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Well, turns out that Talansky is not participating in the Tour this year (rather will focus on the Vuelta).
Yeah, definitely some tough calls to make... In the end though I went with a team that my heart says will have 4 GC guys in the top 6-7, and 2 sprinters that will be in the top 5, while neglecting the overwhelming favorites, as they are too safe of picks imo.
For 26 points, I wouldn't pick Froome, even if you told me he would win the Tour de France (well I'd give it a long hard bit of thinking). It's just picking him leaves you with 9.25 points average for the rest, so you don't really get to pick another top pick, unless you really want to sack the rest of your team.
I came back today to look over my team, and I feel good about what I've chosen, maybe I'm giving away too much about my team now, but the only real debate I'm having now is whether I want to downgrade one of my top dogs to get somewhere between 4-8 points, and get some unclassified riders above 4 cost... I feel like many of the 6 and 8 cost guys will easy double what any of these 4 point guys will do... But doubling might be 400 points instead of 200... And getting a GC guy that will get 1200 instead of 700, which would be worth more.
By the way Eric, little thing, but in your post following the OP you said: " Format is pretty simple, you get 100 pts to pick 8 riders: 2 GC/All Rounder guys, 2 climbers, 3 domestique/breakaway guys, and one wildcard", but you actually pick 9 riders and you didn't include a sprinter in that list. Might also be nice to have a quick link in that post to the standings afterwards, just to make navigation easy (last year I was too lazy to bookmark it, and I always ended up clicking the link on the third page to access it haha).
edit: Most teams and riders have been getting confirmed in the last 1-3 days. This article here seems like a good way to keep up with it.
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That sounds almost exactly like the agonizing I'm doing in terms of slight downgrades to go up from 4 pts guys to a few 6 or 8 point guys I like.
After analyzing last years teams though, one of the key's seemed to be having that top GC pick. Maybe Froome was a little cheaper last year, but if you look at teams in the top page of the standings nearly every single one had Froome. That said, Froome did score very high, 2300 if I remember correctly, so if you would have gone with Quintana instead you might not have done as well. Obviously Sagan as well, but I think that's a no brainer. No way Sagan is going to score less than 1500pts, unless he crashes...and Sagan doesn't really crash as we saw at San Remo and Roubaix.
The downside is it's more of an eggs in one basket strategy because if you're guy crashed out...you're done. But I think even 26 pts is worth it IF you're confident your guy will be a 2000+ pts scorer.
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Yeah, looking over last year point scorers, the winner did get significantly more than the others (Froome 2246, Quintana 1544, Valverde 1451, Bardet 977)... So you're right the winner gets a lot more, but also looking at it that last year I had 6096 points, and really I had only 4 riders who ended up doing stuff, having a lot of holes in my team, having "meh" domestiques, and three just poor picks.
So at a cost of 26, he'd have to get at least 1585 points to be an average performer on my team to get me 6096 which I had last year, and I think one of will probably be closer to 7000 this year, and given that Quintana obtained 1544 and ended second, really means he must finish first to justify him. Sagan is another one of those hella expensive ones, and making my life difficult. Choosing a top GC guy, a top climber, and Sagan just leaves absolutely nothing left for the rest of the team (though I suppose if they perform, that could be 6000 points between those 3, like you said, just very risky). The more I think about this the worse it gets haha.
I think I'm going to step back until closer to the start of the race now.
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Wait, she got away with it?
I thought her career was ruined. Lots of crying on the news.
Reading up on it now she ended up banned for 6 years and stripped of all accomplishments after October 10th.
She also quit.
Seems sufficient for a 19 year old 
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On June 29 2016 21:05 Laurens wrote:Wait, she got away with it? I thought her career was ruined. Lots of crying on the news. Reading up on it now she ended up banned for 6 years and stripped of all accomplishments after October 10th. She also quit. Seems sufficient for a 19 year old
What I meant is that they didn't notice until the race was over, which is just crazy to me. Goes to show how easily it could be missed.
