This is a sequel to a previous story of mine. In this story, I will tackle the Tour de France 2014 with Team Europcar. I will be using the PCM.Daily Expansion Pack with the 2014 Update. The Tour de France route being used is by Emmae.
Stats are edited by myself to make a nicer gameplay. Since the Tour is always after the National Championships, I have edited some National Champions as well. Coquard conviently became French Champion here, so it'll be fun sprinting in that jersey.
I don't know how regular the updates will be, yet. I plan to take my time. After all, there are only 21 stages so it would be a shame to rush through it in 5 days.
Welcome to our Tour de France,
We are Team Europcar. Last year, the Tour left us somewhat disappointed. Now, in 2014, we plan to strike at full force. We have sent the best possible team here and hope to achieve great heights.
Tour de France 2014: Route
This is a nice route, with plenty of opportunities for all kinds of riders.
Looking at that startlist, we notice this Tour has attracted only the very best. Most teams have brought their best rider and super domestiques only. This is the Tour, don't let it fool you. Only the best can survive.
With Mark Cavendish, Peter Sagan, Marcel Kittel and André Greipel, the green jersey will be fought for heavily.
With Chris Froome, Joaquin Rodriguez, Vincenzo Nibali, Alejandro Valverde and Alberto Contador, the yellow jersey is far from decided.
Noticable absent riders are Nairo Quintana, who recently conquered the Giro, Rigoberto Uran, who finished 2nd in that same Giro, and Cadel Evans, who's retired after winning La Flèche Wallonne but crashed out heavily in La Doyenne.
Tour de France 2014: Team Europcar
This is our first year as a World Tour squad, but we've been coming to the Tour de France for ages now. We have shown promising things here over the past few years. We've had Voeckler finishing 4th, taking a great number of stages and getting in more heroic breakaways. We've had Rolland coming up as the next big French talent, winning mountain stages and making it look easy.
This year, we come with our strongest squad yet.
Goals and Ambitions
This year, we plan to be one of the most prominent teams here. We strive to be the strongest team in the race, even. So we come here with great expectations. What are some of our goals, you ask?
- Get into 7 breakaways.
- Win 3 stages
- Win a jersey
- Top 5 General Classification with Pierre Rolland
Prologue: Team Europcar
The prologue is 3 kilometers, which gives our very own Jimmy Engoulvent the chance in a lifetime to win a Tour de France stage. Our winning squad comes in action for the first time this Tour on this technical terrain.
Domestiques
Free Elements
Leaders
Result - Prologue
1
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Team Sky
3'20
2
Gustav Erik Larsson
IAM Cycling
+ 2
3
Sylvain Chavanel
IAM Cycling
+ 4
4
Chris Froome
Team Sky
s.t.
5
Damien Gaudin
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 6
6
Bradley Wiggins
Team Sky
+ 9
7
Michał Kwiatkowski
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
8
Adriano Malori
Movistar Team
+ 12
9
Taylor Phinney
BMC Racing Team
+ 14
10
Jimmy Engoulvent
Team Europcar
+ 16
Spoiler
11
Fabian Cancellara
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
12
Niki Terpstra
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
13
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
14
Richie Porte
Team Sky
s.t.
15
Rohan Dennis
Garmin Sharp
+ 17
16
Michael Rogers
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
17
Kanstantsin Siutsou
Team Sky
s.t.
18
Svein Tuft
Orica GreenEdge
+ 18
19
Ramunas Navardauskas
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
20
Alex Dowsett
Movistar Team
s.t.
21
Mark Cavendish
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
22
Tejay Van Garderen
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
23
Patrick Gretsch
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 19
24
Philippe Gilbert
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
25
Thomas De Gendt
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 20
26
Alejandro Valverde
Movistar Team
s.t.
27
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
28
Beñat Intxausti
Movistar Team
+ 21
29
Gert Steegmans
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
30
Wilco Kelderman
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
+ 22
31
Tom Dumoulin
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
32
Nelson Oliveira
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
33
Jürgen Roelandts
Lotto Belisol
+ 23
34
Peter Sagan
Cannondale
s.t.
