L'ECHELONWorld Tour Manager

Official Race Manual

Season 2026

0. The Manifesto

The Philosophy

Most fantasy games are won by reaction speed. L'Echelon is different. We are a Directeur Sportif Simulation for the purist who values foresight over reaction. We believe the race is won in the Winter.

1. The Long Game

Constraints breed creativity. The game covers every World Tour race, from Tour Down Under to Lombardia. You aren't limited by a fake salary cap, but by a strict Tier System. You have one shot to build a machine capable of surviving the entire calendar.

2. Squad Architecture

A World Tour season isn't won by stacking 8 climbers. You must scout talent across every discipline to build a complete formation. You have 5 Sticky Bottles (Transfers) to deal with injuries or strategic pivots.

3. Talent Scouting

In modern cycling, youth is currency. You are allocated exactly 6 spots specifically for Youngsters (Tier 3). Finding the next breakout sensation is the difference between the Podium and the Gruppetto.

4. Silent Radio

Once the flag drops at Omloop, the radio goes silent. No daily transfers. No panic buying. Just vision.

1. Team Composition

A Directeur Sportif must assemble a squad of exactly 25 Riders. The formation is rigid to ensure tactical balance.

Tier 1: The Aliens
The undisputed kings of the peloton. High cost, massive points.
Select 0 - 3
Y: The Youngsters
Riders eligible for the White Jersey. High variance, massive upside.
+20% Neo-Pro Bonus on all points
Select up to 6
P: The Peloton
The engine room. Domestiques, break-away artists, and specialists. Fill the rest of your squad here.
Remainder

2. The Scoring Matrix

Winner Takes All (Almost)

We utilize a balanced "Top Heavy" scoring model. We reward the podium significantly, but consistency down to 10th place is now valued higher to keep the race competitive against runaway leaders.

Race Category1st2nd3rd4th5th6th-15th
Grand Tour (GC)1100880715605495Decays to 11
Monument800640520440360Decays to 8
Major Classic500400325275225Decays to 5
Stage Race (GC)300240195165135Decays to 3
GT Stage Win21016813711695Decays to 2
Regular Stage6048393327Decays to 1

3. The Jersey Competition

Riders earn points for wearing a leadership jersey during a stage ("Daily Rent") and for winning the final classification ("Final Ownership").

The Triple Crown

Winning the GC at the Tour, Giro, or Vuelta is the ultimate prize, awarding 1,100 Points—the highest single honour in the game.

ClassificationDailyFinal
🟡 General (GC)251100
🟢 Points10250
🔴 KOM / Mountain10250
⚪ Youth5150
One-Week Race Leader10300

4. Season Management

Roster Lockdown

Your team must be finalized by February 28, 2026 (Omloop Het Nieuwsblad). Once the flag drops, the Edit Team button will be disabled.

The "Sticky Bottle"

Every Directeur Sportif is granted exactly 5 Sticky Bottles (Transfers) for the entire season.

  • A Sticky Bottle allows you to swap 1 rider for another after the lockdown (1 Bottle = 1 Transfer).
  • You can use them all at once, or save them for emergencies (e.g. crashes).
  • Once used, they are gone. Use them wisely.

5. The Classifications

Beyond the General Classification (Total Score), we track your team's performance in specific disciplines. Build a balanced squad to compete for every jersey.

MJ

Maillot Jaune

General Classification

Awarded to the team with the highest total points across all tiers.

MB

Maillot Blanc

Youth Classification

Points scored exclusively by your Tier 3 (Youngsters) riders.

MV

Maillot Vert

Consistency Classification

Points scored by your Tier 4 (Peloton).

MP

Maillot à Pois

King of the Mountains

Points scored exclusively by your Tier 1 (Aliens).

6. The Gruppetto

The Mercy Rule

The season is long, and bad luck strikes the best of us. We believe no Directeur Sportif should be left behind in the broom wagon.

Mechanism: Immediately following the Tour de France (July 26, 2026), any team ranked in the Bottom 25% of the Global GC will be granted +1 Extra Sticky Bottle.

*This transfer must be used before the start of the Vuelta a España.*

Official Results Protocol

**Disclaimer:** L'Echelon scoring mimics the UCI World Tour system but is not perfectly correlated; adaptations exist for gameplay balance. Race results are considered provisional for 24 hours after the finish line to allow for commissaire decisions (relegations/photo finishes). We strictly follow the final official UCI classification.