Here is a game launched through a crowdfunding website that has everything I do not like in crowdfunded games. I have discussed this issue elsewhere, and this is a clear example of an expensive, undertested game that would never have seen the light of day if it were not because the game creators are not risking their money but ours, and a clear example of why I am not likely to be backing crowdfunded games in the near future.

For starters, I have only received the base game (in an unusual 42x16x10 cm box, not exactly a format easy to store with other games) while I pleaded for the "base game + expansion" pack. I admit that I received it fairly quickly for the crowdfunding standards (six months), and that I will not have to pay for extra shipping for the missing expansion, since it is their fault that they have not sent everything together. Nice try, but, as is states on their website, "Import duties, taxes, and brokerage fees, if any, are not included in the product price or shipping and handling cost, and they will be collected upon delivery from the carriers for certain packages; these charges are the recipient’s responsibility, as we are only charging the transportation fee for the packages," so I will have to pay again when I receive the expansion. So, the least I can say is that I am NOT pleased.

 

 

This said, let me explain what I have received and if there is anything that can be saved in this game. And of course not everything is bad. The game is actually quite beautiful. The board is a 69 x 40 cm padded mat, which is completed with three rubber 3D implements described in the rulebook as "challenge zones".

 

One of them represents a climb, while the other two are called "highways", look like highways, but would have been better described as "cobblestones" since they are supposed to be challenging zones. (Since when are highways challenging to ride?) These implements can be placed in different parts of the board so that there is some variation each time you play the game.

 

Unfortunately, the game does not have cycling figurines but something described as "bike meeples" that look like tractor wheels. They are quite big (3 cm) and are stackable, as you can see, to form "pelotons". They are also fairly sturdy (like tractor wheels, I insist), but quite pleasant to touch.

The 3D climb

One of the flat challenge zones

 

By the way, at first I did not understand why the "bike meeples" had to be placed with the narrow side downwards, since they are more stable the other way round (see picture on the left). The reason is that they would not fit in the "highway" zones, which have (unnecessary) raised edges.

 

So, we have five teams of four riders that look like tractor wheels but do not look that bad after all. The riders in the team are indistinguishable from one another; we cannot expect specialist climbers, rouleurs, or sprinters in the rules. On the other hand, the meeples are stackable, so we expect peloton rules. So far, so good.

 

 

Then we have these beautiful "stamina cards". In each turn we can play one or more of these cards to advance the rider of your choice. There are no dice in this game. While I have said before that I tend to prefer games that implement the cyclists' movement (and energy keeping) with cards rather than dice, it takes a little more than a nice deck to make a good game.

 

 

 

There are also three different kinds of "function cards" (also beautiful) and some "draft tokens", which are to be placed in an unnecessary and slightly cumbersome plastic tray. Just to leave them on the table would have been enough.

You can use these special cards and tokens to power through the mountains and highways. To get them, you will have to exchange stamina cards for function cards and, later on, draft function cards for draft tokens, instead of moving a rider in your game turn.

Finally, you have another unnecessary mat, complete with a 3D podium, to place the meeples that have crossed the finish line. This is the "Formula 1 constructors team points classification" approach, never one that I liked for cycling games.

And that's it? Really? Is this all you guys have been able to come up with? You must be kidding.

As long as I do not receive the missing expansion with the advanced rules, I will not waste my time trying to play this game. And let me say that I am not optimistic about the advanced rules. So far, I stand with my opinion that this is an expensive, undertested game that would have never been released if it were not for the advantages offered by the crowdfunding marketing strategy, and a game that, despite some beautiful components, the world would not have missed. If I change my mind when I receive the expansion, I will let you know.