With this year's Tour de France in full swing, Cyanide decided that it might be a good moment to launch a demo version of Pro Cycling Manager 2008, the cycling management sim that succeeds in capturing the challenge of professional sport while also providing players with an enjoyable gaming experience.

The title was quietly launched a couple of weeks earlier and it has not received a hefty, 760 MB patch, version 1.01.4, which fixes several of the most annoying issues that appeared since release. And the demo incorporates the patch to give interested players a real taste of what the game can offer.

The scenario of the demo puts you in charge of the Euskatel team as they begin their last week in Tour de France. Because the team did not manage to win a stage, sponsors are pressuring the manager for a win while the riders themselves are grumbling because of the lack of resources. The player must be in charge of the team, create a winning strategy and then make his cyclists get a much needed stage win.

Cyanide has considerable experience in developing cycling related titles and I can remember spending numerous nights enjoying Cycling Manager 4, one of its earlier games. Pro Cycling Manager 2008 is a big improvement, allowing for more strategies in the various races and options when it comes to the training of the riders in your team.

For the first time in a cycling related title, the player can also take part in track cycling, with the 2008 Beijing Olympics providing the first opportunity to control riders as they compete in events such as Keirin or Relay. The track potion of the release is much more hands on, allowing you to control the individual movement of the riders as they fight for the first place.

Get the demo of the game and see if you enjoy the mix of tactical and strategic challenges that the manager of the cycling team must face.