2013 CQ Game Classics Edition

[Hugo Koblet]

Alright, here's the deal. I decided to expand the calendar a bit - EvansIsTheBest convinced me, although I haven't used his exact calendar.

The game consists of 19 races and as the calendar was expanded, I thought it would be more fun the expand the teams a bit as well, so I've decided on 12 riders and a total of 3000 points.

The points used are the rider's value as per December 31 2012 - that is, their value from last season when you click a rider. To make things easier, I've created a "Create your team" file, in which you can type in the name of the riders and their value will automatically show up. Simply copy/paste the list of riders and send your team to me - if you're unsure how, please read the opening post of this thread: this thread. The "Create your team" file can be found here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/?mfu68oafo3lvrz3

The deadline for submitting your team is February 20, 23:59 CET.

List of races:

23.02.2013: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad - 1.HC
24.02.2013: Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne - 1.1
24.02.2013: Clasica de Almeria - 1.HC
24.02.2013: GP di Lugano - 1.1
02.03.2013: Strade Bianche - 1.1
03.03.2013: Giro del Lazio - 1.1
17.03.2013: Milano - Sanremo - 1.WT1
20.03.2013: Dwars door Vlaanderen - 1.HC
22.03.2013: E3 Harelbeke - 1.WT2
24.03.2013: Gent - Wevelgem - 1.WT2
30.03.2013: GP Miguel Indurain - 1.1
31.03.2013: Ronde van Vlaanderen - 1.WT1
03.04.2013: Scheldeprijs - 1.HC
07.04.2013: Paris - Roubaix - 1.WT1
07.04.2013: Klasika Primavera - 1.1
10.04.2013: Brabantse Pijl - 1.HC
14.04.2013: Amstel Gold Race - 1.WT2
17.04.2013: La Flèche Wallonne - 1.WT2
21.04.2013: Liège - Bastogne - Liège - 1.WT1

List of participating teams: 39

18-Valve. (pithy)
Afrank
AG
al_pacino
Armchair cyclist
asdfgh101
August
Blackbandit222
boomcie
Caruut
comodoro
DJ Sprtsch
EvansIsTheBest
Froome19
Geraint Too Fast
Gotland
GP Blanco
HelgeBlendet
hilltopfinisher
Hugo Koblet
ingsve
Jancouver
J-King
just some guy
karaev
LightBing
mc_mountain
mutschi
rmeloa
Ruudz0r
search
shalgo
sublimit
the asian
The Hitch
Tigerion
vladimir
will10
Yellow Knight

 

[the asian]

Hello everyone!

asdfgh12345 came up with this idea, and I thought I'd follow up on it.

Is anyone up for a "Classics Edition" of the CQ Manager Game, where you pick a team of, say, 10 riders for, I don't know, 3-4000 points, and then you only earn points in the spring classics?

If there's enough interest, I think it would be fun to do. Also, feel free to make suggestions regarding team size and points available. Another thing we need to decide is which races exactly should be included? I think Kuurne, Giro del Lazio and Strade Bianche could easily be included.

Cobbled Classics+ the Ardennes+ other early 1.HC races.

Het Nieuwsblad, Almeria, KBK, Strade Bianchi, MSR, DDV, E3 Harelbeke, Gent, Ronde, Scheldeprijs,PR, Brabantse Pijl, AGR, FW, LBL

15 races in total.

Maybe Lugano.Lazio & GP Miguel Indurain can be added to bring variety even though they are 1.1.

A prediction game to predict the podium will also be interesting, but a CQ game will bring in way more participants.

 

[GP Blanco]

Hello everyone!

asdfgh12345 came up with this idea, and I thought I'd follow up on it.

Is anyone up for a "Classics Edition" of the CQ Manager Game, where you pick a team of, say, 10 riders for, I don't know, 3-4000 points, and then you only earn points in the spring classics?