35
Roman Kreuziger
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
36
Tobias Ludvigsson
Team Giant - Shimano
+ 24
37
Johan Le Bon
FDJ.fr
s.t.
38
Sébastien Turgot
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
39
Jakob Fuglsang
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
40
Maciej Bodnar
Cannondale
+ 25
41
Zdenek Stybar
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
42
Robert Gesink
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
43
Tom Boonen
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
44
Ryder Hesjedal
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
45
Rui Costa
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
46
Moreno Moser
Cannondale
s.t.
47
Jérôme Coppel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 26
48
Christophe Riblon
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
49
Thor Hushovd
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
50
Sergey Chernetskiy
Team Katusha
s.t.
51
Jan Bakelants
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 27
52
Mikhail Ignatiev
Team Katusha
s.t.
53
Lawson Craddock
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
54
Eduardo Sepulveda
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
55
Simon Gerrans
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
56
Andrey Amador
Movistar Team
s.t.
57
Jens Voigt
Trek Factory Racing
+ 28
58
Alexander Kristoff
Team Katusha
s.t.
59
Tanel Kangert
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
60
Marcel Kittel
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
61
Jérémy Roy
FDJ.fr
s.t.
62
Alberto Contador
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
63
Barry Markus
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
+ 29
64
Riccardo Zoidl
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
65
Tony Gallopin
Lotto Belisol
+ 30
66
Peter Kennaugh
Team Sky
s.t.
67
Rein Taaramäe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
68
Vasil Kiryienka
Team Sky
s.t.
69
Nicolas Roche
Tinkoff - Saxo
+ 31
70
Matthieu Ladagnous
FDJ.fr
s.t.
71
Adrien Petit
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
72
Theo Bos
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
+ 32
73
Ion Izagirre
Movistar Team
s.t.
74
André Greipel
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
75
Fränk Schleck
Trek Factory Racing
+ 33
76
Daniel Martin
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
77
Arnaud Demare
FDJ.fr
s.t.
78
Bauke Mollema
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
79
Dominik Nerz
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
80
Rinaldo Nocentini
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 34
81
Heinrich Haussler
IAM Cycling
s.t.
82
Egor Silin
Team Katusha
s.t.
83
Carlos Betancur
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
84
Pieter Weening
Orica GreenEdge
+ 35
85
Marcel Sieberg
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
86
Thibaut Pinot
FDJ.fr
s.t.
87
José Serpa
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
88
Nick Nuyens
Garmin Sharp
+ 36
89
Sérgio Paulinho
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
90
Fredrik Kessiakoff
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
91
Yohan Offredo
FDJ.fr
s.t.
92
Thomas Löfkvist
IAM Cycling
s.t.
93
Chris Anker Sørensen
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
94
Rafal Majka
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
95
Bryan Coquard
Team Europcar
+ 37
96
Christophe Le Mével
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
97
Pierrick Fédrigo
FDJ.fr
s.t.
98
Salvatore Puccio
Team Sky
s.t.
99
Daryl Impey
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
100
Alexsandr Dyachenko
Astana Pro Team
+ 38
101
Daniel Oss
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
102
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
s.t.
103
Boy Van Poppel
Trek Factory Racing
+ 39
104
Joaquím Rodríguez
Team Katusha
s.t.
105
Arthur Vichot
FDJ.fr
+ 40
106
Paolo Tiralongo
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
107
Peter Stetina
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
108
Sergio Pardilla
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
109
Greg Henderson
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
110
Michael Albasini
Orica GreenEdge
+ 41
111
Warren Barguil
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
112
Damiano Cunego
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
113
Bart De Clercq
Lotto Belisol
+ 42
114
Greg Van Avermaet
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
115
Danny Van Poppel
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
116
Davide Cimolai
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
117
Sep Vanmarcke
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
+ 43
118
Nacer Bouhanni
FDJ.fr
s.t.
119
Pierre Rolland
Team Europcar
s.t.
120
Steve Morabito
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
121
Andy Schleck
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
122
Sébastien Minard
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
123
Przemyslaw Niemiec
Lampre - Merida
+ 44
124
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
s.t.