And yeah, suitable punishment, that's for sure.
Lol, the Stephano of cycling.
Either way, I don't like him, he's dropped out of every single Grand Tour he's entered minus the 2014 Giro he won the sprinter jersey.
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Oof, so sore. Yesterday at 4pm I biked 40km to gf's house, and from my house I have this really nasty 175m descent at 6%, which I never want to think about when I have to go back (and I live in a city), as well as a "short" 45 meter at 11%~. Roughly 350m of gross elevation gain for each one way trip. Then I went back at noonish today, and I got caught out in the nastiest hail and pouring rain. At least I don't need to pressure wash my bike anymore. Made it worse that I've been lazy in fixing my bike, and the front derailleur doesn't want to shift to the larger gear (I tried, but I messed it up even more, I'll need to sit down and work on it when I have more time), so I was enjoying a cadence of 110 for much of the ride (it let me improve my Sagan tuck on the downhills, after yesterday, mad respect for him, there's so little stability in that position). Also doing squats for the day before didn't make it any easier.
Anyway, I've been working really hard to get into top shape, and I'd definitely like to do a challenging ride on one of the off-days in the TdF, like many of us did last year, though I think there's no topping your Pikes Peak (I think, right?) L_Master.
My goal for this year is cycling the highest road in Canada, which will be a 110km road from Calgary one way, but I think I'll go back as well, so 220km, hopefully in the time range of 11-12 hours, and an elevation gain of 1800 meters for the ascent way. My bike ride last year from Calgary to Lake Louise was longer at 185km, and "only" 1000ish meters of climbing, so this will be a nice step up. If I want to go above this though, I'll have to move to Colorado S: (Or Mauna Kea one day).
Kind of unfortunate that Canada's highest paved road is at 2200 meters.
Here is the google maps path: https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Calgary, AB/Highwood Pass, Kananaskis, AB/@50.8437816,-114.8275306,10z/data=!4m15!4m14!1m5!1m1!1s0x537170039f843fd5:0x266d3bb1b652b63a!2m2!1d-114.0708459!2d51.0486151!1m5!1m1!1s0x53705ef423e2f467:0x6cd19504338ca30c!2m2!1d-114.987778!2d50.599444!3e1!5i1
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Joined the fantasy league with my team Speedlings
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+1 for the fantasy league. I haven't followed in a few years outside of the US domestic pro scene where my brother was racing, so I was kind of guessing.
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Yes, I was going to post something about a mountains/epic ride challenge. Will do so tomorrow.
Not quite sure what I have in mind this year. If I really feel crazy it will be either:
1) Ouch #1
2) Alternate Ouch
If I feel less crazy, it will be something like those rides, but omitting some. I'll probably aim for at least 3000m of climbing.
The Peak's a real bitch (awesome ride though). If I had mountain gearing it would be fine, but grinding out 60rpm for 2-3 hours up 10% grade just tears up the legs for the rest of the ride. Or doing it at the end would be "I don't want to think about it" levels of exhausting.
Of course the final option is to be a disgusting freak of nature like Robert Gesink and be TdF Climber imba.
PS: Mauna Kea you say? This is my number one bucketlist climb in history to do for obvious reasons. Be really cool to get a group together, especially since you need a damn MTB for the 8km or whatever it is dirt section.
PPS: When you talk about 175m descent and 45m ascent...is this the distance you travel on the bike, or the total elevation gain?
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I have only on thing left to say:
LET"S GO QUINTANA!!!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow scares the feck out of me though. 25kph sustained crosswinds forecasted, with gusts up to 50kph. Coastal sections especially will be scary. Hopefully no GC guys make mistakes. Kittel for the stage win.
