14 DAY TRIAL // This is another transition stage, but this time, in a twist on the traditional Grand Tour formula, the riders will actually finish at a lower altitude than they have started, after a route that is basically made up of two very different halves.
Initially, the peloton will get to the intermediate sprint in Aubenas after a few relatively easy climbs, but they will then have to deal with the second category Escrinet before they go another 60 kilometers to the finish.
The big question is whether the sprinters (those who have not yet abandoned) will get their teams to work in order to force a fast finish for the entire bunch or if a solid breakaway will develop and manage to contest the win.
This is the kind of stage that most real world favorites will take easy, seeking to recuperate some energy, and I plan to do the same in Pro Cycling Manager 2015.
I just hope that no top ten rider decides to go into a break in order to force the other teams to chase, something that might very well happen in the real world.
Prediction: After some mountain, Matthews or Sagan will win the stage in the game, while in the real world, Greipel and Saga will continue their dual for the Green Jersey.
It's nice to go downhill for extended periods
Descents can be one of the most perilous elements of a major cycling race, and that's something that PCM 2015 does not manage to simulate in a very solid way.
There are big races that have been lost because of bad downhill performances, but the development team at Cyanide has actually removed the stat associated with this discipline.
Which means there was no major drama to deal with on the road and the only slightly exciting moment was the end of the stage.
I again tried to assemble a three-man train, with Cancellara leading out and Felline behind him ready to launch Nizzolo.
I only got eight place, probably because I left the push too late and I cannot match the raw speed of either Sagan or Cavendish, the first of which managed to win with a very small gap.
Take a look at the PCM 2015 video for this stage:
