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Road Cycling Tour

(2005; updated in 2010)

A sports simulation game for 2 to 6 players.

Road Cycling Tour (RCT) is a road cycling simulation focusing on team tactics in multi-stage races. By means of road/track tiles stages can be built to simulate real or imaginary cycling events. Movement is modified roll-and-move with some additional rules for breakaways and closing gaps (as a simulation of slipstreaming). The characteristics or qualities of the cyclists/riders are represented with 'speed counters' that can be used to replace or in addition to the dice. Teams should generally have a balanced mix of riders with different specializations represented by different sets of speed counters.

A 'beginners' game' and rules for time trials, team time trials, and some advanced and optional rules are included with the game, but given the flexible nature of the game, players can easily make further adaptations to simulate their favorite cycling event. To further explain the most complex rules, a series of picture tutorials can be found in the 'rules forum' at BoardGameGeek.

RCT is not a short game. It is recommended to play at least 5 stages in a single game, and with 2 experienced players, that would take between 2 and 3 hours. More players and more (and/or longer) stages make the game longer, smaller teams make it shorter but have a negative effect on possible team tactics. However, RCT is played stage by stage, and it would be easy to play different stages on different occasions.

The graphics of the game were updated in 2010. These pictures show the 2005 prototype:

 

[BoardGameGeek Game Page] / [Cyclingboardgames.net]

Downloads

rules

components

various rider tokens

more rider tokens

team sheet








Road Cycling Tour - Travel Edition

(2006)

This version of the game should only be tried by players who are fairly familiar with the normal (non-travel) version above and have played the advanced rules of the normal game at least once. The rules to the travel edition only specify what differs from the normal version.



[BoardGameGeek Game Page]

Downloads

rules

speed cards

road cards







from Counter Magazine, vol. 38:

Unsurprisingly there are a number of similarities between this game and the many commercially produced cycle racing games. Breakaways, sprints, time trials. cobblestone road surfaces, ascents and descents are all here. The track is made up from road tiles and movement is by dice and/or 'speed' counters. The designer has tried to make this game as realistic as possible and as a consequence the rules are quite complex and require several read throughs. Plans of the road tiles for each stage of the 2005 Tour de France are also included. In addition there is a Travel version of the game  with road cards instead of road tiles and dice and speed counters being replaced by cards. If you have not got round to buying a cycle racing game, then download this one.