VDS '08: It... Starts... Um, Soon

I have yet to do the riders' price structure for the 2008 Podium Cafe Virtual Directeur Sportif competition, but for now here are the races. Note, I was effectively browbeaten by your comments into a couple additions, though there are still some races missing that you asked for. I hope to keep the schedule lean and mean... but it's up to some 140 days of racing anyway. Also, I'll need a moment to think about the points-awarded scale, but included is a rough idea.

[Background: this is our "fantasy" competition for next year, to be announced and commenced sometime in the next week. Year-long run with specials for the GTs. Read more here.]

Top Points Category: Grand Tours
Tour de France
Giro d'Italia
Vuelta a Espana

Notes: all three races will be scored identically, regardless of what anyone thinks of the Vuelta these days. Also, points will be awarded for overall victory and top-20 placings; stage wins and limited minor stage placings (top 5); for secondary jersey wins (points jersey @40% of winner; mountains, newbie and other jerseys 25%); and for holding secondary jerseys after a stage.

Second Points Category: Monuments
Milan-San Remo
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Paris-Roubaix
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Giro di Lombardia

Notes: all races scored identically, no matter how dull MSR is for the first five hours. Points for minor results up to top 20 placings.

Third Points Category: Top Stage Races
Paris-Nice
Tirreno - Adriatico
Tour de Romandie
Dauphine Libere
Tour de Suisse
Deutschland Tour
Vuelta a Catalunya
Vuelta a Pais Vasco

Notes: again, all done identically. Points for stage wins and top three stage placings; holding and winning secondary jerseys; and top ten GC placings. Sorry, no Georgia!

Fourth Points Category: Top Classics
Het Volk
E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
Gent-Wevelgem
Amstel Gold
Fleche Wallonne
Clasica San Sebastian
Gp Ouest France-Plouay
Paris-Tours
Zuri-Metzgete (if it happens)
Olympic Road Race
World Championship Road Race
World Championship Time Trial

Notes: identical again. Points awarded to top 15 finishers. Worlds and Olympics slotted here to balance their great stature with odd format. Start lists should look familiar even with the national teams structure. Victory will be worth as many points as winning a third category stage race, so consider this category 3a.

Fifth Points Category: Best of the Rest
Dwaars door Vlaanderen
Criterium International
Dreidaagse de Panne
Vattenfalls Classic
KBK
Scheldeprijs
Brabantse Pijl
Giro dell'Emilia

Notes: All final victories will be scored identically; smattering of points will be given to stage winners at Dreidaagse and Crit-Int and to top five final results. More cobbles added by popular demand; Emilia added to dilute the Belgian emphasis, and anyway it's 90 years old and has rider participation that would make the missing pro tour races (Eneco, Poland, Eindhoven) green with envy.