Online cycling and/or baseball manager type timewasters?

[matt j]

So overall look at the upcoming calendar (because I'm bored) for IoM teams.

Div 4:
Fox River has dumped a squad into the Race of the Minutemen tour (for I believe the 2nd time). It's unlikely to produce any results for us, but should give some experience and hopefully TS bump to a few. This is one where I will try and switch some tactics to breakaway 'in-between' legs if I can. Meanwhile, over in the 'actual' team, we hope the tour distraction gives Kavanagh a real chance at the Biscarrosse Streets (after some 'outside chance' sprint races between now and then). If Kavanagh can keep us in Division 4 (and not above or below), I'm targeting a string of races starting day 70 (including two classics and two FR races) where he should be in top form.

Veridian Dynamics recently have a 3rd from Vencill in Malele - Pointe-Noire, and a 1st from Perkis back at Mito ITT. They only look registered for Rudnyy - Rudnny, a cobble race that looks like a 'filler' before another TT comes up for Perkis. That would probably be day 54's Sparta Time Trial, should VD hold on to a Div 4 spot until then.

Div 5:
With only a 9th at Altdorf-Ems, and a 7th at Varzob Climbs recently, Man 2 Man currently isn't registered for any races, and has 6 riders on jobs at the moment. Could be eyeing a few races just on the horizon (Shangri-La, Hamar, Ochjor). Carder remains the main man at the team, with Iranian Sami Sagharchi the ablest of teammates.

Div 6:
Croesoswallt Dragons also aren't registered for any races, but Farnum recently picked up two 4th place finished, and a second in Haldwani-Nainital. Maybe Jubilee Tower race on the horizon?

Nuhiu Rules aren't currently registered for any races, but Namgung had a 6th recent at Plasencia-Plasencia. Mgarr - Mellieha looks likely next?

Div 7:
Lindfield Locknuts most recent top 10 was back in La Paz-Viloco, but with three races on the horizon, Hunzberger will hope to grab points from Div 6 Race Descents of Dhofar, Div 7 Cuneo-Cuneo or The Sleeping Giant of Gaborone.

Over on the rider side, Illingsworth (legendary sprinter) remains the pride of the Isle, literal miles ahead of any other IoM rider. Flat road specialist Kavanagh edges into 2nd rated rider with his recent burst of results in street races. Behind come Farnum (climbing hiller weirdo), Carder (212 climber), Vencil (hilly sprinter), and Perkis (TT phenom), with a smattering of results for other riders behind that.

IoM all-time top specialists (short list- 200 point cutoff for 3 skill, 266 for 4 skill):

Climbers (CL+DH+HL) (Current all-nation/all-time top 10 cutoff: 241)
Dean Prochnow 214
Merlin Tilson 214
Abner Carder 212
Crispin Prochnow 208
Gifford Naumann 205
Montague Taffe 203

Sprinters (SP+FR+TQ) (245)
Miles Illingworth 252
Herman Kavanagh 233
Horatio Pahl 215
Carroll Ridsdale 207
Neal Crumley 206

Hilly Sprinters (HL+FR+ SP) (240)
Jerome Vencill 214
Herman Eagles 212
Miles Illingworth 205
Eddie Snowden 204

Hilly Climbers (HL+FR+CL) (235)
Eddie Snowden 226
Kurt Farnum 217

Cobblers (CB+TQ+FR+SP) (296)
Herman Kavanagh 287
Miles Illingworth 279

TTers (TT+TQ+FR) (242)
Jeffrey Perkis 236
Miles Illingworth 214

Prologue Experts (TT+TQ+FR+SP) (301)
Miles Illingworth 303
Jeffrey Perkis 275
Horatio Pahl 267

Climbing TT'ers (CL+HL+TT) (231)
Eddie Snowden 218
Eddie Plant 200

Downhillers (DH+CL+SP) (236)
Dean Prochnow 210

SARS (HL+SP+FR+TQ) (303)
Miles Illingworth 285


Again pointing out how lucky I got with Kavanagh.

[Sits]

Wow, you were bored!