If there's enough interest, I think it would be fun to do. Also, feel free to make suggestions regarding team size and points available. Another thing we need to decide is which races exactly should be included? I think Kuurne, Giro del Lazio and Strade Bianche could easily be included.

Great idea. But if KBK is included we could include Nokere Koerse as well because it is also a cobbled race and 1.1 classified.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Cobbled Classics+ the Ardennes+ other early 1.HC races.

Het Nieuwsblad, Almeria, KBK, Strade Bianchi, MSR, DDV, E3 Harelbeke, Gent, Ronde, Scheldeprijs,PR, Brabantse Pijl, AGR, FW, LBL

15 races in total.

Maybe Lugano.Lazio & GP Miguel Indurain can be added to bring variety even though they are 1.1.

A prediction game to predict the podium will also be interesting, but a CQ game will bring in way more participants.

Well, Kuurne and Strade Bianche is 1.1 as well. Perhaps we should just say only 1.HC and above?

 

[Froome19]

Well, Kuurne and Strade Bianche is 1.1 as well. Perhaps we should just say only 1.HC and above?

And Strade Bianche
Would give me even more incentive to cheer for Canc.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

And Strade Bianche
Would give me even more incentive to cheer for Canc.

That's the dilemma, because I would like to include Strade Bianche but on the other hand, I don't think there should be too many races included.

 

[GP Blanco]

That's the dilemma, because I would like to include Strade Bianche but on the other hand, I don't think there should be too many races included.

WT + 1.HC and a wild card for Strade Bianchi.

 

[will10]

Cobbled Classics+ the Ardennes+ other early 1.HC races.

Het Nieuwsblad, Almeria, KBK, Strade Bianchi, MSR, DDV, E3 Harelbeke, Gent, Ronde, Scheldeprijs,PR, Brabantse Pijl, AGR, FW, LBL

15 races in total.

Maybe Lugano.Lazio & GP Miguel Indurain can be added to bring variety even though they are 1.1.

A prediction game to predict the podium will also be interesting, but a CQ game will bring in way more participants.

Sounds like a good calendar to me. Hugo: just pick and choose the interesting 1.1 races, no need to have a hard and fast ruling like only 1.HC and above. The rating of events isn't a measure of prestige anyway - Quinghai Lake isn't a better win than Tour Med, for example.

Would be cool to have a Spring season from Het Volk to say, Frankfurt, and then if it's a success we could do an Autumn one post-Tour from San Sebastian onwards?

 

[the asian]

Add Strade Bianchi coz even though it's 1.1 it's a favourite of the forumites.

Since KBK is basically a sprinters race it gives more variety.

Scheldeprijs and KBK might make some participants to pick 1 or 2 sprinters.

Basically if most participants pick the same riders there would be no fun it.

I think 15 races is ok.

 

[the asian]

Sounds like a good calendar to me. Hugo: just pick and choose the interesting 1.1 races, no need to have a hard and fast ruling like only 1.HC and above. The rating of events isn't a measure of prestige anyway - Quinghai Lake isn't a better win than Tour Med, for example.

Would be cool to have a Spring season from Het Volk to say, Frankfurt, and then if it's a success we could do an Autumn one post-Tour from San Sebastian onwards?

+1. Based around the French and Italian races with the 2 Canadian WT races also added.

 

[asdfgh101]

All the races .HC and above plus the best 1.1 races.

Once we agree on a rough race total we could have a vote on which 1.1 races were most deserving.

Possible contenders: KBK, Strade Bianchi, Primavera

Actually all of these would probably be ok; results in a good blend of races.

 

[tomazo]

That's fine idea and i will definetly take part.

However i think that there should no more than five 1.1 race. Strade Bianche is a must in my opinion, but other than that, i dont see that many more worthy races in this category(maybe klasika primavera, and maybe KBK beacuse it will create more variety), it will just create too much chaos

 

[Housoe]

Think this is a good idea, i would certainly play.
Think 4000 points is to much tough, think it would be better in the low end at a 3000 point maximum for a team. Then it would be a hard decision to include expensive guys like Gilbert and Cancellara in a team

I was able to fit them both in a 10 man team at 4000.

