CQ ranking

[Hugo Koblet]

The Plot

It is december 8 2010, and you've just been called up by your old friend, the rich business man, Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith has had a long time interest for cycling and now he has decided that he wants to start his own team, and he wants you to be the sports director. For this he has given you a healthy budget of 7.500 CG Dollars, for which he expects you to build a team capable of competing with the best of the best. With your honour on the line you obviously decide to take the challenge.

The Facts

You must create a team consisting of 25-33 riders which combined value doesn't exceed 7.500 CQ Dollars. Each riders value is equivalent to his CQ ranking points. e.g. Vincenzo Nibali has a value of 2.203 CQ Dollars, Alberto Contador has a value of 2.092 CQ Dollars etc.

The challenge will last the entire 2011 season. When the 2011 season is done, each rider will have obtained a new CQ ranking value. The winner of this challenge is the one whos team has the highest aggregated value by the end of the 2011 season.

The 7.500 CQ Dollars given is based on an average CQ ranking for the 2010 Pro Tour Teams. It is roughly equivalent to that of the Radioshack or Garmin team of 2010.

For you to win you will have to spot the talents who will have their breakthrough in the 2011 season or find the riders who will do much better in 2011 than in the 2010 season.

Anyone who wants to compete must send their team of 25 riders in a message to me on december 31 at the latest. After a few days (read: when I'm not hung over anymore) I will publish the teams competing and over the course of the season I will update the scoreboard.

I hope a lot of you will participate and make this a fun contest

If you have any questions or ideas for improvements, please let me know.

Note: if the interest isn't there, I reserve the right to cancel the challenge.

Rulings and regulations:

- You team must consist of 25-33 riders which aggregated value doesn't exceed 7.500 CQ points.
- Riders who are coming back from suspension will have a price similar to that of their last active season. e.g. Franco Pellizotti costs 60 CQ Dollars, Davide Rebellin costs 775 CQ Dollars, Riccardo Ricco costs 756 CQ Dollars etc.

Edit 12/10: Registation is open again and untill december 31. Anyone sending their team from now on, please use the following layout:

ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor
BALLAN Alessandro
Etc.

The name of the rider must match the one on CQ Rankings exactly, otherwise the points won't load.

Just send your list of riders to me in a PM.

Edit 12/18:
Here's a list of team registered. If you aren't in the list but have already send your team, let me know.

al_pacino
Arnout
auscyclefan94
auto de fé
Barrus
Bicing
Bumeington
Contre la montre
deValtos
Erick 8-A
EvansIsTheBest
Ferminal
Gotland
henry olonga
hrotha
Hugo Koblet
ingsve
Jakob747
Jan the Man
Jancouver
jens_attacks
Jiaying
Joy118118
Jpettersen
Jukebox
Kazistuta
Kevin Rudd's Hairdryer
kurtinsc
Kvinto
Kwibus
Libertine Seguros
luckyboy
LukeSchmid
mc_mountain
Mellow Velo
Moncoutie
Moondance
nvpacchi
Object
pabryan
Parrulo
Pcutter
Rocksteady
roundabout
royalpig180
Sneekes
Spider1964
sublimit
Team Sky Fans
tgsgirl
The Amateur
The Cobra
The Hitch
Timmy-loves-Rabo
togo95
trotters aotearoa
Tuarts
Vonn Brinkman
whittashau
who dat
zapata

The spreadsheet with the teams is uploaded here (note that it might not be updated just yet): https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B7...gzMjMtNTRlZDE0MDAwYjRk&hl=en&authkey=CMO60L4J

Here's how it works:

The first sheet named "Rankings" shows a list of all the teams ranked in order. The leader is at the top and so on. The 2010 points shows the value of the team in the 2010 season, and the 2011 points shows the teams points this (next) season. Total point rank shows what place each team is in. Gain/loss shows how much profit the team has made (or lost!) in the 2011 season compared to the 2010 season.

The next sheets shows the individual teams. Each team has got their own sheet. This is because I thought it was a bit confusing and badly arranged if all teams were just thrown in one single sheet. Each sheet shows the same as the "Rankings" sheet: 2010 points, 2011 points and Gain/loss.

That's actually it. Don't mind the last 3 sheets named "Teams", "2010 Results" and "2011 Results".

Note: In the spreadsheet uploaded I have inserted the 2009 points in the 2011 points row. This was just to test if it works, but I thought I might as well keep it there - that way you can all see how it works

There might be a few minor mistakes in the various teams. I therefore request you all to go check your team to see if I've made any errors. Also please notice if your team value exceeds 7500.

If anyone notices anything in the spreadsheet that doesn't work please let me know.

Also, make sure to visist cqranking.com. Without them this wouldn't be possible.

Update 1/24:
Update 2 is out: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7A5QXRK2

Update 1/31:
Update 3 is out: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Q0591KB3

Update 2/7:
Update 4 is out: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=H1VGM8SD

 

[Moondance]

Has to be 25 riders? No more, no less?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Well at first I considering giving a bit more freedom, making you pick any number of riders between say 25-30 or so, which certainly is an option if that's better?

I just don't want to let you pick say 10 riders or so - there has to be a minimum

 

[Mellow Velo]

Sounds good to me.
Just pop ACF down for the current BMC roster!

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

i like it.

25 should def. be a minimum. Agree that people can have more if they want tho.
Maybe 7,500 isn't enough... not sure tho.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Alright, a minimum of 25 (and then no maximum?) sounds good to me.

7.500 doesn't sound like much, but in 2010 the only teams to score more than 7.500 points were HTC, Saxo Bank, Liquigas, Katusha, Rabobank and Garmin.

