2026 Spring Classics CQ Game

[Armchair Cyclist]

I picked Verstrynge assuming that as a CX rider he might get a few minor placings in lesser cobbled races. I hadn't expected major points from him today!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Race 21 of 24 Amstel Gold Race

Race Pos'n		Pts	Teams
3​	COSNEFROY Benoit	112​	10​
4​	GREGOIRE Romain	96​	2 (18Valva and Samu)​
5​	VERSTRYNGE Emiel	86​	2 (Armchair & Leadbelly)​
6​	SCHMID Mauro	76​	1 (Vladimir)​
7​	VANSEVENANT Mauri	66​	3 (HiHope, Ingsve, Mikks)​
8​	WITHEN PHILIPSEN Albert	58​	5​
11​	BAUDIN Alex	40​	1​
14​	DEL GROSSO Tibor	27​	1​
17​	OLDANI Stefano	19​	1​
18​	GLIVAR Gal	18​	1​
22​	BERCKMOES Jenno	14​	1​
27​	ADRIA OLIVERAS Roger	9​	1​

and 18 fivers

1​	HiHope	256​	Cosnefroy, Vansevenant, Withen + 4 fivers	80​
2​	Ingsve	246​	Cosnefroy, Vansevenant, Withen + 2 fivers	50​
3​	Armchair	208​	Cosnefroy, Verstrynge +2 fivers	35​
4​	Mikks	188​	Cosnefroy, Vansevenant +2	25​
5​	SamuCuenca	178​	Gregoire, Withen, Oldani +1	15​
6​	DJSprtsch	137​		10​
7​	SlowClimber	132​		4​
7​	Triley36	132​		4​
9​	Del1962	131​		2​
10​	DevilsElbow	122​		0.5​
10​	JonEzeitza	122​		0.5​
12​	18Valve	116​
12​	Leadbelly	116​
14​	Vladimir	91​
15​	QueenStagiare	73​
16​	EvansIsTheBest	68​
17​	RedheadDane	45​
18​	Kazistuta	37​
19​	Blues_in_the_Bottle	29​
20​	Bminchow	25​
20​	DJW	25​
22​	Laarsland	20​
22​	Madrazo	20​
22​	Peixotini	20​
22​	Rufs	20​
22​	Search	20​
27​	Onizuka	18​
28​	Shakes	15​
29​	AmisVelo	10​
30​	Josedin	5​
30​	LosBrolin	5​
	CollectiveWisdom	132​
	SoLastYear	10​
	MainGamePop	117​

Green standings
Samu breaks the tie

I'll give the top 12, as that shows every who could, at least theoretically, still reach the podium (max 240 points if anyone top scores the three remaining events); down as far as Amis Velo are potential winners.

1​	SamuCuenca	455​	(-)
2​	RedheadDane	440​	(-1)
3​	DJW	390.92​	(-)
4​	Onizuka	381.67​	(-)
5​	18Valve	305.92​	(-)
6​	Armchair	280.34​	(+1)
7​	DJSprtsch	273.3​	(-1)
8​	AmisVelo	235.13​	(-)
9​	Ingsve	179.34​	(+5)
10​	QueenStagiare	178.17​	(-1)
11​	Search	173.5​	(-1)
12​	Shakes	154.17​	(-1)

Standings

Could it be that Armchair has broken free of the group 2 stalemate to chase down the leader who has been out front since the early break? (probably not)

1​	DJW	2146​	(-)
2​	Armchair	2020​	(+3)
3​	QueenStagiare	1887​	(+1)
4​	Search	1858​	(-1)
5​	AmisVelo	1851​	(-3)
6​	Leadbelly	1781​	(+2)
7​	Madrazo	1729​	(-1)
8​	Peixotini	1725​	(-1)
9​	DJSprtsch	1647​	(+1)
10​	EvansIsTheBest	1618​	(-1)
11​	Triley36	1616​	(-)
12​	Ingsve	1596​	(+3)
13​	HiHope	1569​	(+3)
14​	DevilsElbow	1528​	(-)
15​	RedheadDane	1516​	(-3)
16​	Shakes	1461​	(-3)
17​	Del1962	1383​	(+1)
18​	Vladimir	1349​	(-1)
19​	SlowClimber	1339​	(-)
20​	Mikks	1296​	(+1)
21​	18Valve	1187​	(+1)
22​	SamuCuenca	1163​	(+3)
23​	Laarsland	1135​	(-3)
24​	JonEzeitza	1062​	(+3)
25​	Kazistuta	1026​	(-1)
26​	Rufs	1024​	(-3)
27​	Onizuka	961​	(-1)
28​	Josedin	641​	(-)
29​	Blues_in_the_Bottle	585​	(-)
30​	Bminchow	514​	(-)
31​	LosBrolin	469​	(-)
	CollectiveWisdom	1634​
	SoLastYear	1252​
	MainGamePop	1080​

Wallonian arrows on Wednesday


Spreadsheet

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Sorry: away from home on family matters, very limited internet, and so although I accidentally saw the FW winner, I know nothing of how the race went (but it is FW, so I can probably guess). I want to watch it with as much ignorance of how it went as I can preserve, so no update until I am home.