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On July 02 2016 13:46 L_Master wrote:Yes, I was going to post something about a mountains/epic ride challenge. Will do so tomorrow. Not quite sure what I have in mind this year. If I really feel crazy it will be either: 1) Ouch #12) Alternate Ouch If I feel less crazy, it will be something like those rides, but omitting some. I'll probably aim for at least 3000m of climbing. The Peak's a real bitch (awesome ride though). If I had mountain gearing it would be fine, but grinding out 60rpm for 2-3 hours up 10% grade just tears up the legs for the rest of the ride. Or doing it at the end would be "I don't want to think about it" levels of exhausting. Of course the final option is to be a disgusting freak of nature like Robert Gesink and be TdF Climber imba. PS: Mauna Kea you say? This is my number one bucketlist climb in history to do for obvious reasons. Be really cool to get a group together, especially since you need a damn MTB for the 8km or whatever it is dirt section. PPS: When you talk about 175m descent and 45m ascent...is this the distance you travel on the bike, or the total elevation gain?
I meant elevation gain (a 45 meter length wouldn't be too impressive). My city is insane hilly, it feels like I'm always doing +/- 3% whenever I'm biking anywhere, it's kind of nice, but not really. It's made my bike style extremely explosive, where I'm off the saddle at every climb, since they're relatively short but consistent. I enjoy role playing as Contador lol.
I have no issue saying I'm at nowhere near your level, and that Ouch #1 route is like the most insane thing I've ever seen, I'm pretty sure that I would say fuck it, since I'm going to die after that second climb and go back home. The amount of mountains you have there is wonderful. How much of an impact is the oxygen, especially say on Pikes Peak? I go scrambling in the mountains a lot, and reach elevations of 2500-2800m on more than a monthly basis, and I don't have any trouble coping with it on foot, but I imagine 4200m is a bit tougher to deal with?
Yes, Mauna Kea is the dream, I think you can do it all on a road bike with 25mm wheels no problem, the altitude and the 70km of continuous climbing is what makes it difficult I think (though you're already prepared for that since you have those kinds of elevation there). I would love to go, I don't really know how difficult it'd be to organize, but as I've said before, I've recently finished university and been focusing on my health a lot, and I think it's something I'd be prepared for in 3-6 months. If you're serious about it, I would enjoy getting in contact with you in the future and figure out the details (though you should be prepared to wait an hour or so at the summit [or the information center], I'm not really willing to go below 160lbs bodyweight for my other goals).
On July 02 2016 13:53 L_Master wrote:I have only on thing left to say: LET"S GO QUINTANA!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow scares the feck out of me though. 25kph sustained crosswinds forecasted, with gusts up to 50kph. Coastal sections especially will be scary. Hopefully no GC guys make mistakes. Kittel for the stage win.
Hah, so you've put your money on Quintana and Kittel, lets see how that works out for you. I don't think Kittel is at all with worth his massive cost, but we shall see. Only decision I still have left is Aru + Zakarin or Pinot + Dan Martin. I ended up going with the second choice, hoping for the best, Pinot is such a difficult rider to cheer for.
edit: Also 4h30 left before rosters lock. So if anyone hasn't yet made a team, come make one, we have 10 entries, it'd be cool if we beat the 11 entries we had last year. I would be happy if Froome loses some time elsewhere, I'd prefer to see team Sky attack instead of play defence with their insane line up.
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Hoping for a Nairo win this year but he looked kinda weak in Route du Sud 
Thanks for the OP as always L 
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On July 02 2016 19:02 Skynx wrote:Hoping for a Nairo win this year but he looked kinda weak in Route du Sud Thanks for the OP as always L
You thought he looked weak? o.O
He chilled in a 2 man breakaway the first day till near the end getting in some training. Day 2 was just a flat day with nothing to say. Then on day 3 he WINS a flat ITT. Yes, the field at Route de Sud had no big names at all, but guys like Sylvain Chavanel aren't hopeless at TT. Not that it means he's going to go out and put a minute into Froome at the Tours first TT, but I can't see how winning a ITT for a guy like Quintana can be seen as anything other than a solid performance at worst.
