Uttrup and Lippert because I figured that way I would never have to worry about cognitive dissonance between people I wanted to win and people I needed to win for the game. It's also why I couldn't pick Dygert or Deignan last year even though they came at a combined cost of 2 points, because I couldn't bring myself to be in a position where I might have to cheer for them.

But then it struck me that some teams might pick Kopecky, and my only chance in response to that would be to pick Vollering, and a solid policy of always picking Vollering has stood me well for three years now. I have no idea what to do with your emerging riders game because Demi isn't eligible. I'll probably have to pick Bodine because submitting a lineup without any Vollering would just be weird. But making room for a single rider who accounts for 55% of the entire budget is hard. And she'll probably break a leg and go down for the season in Strade Bianche now.

At least Kopecky might be a worse pick than Vollering due to the track commitments.

I considered Wiebes, because that could be a guaranteed 1000 points, whereas my sprinter-y picks in Balsamo, Manly, Barbieri, Sierra and Wollaston won't necessarily make a combined surplus. I decided not to keep Jastrab since she's coming back from injury and it sounds like she won't be ready to race for a while.

The easiest pick was Gigante, because she only had to finish the NC ITT to get into green, although some BORA like mechanical work (allegedly) almost ruined it. I don't have very high expectations to her, given how the last few years have gone, but for 4 points it was a no-brainer.

Olivia Baril is probably my worst pick, but as my token Basque-ish rider she only really has to score more points than Ane Santesteban to be a success.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

The easiest pick was Gigante, because she only had to finish the NC ITT to get into green,

but only if you had sent your team in before that event

 

[Samu Cuenca]

but only if you had sent your team in before that event

Which was why I made sure to do that

 

[Anderis]

Would that include teammates?
Or riding for Uno-X?

I'm actually already considering a "Riders Who Have Given Birth" theme.

Riding for Uno-X would definetely count as a Scandinavian connection.

Having a team mate from a Nordic country- well that depends on how ambitious you are with this team theme. There's no one right way to define what counts as a "connection".

 

[hfgon1]

Gigante looks like a great pick already.

 

[Rufs]

Sarah Gigante my biggest mistake

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Bradbury was one of my picks when it was a Kasia-Cille-Liane squad too.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I feel for ArchieBoy who has Ragusa, cause CQ still doesn't award points for minor classifications.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

More than half of us have Gigante, but the minority without her includes all three Vinke teams, and one of the two teams with Bradbury.

And the other team with Bradbury, therefore the only one with 2 riders on the podium and the presumed first leader is...(double checks spreadsheets) yours truly

It won't last