Prediction Game 2021 Women's Edition

[Samu Cuenca]

I'm going to help you out, even if it might hurt my own chances.

Stage 1: https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/viewtrack/430413
Stage 2: https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/viewtrack/430414
Stage 3: https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/viewtrack/430416
Stage 4: https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/viewtrack/430417
Stage 5: https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/viewtrack/430419
Stage 6: https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/viewtrack/430420
And what looks to be a full startlist : https://firstcycling.com/race.php?r=9810&y=2021&k=8

Some of the profiles might not be completely accurate though, cause their length don't match those given by the organisers.
A few of the stages are probably very similar to the ones from 2019: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/int-thuringen-rundfahrt-der-frauen/2019/stage-1/stages

Current ranking
None of us were able to predict the third place finisher in Burgos, and RhD's moral compass hit her in the face like a boomerang.
@BlueRoads 17(+5)
@Põhja Konn 15(+5)
@Libertine Seguros 14(+5)
@Samu Cuenca 13(+5)
@RedheadDane 13(+2)

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Two real shames in the route - no lap of the Schleizer Dreieck in stage 3, and no use of the Balsamine cobbled climb in the Weimar stage.

I'll double down, you know what. Team Liane!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

This is a hard race to predict the outcome of. Almost every team has at least one rider who could potentially reach the podium, and it's not to easy to guess who'll end up as team leaders.

I'm picking Elena Cecchini, who has done well in Thüringen before, Emma Norsgaard, who has been very strong, and finally, after thorough consideration, Liane Lippert, who should have a better chance against van Dijk, Brennauer and Brand this year without the usual ITT.

 

[Põhja Konn]

My picks are Clara Koppenburg, Emma Norsgaard and Amy Pieters.

 

[BlueRoads]

Okay, Koppenburg, Norsgaard and Lippert are probably better options than mine... But I'm sticking to them!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

No one got more than one rider on the podium in Thüringen with Libertine getting three points for Brand, and Norsgaard giving Põhja Konn and yours truly one point each.

Current standings
@Libertine Seguros 17(+3)
@BlueRoads 17
@Põhja Konn 16(+1)
@Samu Cuenca 14(+1)
@RedheadDane 13

Our next race is La Course (June 26th), but I consider adding the Lotto Belgium Tour to the schedule. It doesn't have the best calendar spot this year though with both the TdF and La Course taking place at the same time.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It's time for La Course tomorrow, and it's already on from 8:20 AM local time.
You can only pick one rider this time around, and the points system works like this:
Victory = 3 points, second place = 2 points, third place = 1.5 points, 4th or 5th place = 1 point, 6th-10th place = half a point.

https://www.lacoursebyletourdefrance.com/en/riders

 

[BlueRoads]

van der Breggen

 

[Libertine Seguros]

One vote for Demi-goddess, alsjeblieft.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Põhja Konn, I'm awaiting your pick

I think, I'm going with Vollering. Van der Breggen might want to give her the opportunity to win here as an early thank you for Vollering's help during the Giro (though she might not need too much of it with Van Vleuten not going to Italy). The same could be said for Van den Broek-Blaak and possibly Fisher-Black, but I like Demi more (I had to make a word play on her name, too).

 

[Põhja Konn]

My pick is Van der Breggen

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Wow, LS and I played it perfectly!

Current standings
@Libertine Seguros 20(+3)
@BlueRoads 18(+1)
@Samu Cuenca 17(+3)
@Põhja Konn 17(+1)
@RedheadDane 15(+2)

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Is this the first one-day race where every player has scored? And I was thinking "looks like RHD has gone heart over head, but I sure hope she's right"...

 

[RedheadDane]

Is this the first one-day race where every player has scored? And I was thinking "looks like RHD has gone heart over head, but I sure hope she's right"...

Sometimes I go head. Sometimes I go heart. Sometimes I go left big toe.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Is this the first one-day race where every player has scored? And I was thinking "looks like RHD has gone heart over head, but I sure hope she's right"...

I believe it is (or let's just agree that it is, so I don't have to l look it up)

Sometimes I go head. Sometimes I go heart. Sometimes I go left big toe.