I think the low end would give more variation as people would hav to cut some of the rather expensive, but obvious choices.

 

[the asian]

10 riders 3000 pts

15 races - 4 Monuments 4 other WT races 5 1.HC races and 2 1.1 races.

That's my suggestion.

 

[TeoSheva]

10 riders 3000 pts

15 races - 4 Monuments 4 other WT races 5 1.HC races and 2 1.1 races.

That's my suggestion.

sounds ok for me...it is better to have not too many points available, otherwise all the teams will be the same, including Gilber Canc and Boonen...

 

[the asian]

sounds ok for me...it is better to have not too many points available, otherwise all the teams will be the same, including Gilber Canc and Boonen...

yep. Ideally teams should be able to have only one of those 3.

Riders values could be their current CQ points as at 31st Jan 2013.

 

[Froome19]

Well Boonen is too expensive to have unless you are rather willing to take risks. Having both Gilbert and Canc leaves you with a limited amount for other riders so that is also a risk, though one possibly worth taking.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I think that the above mentioned 15 races sounds good. 10 riders and 3000 points sounds nice as well. I think we'll get some very varied teams with that amount of points available.

I'll leave it up for discussion for a while yet, though.

 

[asdfgh101]

GP Miguel Indurain is another decent .1 race.

I think that rather than have an arbitrary limit of 15 races we would be better off starting a poll including the best .1 races in which you can vote for as many as you think are deserving. Those with 50% or more of the vote are included.

 

[the asian]

GP Miguel Indurain is another decent .1 race.

I think that rather than have an arbitrary limit of 15 races we would be better off starting a poll including the best .1 races in which you can vote for as many as you think are deserving. Those with 50% or more of the vote are included.

yr, but we need to have some balance too. Maybe a max of five 1.1 races.

 

[will10]

Why a limit on 1.1 races? WT & 1.HC races still have more points and I don't think many people will be picking guys on the basis of them winning GP Miguel Indurain for example

 

[the asian]

Why a limit on 1.1 races? WT & 1.HC races still have more points and I don't think many people will be picking guys on the basis of them winning GP Miguel Indurain for example

Hugo doesn't want to do too many races as well as it would be a tiresome exercise to add up all the points from each race.

 

[asdfgh101]

yr, but we need to have some balance too. Maybe a max of five 1.1 races.

I agree. 3000 and 10 riders sounds about right too; i wonder how many people will pick Gilbert and Cancellara and how many will pick neither.

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Hugo I really appreciate the work you have put into this game for the third year running, but this time I am going to disagree with you on the calendar, the numbers of points and numbers of riders.
First up, the number of riders. Major classics allow 8 man squads so I think it would be nice if we stuck with that. The budget, I feel should be decreased severely (even if we stay with 10 riders). The main reason is that classic bargains are generally dirt cheap compared to other type of riders bargains (if a GC rider misses a couple of months through injury, he will still rack up the points during the rest of the season and his score would not be that far off what it "should" have been, a classic rider if he has the same injury during March/April, he is going to cost virtually nothing compared to his level because he just won't have that many occasions to shine during the rest of the season especially if he is a cobblestones specialist). That is why I am thinking something along the lines of 2000 points for 10 riders/1500 for 8 riders.
Last but not least the calendar. Here is, for the discussion, an exhaustive list of the .1 and .HC classics ridden in Europe between the Het Volk (23/02/2013) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (21/04/2013). Thre is a total of 32 races (bolded are those I feel should be included) :

