Leader 1 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Box Contents
• A. Preparing the Race
  • A.1 Race Configuration
  • A.2 The Riders
  • A.3 Last Settings
• B. Game Turns
  • B.1 Placement of the Racers Who Have Broken Away
  • B.2 Breaking Away
  • B.3 Notification of the Peloton's Pursuit
  • B.4 Peloton's Movement
  • B.5 Movement of the Racers Dropped by the Peloton
  • B.6 The "Peloton Token" Changes Hands
• C. Events
  • C.1 Slipstreaming
  • C.2 Run Risks: Crack and Fall
  • C.3 Puncture
  • C.4 Energy Recovery
• D. Stage Race
  • D.1 Strategy
  • D.2 Bonus Time
  • D.3 Remaining Energy

Box Contents

1 booklet, 21 "route" hexagons, 1 "general classification" hexagon, 15 riders (5 teams of 3), 16 "general classification" tokens, 1 peloton (to be placed on the card stand), 1 "peloton leader" token, 1 twelve-sided "peloton" die (with stickers of 3, 4 and 5 values to be attached), 1 twelve-sided "events" die, 36 "feed zone" tiles (12 yellow, 12 red, 12 green), 1 "energy table" block, 11 tokens (3 "feed zone", 2 "bonus time", 6 "mountain climb category"), 12 reminding tables.

A. Preparing the Race

A.1 Race Configuration

There are 4 different types of routes:

• Plain (green bordered route)
• Ground rise (orange bordered route)
• Mountain pass (red bordered route)
• Downhill (black bordered route)

Place the route hexagons to play a different race every time. The hexagons permit changes to the race configuration. However the following rules must be observed:

1. A "start line" hexagon must be at the beginning and an "arrival" hexagon at the end.
2. One ground rise at least must be before a mountain pass.
3. Place a "mountain climb category" token at the beginning of each mountain pass (values from 1 to 3) which determines the difficulty of a mountain climb and the "crack" risk (see C.2).
   • Value 1: 1st category; very difficult climb
   • Value 2: 2nd category; difficult climb
   • Value 3: 3rd category; easier climb

It is possible to put 2 different "mountain climb categories" on the same mountain (see race n.2 on the box's cover).

4. Place one or more "feed zone" tokens as shown in the picture.
   • For a short race (10 hexagons approx.): 1 feeding area
   • For a long race (15 hexagons approx.): 2 feeding areas
   • For a very long race (20 hexagons approx.): 3 feeding areas
5. Place the 36 "feed zone" tiles on the table face down in 3 piles (green, yellow, red).

For your first race…

We suggest you prepare a race with the following characteristics: 1 start line on a plain, 1 plain, 1 ground rise, 2 mountain passes, 2 down-hills, 1 plain, 1 arrival on plain, 1 feed zone token, 1 "mountain climb category".

A.2 The Riders

The 15 riders in the box represent 5 teams. Each team is made up of 3 riders with the same coloured jersey but with different coloured bases. The bases determine each rider's characteristic: rouleur, leader, climber. For example, in the yellow team: the climber has a red base, the leader has a yellow base, and the rouleur has a green base.

Number of riders per player

• No more than 12 riders can play in each race.
• In every race, all players must have the same number of racers.
• The players decide the number of riders each: 1, 2 or 3.
  • From 2 to 4 players: every player may play with 1, 2 or 3 racers. Each player will have a team of 1 rouleur, 1 leader and 1 climber. Individual tactics are predominant over alliances.
  • 5 players: every player can play with only 1 or 2 racers. Each player chooses in turn 2 riders of the same team he thinks most suitable for the prepared race. Race half way between alliances and individual tactics.
  • From 6 to 10 players: every player can play with only 1 racer. Each player chooses in turn 1 rider he thinks most suitable for the prepared race. Fast race with agreements and disagreements around the table.

Notes for races with 6 to 10 players with 1 rider each:

• Different players may play with racers with the same coloured jerseys (of the same team).
• You could be forced in the choice of the type of racer (rouleur, leader, climber). Use the characteristics to the best advantage and find the best alliances.