Well it worked out for you. I didn't think Cille would have that much left for the sprint.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Even if she did have that much left for the sprint, after we'd seen it a couple of times and realised it wasn't a steepish uphill sprint as the course had flattened out by the line, I thought she'd struggle to get a podium just given the people in the group she'd be sprinting against and thought she'd be duking it out with Kasia at the back of the group other than people like van der Breggen sitting up once they'd led out.

Oh yea, can we apply this race's rules going backwards? I've picked a couple of 4th places before

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Oh yea, can we apply this race's rules going backwards? I've picked a couple of 4th places before

That would just result in me doing more work than I currently do, with changing the rules between every race and all.
I am thinking about partially using these ruels for the Giro, but we'll probably be allowed to pick more than one rider to keep us from getting disinterested, if one of our chosen daughters should crash out.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

That would just result in me doing more work than I currently do, with changing the rules between every race and all.
I am thinking about partially using these ruels for the Giro, but we'll probably be allowed to pick more than one rider to keep us from getting disinterested, if one of our chosen daughters should crash out.

I know. And it wouldn't benefit me THAT much as others got 3rd place points that would also improve.

 

[BlueRoads]

That would just result in me doing more work than I currently do, with changing the rules between every race and all.
I am thinking about partially using these ruels for the Giro, but we'll probably be allowed to pick more than one rider to keep us from getting disinterested, if one of our chosen daughters should crash out.

Oh yes, I'm going to have daughters!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I know. And it wouldn't benefit me THAT much as others got 3rd place points that would also improve.

I could of course change the rules in a way that would benefit the two of us the most, but that would a bit unfair to the others.
And even though cycling is known for weird and sudden rule changes, and sometimes outright cheating (like a lot of other sports, obviously), I'm not going to play dirty.

Oh yes, I'm going to have daughters!

Parents, lock up your daughters, cause BlueRoads is coming for them!

 

[RedheadDane]

Guys, it's Giro time!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Guys, it's Giro time!

There are still a few days left, and no one even knows the rules yet (but I'm working on them, I promise)

 

[RedheadDane]

There are still a few days left, and no one even knows the rules yet (but I'm working on them, I promise)

Oh, I was just gonna fill in each of the Giro-related "slots" on the table...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Oh, I was just gonna fill in each of the Giro-related "slots" on the table...

Ok, I have worked out the system now. You're going to pick three riders for the GC battle. If one of them wins the Giro, you'll get 4 points, 2 points for a second place, 1.5 points for a third place, 4th or 5th place gives 1 point, and 6th-10th place equals half a point.

You can pick one rider for the QOM, one for the points classification and one for the youth classification. If your chosen rider wins the competition, you'll reveice one point.

On top of that you may pick another rider, who can not be one of those you've already picked for the race, who will be able to score you one point, if she manages to win a stage during the race (if she wins more than one, you won't get any additional points).

Race	Pre-race prediction
Giro - GC (three riders) (7.5 possible points)
Giro - Points jersey (1 point)
Giro - QOM (1 point)
Giro - Youth (1 point)
Giro - Stage Huntress (1 point)

 

[RedheadDane]

So... when I fill the table on the first page out, should I fill in each of the podium-spots with all three riders?

Look in the table below, the bolded bit... can't figure out how to quote just part of the table...

Race	Pre-race prediction
Strade Bianche (1 point)
Trofeo Alfredo Binda (1 point)
Gent-Wevelgem (1 point)
Ronde van Vlaanderen (1 point)
Scheldeprijs (1 point)
Paris-Roubaix (1 point)
Amstel Gold Race (1 point)
La Flèche Wallonne (1 point)
Liège-Bastogne-Liège (1 point)
La Course by Le Tour de France (1 point)
Giro winner (2/1 point)
Giro podium 2 (2/1 point)
Giro podium 3 (2/1 point)
Giro - Points jersey (1 point)
Giro - KOM (1 point)
Donostia San Sebastián Klasikoa (1 point)
OG Road Race (1 point)
OG Time Trial (1 point)
Ceratizit Challenge by la Vuelta (1 point)
WC Road Race (1 point)
WC Time Trial (1 point)
Winner of the individual WT ranking (1 point)
Winner of the youth ranking (1 point)
Winner of the team ranking (1 point)