Then on day 4 Quintana's teammate pulls for a while and then heads up the road, obviously being his teammate Quintana doesn't chase him down. He then casually follows the wheels of guys trying to get back up to his teammate, Soler, looking as relaxed as possible, and then with Soler's victory assured casually sprints by Carthy for 2nd.
I think that's about as good as you can look without having legitimate strong GC rivals to test you.
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On July 02 2016 15:15 FiWiFaKi wrote:Show nested quote +On July 02 2016 13:46 L_Master wrote:Yes, I was going to post something about a mountains/epic ride challenge. Will do so tomorrow. Not quite sure what I have in mind this year. If I really feel crazy it will be either: 1) Ouch #12) Alternate Ouch If I feel less crazy, it will be something like those rides, but omitting some. I'll probably aim for at least 3000m of climbing. The Peak's a real bitch (awesome ride though). If I had mountain gearing it would be fine, but grinding out 60rpm for 2-3 hours up 10% grade just tears up the legs for the rest of the ride. Or doing it at the end would be "I don't want to think about it" levels of exhausting. Of course the final option is to be a disgusting freak of nature like Robert Gesink and be TdF Climber imba. PS: Mauna Kea you say? This is my number one bucketlist climb in history to do for obvious reasons. Be really cool to get a group together, especially since you need a damn MTB for the 8km or whatever it is dirt section. PPS: When you talk about 175m descent and 45m ascent...is this the distance you travel on the bike, or the total elevation gain? I meant elevation gain (a 45 meter length wouldn't be too impressive). My city is insane hilly, it feels like I'm always doing +/- 3% whenever I'm biking anywhere, it's kind of nice, but not really. It's made my bike style extremely explosive, where I'm off the saddle at every climb, since they're relatively short but consistent. I enjoy role playing as Contador lol. I have no issue saying I'm at nowhere near your level, and that Ouch #1 route is like the most insane thing I've ever seen, I'm pretty sure that I would say fuck it, since I'm going to die after that second climb and go back home. The amount of mountains you have there is wonderful. How much of an impact is the oxygen, especially say on Pikes Peak? I go scrambling in the mountains a lot, and reach elevations of 2500-2800m on more than a monthly basis, and I don't have any trouble coping with it on foot, but I imagine 4200m is a bit tougher to deal with?
Yea, my city is like that too. Flat roads basically don't exist in Colorado Springs, and where you can find a little bit east of the city it's all stupid pothole ridden roads with 80kph+ speed limits. It's either climbs, or nothing but up and down rollers where you drop down a 5-10% grade, then go back up 15-20m over and over and over.
Honestly, I think the second route is much harder. Route 1 does pack slightly more climbing into a tighter span, but the second route has the same climbing and is also 30km longer, and more importantly includes the ever relentless Pikes Peak, which changes the game.
As for the altitude, it makes a HUGE difference, especially as you start to work your way up towards treeline above 3.300m. I'd say power is down 5-10% by that altitude, and as you get near the summit you're probably looking at a 25-30% reduction in power, which is huge. Usually near the top I'm working my butt off to hold a power that would be almost a coffee shop ride cruise at the base at 2000m.
On July 02 2016 15:15 FiWiFaKi wrote:
Yes, Mauna Kea is the dream, I think you can do it all on a road bike with 25mm wheels no problem, the altitude and the 70km of continuous climbing is what makes it difficult I think (though you're already prepared for that since you have those kinds of elevation there). I would love to go, I don't really know how difficult it'd be to organize, but as I've said before, I've recently finished university and been focusing on my health a lot, and I think it's something I'd be prepared for in 3-6 months. If you're serious about it, I would enjoy getting in contact with you in the future and figure out the details (though you should be prepared to wait an hour or so at the summit [or the information center], I'm not really willing to go below 160lbs bodyweight for my other goals).
I'd love to do it, but I definitely need to have a stable, full time job first. My timeline is probably more likely to be in the 8-16 month timeline. I've got a friend or two that are potentially interested sometime in fall of 2017.