125
Daniele Ratto
Cannondale
s.t.
126
Cyril Gautier
Team Europcar
s.t.
127
John-Lee Augustyn
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
128
Jelle Vanendert
Lotto Belisol
+ 45
129
Adam Hansen
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
130
Ignatas Konovalovas
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
131
Linus Gerdemann
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 46
132
Michael Matthews
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
133
Cyril Lemoine
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
134
Jens Keukeleire
Orica GreenEdge
+ 47
135
Luca Paolini
Team Katusha
s.t.
136
Johan Vansummeren
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
137
John Degenkolb
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
138
Fabio Sabatini
Cannondale
s.t.
139
Dries Devenyns
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
140
Alessandro Petacchi
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 48
141
Winner Anacona
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
142
Johann Tschopp
IAM Cycling
s.t.
143
André Cardoso
Garmin Sharp
+ 49
144
Moreno Hofland
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
145
Louis Meintjes
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
146
Simon Clarke
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
147
Tom Slagter
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
148
Laurent Didier
Trek Factory Racing
+ 50
149
Laurens Ten Dam
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
150
Kevin Reza
Team Europcar
s.t.
151
Steve Chainel
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
152
Yauheni Hutarovich
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 51
153
Matthias Frank
IAM Cycling
s.t.
154
Stéphane Poulhiès
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
155
Oscar Gatto
Cannondale
s.t.
156
Romain Feillu
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 52
157
Matti Breschel
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
158
Natnael Berhane
Team Europcar
s.t.
159
Rüdiger Selig
Team Katusha
s.t.
160
Luka Mezgec
Team Giant - Shimano
+ 53
161
Matthew Goss
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
162
Youcef Reguigui
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
163
Nicolas Edet
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 54
164
Nathan Haas
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
165
Gerald Ciolek
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
166
Anthony Delaplace
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
167
Mikel Landa
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
168
Daniel Navarro
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 55
169
Jérôme Pineau
IAM Cycling
s.t.
170
Juan José Lobato
Movistar Team
s.t.
171
Marco Marcato
Cannondale
s.t.
172
Mikel Nieve
Team Sky
s.t.
173
John Gadret
Movistar Team
+ 56
174
Julien Simon
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
175
Vincent Jérôme
Team Europcar
s.t.
176
Sacha Modolo
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
177
Guillaume Boivin
Cannondale
+ 57
178
Oliver Zaugg
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
179
Giampaolo Caruso
Team Katusha
+ 58
180
Valentin Iglinskiy
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
181
Sébastien Hinault
IAM Cycling
s.t.
182
Matej Mohorič
Cannondale
s.t.
183
Daniel Moreno
Team Katusha
s.t.
184
Fabio Aru
Astana Pro Team
+ 59
185
Juan Manuel Gárate
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
186
Robert Kiserlovski
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
187
Dennis Van Niekerk
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
188
Vegard Stake Laengen
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 1'00
189
Florian Vachon
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
190
Jan Polanc
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
191
Brice Feillu
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
192
Pierre-Luc Périchon
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 1'01
193
Stefan Denifl
IAM Cycling
s.t.
194
Florian Guillou
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
195
Ramon Sinkeldam
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
196
Yohann Gène
Team Europcar
s.t.
197
Benjamin Le Montagner
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
Behind The Scenes - Prologue
This wasn't the best start for us. The positive is that Jimmy managed to come in the top 10, which is a fantastic result for him. As a prologue specialist, he will be happy with today's result.
Pierre losing 43 seconds, however, was not calculated. We had expected to lose time in all time trials, but losing 43 seconds in only 3 kilometers is very unfortunate. However, since this prologue was extremely technical, we can only hope the coming time trials will be more in favour of our raising star.
And so we are off. Let's hope for a great Tour de France. We hope you stick with us along the way!
Good to have you back with a story. Looks very promising already.
Rather surprised that you didn't wait for an official TdF 2014 GT to be released. No cobblez.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Mresuperstar - Every single jersey, that'll be impossible 1 jersey should be good!
