The 2024 CQ Ranking Manager Thread

[EvansIsTheBest]

I think I was mainly not trying to be optimistic for my chances so I wouldn't set myself up for disappointment, but I was also surprised how little of note he did post-Tour. So I'll give you your told-you-so!

But I also wrote this at the team reveal, to give myself a bit of a pat on the back too:

I don't know if that injury played any part, but at least I was somewhat right in my general skepticism about him having a full season of consistent great performances. But I will also gladly admit that for most of the season I wished he was in my team.

Wouldn't call Ayuso a particularly bad pick though, looking at the general context of the game. Of course, he probably wouldn't be very popular if you knew pre-season that he would only score 1276 points, but he's on the winning team and unless Mas has a superb Lombardia, he's still the highest-scoring realistic option in that price bracket. Turns out it would have been a pretty decent year to go for a more 'egalitarian' strategy in terms of cost distribution, but I'm happy I went away from that, because I was initially planning to go with Vine as my most expensive rider before I switched to Pidcock.

--

Speaking of Pidcock, and the podium battle ...

His 12 points in Piemonte puts me above @EvansIsTheBest as far as I can tell. It was probably a bummer for me that Varesine was cancelled, because that would likely have meant more Pidcock points. But I'm starting to think I'm looking good for my third 2nd place overall. The provisional startlist for Guangxi looks better for me than for EITB, and with Pidcock maybe getting some Lombardia points it's only really a Girmay raid in Veneto or something like that which could mess it up. That would be a bit typical of this season though. @Earns1985 has Teuns who could win the Japan Cup, but hopefully my Brits can counteract that.

Not quite, I was up 13 points this morning so I'm still ahead. It's only a matter of time though. I have nobody racing anymore. It's a bit disappointing that even in my successful years, my guys all stop their seasons super early and my team just stalls completely post Vuelta/Worlds. Same thing happened in 2022, 2020 and 2012 the other years I made the top 10.

I haven't paid much attention to this game unfortunately. Also easy to tell trajectory after a few months and it wasn't a great one.

Nonetheless, was some fun. Maybe we can have sub periods whereby one swap is allowed per period? Might increase attention span of people like me.

Anyway, I had created https://www.savius.at/CQGame/cqgame.php and surprisingly it works quite well without me touching anything! It's just quite slow but I think that's the server as it's not the most expensive package. Could pre process data automatically though. Is anyone using it and us it useful for next year? It's grabbing data from cq daily so just need team names and cq rider ids next year to have it all running again. Although only worth the effort if it's used. Could probably check stats but havent logged into admin of domain for a long time.

I do use it especially now that the final stretch is so close (it's how I know I have a 13 points edge on squire).

 

[Squire]

Not quite, I was up 13 points this morning so I'm still ahead.

Right, I missed the 5 Herzog points.

I still don't feel safe, especially when I haven't been assured that Girmay has ended his season yet.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Is anyone using it and us it useful for next year?

I use it and think it's a wonderful invention!
Would be very happy to see it next year as well.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I haven't paid much attention to this game unfortunately. Also easy to tell trajectory after a few months and it wasn't a great one.

Nonetheless, was some fun. Maybe we can have sub periods whereby one swap is allowed per period? Might increase attention span of people like me.

Anyway, I had created https://www.savius.at/CQGame/cqgame.php and surprisingly it works quite well without me touching anything! It's just quite slow but I think that's the server as it's not the most expensive package. Could pre process data automatically though. Is anyone using it and us it useful for next year? It's grabbing data from cq daily so just need team names and cq rider ids next year to have it all running again. Although only worth the effort if it's used. Could probably check stats but havent logged into admin of domain for a long time.

I use it to a point where I rarely check the spreadsheet these days, it's much appreciated!

Re: your other point: setting aside the other merits, I think most players will agree that one of the beauties of the game is that the rules have been virtually unchanged since the very first edition. Allowing subs would upend that beauty.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

my guys all stop their seasons super early and my team just stalls completely post Vuelta/Worlds. Same thing happened in 2022, 2020 and 2012 the other years I made the top 10.

I think most people's teams stalled post-Vuelta in 2020

 

[Netserk]

I wanted to check something from the first pages of this thread and saw this (about Baudin, who has been an excellent pick, but ended up unpicked!):

I will be consistent with what I said for Quintana last year then, so he'll be 51. I'll have to rethink this for future years in situations like this - there is a strong case to be made that if someone gets their score lowered with a DQ they should not be available for that score the following year, ADRV or not. But for this case, Baudin will be 51.

