Update #37: Things get even tighter! But... overall standings remain the same, while Green Jersey has new leader
We are almost done! A few small races as epilogue remain, and the real question for those still following the CQ game is - who do I even have that is riding? With most riders packing it in and with start lists not even posted 12 hours before races, the last week may be a little bit of a lottery. But as we will see, there are a few people in the overall and Green Jersey who may still be able to cash in on that lottery ticket.
This Week's Top Scorers
It was a monumental week in the literal sense that there was the last Monument of the season, and it was a monumental end to the season for the 2 players in this game who took Tadej Pogacar. At a cost of 2044, he was one of the most expensive picks that has ever been picked in this game, but with a final season total of 3656, he ends up (
checks notes) with the highest yearly CQ score that has been recorded since CQ started up as a website. So... he was a pretty good pick. And this week's winner takes the top spot by 2 points, something that would have been 278 points short without the dominant Slovenian youngster's win in Lombardia. 18-Valve.(pithy) actually benefits even more from Pogacar, as there was basically a race every day in Italy last week and Pogacar by himself ended up with 404 on the week, which would be enough for 38th on the week without any other riders. But 18-Valve also was one of the 7 who picked Matt Walls, who got the win of his short career this week and the 130 CQ points that came with it. Add in 105 points from Alaphilippe, 41 from unique pick Hofstetter, and a smattering of others, and it was just enough for the win.
EvansIsTheBest just misses out, finishing two points back with a much broader group of scoring riders - tops was 170 from David Gaudu (19 teams), 108 from Sergio Higuita (30 teams), and 9 riders between 25 and 90 points, with familiar game names such as Bardet, Girmay, and Evenepoel, and others who shone brightest this week like Olav Kooij. Speaking of names that have been mentioned alot in this game, Jon Ezeitza gets another top weekly finish, rounding out the podium with 223 from Adam Yates, and then over 100 from the aforementioned Alaphilippe, Higuita and Walls.
This Week's High Movers
18-Valve doubles up, as does EITB on the podium. They're joined by Blues in the bottle, one of the five teams who benefitted from Fausto Masnada's career week and the 204 points that came with it.
Green Jersey Competition
Some last-minute shakeup here! Last week, Bicycle Boy was leading this by one point over Otoxiep87 and 5 overJon Ezeitza; this week it's reversed. Jon Ezeitza parlays 30 points for third into the lead of this competition, while Otoxiep87 stays in the game with 20 points for 6th on the week. With very little to go in this game, all it takes is a few good riders left on your squad to top a week, so any of these 3 could find themselves scraping out enough points to clinch the victory yet. There is a minuscule chance that someone further down could have a rare or unique rider who runs the table in the very few remaining races and takes 90 points for two weekly wins, but that is more like a literal lottery ticket chance even than my above analogy.
Top 10 Overall
After leading by 1200+ after the Vuelta, Object's lead over Squire is down to 82 points, meaning if Squire has a rider that Object doesn't who wins a 1.1 race plus 5 points somewhere else, the lead will be overturned. (Incidentally, today's 1.1 race was topped by Lutsenko followed by Trentin, who they both have, so that's a wash). Squire gained 131 points this week to make it an incredible nailbiter - I am sure both teams are furiously refreshing startlist sites to see if they have anyone riding. With the season tailing off the lists often switch up last minute as riders change their minds, and we may have a repeat of whatever year it was when Jos Van Emden scored some points in an obscure post-Lombardia race to overturn the top 2 of the game.
Below that, there's no movement in the top 8 and everyone looks pretty set in their place. Still a battle for the top 10, with 9th and 10th quite close, and 11th only 70 points back. Crevaison comes back into the top 10 while Galpedal falls out.
This week there are a few 1.1 and one 1.Pro race in Italy and France, and a curveball I just realized in the British nationals! After that, well then that's pretty much it! It seems that the last .1 or higher race is the lone Ronde van Drenthe on the 24th, which would signal the end of this year's game. It's been great so far, thanks all for playing, and I look forward to see what the final table looks like!
spreadsheet at dropbox