24sebaf1 - Thanks for joining in here. Hope you enjoy it.
Cycleman123 - What flag? you mean the flag you get on google image when you type: Tour de France logo?
duxili - 43 seconds in a prologue is a tough start for Rolland, but I hope he can recover some of that in the mountains... If not, Voeckler is always full of surprises, isn't he?
Luis Leon Sanchez - Thanks. I hope to give Europcar a great Tour here.
Never too late to wish good luck, Selwink. Thanks! A top 10 is nice, but we came here to do more than that!
Welcome to day 2 of the Tour.
Yesterday we had a decent start, with Jimmy managing a top 10. Today we hope to do even better. The profile has some bumps and hills, but is most likely to end on a bunch sprint.
We will be playing the Bryan Coquard card today. It's his first Tour, so the lack of experience will be our biggest enemy today.
Tour de France - Stage 2
The peloton was ready for the first real stage of this Tour. Maillot Jaune Boasson Hagen has never looked better.
And the first attacker in this Tour, write it down, is from Team Europcar! We have no intention of waiting around and hope for opportunities. In this Tour, we make them!
Yohann Gène gets the company of Sylvain Chavanel and Simon Gerrans, but he fights like a devil for the Mountain Points.
Team Sky is not leaving anything up to chance either and organizes a worthy chase. We take comfort in leading the KoM Classification after day 2. Well done, Yohann!
Our lead-out train is nothing compared to the big guns, so Bryan hops from wheel to wheel, hoping for a good position. This is what he does best.
The final kilometer is dangerous with turns and twists. Shame on you, ASO!
At the one but last turn, Bryan comes to the front. Can he hold on?
Alas, the final 300 meters were more uphill than we remembered. He just falls off the podium. But Thomas and Pierre manage a formidable 5th and 6th. Talk about being in great form!
In the end, it's yesterday's winner who has a reason to cheer again. What a sprint by the Norwegian, who is clearly flying high now!
Results - Stage 2
Stage 2
1
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Team Sky
3h50'49
2
Marcel Kittel
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
3
Peter Sagan
Cannondale
s.t.
4
Bryan Coquard
Team Europcar
s.t.
5
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
s.t.
6
Pierre Rolland
Team Europcar
s.t.
7
André Greipel
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
8
Alexander Kristoff
Team Katusha
s.t.
9
John Degenkolb
Team Giant - Shimano
s.t.
10
Gerald Ciolek
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
General Classification
1
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Team Sky
3h54'09
2
Chris Froome
Team Sky
+ 4
3
Sylvain Chavanel
IAM Cycling
s.t.
4
Michał Kwiatkowski
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 9
5
Bradley Wiggins
Team Sky
s.t.
6
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana Pro Team
+ 16
7
Richie Porte
Team Sky
s.t.
8
Niki Terpstra
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
9
Fabian Cancellara
Trek Factory Racing
s.t.
10
Michael Rogers
Tinkoff - Saxo
+ 17
Points Classification
1
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Team Sky
72
2
Marcel Kittel
Team Giant - Shimano
48
3
Peter Sagan
Cannondale
40
4
Sylvain Chavanel
IAM Cycling
30
5
Bryan Coquard
Team Europcar
26
6
Thomas Voeckler
Team Europcar
22
7
John Degenkolb
Team Giant - Shimano
22
8
Pierre Rolland
Team Europcar
20
9
Yohann Gène
Team Europcar
20
10
André Greipel
Lotto Belisol
18
Mountain Points Classification
1
Yohann Gène
Team Europcar
6
2
Sylvain Chavanel
IAM Cycling
5
3
Simon Gerrans
Orica GreenEdge
4
4
Jens Voigt
Trek Factory Racing
1
Behind The Scenes - Stage 2
Not a bad day for us. We will be wearing the KoM jersey tomorrow, which reflects our ambitions here perfectly. Bryan is looking quite good and misses out on the win by just 50 meters or so. We have the utmost confidence that he will take one of the coming sprint stages.
Pierre and Thomas seem ready to put in their greatest effort here, too. We are ready for more!
Nice subject you've picked, good luck with it!