From my reading, you don't have a chance on a road bike, even with 28cm wheels. Normal dirt wouldn't be an issue, but apparently it's this ridiculously soft/spongy lava dust that wheels sink right into. Many people's reports I've read said they've struggled with traction even on the MTB. The guy who has the current KOM tried to go complete road bike, and spent at least 30 minutes walking on that dirt section (no power, speed around 1-1.5 mph).
On July 02 2016 15:15 FiWiFaKi wrote:
Hah, so you've put your money on Quintana and Kittel, lets see how that works out for you. I don't think Kittel is at all with worth his massive cost, but we shall see. Only decision I still have left is Aru + Zakarin or Pinot + Dan Martin. I ended up going with the second choice, hoping for the best, Pinot is such a difficult rider to cheer for.
edit: Also 4h30 left before rosters lock. So if anyone hasn't yet made a team, come make one, we have 10 entries, it'd be cool if we beat the 11 entries we had last year. I would be happy if Froome loses some time elsewhere, I'd prefer to see team Sky attack instead of play defence with their insane line up.
Quintana yes. That's like 75% reason, 25% heart when it comes to fantasy. I think he's going to give Froome one viscious battle this year, and be right up there. He will win some mountains stages and finish high at the very least, and Froome was several points more.
I'm also just plain rooting for Quinatana because he is a badass and probably the most beautiful GC rider to watch when the road turns up. I've used that Alp d'Huez stage 20 ride last year many times as trainer motivation when I'm riding in the basement.
I didn't pick Kittel for fantasy, Sagan was the clear choice there in my book. He got massive points last year, and I really think he's on form to be far more successful this year. That said, I do pick Kittel to win today's stage as a prediction.
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So I went with the same 1-2 punch as last year with Froome and Quintana while having DMartin and Kelderman for other good GC/stage finishes.
My sprinter is Coquard (as last year....always have faith in him). The rest is mainly albasini for stages and some riders for breakaways. I think the team is fairly balanced despite the high cost of the 2 main GC guys. If they end up 1-2 they make up their cost, otherwise the team doesn't work at all.
My gf went with a different approach....all in Froome/Quintana/Sagan and then fillers plus Coppel and Fuglsang. Let's see how se does. Her idea was to have the big3 plus Mathews or Greipel but the limitation on the roles (and requiring another all rounder and another climber that could at best cost only 8pts) ruined her plan. Nevertheless, if Sagan does his usual antics and the other 2 finish in the podium and have 1 or 2 stages she could be well set for a reasonable finish.
GL all!
Let's go Froome
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Fuck me.
Apparently Gesink withdrew like a week and a half ago. I assumed they'd take guys that have withdrawn off the damn selection list.
So much for my team, and missed a small 4pt pick that also withdrew. So...guess I get to start with 6. Lame. Probably should have combed the start lists a little more thoroughly, the day before, but I'm still pissed. Why would you list a guy that has withdrawn from the race as a pickable candidate?!
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On July 02 2016 23:54 L_Master wrote:
Fuck me.
Apparently Gesink withdrew like a week and a half ago. I assumed they'd take guys that have withdrawn off the damn selection list.
So much for my team, and missed a small 4pt pick that also withdrew. So...guess I get to start with 6. Lame. Probably should have combed the start lists a little more thoroughly, the day before, but I'm still pissed. Why would you list a guy that has withdrawn from the race as a pickable candidate?!
Yeah Gesink crashed on his head in the tour de suisse and has a concussion. This was known for quite a while though :x
Cavendish wins! Never would have guessed that. I am pretty big fan of his but really thought his time was gone now with Kittel and Greipel being so good. Sagan also looked super strong there.
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Yea Sagan looked great there! Kittel looked a little worn by the end but I don't know if it was the lack of good positioning coming into the last straight or the overall great positioning by Cavendish.
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EPT
