May comes to a close, and here comes another Rankings update.
PCT
Remember a time when Venchi were projected to win the division by 3000 points? (After having done 25 race days) Well that surely isn't going to happen now, and as we near the very centre of the season - teams averaging 85 race days completed out of 175 - they may not even win it!
Quickstep and Heineken have emerged as the top two teams of the division and their dual is leaving Venchi lagging. They have pulled away despite Froome's end of month Onda-Boavista win being the first overall race triumph for either side since the first half of April.
Winning is not everything then, but it certainly has helped for Bacardi and Oz Cycling. Each took their 2nd and 3rd overall race wins of the season and now take up the final 2 automatic promotion positions. La Vie Claire and CSC-Orbea remain firmly in the battle though.
The biggest position climbers of the month are Puma-Sap, striding up 7 places to 17th. Swedbank climbed 3 to 15th, while RBC are up 6 to 21st.
Hornbach have slipped 5 places to 25th despite a strong showing at Taihu Lake, which leaves Boeing to join Metinvest, Mobil, Belarusbank and Compal in the relegation zone.
1
1
Quickstep
2665
2
2
Heineken-Cal Giant
2541
3
3
Venchi - Ferranti
2102
4
5
Bacardi Limited
1977
5
11
Oz Cycling Project
1893
6
4
La Vie Claire
1804
7
6
Team CSC - Orbea
1636
8
10
Jaguar - Eritel
1619
9
8
Gazelle
1476
10
7
AMEXpc
1400
11
9
Karcher-Adira Racing
1343
12
14
Meiji - Cannondale
1321
13
12
Kappa - ENI
1256
14
13
FCB - Polska
1141
15
18
Swedbank-PEAB
1089
16
17
Repsol-Cativen
1051
17
24
Team Puma - SAP
1032
18
19
Privatbank - Nemiroff
1030
19
15
Team Kenya Airways
1025
20
16
Magna-Ryanair
974
21
27
RBC Pro Cycling
960
22
22
Project: Africa
908
23
23
Allianz-BMW
896
24
21
Kazzinc Procycling
884
25
20
Team Hornbach
881
26
25
Boeing-Bulgaria Bicycling
756
27
26
Metinvest-Emirates
647
28
28
Mobil - Aeropostal Ciclismo
611
29
29
BelarusBank Pro Cycling
568
30
30
Compal-Merida
458
Projections show the same 5 teams in the promotion positions, but also indicate that hope is now lost for Meiji just yet. They may have slipped to 12th, but have the joint fewest racedays completed in the division so far.
Meiji are tied on 68 race days with Boeing, and the Bulgarian team may yet defy expectations to avoid relegation. This would come at the expense of Project Africa, while Kazzinc also have cause for concern.
Team
Total
RD
PpRD
Proj
1
2
Heineken-Cal Giant
2541
89
28.551
4996
2
1
Quickstep
2665
99
26.919
4711
3
3
Venchi - Ferranti
2102
88
23.886
4180
4
5
Oz Cycling Project
1893
81
23.370
4066
5
4
Bacardi Limited
1977
91
21.725
3802
6
7
Team CSC - Orbea
1636
82
19.951
3491
7
12
Meiji - Cannondale
1321
68
19.426
3400
8
6
La Vie Claire
1804
95
18.989
3323
9
8
Jaguar - Eritel
1619
90
17.989
3256
10
9
Gazelle
1476
79
18.684
3251
11
10
AMEXpc
1400
76
18.421
3113
12
11
Karcher-Adira Racing
1343
91
14.758
2583
13
20
Magna-Ryanair
974
73
13.342
2335
14
14
FCB - Polska
1141
86
13.267
2322
15
16
Repsol-Cativen
1051
80
13.138
2299
16
15
Swedbank-PEAB
1089
86
12.663
2216
17
19
Team Kenya Airways
1025
85
12.059
2110
18
13
Kappa - ENI
1256
106
11.849
2074
19
23
Allianz-BMW
896
80
11.200
1960
20
18
Privatbank - Nemiroff
1030
93
11.075
1938
21
26
Boeing-Bulgaria Bicycling
756
68
11.118
1934
22
21
RBC Pro Cycling
960
87
11.034
1931
23
17
Team Puma - SAP
1032
97
10.639
1862
24
25
Team Hornbach
881
84
10.488
1835
25
24
Kazzinc Procycling
884
85
10.400
1820
26
22
Project: Africa
908
98
9.265
1612
27
27
Metinvest-Emirates
647
78
8.295
1452
28
28
Mobil - Aeropostal Ciclismo
611
82
7.451
1304
29
29
BelarusBank Pro Cycling
568
83
6.843
1191
30
30
Compal-Merida
458
85
5.388
943
Brajkovic leads the way in the Individual standings but Intxausti closed the gap after beating him in Romania. Former leader Ben Nasser keeps himself in the Top 3, just ahead of Holloway and Pozzovivvo.
Just as the fight for topspot in PCT is hotting up, the same can be said in CT, with the division now past the halfway mark with teams on an average of 78 race days out of 150. Vontobel do still lead but TomTom, Nutresa, Risa, Evonik and Bonsucro are all closing in.
