GrainBrain

Update both games. Used my last 4 transfers but gained Roglic, Alaphillipe, and Chavez plus Craddock in the spring classics - plus I've only got two guys dns for l-b-l. Feeling like I'll hold third?

In the super I went with woods, Valverde. Good buys in Gaudu and Barguil so I snapped them up. In honor of Wanty Gobert I squeezed in Lammertink and Vliegen.

canam73

Just entered my last transfers for Spring Classics, but now realize I may have missed my one shot at winning the league. My team was already matched with many of the same riders as SLCBobs. Instead of wasting picks on lower tiered riders if I hoped to make up real ground I should have traded put of riders SLC has and hoped for some surprises. Goshdarnit. Played it safe and will end up 1st loser. Again.

diphthong

hate hate hate limited transfers. would rather have zero transfers available.

slcbob

I'm really sorry to hear that.

But there's always a chance of lightning striking. Either one of us.

You can "reset transfers" and mess with it for hours on end. Unlimited Mulligans to indulge epic perseverating. Don't ask me how I know.

diphthong

yah...that spring classics game is a total goatbleep. can't do it again...probably until next year, oh, the humanity!

diphthong

having picked primoz, hoping some absolute unknown escapes and wins l-b-l. always prefer the underdog and pretty polly purebred.

slcbob

Well it's all over but the crying for Fantasy Spring Classics.

Still a LONG trail of tears for Superclasico.

Hasta mañana and the trail of tears at La Doyenne. Vive le something.

slcbob

Your Vliegen lottery ticket hit for 20 points at the 50% mark. Another bit of lightning in a bottle for you. Well, at least a spark in a cup. I don't think they'll be away with 50k to go but who knows.

In other GrainBrain -related news, Woods was talking a big game in the interviews. Maybe it's his race.

GrainBrain

I did get excited to see Vliegen out to 54" at one point after seemingly yoyo-ing around (I think, maybe I wasn't keeping up with the camera tracking). Then I witnessed a spectacular bonk and he was at a dead stop and going sideways. Oh well looks like Wanty might become pretty active to show off their shiny new world tour license.

The mention of resetting and playing with transfers had me shake up the men's classics a bit. I was 2 credits from slipping in Pogacar!

Pretty happy with the Gaudu pick, he's been way under rated. Surprised to see Roglic caught out. How the heck does Pogacar recover from a puncture then go on to out sprint Alaphillipe/Valverde/Woods? Wow!

slcbob

In Superclasico, the beat goes on. 14 down, 19 races to go. It's a marathon to 10/10/21, not a sprint to the end of April and the Ardennes. I'm endeavoring to persevere but feel the steady drumbeat of GrainBrain 's orcs and feel canam73 's hot breath. Fortunately, Pidcock was off on his MTB and death took a holiday.

In Fantasy Spring Classics, the fat lady sung and blew her spittle on me on the edge of the 20th percentile of the general population. Some champagne would have been better but a win's a win in our little neck of the woods. Speaking of wins, ooga-booga seems to have saved up his transfers along the way and used them to stamp on the LBL stage win with authority at over 500 points clear. Not just the cream of the crap, but top 5% overall for LBL. No doubt he's hoping to set off into the Giro with that momentum. However, Romandie on Tuesday is an itch that needs to be scratched and is one that counts in the season long Tourapalooza.

I think Pidcock and MVDP are going to be big scorers there.

diphthong

got lucky for once at a race in that expletive-denounced, hell of the north spring classics imbroglio. we've got a reprieve for a spell
but late september>early october looks like a good time to go on vacation if you're dreading another, nearly daily selection gauntlet.

feeling better about potential giro selections than i did a few weeks ago...

romandie looks like a mini-blast. expecting a lot of overlapping riders between bike forums squad selections...
no one's dumb enuff to take any of the four of the most crash-ridden faves in recent memory (lopez, thomas, kruijsin and ritchie)...are they?
more optimistic about the romandie team selection than i have been regarding my selected squad in a long time. that cinches the league dfl right there.

slcbob

The gift that keeps on giving gives a little bit more this weekend. TroBroLeon. Yes, really.

Some deep pics to come.

GrainBrain

What a wild looking race. Yes Craddock has been added.

slcbob

Superclasico now takes two months off. It resumes 7/28. It really is a race of attrition well suited to the most OCD of us.

Speaking of which: congratulations to all who picked a team. You picked masterfully and handily out-scored my team. Which turned out to be only 2/3 of a team. Note to self: checking for non-starters isn't a bad idea.

GrainBrain

I caught the end of tro-bro and saw Conner Swift almost pull a rainbow-esque pre-celebratory slip into second. Funny to watch the team nervously wait then celebrate.

Julien El Fares was probably my only 'thoughtful' pick with everyone else just picked because they were favorites or something.

slcbob

Superclasico rears its ugly head again with the Olympic road race on 7/24.

WVA is a pricey V$ 32. Can you afford that? Can you afford not to? We shall see.

diphthong

hmmm...

GrainBrain

Absolutely have Pog-WvA then Craddock as well. Also threw in Arashiro which I feel like is a clever move. Tratnik and Betiol finish it off!

slcbob

It's tough to match up against GrainBrain. He plays his cards so close to his vest.

diphthong

right? at least @GrainBrain has conviction in those pix vs the rest of us shuffling around and doing the three card monte throughout...

extra street cred for those willing to throw it out there and risk ridicule, a reduced work sched and the increased risk of a tax audit.

diphthong

carapaz, woods, mollema, almeida and sivakov for the five-ring journey. going with sivakov for one ring to rule them all. let's do this. who ya got?

slcbob

Note that by "the 24th" we really mean the race kicks off tonight at 10pm. Pesky dateline and all that. Plenty of horrible predictions provided for your displeasure. Here's one more:

I'm throwing my hat into the ring with the fresher and hopefully recovered Slovenian of the bunch, our Adam, the green bullet, and the man who was named under water. Plus two affordable folks for assist and breakaway lottery tickets. I thought about Woods but didn't pull the trigger.

This race is going to be wacky. I wonder if they'll let Golden Greg get away in the break. I know Pogacar won't get any leash. WVA?

GrainBrain

I might swap out someone for Dan Martin. I read Hunter's preview and hot temps + crazy climbs just call out for the Irishman.

I'm also finally getting email notifications again for mentions, which is a plus

Stay tuned for more poorly thought out picks and general lack of knowledge regarding Eastern bloc states and geography

Anyone know how to watch the road race (replay?) I have both GCN and peacock - but I haven't seen any place holders on peacock.looks like GCN+ is the way to go.

GrainBrain

Adam and Almeida are two picks that slipped my mind, should be good. I'm hoping the Slovenians look at each other when someone else sprints for that last KM.

slcbob

^ so much for bold conviction.

To the audacious go the spoils.