23.02.2013 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite BEL 1.HC
24.02.2013 Classic Sud Ardèche - Souvenir Francis Delpech FRA 1.1
24.02.2013 G.P. Città di Lugano SUI 1.1
24.02.2013 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne BEL 1.1
24.02.2013 Clasica de Almeria ESP 1.HC
27.02.2013 Le Samyn BEL 1.1
28.02.2013 G.P. Camaiore ITA 1.1
02.03.2013 Strade Bianche ITA 1.1
03.03.2013 Giro del Lazio ITA 1.1
09.03.2013 Albert Achterhes Pet Ronde van Drenthe NED 1.1
10.03.2013 De Weiert Dwars door Drenthe NED 1.1
13.03.2013 Nokere-Koerse BEL 1.1
15.03.2013 Handzame Classic BEL 1.1
16.03.2013 Classic Loire Atlantique FRA 1.1
17.03.2013 Cholet - Pays De Loire FRA 1.1
20.03.2013 Dwars door Vlaanderen / A travers la Flandre BEL 1.HC
29.03.2013 Route Adélie de Vitré FRA 1.1
30.03.2013 Volta Limburg Classic NED 1.1
30.03.2013 Gran Premio Miguel Indurain ESP 1.1
31.03.2013 Vuelta Ciclista a La Rioja ESP 1.1
01.04.2013 Val d'Ille Classic - Souvenir Julien Ditlecadet FRA 1.1
03.04.2013 Scheldeprijs BEL 1.HC
04.04.2013 Grand Prix Pino Cerami BEL 1.1
07.04.2013 Klasika Primavera de Amorebieta ESP 1.1
09.04.2013 Paris-Camembert FRA 1.1
10.04.2013 De Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne BEL 1.HC
11.04.2013 GP de Denain Porte du Hainaut FRA 1.1
13.04.2013 Tour du Finistère FRA 1.1
14.04.2013 Tro-Bro Léon FRA 1.1
14.04.2013 Giro dell'Appennino ITA 1.1
20.04.2013 Gran Premio Llodio ESP 1.1
21.04.2013 La Roue Tourangelle Région Centre - Classic Loire Touraine Vignobles & Chateaux FRA 1.1

Which would give us the following calendar if we include the WT races :
23.02.2013 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Elite BEL
24.02.2013 G.P. Città di Lugano SUI
24.02.2013 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne BEL
24.02.2013 Clasica de Almeria ESP
27.02.2013 Le Samyn BEL
02.03.2013 Strade Bianche ITA
03.03.2013 Giro del Lazio ITA
17.03.2013 Milano - Sanremo ITA
20.03.2013 Dwars door Vlaanderen / A travers la Flandre BEL
22.03.2013 E3 Harelbeke BEL
30.03.2013 Gran Premio Miguel Indurain ESP
31.03.2013 Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres BEL
03.04.2013 Scheldeprijs BEL
07.04.2013 Paris - Roubaix FRA
09.04.2013 Paris-Camembert FRA
10.04.2013 De Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne BEL
14.04.2013 Giro dell'Appennino ITA
14.04.2013 Amstel Gold Race NED
17.04.2013 La Flèche Wallonne BEL
21.04.2013 Liège - Bastogne - Liège BEL

This calendar would give us 20 races : 10 Belgians (but they were always going to dominate), 4 Italians, 2 Spanish, 2 French, 1 Dutch and 1 Swiss. I think it is more balanced (a third cobblestones races, a third hilly, a couple for the sprinters and a few that can suit many types of riders) than the current one, which puts too much emphasis on cobbles (they are my favorite races and form a great bulk of the spring classics but I think it would decrease the fun of picking a team (basically look for underperforming cobblestones specialist rather than any type of classic riders)). However I woud understand if you did not want to take on the extra load of work caused by the addition of those races.

 

[search]

this does look like a very well balanced list of races, I also agree on reduced budget, although I think 8 riders is not enough. With overlapping races and so on I would prefere to have more riders to keep the thrill of the game. 10-12 riders for a total of ~2000-2500 points, I would say