I think the fun part is spotting cheap and/or young riders who will do well next season, though I'm willing to up the amount of points if people wish - after all the general consensus should be the deciding factor and not just me

 

[Arnout]

No, don't up it. It's no fun when everyone chooses the same riders.

 

[Moondance]

7500 is more than enough.

 

[Moondance]

Sounds good to me.
Just pop ACF down for the current BMC roster!

What would he do with his remaining 3000 points?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I tend to agree. And also, I really do think that there should be a maximum number of riders allowed on a team because otherwise you might as well just chose a huge amount of riders with a really low score just to make them double their points, which isn't really realistic or fun - and it doesn't really make it easy for me either when I have to type every rider and their points in

So basically I think 25-33 rider perhaps? That way we keep it as "realistic" as possible I think.

Edit: one more thing. I'd really like to participate myself so I guess I just have to promis that I won't take anyone else's ideas. If one would be willing to act as a "guarantee", I could send my team to that one person as soon as possible so everyone knows that I haven't cheated

 

[Arnout]

I tend to agree. And also, I really do think that there should be a maximum number of riders allowed on a team because otherwise you might as well just chose a huge amount of riders with a really low score just to make them double their points, which isn't really realistic or fun - and it doesn't really make it easy for me either when I have to type every rider and their points in

So basically I think 25-33 rider perhaps? That way we keep it as "realistic" as possible I think.

I would prefer a fixed number (like 25) but 25-28 or something is also ok, that is to make the rules of the game as tight as possible. Only then squads are really comparable and that way winning (or losing to a better (luckier ) guy) is more fun.

 

[Ferminal]

What would he do with his remaining 3000 points?

loool

I think team size should be anything between 25 to 30.

I wouldn't mind 10,000 so a hack like me could pick a decent roster!

I like the way it works on actual points, not some made up $ value. That way theoretically every person's team has theoretically the same points earning ability - the skill is picking the underachievers or new talents and not falling for those who overachieved in 2010.

 

[Ferminal]

Also, I think any rider returning from suspension should have their last full, unadjusted season taken as the number of points.

i.e. Rebellin you would use 2007 or 2008, not his 2009 or 2010.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Also, I think any rider returning from suspension should have their last full, unadjusted season taken as the number of points.

i.e. Rebellin you would use 2007 or 2008, not his 2009 or 2010.

Uh, this is something I hadn't really considered. What's the consensus on this matter?

In the case of Rebellin, I don't think it would matter much. He would still cost you 775 CQ Dollars which is probably a lot for a 39-year-old returning to cycling, though I see your point.

 

[The Hitch]

Also, I think any rider returning from suspension should have their last full, unadjusted season taken as the number of points.

i.e. Rebellin you would use 2007 or 2008, not his 2009 or 2010.

Way to screw up my entire team.


Sigh.

Back in the pool you go, Danilo Di Luca, Riccardo Ricco, David Rebbelin, Emanuele Sella, Thomas Dekker, Michael Rasmussen

 

[Moondance]

Way to screw up my entire team.


Sigh.

Back in the pool you go, Danilo Di Luca, Riccardo Ricco, David Rebbelin, Emanuele Sella, Thomas Dekker, Michael Rasmussen

Well, Ricco and Rasmussen could be kept. They'd have the CQ scores they accumulated this year.

But I agree with Ferminal. Guys like Di Luca or Rebbelin shouldn't be 'free'

 

[auscyclefan94]

What would he do with his remaining 3000 points?

Sounds good to me.
Just pop ACF down for the current BMC roster!

Cheap shot! But I'm in!

So this is a game not associated with CQ?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Well no it isn't. I hope it's OK to do a manager game based on points from that website. If it isn't allowed then I guess there's nothing to do, but I don't see how it should be a problem seing that it's a non-profit game that only promotes their website.

 

[Ferminal]

Way to screw up my entire team.


Sigh.

Back in the pool you go, Danilo Di Luca, Riccardo Ricco, David Rebbelin, Emanuele Sella, Thomas Dekker, Michael Rasmussen

If they have had half a season comeback I'm sure it would be ok. But imagine if Pellizotti was 60 points, he would be in every single team.

On my first go I managed to get 30 riders at just over 8,500, so it shouldn't be too hard cutting the additional 1,000 off.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I am having trouble making a team within the limit. Mr Smith needs to donate some more money! (Stingy ****!)

 

[Mellow Velo]

What would he do with his remaining 3000 points?

Oooh, scathing.............but.

7500 is more than enough.

Picked 5 so far. No GT contender, but almost half the cash spent.
Still, I always like to do a bit of bargain basement shopping.
Might even have to look at the odd BMC rider.

 

[who dat]

So how much will pelizotti cost cause i can't seem to find him on CQ rankings?

 

[Moondance]

So how much will pelizotti cost cause i can't seem to find him on CQ rankings?

Pellizotti has 60.. I picked him myself because he wasn't convicted of anything and so retroactively his suspension was unjustified.

We might need an executive ruling from Hugo on the price of Pellizotti, because his is a rather unusual case.

 

[auscyclefan94]

mellow Velo 9/25 of my riders are from BMC!

Just completed my team with 13 CQ dollars left over!

 

[auscyclefan94]

Pellizotti has 60.. I picked him myself because he wasn't convicted of anything and so retroactively his suspension was unjustified.

We might need an executive ruling from Hugo on the price of Pellizotti, because his is a rather unusual case.

Leave his points at 60. It is a bargain pick up.