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Can't win Classics
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| Axl_Rose |
Posted on 13-09-2014 12:26
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Amateur
Posts: 4
Joined: 13-09-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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Hello, I'm playing with Katusha but I really struggle winning any of the classics.I probably have the best classics team in the peleton with Purito & Dani Moreno but I don't know what strategy to use.
I usually protect Purito and Moreno until the other favorites start to attack.If I try to follow their attacks I burn out all my energy.
If I try to relay them down with Purito on dot 84 protected by Moreno I manage to but I burn out my energy again.
If I try to attack myself I usually go dot 84-85 with Purito protected by Moreno but I can't get away and I burn out my energy.
What can I do ? I played MSR, AGR, Fleche Wallone, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Il Lobardia etc. I can't win any of them.
Please give me some suggestions, I play on HARD DIFFICULTY. |
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 13-09-2014 12:57
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Team Leader
Posts: 7336
Joined: 11-07-2014
PCM$: 700.00
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Don't attack on early climbs, keep your riders at the front and just get some teammates (not Purito or Moreno) to relay to keep attacks under control, sprint or attack on the final climb, maybe the second-last if it's in the final few kms. Both Rodriguez and Moreno should be able to follow this strategy.
Hope this helps-trekbmc
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| Axl_Rose |
Posted on 13-09-2014 14:58
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Amateur
Posts: 4
Joined: 13-09-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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I can't get to the last climb/final climb because on this PCM the favorites attack with 30-40 km/s from the finish line.
Do this happen to you as well ? It's a bit strange if you ask me, that's why I can't keep up with them and burn out all my energy ... |
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| Silvio Herklotz |
Posted on 13-09-2014 15:35
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1246
Joined: 26-02-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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Well you have to decide then. With each of the early (from 50km to the finish onwards) attacks, you have to consider if you either relay with domestiques or send Moreno in the attack. If the attack gets to the finish - good as you are inside. If not, even better, because Purito can go on the attack at an even later point. Usually following attacks is the better strategy if you are really in somebody's wheel by the way, but riding high dot is better if you would have to get on the wheel first.
However, classics are fairly hard to win in PCM. I always feel like stage races and flat classics are way too easy, but therefore hilly/mountaineous classics are too hard.
Edited by Silvio Herklotz on 13-09-2014 15:35
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| Axl_Rose |
Posted on 13-09-2014 15:54
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Amateur
Posts: 4
Joined: 13-09-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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Yes, you are right, but if I try to follow the attacks it burns my energy really fast...
I played more and if I relay some of the early attacks with 4 riders on 80-84 relay I manage to recover the gap, but in the last 10-15kms it's impossible to pull back Gilbert for example, and if I chase him with Purito it's too late and he wins easily.I guess it really is very difficult to win the Classics |
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 13-09-2014 21:43
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Team Leader
Posts: 7336
Joined: 11-07-2014
PCM$: 700.00
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Plsy milan-san remo, relay back attacks and follow Gilbert or Cancellara at the front, got Purito to attack at the start of the first of those two climbs, as soon as the gradient steepens, then get Moreno to attacks, at the start of the second climbs, but make sure he doesn't take a group up to Rodriguez.
That's how I won Milan-San Remo with Bentancur for Ag2r
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| Tafiolmo |
Posted on 14-09-2014 00:07
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Sprinter
Posts: 1962
Joined: 10-04-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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The trick a lot of the time, is to react exactly when the favourites attack and go with them with a counter or on dot. If you miss the jump too much then you'll burn too much energy, also be careful about following as it can use a lot of energy (be selective when you use it) Once with the favourites a rider like Rodriguez can attack with short sharp bursts to drop the others, he's made in the game for the Ardennes classics. |
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| Axl_Rose |
Posted on 14-09-2014 09:09
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Amateur
Posts: 4
Joined: 13-09-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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Tafiolmo wrote:
The trick a lot of the time, is to react exactly when the favourites attack and go with them with a counter or on dot. If you miss the jump too much then you'll burn too much energy, also be careful about following as it can use a lot of energy (be selective when you use it) Once with the favourites a rider like Rodriguez can attack with short sharp bursts to drop the others, he's made in the game for the Ardennes classics.