Hunzberger isn’t riding the Gaborone race, Gaby is. But the main point of interest is both Hooiveld and Hansson going as Breakaways, what with HL being the biggest score on that race. Hunzberger will be reconstituting his DP.

[longeared]

I've got 50 points due to come off on Saturday which should relegate me back to D7, so I'm waiting for that to happen before doing any more racing.

[Levin]

I'm losing 88 points in the next week so I'll drop back down to 7. I'm going to go for Ringid ?mber Viljandi j?rve though in 4 before I go down.

And yeah, I'll be going for Sparta. I've just had a look at TTs in div 5 for the back end of the season and they all look rubbish for me. Too many hills and climbs.

[Sits]

A 4th for Hunzberger in Dhofar, last D6 race on our current calendar as we complete the drop. Have now got three D7 races lined up, two for HH’s climb posse and Gaborone as a bit of a wild card. Now torn between wanting some results and cash, and not wanting to bounce back for a while. 34 points off the top of D7 as it stands.

[delicatemoth]

The Isle of Man are back!

Team for Aberystwyth-Llanelli hilly classic:- Merlin Tilson (c); Eddie Snowden, Harold Paulus, Crispin Prochnow, Kurt Farnum, Jerome Vencill

[Sits]

Excellent!

[Sits]

Hunzberger isn’t riding the Gaborone race, Gaby is. But the main point of interest is both Hooiveld and Hansson going as Breakaways, what with HL being the biggest score on that race. Hunzberger will be reconstituting his DP.

Well, breakaways - go figure. OK Hooiveld got 3rd and I’d hoped he would place. But I don’t know what business Tito Valcarel had in 2nd as his only strengths are in CL and DH. He’s had a shock win before, so maybe he’s just one of those riders.

[Sits]

[Sits]

Just checking, and winner Zorigbaatar is 55 for HL and everything else pretty mediocre. So less of a Hiller than Hooiveld. But very good DP so perhaps that made the difference on the breakaway.

Very useful experiment.

[matt j]

That's a two-rider breakaway situation feels like. Nice results for Locknuts though.

And hurray for IoM team! I'll try and get a race prediction for that race (If I remember)

[Sits]

That's a two-rider breakaway situation feels like. Nice results for Locknuts though.

And hurray for IoM team! I'll try and get a race prediction for that race (If I remember)

Yeah I read the “write up” and whilst generic it clearly talks of a two rider breakaway. I’ll be trying those a lot more in future, especially for Tito.

[longeared]

I see there's a rider on the free hire list with a DP of zero. I didn't realise it could go that low.

[matt j]

Aberystweth - Llanelli (WT) looks tough. Outside chance at a top10, just because Hungary (4) and Romania (3) are a very stacked with good riders, so hopefully they focus on a single captain.

Predicted Finish	Country - Name
1	Hungary Toller P?ter (royle )
2	Hungary Madar J?nos Jakab (peddelen)
3	Liechtenstein Fritz Z?llner (berto92)
4	Romania Iosif Murgan (Fighting)
5	Guam Echa Palting (Equipo Easy On)
6	Syria Khair al Din Utbah (CARO BIKE TEAM)
7	Romania Gogu Dumitru (pollyjean)
8	South Africa Sandile Banzi (Alpine)
9	Romania Damian Coltescu (Team Watchers)
10	Hungary Okos Elek (Hog Bay CT)
11	Liechtenstein Gerold Kampf (Vaduz)
12	Hungary F?ky M?rk (Hog Bay CT)
13	Isle of Man Merlin Tilson (CARCYCL)
14	Israel Brihun Einer (Skeel)
15	Liechtenstein Mirko Diesmann (KRV Rapid Habsburg)

[matt j]

Looking ahead at other races, the Minutemen tour is a bit of nothing for Fox River, though Paille maybe has a chance at top 10 in the last stage of the tour (a suitable sprint). Kavanagh should be on the podium at Biscaronne Streets, but damn one of those other teams is really good.

