It is well known that in the last years I appreciate more and more small games, those that do not take much space, that do not take much time to play, and the rules of which can be easily remembered or refreshed. These games are commonly dismissed by hardcore gamers as "fillers", but some of the best games I have ever played (and I am not talking only of cycling games here) belong to this category.

When it comes to cycling games, those small enough to fit the description above generally belong to the non-racing games category:  games in which the goal is not to be the first to move a (generally cycling-shaped) counter from one end of one track to the other, but games that convey a cycling race feeling without being racing games.

A couple of years ago I was contacted by a Czech designer who had created such a game and wanted to send me a prototype so that I could test the rules. When I received it, I immediately fell in love with this little game. The only thing I did not like was the name of the game since, no matter how well the name does fit the game (which it does), there were already several cycling games called "Peloton", including another Czech game.

However, I did not mention the game on this website since Martin asked me not to. He was trying to have the game released in the next few months and felt it was better not to disclose anything yet. I could hardly wait!

But the wait was worth it. A few weeks ago Martin told me the Czech edition of the game was going to be released. He also asked me for a few words that he could include on the game's (Czech-only) website.  My reply was: "Jedna z nejlepších karetních cyklistických her, které jsem za poslední roky viděl (a že jsem jich viděl docela dost). Budoucí klasika.” Well, what I wrote, actually, was: "One of the best card-based cycling games I have seen in years (and I have seen quite a few). A future classic." I hope other game designers, some of whom have also made good card games in the last few years, will forgive me.

Anyway, the game is finally released, and I am very happy to have it finally on the website.

 

 

As I said, this is a small game. It consists of a deck of 68 cards, which comes in an 11 x 6.5 x 3 cm sturdy cardboard box. By the way, the box is slightly too big but, if I am right about possible game expansions (see below), it will turn out to be just perfect. The cards are of four types: we have 16 rider cards divided into four teams, 32 white terrain cards, 17 blue and red event cards, and 3 yellow premium cards. The game can be played by up to four players. If playing with only two or three players, the riders of the remaining teams are not removed from the deck; thsee teams stay in the race as dummies -and tend to lose accordingly, though not always-.

To set up the game, you shuffle the rider cards and form a peloton of nine. Three cards are dealt to each player from the main deck, which at this point consists only of terrain and event cards. Only then the seven remaining riders and the three premium cards, which had been temporarily left aside, are shuffled back into the deck, which is placed face down beside the peloton.

 

If you happen to buy the Czech deck, the only thing you need to know is that "vrchař" means "climber", the rest being pretty straightforward (so far...)

Each team consists of a leader, a climber, a sprinter, and a domestique. I quote from the English version of the rules: "The leader is the most versatile member of the team. He may not want to pull the pace on the straight, but otherwise he excels in the race. The climber puts his strengths to work in the mountains, but he‘s ready to take over the leader‘s role if necessary. The sprinter, on the other hand, will use his speed in the premiums and on the downhills. The domestique is the water carrier, cementing the team and doing the hard work for the others. But they are strongest when they work together."

By the way, this edition of the game is dubbed the "1984 edition". Though the featured teams do not show the brand names, you can easily recognise the Peugeot, Renault, Carrera, and Sporting jerseys. Interestingly, most of these teams are among Ricardo Pinto's cut-up teams, a couple of them even in the same 1984 lineup.

Free Czech-English bilingual cycling terminology dictionary (part 2)

The white terrain cards determine the different nature of the terrain where the race goes. They can only be used to move members of your own team. Each card applies to one or more riders, all of whom gain the number of positions marked on the card. However, if other team riders are placed immediately behind one that gains positions, they benefit from wind protection and also move forward.

Free Czech-English bilingual cycling terminology dictionary (part 3)

Free Czech-English bilingual cycling terminology dictionary (part 4)

 

The red event cards apply to individuals, the blue ones to all members of the selected team. Unlike the terrain cards, these event cards can be applied to anyone in the peloton: to your own riders as well as to riders of other teams. Needless to say, you will apply the positive cards to your own team and the negative ones to another.

The game consists of drawing a card, playing either the card you just drew or one of the three cards you already have in your hand, and changing the order of the riders in the peloton accordingly. So far, so good. However, if you draw a rider card, be it of your team or of another team, the rider who finds himself in the last position in the peloton is dropped (his card removed from the game), and the new rider card replaces him in the last position of the bunch.

Free Czech-English bilingual cycling terminology dictionary (part 5). I told you that "vrchař" means "climber"...

 

So, you will try to have all the riders in your team as far up the peloton as possible. Furthermore, whenever a player draws a premium card, the current order of riders in the peloton is immediately evaluated. There are three such cards, two for sprinters and one for climbers. The most advanced rider in that category receives one bonus point for his team. In the rare case where there isn't any sprinter or climber in the peloton when the card is drawn, the award is forfeited.

At the end of the race (when the last card is played), the top five places are scored (5-4-3-2-1) and the team with the most points wins the game.

As I said above, I believe this game has a potential for expansions (for starters, with more sprint or mountain bonuses, or just a different distribution of those, or with some extra events, but possibly also with more creative possibilities, adding extra teams for a longer game, etc.). If this game is ever released by a bigger company (and it definitely should), I would not be surprised to see promotional bonus cards given away at gaming events. I am going to experiment with two decks for longer races myself.

The Czech released version and the 2023 English prototype. Both are "1984 editions"

 

At the moment of writing, the game's website is in Czech, the rules included with the game are also in Czech (though the game is not really language dependent), and the game is available for shipping to the Czech Republic and Slovakia only. An international version (with English rules and shipping worldwide) should be available sooner or later. However, if you can't wait (and if I were you, I wouldn't), you can always contact Martin Vančát himself. He surely can arrange for you to get a copy, and he will be happy to provide the English rules. However, I cannot find his contact in the game's official website. As I never post other people's email addresses (there's already too much spam on the web), and I never link to social media (I am not on their payroll!), in case you do not find Martin's contact by yourself (clue: look for "Erich Nivea Publishing"), you may have to contact me first so that I put you in touch with him.

 

Back of the boxes

Needless to say, this game has made it straight into my favourite games list. However, since the last recent game to enter this list was Dicycle Race, while I readily admit that there have been a few good games released in the meantime that could well have been included in the list, feel free to think that I favour small games. That might well be the case.
 

 

 

Check the game's Czech official website