You will just have to let the tension build...

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

As suspected, my late catchup on this one was only about 7km.

Race 22 of 24 Fleche Wallonne

1​	SEIXAS Paul	220​	3 (18Valve, Ingsve, Josedin)​
2​	SCHMID Mauro	132​	1 (Vladimir)​
4​	COSNEFROY Benoit	96​	10​
6​	BAUDIN Alex	76​	1 (Redhead Dane)​
9​	GREGOIRE Romain	52​	2 (18Valve and Samu Cuenca)​
10​	KRON Andreas Lorentz	46​	15​
22​	VAN EETVELT Lennert	14​	5​
23​	VANSEVENANT Mauri	13​	3​

only 9 five pointers this time

1​	Ingsve	380​	Seixas, Cosnefroy, Kron, Vansevenant	80 green pts​
2​	18Valve	323​	Seixas, Gregoire, Kron	50​
3​	Josedin	220​	Seixas	35​
4​	DevilsElbow	161​	Cosnefroy, Kron, Van Eetvelt	25​
5​	SlowClimber	157​	Cosnefroy, Kron and 2 fivers	15​
6​	Armchair	147​		7.5​
6​	DJSprtsch	147​		7.5​
8​	HiHope	133​		3​
9​	Vladimir	132​		2​
10​	Del1962	120​		0.5​
10​	Triley36	120​		0.5​
12​	Mikks	114​
13​	SamuCuenca	103​
14​	JonEzeitza	96​
15​	RedheadDane	81​
16​	EvansIsTheBest	70​
17​	Laarsland	56​
17​	Rufs	56​
19​	DJW	51​
19​	Leadbelly	51​
19​	Madrazo	51​
22​	Bminchow	46​
22​	Kazistuta	46​
24​	QueenStagiare	10​
24​	Search	10​
26​	Blues_in_the_Bottle	5​
26​	LosBrolin	5​
26​	Onizuka	5​
26​	Peixotini	5​
26​	Shakes	5​
31​	AmisVelo	0​
	CollectiveWisdom	147​
	SoLastYear	5​
	MainGamePop	330​

Green point standings

2 races left, so 160 points available: the top 5 are still contenders, down as far as 9th could, at a push, make the podium.

1​	SamuCuenca	455​	(-)
2​	RedheadDane	440​	(-)
3​	DJW	390.92​	(-)
4​	Onizuka	381.67​	(-)
5​	18Valve	355.92​	(-)
6​	Armchair	287.84​	(-)
7​	DJSprtsch	280.8​	(-)
8​	Ingsve	259.34​	(+1)
9​	AmisVelo	235.13​	(-1)
10​	QueenStagiare	178.17​	(-)

Standings

For this stage of the game, that's a huge jump by Ingsve to 3rd place, and suddenly the pursuer is almost on the wheel of the long time leader.

1​	DJW	2197​	(-)
2​	Armchair	2167​	(-)
3​	Ingsve	1976​	(+9)
4​	QueenStagiare	1897​	(-1)
5​	Search	1868​	(-1)
6​	AmisVelo	1851​	(-1)
7​	Leadbelly	1832​	(-1)
8​	DJSprtsch	1794​	(+1)
9​	Madrazo	1780​	(-2)
10​	Triley36	1736​	(+1)
11​	Peixotini	1730​	(-3)
12​	HiHope	1702​	(+1)
13​	DevilsElbow	1689​	(+1)
14​	EvansIsTheBest	1688​	(-4)
15​	RedheadDane	1597​	(-)
16​	18Valve	1510​	(+5)
17​	Del1962	1503​	(-)
18​	SlowClimber	1496​	(+1)
19​	Vladimir	1481​	(-1)
20​	Shakes	1466​	(-4)
21​	Mikks	1410​	(-1)
22​	SamuCuenca	1266​	(-)
23​	Laarsland	1191​	(-)
24​	JonEzeitza	1158​	(-)
25​	Rufs	1080​	(+1)
26​	Kazistuta	1072​	(-1)
27​	Onizuka	966​	(-)
28​	Josedin	861​	(-)
29​	Blues_in_the_Bottle	590​	(-)
30​	Bminchow	560​	(-)
31​	LosBrolin	474​	(-)
	CollectiveWisdom	1781​
	SoLastYear	1257​
	MainGamePop	1410​

Liege on Sunday should be decisive, even though Frankfurt has the final word.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

So looking at the LBL startlist:

@DJW has
Kron
Rex
Tratnik
Van Baarle

Armchair (30 points behind) pins hopes on
Cosnefroy
Kron
Martinez
Verstrynge

@ingsve (221 pts to make up) is looking to
Cosnefroy
Kron
Seixas
Van Baarle
Vansevenant


others are another 100 points or so back, and don't have someone like Seixas that might score significantly.