Yes, the follow burns too much energy, I guess you need to time it perfectly.
And how should I attack when I'm with the favorites ? Try to dot away or just press the attack button ? If I use attack with like 8-10 km/s from the finish line it will probably burn all my energy.
I always try to dot away with dot at 85-86 but I just can't get away, the hills are too short to make a difference.
Edited by Axl_Rose on 14-09-2014 09:10
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| Lachi |
Posted on 14-09-2014 11:39
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8360
Joined: 29-06-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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You can use the dot to follow attacks, just raise the % high enough and your rider will sprint/attack.
I don't know if it is the most economic solution but in PCM 2014 you can ride uphill using only the dot and adjusting the % until your rider crosses the finish line. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 13-12-2025 01:52
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| Tafiolmo |
Posted on 14-09-2014 11:40
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Sprinter
Posts: 1962
Joined: 10-04-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Axl_Rose wrote:
Tafiolmo wrote:
The trick a lot of the time, is to react exactly when the favourites attack and go with them with a counter or on dot. If you miss the jump too much then you'll burn too much energy, also be careful about following as it can use a lot of energy (be selective when you use it) Once with the favourites a rider like Rodriguez can attack with short sharp bursts to drop the others, he's made in the game for the Ardennes classics.
Yes, the follow burns too much energy, I guess you need to time it perfectly.
And how should I attack when I'm with the favorites ? Try to dot away or just press the attack button ? If I use attack with like 8-10 km/s from the finish line it will probably burn all my energy.
I always try to dot away with dot at 85-86 but I just can't get away, the hills are too short to make a difference.
First of all you need to treat mountain and hills as two different racing styles. Dot works well on big mountain stages because if you managed to bridge the gap to the favourites, your rider should be on dot 80-85 anyway to maintain his position. If your rider's strong or on great form he'll drop his rivals, if you're feeling ambitious and know your rider is in good form or needs time then an attack is good (but don't do it until the attack bar runs out) The ideal scenario is to finish with your rider out of energy but having got a big winning margin over the rivals.
On medium mountain and hills (as you mentioned classics) I think the whole thing is much harder, because if you miss the jump it's much harder to bridge the gap as the climbs are much shorter. For this reason dot doesn't work as well as counter or attack, because both of these react and go faster than dot. Once with the favourites use either dot or attack depending on your rider.
If you've got riders like Rodriguez and Moreno then you got great hill climbers anyway and I've won so many races using multiple short attacks on hills with Rodriguez because his hill and acc stats are very high.
Another good tactic is to send for example Moreno up the road in a break (like as a second break near the end of the race) and not have him work, then at a crucial time when you attack or favourites attack, he's there to protect Rodriguez.
Also what level do you play at, if you're new then you shouldn't be playing higher than normal level. I played normal for over a year and only moved upto hard which I play now when I mastered everything on normal.
All classic races would actually be easier to negotiate if certain crucial climbs like in Flanders or Ardennes were actually made a little longer to allow for riders to come back.
Again the key is to react the exact moment when the favourites attack, I've lost so many races in the past by not doing so.
Also I've noticed that the big favourites attack on big stages when the race enters under 40km to go (the time to be most vigilant)
Edited by Tafiolmo on 14-09-2014 11:51
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| frnp |
Posted on 15-09-2014 13:57
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Under 23
Posts: 61
Joined: 15-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Hi there.
I'm playing my first season of pcm14 in extreme level, and managed very good results in classics like Amstel etc
This is what I do. First of all my leader must be in good form, as I plan the season for that- level 1.
I play with Lampre, and the leader is Ulissi.
So i protect him in the front of the group, with another rider in good form... in my case Pozzato who ended the Paris Roubaix etc and still is in good form - level 2
In my game the favourites attack about 30 km to go.
First I pause the game  then protect Ulissi with Costa or Cunego and put all the team in short relay like 95, and manage to take some time, as sometimes other teams also help. I use Horner, Niemiec, Pozzato Cunego or Costa and whoever is still there.
