Consulting for clueless managers

[flockmastoR]

so as this thread is up now my question: What to do with my team? I guess it really lacks of good helpers. 60-80? No real in sight. The 70-80 kind of suck all but still the best classic team i ever had. And what to do with Heaviside? Shouldnt have bought him and instead get a good 60-80 with downhill, a Laplace. Have some money left now and dont really know what to do the next months. hm suggestions?

[team fl]

so as this thread is up now my question: What to do with my team? I guess it really lacks of good helpers. 60-80? No real in sight. The 70-80 kind of suck all but still the best classic team i ever had. And what to do with Heaviside? Shouldnt have bought him and instead get a good 60-80 with downhill, a Laplace. Have some money left now and dont really know what to do the next months. hm suggestions?

What are your goals in the future? Giro? Classics? Short Tours? Everything?

At the moment, it's hard to tell what to buy. My opinion:
- Another decent flat rider and/or a pavé specialist would be good or complete your team, but for that, you better wait until PR is over. But you will need more flat power, as Scheffé is also already 34. There are some very nice flat riders on the normal transfermarket at the moment, btw...
- A leader for the GTs, next to Szolem and Carl could be an option
- A 60-80-70 to complete your "helper-portfolio"

-> keep Heaviside, I think he fits well into your team together with the other classics.
-> your Team is quite young, so perhaps you can just wait till the classic spring is over and equipe yourself with decent riders for spring and autum 2013

[NoPikouze]

88 with 26? You damn lucker! It could be that he still goes up to 90 or 89 till the Tour. Question is what are you going to ride with him? Going for the GTs?

Sure the GTs, what else ? Not tour of poland obviously...
I was actually thinking of going for some TT points next month, but perhaps that's stupid, I don't really know.
And for GTs my team is a bit weak at the moment, I ca only hope that my 2 young classics reach a decent mountain level...

[flockmastoR]

Hm the GTs are not really on my plan as it gets harder to ride stage races for me. Hope at least to ride stage races like Dauphine, T-A, TdS, Österreich and stuff like that so no longer stage races. So a second climber is not really needed at the moment. And whats with Heaviside. Dont really think he fits in a team with Gauß but he would be a good alternative leader. Question is if he has the talent to become leader for shorter tours. Depends more on how high he gets in TT. But are there many stage races for 60-88guys? + the flat weakness + no real helper in sight to bring him back to the leopolds if needed. hm

[team fl]

88 with 26? You damn lucker! It could be that he still goes up to 90 or 89 till the Tour. Question is what are you going to ride with him? Going for the GTs?

Sure the GTs, what else ? Not tour of poland obviously...
I was actually thinking of going for some TT points next month, but perhaps that's stupid, I don't really know.
And for GTs my team is a bit weak at the moment, I ca only hope that my 2 young classics reach a decent mountain level...

Some more points for TT are not the worst thing for your climber to have.

Furthermore, I would recommend a decent helper in the mountains, f.e. something like 84-55-78-50-50 with around 50 reg, like there are a lot on the normal transfer market without a name, 27 yo, like 227214, 224985, 223069, 222638. There are also some nice riders with a name with similar skills to buy.

Together with your classic armada, perhaps with one or two more mountain points, this should be a nice line-up.

[team fl]

Hm the GTs are not really on my plan as it gets harder to ride stage races for me. Hope at least to ride stage races like Dauphine, T-A, TdS, Österreich and stuff like that so no longer stage races. So a second climber is not really needed at the moment. And whats with Heaviside. Dont really think he fits in a team with Gauß but he would be a good alternative leader. Question is if he has the talent to become leader for shorter tours. Depends more on how high he gets in TT. But are there many stage races for 60-88guys? + the flat weakness + no real helper in sight to bring him back to the leopolds if needed. hm

As said, what is most obvious to me: your team lacks of flat power, in every mountain-skill-level.

[flockmastoR]

88 with 26? You damn lucker! It could be that he still goes up to 90 or 89 till the Tour. Question is what are you going to ride with him? Going for the GTs?

Sure the GTs, what else ? Not tour of poland obviously...
I was actually thinking of going for some TT points next month, but perhaps that's stupid, I don't really know.
And for GTs my team is a bit weak at the moment, I ca only hope that my 2 young classics reach a decent mountain level...

Hm then the second climber could be a possibility or you are going for a GT without 2 climbers. dont know if that is possible but ok with 50TT you are not the big favo (dont know the profiles so far but there are lots of TTkm i just guess). Going for TT-points? Dont know how the percentage is for TT but i just say it will not be that clever to go for TT. Better try and hope getting to 90mountain. Beating the 86-60TT guys you need more mountain and not 2,3 TT points more. For beating the Hubers you just need a second climber with downhill or you just go for stages with him

[NoPikouze]

When I saw heaviside i thought he was supposed to be a leupold. Why not ? With the other classics you already have the team.