Riders can be DQ'ed for many different reasons. There are immediate ones like Sagan (TdF '17), Valverde (Liège '12), Moscon (WCRR '17) and Nibali (VaE '15), but I guess those are not the ones in mind. Still, getting retroactively DQ'ed without any suspension for violating the medical rules (Baudin and Quintana) does not seem that different to the immediate ones to me. If Quintana had been thrown out of the Tour two days after he "tested positive", and then immediately raced somewhere else, would that not be more or less equivalent to Nibali's DQ?

The line is much clearer when riders have to have been suspended, like Groenewegen was. But this too is not fully spelled out. Filip Maciejuk was picked twice this year, but I don't know if his price would have been different if his 2022 score had been higher than his 2023 score, as he was suspended for one month after Ronde '23.

With the introduction of yellow cards and short suspensions as a result next year, will such suspensions be treated as doping bans in the 2026 game?

@skidmark

 

[Squire]

Pidcock, the disappointment that keeps on disappointing ...

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Pidcock, the disappointment that keeps on disappointing ...

Can't decide who are worse, my Jumbo riders or your Ineos picks.

 

[Earns1985]

I haven't paid much attention to this game unfortunately. Also easy to tell trajectory after a few months and it wasn't a great one.

Nonetheless, was some fun. Maybe we can have sub periods whereby one swap is allowed per period? Might increase attention span of people like me.

Anyway, I had created https://www.savius.at/CQGame/cqgame.php and surprisingly it works quite well without me touching anything! It's just quite slow but I think that's the server as it's not the most expensive package. Could pre process data automatically though. Is anyone using it and us it useful for next year? It's grabbing data from cq daily so just need team names and cq rider ids next year to have it all running again. Although only worth the effort if it's used. Could probably check stats but havent logged into admin of domain for a long time.

Think I am one of the guys with the most clicks on the Website. I am using it a lot and had been a really great upgrade in this game!! So would really like to have it next year, too!

 

[Earns1985]

@Earns1985 has Teuns who could win the Japan Cup, but hopefully my Brits can counteract that.

Wouldn't be surprised, if he didn't ride there in the end as other teammates are riding the 2.1 race in Japan right now.

But the alternative (the two other Veneto 1.Pro classics) could be even the better option scoring wise..

 

[Squire]

Can't decide who are worse, my Jumbo riders or your Ineos picks.

Well, the only Jumbo rider you have that I don't have is Blobloblo. And while he is the worst pick out of them all, at least you don't also have Hayter, Foss and Pidcock.

Ironically, Pidcock is not really that much of a handicap, seeing as he isn't considerably worse than Ayuso, Rodriguez or even Mas to an extent. And other expensive picks like TGH, Demare and Gregoire are even worse.

Whatever happened to this edition of the game? I was so much more excited about my team this year than the previous years, and also more than the upcoming one, which is shaping up to be unsatisfying in all sorts of ways.

I'm somehow a likely podium finisher in 2024 despite my four most expensive picks being Pidcock and Sheffield who barely breaks even, Carapaz who everybody has, and Hayter who barely returns half his cost. It's almost as per usual, as this is quite similar to some previous years. And also despite not having the popular Girmay, who is an absolutely fantastic pick, and, as mentioned earlier, not having any 1000+ riders except the ubiquitous Carapaz. Pidcock seems to stop just shy as if to hammer home that point. Guess I'm greatly helped by not really having any big disasters either, and by a good chunk of my picks scoring an acceptable but not flashy profit. I think I'm still leading this year's 'closest to having entire team in profit' competition?

My team looks more tidy than @shalgo's, but like last year's winner @Blues in the bottle they have the x-factor with Girmay, Cosnefroy and Zambanini (in a similar vein as BITB's Kuss, Jorgenson and Healy).

 

[Shakes]

I'll update the website again before TDU in 2025 then for sure! Will need to remember to send my own team in though. At least I'll definitely do better than this year ... I won't select a retired rider for instance !

(If someone can tag me early next year... I'll be grateful. I regularly check the clinic so I'll see the notification)

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Last call for the last game of the year: Cyclocross game entries should be with me by the start of the womens BeMine race (16:15 CET) tomorrow.