A.3 Last Settings

Energy

• Every player places in front of him his rider/s and an "energy table". He writes the total energy given by the race to his rider/s and the name of his rider/s.
• Before the race, the given energy is equal for all riders. It is equal to the sum of the values on the mile stones of the used hexagons.

Opponents' remaining energy value shall be visible to all during the game.

Sprinters and descenders

• Each player decides which of his riders excels in descents and which in sprints (cross the corresponding squares on the energy table).
• The same rider cannot have both these qualities.
• All the chosen descenders will enjoy the benefit of an extra free square for every move starting downhill.
• All the chosen sprinters will enjoy the benefit of an extra free square for every move starting in the sprint area (zone placed between the riders' design on the road and the arrival line).

There is no sprint area when the arrival is on a mountain pass.

Ready to start

• Place the peloton in its card stand on the starting line.
• At the beginning of the race, all riders are considered as being in the peloton.
• The player who last went cycling is the peloton leader. He places the peloton leader token in front of him.

B. Game Turns

1. Placement of the racers that broke away (if there are any) according to the classification order
2. Breaking away
3. Notification of the peloton's pursuit
4. Peloton's movement
5. Movement of the racers dropped by the peloton (if there are any) according to the classification order
6. The "peloton token" changes hands

B.1 Placement of the Racers Who Have Broken Away

• The riders move on the route's squares.
• Only one rider can stay on a square.
• A rider cannot go through a square of path occupied by another rider.
• Once some racers have broken away, they will be moved (1st action of every game turn) according to the classification order.
• From the moment a racer opens a gap ahead of the peloton (see B.2), the player must place him on the board and from this moment move him according to his characteristics. Every racer will enjoy the benefits of a free base movement which varies according to his speciality (leader, rouleur, climber) and according to his position at the beginning of his movement (plain, ground rise, mountain pass or downhill).

Free movements (base movement, in squares):

Rider	Plain (green border)	Mountain pass (red border)	Downhill (black border)	Ground rise (orange border)
Rouleur (green base)	3	1	4	2
Leader (yellow base)	2	2	4	2
Climber (red base)	1	3	4	2

• After this base movement, a racer may add a paying movement.

Paying movements (extra squares beyond the free movement, and their energy cost):

Extra squares	1	2	3	4	5	6
Spent energy	1	3	5	8	11	15

• This paying movement will be immediately subtracted on the energy table. Example of paying movements on a plain (green border): free squares plus paying squares equal spent energy — a rouleur (green base) pays a spent energy of 3, a leader (yellow base) pays a spent energy of 5, and a climber (red base) pays a spent energy of 8.
• Every rider moves straight ahead or diagonally. It is forbidden to stay still or move to the side.

Particular case: A rider may overtake if the width of the route is completely occupied. However, he must:

1. Choose the longest path.
2. Pay 1 additional energy point for each occupied square he goes through.

Example: the rouleur in last position has the route "blocked". The player decides a move of 5 squares. 3 squares are free (rouleur on plain) + 2 paying squares + 2 additional points due to his transit on 2 occupied portions. Cost: 5 energy points.

• A rider may reach another rider after a movement. On the next turn, he will move first (consider moving his position slightly ahead to determine the turnover). For example, the yellow rider reaches the green rider: he is placed ahead of the green rider, and he will play first in the next turn (play in the classification order).
• The peloton reintegrates a broken away racer when it gets opposite him. If the peloton's placement overtakes the rider, the peloton will absorb him. The player of this absorbed racer will place it in front of him (the racer's position in the peloton is as at the beginning of the race).

Example in the case of a bend: the peloton has not reached the rider, so he has not been taken back in. If the peloton had moved one square or more, the breaking away racer would have been taken back in.

B.2 Breaking Away

• In turns, each player may get one or more of his racers out of the peloton. The 1st one to speak is the one in the lead (that is the player with the peloton token) then clockwise each player chooses.
• To break away, a rider must make a move of 4 squares at least.
• After leaving the peloton, the rider acquires his characteristics. His allowed placements are those shown for the free-movement rules above.