So Kron is essentially neutralised; Seixas probably needs to podium to get ingsve into contention; Cosnefroy could do for DJW, or Van Baarle for Armchair; Martinez or Verstrynge could become heroes chez Armchair; Tratnik or Rex might hold the challengers at bay for DJW..

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Verstrynge might have done enough for me...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Lovely to see Marco Brenner finished today after a late call up. Those extra 5 points could be crucial.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Lovely to see Marco Brenner finished today after a late call up. Those extra 5 points could be crucial.

He was the only Tudor rider left after the first climbs until La Redoute, so impressive that he lost 16 minutes from then on

 

[Samu Cuenca]

He was the only Tudor rider left after the first climbs until La Redoute, so impressive that he lost 16 minutes from then on

But after his last results I honestly only thought he was there to avoid Tudor getting fined.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Race 23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Race Pos'n		Pts	Teams
2​	SEIXAS Paul	170​	3​
4​	VERSTRYNGE Emiel	125​	2​
7​	GREGOIRE Romain	90​	2​
11​	SCHMID Mauro	54​	1​
15​	VANSEVENANT Mauri	34​	3​
19​	BAUDIN Alex	26​	1​

and 12 fivers

1​	18Valve	275​	Seixas & Gregoire	80​
2​	Ingsve	224​	Seixas & Vansevenant	50​
3​	Josedin	170​	Seixas	35​
4​	Armchair	140​	Verstrynge	25​
5​	Leadbelly	135​	Verstrynge	15​
6​	SamuCuenca	100​	Gregoire	10​
7​	Vladimir	59​		5​
8​	HiHope	54​		3​
9​	Mikks	44​		2​
10​	RedheadDane	31​		1​
11​	SlowClimber	25​
12​	DJW	20​
12​	Triley36	20​
14​	DevilsElbow	15​
14​	DJSprtsch	15​
14​	EvansIsTheBest	15​
14​	JonEzeitza	15​
14​	Laarsland	15​
14​	QueenStagiare	15​
14​	Rufs	15​
21​	Bminchow	10​
21​	Del1962	10​
21​	Kazistuta	10​
21​	Madrazo	10​
21​	Onizuka	10​
21​	Peixotini	10​
21​	Search	10​
28​	AmisVelo	5​
28​	Blues_in_the_Bottle	5​
28​	Shakes	5​
31​	LosBrolin	0​
	CollectiveWisdom	17​
	SoLastYear	10​
	MainGamePop	180​

Green standings

There are now only 4 teams that could win this, and only one more with podium potential.

1​	SamuCuenca	465​	(-)
2​	RedheadDane	441​	(-)
3​	18Valve	435.92​	(+2)
4​	DJW	390.92​	(-1)
5​	Onizuka	381.67​	(-1)
6​	Armchair	312.84​	(-)
7​	Ingsve	309.34​	(+1)
8​	DJSprtsch	280.8​	(-1)
9​	AmisVelo	235.13​	(-)
10​	QueenStagiare	178.17​	(-)

Standings

Verstrynge might have to become my new favourite rider: a change at the top for the first time since E3, when DJW regained the lead he had had from Omloop to Strade Bianche.

1​	Armchair	2307​	(+1)
2​	DJW	2217​	(-1)
3​	Ingsve	2200​	(-)
4​	Leadbelly	1967​	(+3)
5​	QueenStagiare	1912​	(-1)
6​	Search	1878​	(-1)
7​	AmisVelo	1856​	(-1)
8​	DJSprtsch	1809​	(-)
9​	Madrazo	1790​	(-)
10​	18Valve	1785​	(+6)
11​	HiHope	1756​	(+1)
12​	Triley36	1756​	(-2)
13​	Peixotini	1740​	(-2)
14​	DevilsElbow	1704​	(-1)
15​	EvansIsTheBest	1703​	(-1)
16​	RedheadDane	1628​	(-1)
17​	Vladimir	1540​	(+2)
18​	SlowClimber	1521​	(-)
19​	Del1962	1513​	(-2)
20​	Shakes	1471​	(-)
21​	Mikks	1454​	(-)
22​	SamuCuenca	1366​	(-)
23​	Laarsland	1206​	(-)
24​	JonEzeitza	1173​	(-)
25​	Rufs	1095​	(-)
26​	Kazistuta	1082​	(-)
27​	Josedin	1031​	(+1)
28​	Onizuka	976​	(-1)
29​	Blues_in_the_Bottle	595​	(-)
30​	Bminchow	570​	(-)
31​	LosBrolin	474​	(-)
	CollectiveWisdom	1797​
	SoLastYear	1267​
	MainGamePop	1590​

The top three teams are the only three to have 5 riders in profit.