 

[ingsve]

I haven't paid much attention to this game unfortunately. Also easy to tell trajectory after a few months and it wasn't a great one.

Nonetheless, was some fun. Maybe we can have sub periods whereby one swap is allowed per period? Might increase attention span of people like me.

Anyway, I had created https://www.savius.at/CQGame/cqgame.php and surprisingly it works quite well without me touching anything! It's just quite slow but I think that's the server as it's not the most expensive package. Could pre process data automatically though. Is anyone using it and us it useful for next year? It's grabbing data from cq daily so just need team names and cq rider ids next year to have it all running again. Although only worth the effort if it's used. Could probably check stats but havent logged into admin of domain for a long time.

I've been using it at least weekly and at times daily throughout the year.

 

[ingsve]

I swear some riders are just determined to not get on my team for next season. Neilson Powless looked like an automatic pick just a month ago and even before Piemonte I had him on my long list but now I'm less and less sure he would even make it. Why not just had a great Lombardia as well and just put the final nail in the coffin.

Same with Max Poole before Langkawi. He was not as obvious but post Langkawi he's much more of a long shot. I don't really see him as a 1200 points rider next season.

 

[hfgon1]

Looks like my unique pick Martin Laas could be a good one after tomorrow. Thought a long time this season that there was possibly a reason no one else picked him but now he finally shows up. Is already at 185 points after he cost 34. With winning the Tour of Taihu Lake he could score 150 points more and would end up being a worthy pick.

 

[Squire]

I swear some riders are just determined to not get on my team for next season. Neilson Powless looked like an automatic pick just a month ago and even before Piemonte I had him on my long list but now I'm less and less sure he would even make it. Why not just had a great Lombardia as well and just put the final nail in the coffin.

Same with Max Poole before Langkawi. He was not as obvious but post Langkawi he's much more of a long shot. I don't really see him as a 1200 points rider next season.

A lot of that going on these days. Today as well with a certain podium finisher. It's not really that bad, because I have more than enough riders on my longlist. The more annoying thing is when more obscure possible picks who could have been a bit of a hidden gem for me make themselves way too expensive. Which is also happening this week.

 

[Panda Claws]

Ayuso: 1023 -> 1276
Rodriguez: 810 -> 1134
Mas: 736 -> 1238

Mas pickers are vindicated!

 

[hfgon1]

Looks like my unique pick Martin Laas could be a good one after tomorrow. Thought a long time this season that there was possibly a reason no one else picked him but now he finally shows up. Is already at 185 points after he cost 34. With winning the Tour of Taihu Lake he could score 150 points more and would end up being a worthy pick.

Wow, losing 5 spots on a flat last stage... Love my team

Even more annoying is that I had Krijnsen very high on my list for the 2025 version and now he scored way too much points to really consider him. Impressive results since August.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

If he can do the same over a full season he would be a great pick still.

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

A lot of that going on these days. Today as well with a certain podium finisher. It's not really that bad, because I have more than enough riders on my longlist. The more annoying thing is when more obscure possible picks who could have been a bit of a hidden gem for me make themselves way too expensive. Which is also happening this week.

Really, that's where you draw the line at picking Pogacar for next season ?

 

[RedheadDane]

So, regarding next year...
I am indeed going to stick to my theme from this year, and there are three potential candidates that I'd get completely for free, which might mean that I could be able to afford Mads P.
Then I better hope that whatever health issues that kept Storm from racing this year have been resolved, so that he will indeed race - and score some points - next year.

Price-Pejtersen into profit. For real, this time.
Bjerg, meanwhile, could only manage 4th.



(And that's it for riders going into profit. I think Charmig would need to win Kyushu to get anywhere close...)

 

[ingsve]

If he can do the same over a full season he would be a great pick still.

The problem is that results like Taihu Lake are hard to extrapolate to a full season since there likely won't be any other races with the same points and just as weak a field. He'd likely race against much harder opponents in a full season. I assume were talking about Krijnsen.

 

[Salvarani]

Plapp, Poole, Pickrell, Pollefliet, Lamperti and Colleoni for Tour of Guangxi. Maybe a last shake-up is possible.

 

[SafeBet]

Is there anyone who has picked Ayuso for all seasons he has been eligible[EDIT: I meant from since he signed with UAE] (and who still hasn't lost faith and will pick him again next year)?

I think I've picked him three years straight but no way I'll do it next year.