Over in the Sparta Time Trial, Perkis should be easily in the top 5, but he faces one of the top 10 "ever" time trialists in Wubbe Molhoek who is more than 10 years his elder.

[Sits]

Talking of “best evers”, I’ve seen Toller Peter (top of your list for the WT race) described on the forum as “second best climber ever”. So let’s have a look at the evidence:

Hmmm, yeah OK.

[Sits]

I scouted this guy yesterday, on the strength of CL 40 “straight out of the box”. Wasn’t going to pick him up so put him on the Free Hire List thread. But overnight I’ve been wondering whether an all-round-average rider (if he maxed well) might be a relatively cheap jack of all trades domestique and possibly useful in a tour?

Name: Mzebaca Buddy
Team: South Africa

Age: 20 years
Birthday: Day 51

Team Spirit: N/A
Experience: Level 1


OCM Tour Rank: 4458 th
OCM Tour Points: 0

South Africa Tour Rank: 27 th

Top form ready

Average Skill: 30
Potential:
CL: Average
DH: Average
HL: Average
SP: Average
FR: Small
CB: None
TT: Small
TQ: Small

I can’t really afford it but it did make me wonder.

[matt j]

I saw that one, it's probably a 'not quite' from me. He is a 180+ climber off the top, so could be decent on a Climbing side as a teammate, but it's a gamble because if he maxes overall low, he won't even be a good teammate. If he maxes high, maybe he'd be good for all 3s/5s races and maybe for tours too.

and with no 'big' individual skills, you wouldn't get the rebate from anything except the overall AV.

If I had a "South Africa" team, he'd be a definite signing though. If I had unlimited cash, maybe as well.

[Sits]

Yeah if I had more cash I’d risk it, since mine is a climbing squad, plus his youth, plus starting at CL 40....

Oh I dunno. I suppose I could sell Culai Vulceanu once he’s raced today and tomorrow. He’s not really doing much and is too young at 31 to retain as a future trainer.

Decisions decisions...

[Sits]

Done deal. You can’t die wondering. Well you can.

[Sits]

So on the off chance he’s of any use to someone’s climb squad, let me know as he will race on Wednesday and Thursday then be released. I’m not looking for a gain on the release value so $34k will be fine. Never evaluated:

[matt j]

10th for Tilson, Romania dominated. Next IoM race looks an Illingworth option.

Poor result for Kavanagh today as well, 9th in a race I thought podium for sure.

Kavanagh should still trigger top form sometime around day 70, so the day 78 WT sprint races would be in that timeframe. But really, I need to get something out of division 4 before the end of the season to stay up before the rollover.

[longeared]

OTF 1-2 in Bath - Bournemouth this morning - Tikhon Shubkin winning for me outsprinting Godfrey Jervis for Sits. The stage couldn't turn out any better than this. Tikhon Shubkin did a perfect job today. From a breakaway as well, that's the second time this week I've put Shubkin in a break and he's delivered a result, the other day he got in a move, had an off day (!) and got beaten by two jobbers.

[Sits]

OTF 1-2 in Bath - Bournemouth this morning - Tikhon Shubkin winning for me outsprinting Godfrey Jervis for Sits. The stage couldn't turn out any better than this. Tikhon Shubkin did a perfect job today. From a breakaway as well, that's the second time this week I've put Shubkin in a break and he's delivered a result, the other day he got in a move, had an off day (!) and got beaten by two jobbers.

Well done! That was fun eh longeared? My captain Hooiveld had an off day (27th) but my HL 87 Hill Helper Thomas Hansson got 7th. That’s Jervis’ best ever result, which is nice as he’s an eternal domestique.

[matt j]

another true breakaway for Shubkin! That's excellent. Try and report him on the 'official' breakaway thread, cause he might be leading this season's breakaway results.

Watching transfer fees lately, and there is one for an AV 48 sprinter that is kind of blowing my mind. For 325k somebody purchased a rider not much better than my own Crumley.

I've also seen a few people grab riders from the free-hire scouted thread, and then throw them on the transfer list. Sometimes making a decent value. That feels... off somehow?

IoM already registered for the next WT race too, Hurray!