Hello everyone,
Welcome to this first Devblog for Pro Cycling Manager 26! To kick off this series, we’re going to introduce a new feature that you’ve been asking for regularly and that marks a turning point in our philosophy for the game’s future: special attributes.
The goal of this new system is to enrich the riders’ personalities beyond their physical and on-course abilities alone. We’re introducing a more mental and psychological dimension to better capture each rider’s strengths and weaknesses.
Our philosophy for this new feature is simple: quality over quantity. Rather than offering a long list of special attributes with diluted effects, we wanted to ensure that each addition has a significant impact and integrates seamlessly with existing game systems.
That’s why we’ve focused our efforts on two inaugural special attributes that will have a tangible effect on your matches: Stage Races Focus and Classics Focus.
To rate these new abilities, we’ve opted for a simple and straightforward system ranging from A (excellent) to E (very weak). C rating indicates a neutral or average effect.
More importantly, these attributes aren’t set in stone! We’re introducing a dynamic progression system that we plan to expand in the future to include classic attributes (Mountain, Sprint, etc.). How these ratings evolve will depend on several factors:
The rider’s age.
Their current rating (it’s easier to improve from a low rating when you’re young)
Their performance and race schedule throughout their career.
Our goal is clear: to move toward more flexible and responsive systems, where careers are truly shaped by what happens in your game.
This characteristic reflects a rider’s ability to cope with mental fatigue and the pressure of stage races.
A rider with a high rating (A or B) will remain focused day after day, better resisting mental wear and tear. This will allow them to avoid “off days,” or at least limit them, and maintain consistent form—an essential asset for aiming for the general classification.
Conversely, a rider with a low rating (D or E) will be more prone to fluctuations in form, both good and bad. This unpredictability can become an asset when chasing stage wins!
The more stages there are, the more decisive this characteristic becomes; in other words, it is a key factor when aiming for a general classification victory in a Grand Tour!
This special attributes embodies a rider’s ability to rise to the occasion in one-day races, which require such a unique approach.
A rider with an excellent rating will give his all to achieve the goal, significantly increasing his chances of having legs that respond on race day.
A rider with a lower rating is a riskier bet. He won’t be incapable of performing, but he’ll need everything to fall perfectly into place to achieve a great result.
Of course, beyond their impact on form, these traits also influence the AI’s decisions (selections, race schedules, etc.).
As you can see, the introduction of these new features comes with an overhaul of the Race-day Condition system. We’ll share more details about this in an upcoming Devblog!
In the meantime, we’d love to hear your thoughts. What other special features would you like to see in the future?
Thanks for reading and see you soon!
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