Looking for some tips on who to select in your fantasy team? Manager Payson Speed from Riverton (Utah, USA) won the third place runner-up prize last year (a pair of Speedplay Zero pedals and a pair of Maxxis Courchevel road tyres. Total value - US$334). Here's what he had to say about his selection strategy:
"I initially selected a team based on the pre-race favorites for the GC and Sprint competitions. Over the first week, I made changes based on who was scoring points and riding strongly. Having a mountain stage during this time was quite helpful as it showed who among the GC contenders was riding well. Vino didn't look good on the climb but given his recent lack of racing, I hoped he would find his legs as the race progressed. Danielson also struggled but seeing as the Vuelta was his big shot at proving he could ride as team leader I picked him as a rider who would improve with time. I also chose to gamble a bit and selected Millar in the hopes that he would score points in each of the individual TT stages. Overall my team was great, and my only regret is that I could have managed it a bit better!"
If you've not taken part already in this year's games, you'll find it's a great way to follow the Grande Tours in more detail. Be a professional team manager for the 2007 Vuelta and create your own dream team from any of the real life riders in this year's race. Based on the live racing action, you will take up the challenge of using your knowledge and tactical skill as a race team manager to compete with other virtual managers from around the world. Follow the races live, and use your skill and knowledge to win some great prizes.
If you are relatively new to the Grande Tours it can be a daunting prospect choosing your 15 riders. Fear not! The new ranking system can tell you some of the answers you need to know. Here's some direct links to last year's high scoring riders:
Go to the Top Pro Riders page and click on the "How to find top climbers/mountains and sprinters/points riders..." link at the top of the page to find out more.
Try the game for free!
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Try the game out and see how best to play in stages one through four. It's easy to play the Grand Tour games - all you need to do is pick your dream team of 15 from the riders racing in this year's Vuelta start list. Then each day pick nine riders to race for your fantasy team from these 15. You'll need a good combination of climbers, sprinters, and general classification riders. For more details go to the rules section of the site. It's a great way to follow the Vuelta.
There's plenty time to join in the fun at this year's Fantasy Vuelta game at Cyclingnews. You can join until stage 4 begins on Tuesday, September 4.
