The 2026 CQ Ranking Manager Thread

[Squire]

he will also ride o gran camino with yates

https://twitter.com/x/status/2020147479304405113

View: https://x.com/GALICIANGOLES/status/2020147479304405113

That should definitely mean some points then. Same calendar spot as Abruzzo last year, so it will have an absolute meme field.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

...

Torres and Pickering didnt do much here though. Only minor points at best. Could be a struggle with these two, but the season is long. Torres doing work for the team and Pickering climbing alright, but losing a lot of time on the flat stages.

Didn't see the race but I am quite encouraged by Pickering's result today given GC was already gone. He's never shown much early season previously. It looks like Jayco are giving him a busier early schedule in the hope that he'll be a bit more up to speed once the European season gets going properly next month.

 

[Squire]

Didn't see the race but I am quite encouraged by Pickering's result today given GC was already gone. He's never shown much early season previously. It looks like Jayco are giving him a busier early schedule in the hope that he'll be a bit more up to speed once the European season gets going properly next month.

Yeah, maybe he can beat his own record by scoring more than 8 points before the Tour de Suisse this year. I did consider him quite heavily, and even if the season is long and he hasn't looked horrible, I'm decently happy I didn't pick him in the end.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

After this week's Asian championship my unique Vino pick is now my top scoring rider. I think this only shows how badly the rest of my team is doing.

 

[Earns1985]

Do we know already, when Tarling and Blackmore will start their seasons?
Together with P. Sanchez and S. Williams these are basically the only riders from my team, where there hadn´t been news about their first scheduled race yet.

I would assume Tarling perhaps in UAE to battle with Evenepoel in the ITT?

 

[Earns1985]

As long as he isn’t badly injured I am not fussed that Mas is missing UAE as it is a stacked field where I am not convinced he would have scored much in early season form. If he adds another smaller stage race instead he might actually increase his scoring chances.

Don´t see this as optimistic as you. With Vingegaard out of the race, the field is not that stacked anymore. An in form Mas would finish this race between 5th and 7th, which would be at least 100 points. (UAE Tour is ranked 2.WT1, so like Paris-Nice this year)

Basically right now, he is only scheduled for the rest of the season for Catalunya (there the field is really stacked), the giro, Burgos and than the vuelta. I don´t expect much stage points from him at the giro, as there are better GC riders in this race, which will get the stage points, if stages will be won by the favourite group. So realistically it will be the giro GC points as the only bigger amount of points until August this year and that is in the optimistic scenario, that he doesn´t crash out of the race...

 

[hayneplane]

Don´t see this as optimistic as you. With Vingegaard out of the race, the field is not that stacked anymore. An in form Mas would finish this race between 5th and 7th, which would be at least 100 points. (UAE Tour is ranked 2.WT1, so like Paris-Nice this year)

Basically right now, he is only scheduled for the rest of the season for Catalunya (there the field is really stacked), the giro, Burgos and than the vuelta. I don´t expect much stage points from him at the giro, as there are better GC riders in this race, which will get the stage points, if stages will be won by the favourite group. So realistically it will be the giro GC points as the only bigger amount of points until August this year and that is in the optimistic scenario, that he doesn´t crash out of the race...

They could well add Itzulia to his schedule or Gran Camino although that has dropped in status so only a win would give strong points

 

[armchairclimber]

Good to see Paul Double getting some decent points in Oman. nerurkar grabbed a few and Torres .... well, he scored.
Looking forward to Provence now, where Riccitello makes his debut. Hoping for some GC points.

 

[Earns1985]

They could well add Itzulia to his schedule or Gran Camino although that has dropped in status so only a win would give strong points

Would be good of course, although combination of Itzulia and giro is not something, what a lot of riders are doing...

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Someone complaining a pick gets a lot of points is odd indeed!

Not complaining about Remco's performance, more so bemoaning the lack of contributions from the rest of the team and hoping those guys will get going soon.

 

[Earns1985]

Do we know already, when Tarling and Blackmore will start their seasons?
Together with P. Sanchez and S. Williams these are basically the only riders from my team, where there hadn´t been news about their first scheduled race yet.

I would assume Tarling perhaps in UAE to battle with Evenepoel in the ITT?

So Tarling as expected in UAE and Blackmore in Algarve. Looking forward to both next week.

So apart from my cross riders (Nys, Biseaux and Remijn), P.Sanchez and S.Williams, all of my riders who didn´t race yet this season, are scheduled to have their frist race this season in the upcoming two weeks.
Naming Seixas, A.W. Philipsen, Tarling, van Eetvelt, Nordhagen, Blackmore, Laporte, C. Rodriguez, Widar, Lafay, Poole and Zingle. So the season will really start to kick off!

 

[Squire]

After having only Torres scoring 6 points in Oman, my week basically starts today.

Vuelta a la Región de Murcia (2.1)
COSNEFROY Benoît

After reporting his 'best January form ever', Victor Lafay has been taken off the startlist for some reason. I guess I should have known what I was signing up for when picking him. Luckily Cosnefroy was put in this race instead of Vermaerke. Now, let's hope the race actually happens.

Tour de la Provence (2.1)
RODRÍGUEZ Carlos
PAGE Hugo
CARR Simon

Putting my trust in Cofidis to score points for me hasn't historically been the best idea, but both Page and Carr should be suited to this. Let's hope that one of Carr's two good days per year happens tomorrow.

Figueira Champions Classic (1.Pro)
KOCKELMANN Mathieu
MORGADO António
ASGREEN Kasper

Again, let's hope the race actually happens. Incomplete startlist, but all my three guys should have some chance at some points here, especially the first two.

Clasica de Almeria (1.Pro)
KRIJNSEN Jelte
DECOMBLE Maxime

Every year I try to pick riders who can do well in this, the most farmy of all farmy races, and every time I fail. Both Krijnsen and Decomble have sprinters to work for. Why can't Page do it? Or Kockelmann? Or Hobbs? Or De Kleijn?

 

[Earns1985]

After reporting his 'best January form ever', Victor Lafay has been taken off the startlist for some reason. I guess I should have known what I was signing up for when picking him.

That´s annoying.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

After reporting his 'best January form ever', Victor Lafay has been taken off the startlist for some reason. I guess I should have known what I was signing up for when picking him

At least you did not spend 130 points on a rider who does not have a team for 2026

 

[armchairclimber]

Hoping for a smattering of points over the coming weekend.

Provence - Lamperti and Riccitello
Murcia - Cosnefroy
Figuera - J G Martinez, Poole, Widar
Almeria - Krijnsen