---------------------

As previously said, I have 500k now. Only by selling Goos + lemansky + a helper I can even think about buying another climber. And then I've no longer any alternative leader...
I'm thinking of keeping the team as it is now, and hope for the young classics to train a bit more.
About TT skill, this month i have 39% if I put everything on it, i guess at 27 it would be around 20%... whereas a bergpoint will be 5% maybe. I dont really know what's better, because 1 TT point on a GT is easily a 15" difference IMO, which can be important... But probably the best thing is to have 91 mountain

[team fl]

When I saw heaviside i thought he was supposed to be a leupold. Why not ? With the other classics you already have the team.

thought exactly the same.

[NoPikouze]

Of course that option is possible... and "cool". But then get 2 young classics and train them as 62 88ers!

[flockmastoR]

When I saw heaviside i thought he was supposed to be a leupold. Why not ? With the other classics you already have the team.

thought exactly the same.

hm as a leupold? i dont really know if thats too clever?! Just look at his flatvalue. what do i get from a 70-59-82TT guy? i though more to get a guy for softer stage races. but for fighting against the leupolds and pure flat time trialists i really need some strong helpfers, whearas i would have a team for a leupold right now. but still as FL said ,the flat power is missing. Maybe i get Piama to become a 60-80-80 and get a 58-85+ from the transfer market (+ train Hardwood on mountain too), with the classics that would make a team for Heaviside as 60-88?!?!

[Rockstar Inc]

have to disagree...

60-80-80 + 58-85 and some classic riders with 80 flat are too weak for a 60-88...

bad example but cordero would have won 30 races less, without the support of 62/89, 62/88, 63/87 + classic riders

70 mountain, 80 time trial is senseless too...you can choose between "too less hill or too less time trial" as reason...with all these classic-time trial guys around

[team fl]

But EM is not riding for a sprinter or a stage win. he's riding for a TT-guy. So who cares about other 60-88. He just needs his one to get his Heaviness back in front after a strong sieb. no?

[Rockstar Inc]

But EM is not riding for a sprinter or a stage win. he's riding for a TT-guy. So who cares about other 60-88. He just needs his one to get his Heaviness back in front after a strong sieb. no?

i just compared the scenario...even when the example wasn't the best...but in fact it's about getting rid of flat-tt and coming back to the classic-tt...so...another objective, but same way to get it

[flockmastoR]

plus going mainly on TT he still has the chance to get a really strong timetrialist. depends on the training but he is fine for soft stage races and with the hill and some downhill he can compensate his 1 TT point less from the beginning and go for the ITT at stage races too.


@nopikouze:

dont know whats the opinion here of other managers but i kind of find those 78-60+-79 some good cheap alternative to a 84 climber

[NoPikouze]

as far as i can see your tt guy has enough skills to become 72 hill and 82 tt... Which is better than average.
Or once again, buy 2 riders for 62 86 minimum. Thats not so hard!

[el Galactico]

I also need some help if possible.
This never happened to me before. I have currently 2,05 millions on my account and dont know what to do with it.
My goals for this year will be clearly on one-day races and maybe some little < 1-week-tours.
Another problem is that i will - quite sure - make a longer break (6-10 months maybe) at the end of this year so that it becomes more and more unnecessary to buy young riders???
I would like to have some advice on what riders my team could need, either 21 years for next month( does is make sense?) or riders from the normal transfer market.

[NoPikouze]

If you buy a youth rider now or next month, he will be mature (26) in august-september. I don't know when you are supposed to have your break, but if it starts before december, maybe youth riders is just a waste ?
Watch the market closely and buy/sell stars at a quickrate to score whatever you can seems the best option so far.

[Robyklebt]

Ape does some consulting early in the morning:

NoPikouze

I was actually thinking of going for some TT points next month, but perhaps that's stupid, I don't really know.

It's not stupid. TT points win tours. Guarantee good results. But the question is, is it fun? For me, the answer is clear.. much less. Tour with 88 and 53 TT or Tour with 89 and 50 TT? 89-50, no doubt. Against a Huber it will be hard anyway, there probably you would need a second climber, or somebody who risks something, a Radler, in your group. If you want to win with the TT, then you bought the wrong rider anyway, then go for the 71-60. He would be at 86-60 now, much stronger than 88-50. But... less fun, for me. And my Apelysis of NoPik says for you too, you're an offensive manager, you prefer to attack, to win in the mountains. Of course you have to do that with 88-53 too, against a Huber... but having 89 makes it more fun. Go for the mountain. You'll have some success with him anyway, 88 is good, mathematically the chances that he goes to 89 are bigger than that he stays at 88 if I remember the explanation of some math geniuses years ago correctly... and it's just nice to have a top mountain rider for a while. And a pure one too. Fuck TT, win in the mountain. Or lose, but stay pure!