I'll have a look at the Frankfurt startlist on Thursday (while hoping that none of our selected riders are on it)

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I hope comparison of two lists hasn't let me down, but with different sites having different name formatting, it's not impossible.

But I think this is the list of riders selected for the game taking part in the final leg tomorrow:

	picks	high placed pickers
AGOSTINACCHIO Mattia	1​
BAGIOLI Andrea	1​
BARRE Louis	1​
BAUDIN Alex	1​	On Redhead Dane's team (2nd in green)
BIESTERBOS Frits	2​	Laarsland (4th)
DEGENKOLB John	3​	Queen Stagiaire (5th)
DEL GROSSO Tibor	1​
DINHAM Matthew	3​
GACHIGNARD Thomas	1​	Samu (green 1st)
GLIVAR Gal	1​
GUALDI Simone	1​
HAGENES Per Strand	5​	Ingsve (3rd)
HERREGODTS Rune	1​
HOBBS Noah	2​
JAKOBSEN Fabio	2​
KOLZE CHANGIZI Sebastian	1​
KRAGH ANDERSEN Søren	3​	Redhead Dane (green 2nd)
LAURANCE Axel	2​
LUND ANDRESEN Tobias	1​
PESCADOR CASTRO Diego	2​	DJW (2nd, green 4th), 18Valve (green 3rd)
PITHIE Laurence	11​	Ingsve (3rd)
POLITT Nils	4​	Queen Stagiaire (5th)
REX Tim	2	​
TURNER Ben	4​
VANSEVENANT Mauri	3​	Ingsve (3rd)
VERSTRYNGE Emiel	2​	Armchair (leading) , Laarsland (4th)

So if Verstrynge doesn't finish, DJW would need Rex and Pescador to get one in the top three, or 4th and 23rd, or 8th and 9th (or similar in between combinations), to take the win:
Ingsve would need 1st or 2nd, or 3rd and both others finishing, one in the top 25, or 3rd and 20th, or 9th, 11th and 12th, etc for his trio of Pithie, Hagenes and Vansevenant.

It might still be too early for me to go shopping for silver polish.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I hope comparison of two lists hasn't let me down, but with different sites having different name formatting, it's not impossible.

But I think this is the list of riders selected for the game taking part in the final leg tomorrow:

	picks	high placed pickers
AGOSTINACCHIO Mattia	1​
BAGIOLI Andrea	1​
BARRE Louis	1​
BAUDIN Alex	1​	On Redhead Dane's team (2nd in green)
BIESTERBOS Frits	2​	Laarsland (4th)
DEGENKOLB John	3​	Queen Stagiaire (5th)
DEL GROSSO Tibor	1​
DINHAM Matthew	3​
GACHIGNARD Thomas	1​	Samu (green 1st)
GLIVAR Gal	1​
GUALDI Simone	1​
HAGENES Per Strand	5​	Ingsve (3rd)
HERREGODTS Rune	1​
HOBBS Noah	2​
JAKOBSEN Fabio	2​
KOLZE CHANGIZI Sebastian	1​
KRAGH ANDERSEN Søren	3​	Redhead Dane (green 2nd)
LAURANCE Axel	2​
LUND ANDRESEN Tobias	1​
PESCADOR CASTRO Diego	2​	DJW (2nd, green 4th), 18Valve (green 3rd)
PITHIE Laurence	11​	Ingsve (3rd)
POLITT Nils	4​	Queen Stagiaire (5th)
REX Tim	2	​
TURNER Ben	4​
VANSEVENANT Mauri	3​	Ingsve (3rd)
VERSTRYNGE Emiel	2​	Armchair (leading) , Laarsland (4th)

So if Verstrynge doesn't finish, DJW would need Rex and Pescador to get one in the top three, or 4th and 23rd, or 8th and 9th (or similar in between combinations), to take the win:
Ingsve would need 1st or 2nd, or 3rd and both others finishing, one in the top 25, or 3rd and 20th, or 9th, 11th and 12th, etc for his trio of Pithie, Hagenes and Vansevenant.

It might still be too early for me to go shopping for silver polish.

Vladimir and I have Valgren as well.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Vladimir and I have Valgren as well.

Good spot: like I said, different names across different sites.


Will he confirm your retention of green?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Good spot: like I said, different names across different sites.


Will he confirm your retention of green?

I should have better odds of coming out on top when Gachignard isn't my only rider in the race, but it would have helped if some of the picks I have riding in Switzerland and Turkey had shown up on for this race instead.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

And as one CQ game draws towards its end, another...