There's a threat of those 6 edging away from the rest, but actually many others are well within touching distance if they can get into a good run of form. The big climb this update comes from ONCE-Eroski, into the Top 10 after a mighty 1-2 in the HC Madrid classic.
Maloja are continuing their climb up, now 17th, while Sauber are up to 18th after a surprise victory at the Tour of Japan. Alpina - Avianca were also able to move slightly away from the bottom, up 2 to 23rd. Although actually, they are only 2 points clear of 25th in a tight battle that Live Nation would very much like to join.
1
1
Team Vontobel
1067
2
2
Team TomTom
931
3
3
Grupo Nutresa
915
4
6
Risa - Ergon
912
5
4
Evonik - Signal Iduna
901
6
5
Bonsucro
886
7
8
Bank of Ireland - Irish Cycling
767
8
7
Fletcher-Garneau
680
9
10
Azteca-NBCSN
663
10
15
ONCE-Eroski Cycling Team
652
11
9
Team Nordeus
629
12
11
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo Cycling Team
617
13
12
Team ASDA-Savers
598
14
13
Siam Cement - Lenovo
556
15
14
In-n-Out Racing p/b Auchan
556
16
16
Team Carlsberg - Danske Bank
474
17
21
Maloja Mountain Nomads
467
18
23
Sauber Petronas
440
19
17
Team Ameriabank-Novatek
387
20
18
Euskaltel - Bavaria
375
21
19
Eddie Stobart Pro Cycling
349
22
20
Dell - 361° Racing
334
23
25
Alpina - Avianca
297
24
22
Team Chiquita-Universal
297
25
24
Wounded Warrior
295
26
26
Team Live Nation
222
The projected standings are good reading for Bonsucro, lifting them from one spot outside of guaranteed promotion right ot the top. Risa-Ergon slip to 6th, but are continually improving after a very poor start to the season.
In-n-Out and ASDA-Savers are two more who favour well in these standings.
Team
Total
RD
PpRD
Proj
1
6
Bonsucro
886
73
12.137
1821
2
1
Team Vontobel
1067
95
11.232
1685
3
3
Grupo Nutresa
915
82
11.159
1674
4
2
Team TomTom
931
87
10.701
1605
5
5
Evonik - Signal Iduna
901
85
10.600
1590
6
4
Risa - Ergon
912
94
9.702
1455
7
15
In-n-Out Racing p/b Auchan
556
62
8.968
1345
8
7
Bank of Ireland - Irish Cycling
767
86
8.919
1338
9
10
ONCE-Eroski Cycling Team
652
74
8.811
1322
10
13
Team ASDA-Savers
598
71
8.423
1255
11
9
Azteca-NBCSN
663
84
7.893
1184
12
11
Team Nordeus
629
81
7.765
1165
13
12
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo Cycling Team
617
80
7.713
1157
14
8
Fletcher-Garneau
680
91
7.473
1121
15
14
Siam Cement - Lenovo
556
75
7.413
1112
16
17
Maloja Mountain Nomads
467
70
6.671
1001
17
18
Sauber Petronas
440
70
6.286
943
18
16
Team Carlsberg - Danske Bank
474
84
5.643
846
19
20
Euskaltel - Bavaria
375
70
5.357
804
20
21
Eddie Stobart Pro Cycling
349
70
4.986
748
21
19
Team Ameriabank-Novatek
387
84
4.607
691
22
24
Team Chiquita-Universal
297
70
4.243
636
23
22
Dell - 361° Racing
334
79
4.228
634
24
25
Wounded Warrior
295
73
4.041
602
25
23
Alpina - Avianca
297
77
3.857
579
26
26
Team Live Nation
222
73
3.041
456
No change at the top of the Individual standings as Wyss leads from Mendes. Two portugese in the Top 3 with Rodrigues now 3rd, getting in front of Geschke who has had a few low scoring classics recently.
I knew that bad run of form was going to catch up to us as we finally slip into the relegation places. However it's taking until June for that to happen, and it's with a nice bit of a gap downwards. Of course there is a gap ahead as well.
The projections are the key here. Our PPrD as stayed fairly stable so that projection looks fairly accurate. If we can hold our season togehter, with top10's on cobbles and as many gc top20's we can grab suplemented by the odd breakaway win and jersey, there is no reason why we cannot stay on target to defy all expectations.
Dangerous thinking as whenever i normally start to get even slightly optomistic the team finds yet another creative way to let me down. Regardless we are gonna be in that fight but honestly think we now might have enough to really fight it. It's gonna be fine margins down the bottom whatever happens.
To everyone who predicted us for promotion, I told you so
Nice to see us with 4 riders in the Top 35 of the rankings. I also like that the current top 6 in the standings are the 6 I predicted would be there in my season preview Edited by jph27 on 20-10-2014 22:22
Lagab looks quite out of place looking at the other names in the PCT Top 20, with a top stat of 76 in cobbles. But it is great to see! He is ensuring that Jaguar stay in the Top 10 fight rather than becoming entrenched in the midfield.