Logic says, train TT. The heart says, mountain, always and only mountain! (Until I buy a 71-60, might do that one day just to have a change..)

so as this thread is up now my question: What to do with my team? I guess it really lacks of good helpers. 60-80? No real in sight. The 70-80 kind of suck all but still the best classic team i ever had. And what to do with Heaviside? Shouldnt have bought him and instead get a good 60-80 with downhill, a Laplace. Have some money left now and dont really know what to do the next months. hm suggestions?

Flock: Keep Heaviside, decide what he should become... then think again. But what you lack as well is... reg. If Heaviside or Gauss become stronger, a guy with 50+ reg would be useful. Can be a 48-85, type Liechtenkiesel, Mori, can be a 60-80 or a bit weaker, type Büchel-Feng/Machoro/Pflock/Olteanu/Gong... they always end up being my favorite riders too..57-80-77 or so with reg. IMO very useful, and can ride for 16+ seasons, easily... they won't be useless after 5 downtrainings in flat-mountain, still 52-75, still ok for some controlling tempo early and will be fairly fit every day.

This never happened to me before. I have currently 2,05 millions on my account and dont know what to do with it.

Change your team-name, then the money will be gone fast!

Then... you're a "classic manager".. you like classics. What's missing is clear, a cheap climber for siebs. Salazar is good, but 47 reg, go for a 73-56-79, downhill more important than flat, no TT, sprint irrelevant, no reg, max 40 climber. Then you'll have a sieber. Escpecially if Salazar is going the 80-70 way... you seem to have taken risks at 22, missed on mountain, got one flat? If 80-70, get your own sieber! Other option of course the next classic. 29-27-23.... would be 30-28-24-21 then in march. 36-34-30-27 in september... 38-36-32-29 in november. Not a waste if you stay at least until september.

[el Galactico]

Ok thank you. It helped me indeed.
I have 2 riders from the youth market where the auction expires this evening.
1. A classic rider (expires first, is also my first choice)
2. a time trialist (would be a completely new direction, but why not?!)

And if i dont get one out of these two, i will buy a sieber. Salazar will go for 80-70, therefore i could need a sieber as you said, Roby. Thought about it for a longer period and i think i will react if i dont get one of these two young riders. But i still think about if it is a good idea to buy a TT rider. So maybe i only bet on the classic rider.

Edit: I will stay until December, or at least i have the chance to stay that long. Maybe the motivation disappears when there is no perspective for the team in October/November.

[Quick]

Dragos Litu. Bought with 73-56-59 53sprint. Was supposed to be an average 80-70. Maybe 78-72 or so... no big deal, just hanging on superclassics and get a few dirty wins^^. Trained him this month with 4X% mountain and 9X% flat. Took 3/3. So 80-63 now. What to do now? He's a genious, but if i stay flat and he maybe goes up to 81-73 in total he's still average because of missing downhill and sprint. BUT if i change to mountain now he could become really great. With great luck about 88-65. Then still the downhill sucks... but i see with Alcazar(85-66) that it's not THAT bad. If he trains bad next to months i could still get an 83-67. Not great...but still okay.

Mhm, have to add that i really want an 80-70 rider in my team... so if i go with Litu on mountain i would spend another 3 millions on one of these rare 73-56-7X. Could be really expensive... so what shall i do? Next training 95% Mountain and so on? Or next again 40-90? Or 70-60 and hope he just takes anything? And then? Pah... first world problem: lucky trainings.

[NoPikouze]

If he fails as a climber and becomes a 8x 67, he can still suck superclassics the most of the time... look at "equipe" and his "cool" leaders...

[Lizard]

Something's gotta change in my team. I planned to get rid of Ickx after Ronde or Roubaix, anyways after the pavés classics. Then I don't know what to do with Sykora.. Just don't know where to go with the team. Something obviously has to change, just don't know which direction. Any constructive plans welcome.

[team fl]

Something's gotta change in my team. I planned to get rid of Ickx after Ronde or Roubaix, anyways after the pavés classics. Then I don't know what to do with Sykora.. Just don't know where to go with the team. Something obviously has to change, just don't know which direction. Any constructive plans welcome.

If I where you, I would buy at least on classic rider more to support Sykora and/or Soneau. You also have enough flat power to get a sprinter. With Sullivan you would even have a nice rider besides Sykora for flat tours with TT, or TTT. Everything mainly depends on the money you have of course. But first, I would try to get a decent classic rider that is even a prospect for Sprint 2013.

->

Mountains:
- Soneau, 23

Hills:
- Wollfinger, 24
- Sykora, 24
- ???
(- ???)

Flat:
- Sullivan, 27
- Adlung, 24
- Spezilezzati, 29

Sprinter:
- ???

Helpers:
- Bastianini, 30
- Albany, 31
- Annosoun, 28
- Bruni, 21 -> perhaps future flat rider

[Lizard]

There's a problem: The money doesnt come in. I ride quite badly, maybe the options are just not there right now because the riders are very young. Classic rider or sprinter definitely the choices I'd like aswell. But the team's uberpaid