As my other riders "empty their tank" I dot Ulissi, about 85, still protected with a good hills mate, like Costa or Cunego as mentioned before, and manage to catch the favourites group. Then I keep position, and I only use the dot if the other ones attack etc...
As by now they used most of their energy, sometimes none of them pushes the group... so I dot Ulissi like 70 or something till the last 5 km etc, and of course they stick on my wheel... and then I dot him to 85 or more depending of his energy bars, and manage to reach the win.
This worked for me till now in Liege and Amstel, haven't played yet Fleche.
Give it a try ) |
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| Dee-Jay |
Posted on 20-09-2014 13:41
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Free Agent
Posts: 129
Joined: 20-10-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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My biggest problem is still on the cobbled classics.
Usual rubbish with the AI - the final group of favourites ride as a team against my guy. It's irrespective of whether my man in the pack is a favourite, whether he has a team mate etc. Last time out on Paris-Roubaix I watched Sagan ride away from the favourites (6-7 riders) with 20 km to go and none of the other guys bothered chasing (Cancellara, Boonen, Vanmarcke, Roelandts etc). They all just sat up! I decided to go after him and they marked my guy, so I waited, then went again and they marked him again. Sagan won by 1min 30 secs. 
Edited by Dee-Jay on 20-09-2014 13:42
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| silent_control |
Posted on 20-09-2014 16:55
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Under 23
Posts: 66
Joined: 28-06-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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Same happened to me in Paris-Roubaix, but the winner was Demare. What's the solution? Make sure you follow (dot / counter-attack) the attacks in the last kms. |
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| Dee-Jay |
Posted on 21-09-2014 01:15
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Free Agent
Posts: 129
Joined: 20-10-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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silent_control wrote:
Same happened to me in Paris-Roubaix, but the winner was Demare. What's the solution? Make sure you follow (dot / counter-attack) the attacks in the last kms.
If you counter attack, you catch him but pull the other guys along. Then a different guy goes and the same happens again and so on, until your guy runs out of red&yellow. All you can do is ride with the pack and fight for a podium place. Really crap. |
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| Tafiolmo |
Posted on 21-09-2014 13:11
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Sprinter
Posts: 1962
Joined: 10-04-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Well it's probably one of the hardest classics to win, as there are no hills to use to your advantage and you can't employ sprint trains. I'd say dot again is the key here and use your team to protect your favourite as much as possible and pay strong attention to attacks from favourites.
I also think you need to decide whether to go for victory early and then you have a better chance of dictating things more how you want, if you go later then I've noticed others will constantly attack you more often, which is what some people are having problems with and it becomes more of a lottery.
This race is hard because you need your rider in good form, great stamina level so he can maintain dot for a long period of time and it's very tactical as well.
I've won the race once and that was with Cancellara (so one of the very best to use) the trick as always was to ride away with others a long way out on dot and relay with them if they want to work. If I remember I went with Van Avermaet and Kristoff which meant that I knew I would be 50/50 more or less with Van Avermaet in a sprint, but there was no way I was carrying Kristoff to the line, who also has huge stamina as well as far better sprint. So I basically just upped dot a bit on a cobbled section and dropped both.
To win you need to be bold and attack from far out, but I admit going later is more tactical and more exciting but harder to win. A vital key here would be to get yourself in a break with another team mate then he can work with you and at least cover some of the attacks by the others. |
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| Dee-Jay |
Posted on 23-09-2014 20:48
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Free Agent
Posts: 129
Joined: 20-10-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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The main thing is unrealistic manner of the classics. The actual results when I play are not too far from the real world! I couldnt win a monument with Sagan (he can't win them himself) and Sky can't bag a big classic either. I won the Omloop het Nieuwsblad with Wiggins (with lots of protection) by powering past the escape groups at the end. I finished 5th in Flanders and Roubaix with Boasson Hagen by hanging onto the favourites group and letting the eventual clear winner ride away to victory - my objectives were top 3 in Ronde and top 5 in Roubaix, so I got a near miss and a hit for my objectives.
The Cannondale career was more frustrating as Sagan was required to do better in the classics and I had to go for victory, but it just didn't happen as everyone marked him and let someone ride away. |
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