Well the actual rankings developed well for us recently, I cannot complain. From the looks of that alone, you could even think the often mentioned Top 10 isn't actually unreachable this season.
On the other hand, you only need to scroll down a bit to see where our problem still lies, and that's obviously PPRD. While the actual gap to AMEX looks doable, they're still on nearly double the PPRD.
I calculated that our leaders are exactly halfway through their season race day-wise, so being the team with the fourth most RD isn't quite as bad as it looks, but of course every race day is a chance for points, no matter how strong our leader is.
At least we're finally out of those sub-10 regions, but especially Metinvest will never ever end up where they currently are with Ignatiev not even seriously starting his season yet even though it's already halfway through.
Kappa, Privatbank, Allianz and Boeing are teams I deem catchable though.
In the end, this is still way too close to call.
I can see Eneco being some kind of mid-season decider for us.
A four-day HC race with a great GC shot for Ciolek can possibly produce everything from 30 to 400 points, so that race could instantly put us above 14 PPRD and well within the anonymous (upper) mid-field, or be a big missed chance to make a difference to those teams around us that PCM 13 tends to gift HC classic wins to every now and then...
Finally, I can't but laugh about where Herklotz ranks in the individual standings, ahead of Kump/Efimkin/Popovych
Anyone doubting the C2 strategy, there you go. (don't worry, it's not like I didn't too)
Obviously a great month for Oz. But also the mid-season key, that we needed to stay in contention. Goss has yet to deliver something special in classics (and of course Eneco) to keep us there, i guess. Pretty sure guys like Visconti or Del Nero had their best races, so Goss and Bobridge are those, who can keep our lovely pprd up there.
Only two races in June now, iirc. But our next races will all be possible point scorers as well (Eneco, the TTs). So this is the month(s) where we need to score big time. Bobridge did well to do so most recently
Saggiorato's shock win has really helped us jump up the order, and I didn't expect it to jump him so far up the individual rankings either.
With the joint most race days left out of the CT division I'm hoping we can match our current PPRD although I think it's probably a little higher then it should be as I doubt we'll repeat our Japanese success.
Nice to see that now all the wasted race days are gone we are on the move up the rankings. Vanderbiest being the 3rd best sprinter in the division at the moment is showing my faith too be well rewarded hopefully he can keep performing to the end of the season and with no more cobbles we should be able to have a strong 2nd half.
Another update on the top, very cool. Heineken are on our heels though.
Target of promotion looking on course, Vantomme finally winning a stage, Froome classic. All fairly well, let's hope we continue in this step.
A very bad month for us, only 80 points in 16 days (5PpRD). Looks like our fall in thr league table it's starting, something we already expected still I'm glad to have lost only one position and the forecast put us well within the top15 which is one of the objectives.
Top 5 is beginning to look better this time around. Got 2 good wins this month, if only we would get some more wins in HC races. Ulissi still got most of his racedays though, and while the competition in the hills is hard, he should be able to get some good results there.
Thanks for the update SN. Again not looking good for us, but soon the slight rise should be coming. June will probably still see us stagnating, but as it is closed by TTT, it should end better. After that, July and August scould be our months of glory, if PCM allows that.
Now to the fun fact. Our best rider in individual standing is 103th, great, isnt it? And it is Ignatiev, who raced 6 race days.
It shows how shit rest of the team is. Rabon will be joining the fun soon and Popovych needs to start climbing like actual 79 mountain guy and it will be better. Anyway top10 standings goal would need some serious miracles in 2nd half of the season...
Hoffman is useless in this sprinters division. I did not expect last year sensetaions, but he should be getting more top5s anyway, especially in harder stages. I think his future is in PT, as the perfect lead-out man material for top-notch sprinter, his stats are ideal for that.
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 21-10-2014 07:02
It's always a very interesting read this, and having a fair few PCT teams I really like a lot, it isn't any less interesting. I'm extremely happy that Oz seems to have a real shot at promoting as I like the team setup, aswell as the manager behind the team.
Also La Vie Claire is a team I have great respect for, and have previously spent a lot of time trading and talking with.
Gazelle, as newly promoted team is doing absolutely superbly and I would be extremely happy to see them go up, eventhough it isn't realistic this season unless a lot of PT teams disband. Dubbeldekker is a dangerous manager in the long run, but a very likable guy
I'm a big fan of Team Puma, as they have a similar approach to the game as I do, and cio is also a great guy whom I have spend a lot of nerdy hours with.
RBC also should do well, and I really hope they can stay fairly safe so they can put another level on their team next season. There are some very interesting riders, and also a very nice manager...
Clearly there are a lot of other very interesting teams, but these are probably the ones I have spent the most time discussing the game with, and doing loantrades with, so that obviously gives another relationship.
The fight for relegation is hotting up. I'm surprised to see the Bulgarians ahead of us on the prediction, but hopefully we can get a few strong finishes in our next months. I expect Metinvest to climb and shoot past, so things will be really tight for us.