Examples of breaking away: the first allowed squares in the case of a breaking away placement ahead; the first allowed squares in the case of a breaking away placement on a bend; and a particular break away in which the rider breaks away from a plain — he will then have the corresponding free squares (3 for a rouleur, 2 for a leader, 1 for a climber).

B.3 Notification of the Peloton's Pursuit

Before throwing the die, the player who is leading the peloton may declare a "+1". In this case, the peloton's movement will follow the result of the die "+1".

B.4 Peloton's Movement

• The peloton occupies 2 squares lengthways.
• The player whose team is leading the peloton rolls the die.
• The peloton moves according to the die value.
• The peloton's movement will be increased by one square:
  • If there are no racers left in the peloton.
  • If the peloton's pursuit has been announced (see B.3).
• Peloton's speed and consequences:
  • If the peloton's movement is 5, all riders in the peloton* must pay 1 energy point at the end of the move.
  • If the peloton's movement is 6, all riders in the peloton* must pay 2 energy points at the end of the move.
  • If the peloton's movement is 7 (die roll = 5 + 1 "no racer in the peloton" + 1 for pursuit), all riders in the peloton* must pay 3 energy points at the end of the move.
  • *Riders in the peloton at the beginning of the movement or riders reached at the end of it.
• On the bends, the peloton moves on the dotted squares.
• If the die lands on the red face, the peloton makes a move of 4 and then all riders run the risk of puncturing (see C.3).

B.5 Movement of the Racers Dropped by the Peloton

• If a racer cannot pay after the peloton's movement of 5 or more, he will be left behind: after the peloton's movement, the racer will be placed on the square immediately behind the peloton. As from the following turn, he will play after the peloton and according to his characteristics as for the breakaway racers.
• A rider can also be left behind in the case of a puncture (see C.3).
• Riders who have been left behind (5th action of every game turn) will be moved in classification order.
• Riders who have been left behind can never benefit from the peloton's slipstream (see C.1).
• A rider will always be dropped willingly by the peloton in order to help team mates in difficulty get back into the peloton.

B.6 The "Peloton Token" Changes Hands

When all the racers and the peloton have moved, the peloton token changes hand clockwise.

C. Events

C.1 Slipstreaming

• A rider placed exactly behind another one, before the latter's movement, will enjoy the benefit of one free movement in his following placement. This occurs when the front rider moves: if this rider should stay still after a fall or a puncture, the back rider would loose the slipstreaming.
• Slipstream is also lost if the rider ahead makes a move of at least 6 squares on plain, starting from a square on plain, ground rise or mountain pass and of at least 8 squares starting from a downhill square.

C.2 Run Risks: Crack and Fall

• In the placements where risk of crack or fall can occur, a player may decide to make a rider run them.
• The risk is resolved by throwing the "events" die.
• The more a rider risks (crack or fall) the more his chances diminish. At every new risk the rider takes, the required die results rise:
  • 1st risk (crack or fall): the die results must be equal to or higher than 5. Apart from the die result, the player must cross the "5" square of the rider that has run the risk.
  • 2nd risk (crack or fall): the die results must be equal to or higher than 8. Apart from the die result, the player must cross the "8" square of the rider that has run the risk.
  • 3rd risk and more (crack or fall): the die result must be equal to or higher than 11.
• A rider can risk (crack or fall) only if he has the energy necessary for payment.

Crack

• At the beginning of each mountain pass, a "mountain climb category" token is placed. This number indicates the maximum number/s of paying square/s on a mountain pass for moving without risk of crack.
• When, after a placement on a mountain pass, the rider exceeds the token's value, he risks crack. In this case, after his move, the player rolls the "event" die. The result must be equal to or higher than the one fixed on the energy table (the "run risk" line), otherwise he has a crack.
• If a rider is exhausted, he must pay three times the cost of his placement. E.g.: Move cost = 5. If he has a crack, move cost = 15. Before running this risk, this rider must have at least 15 energy points.

Examples of mountain pass placement:

• The climber (red base) makes a move of 7 squares: 2 free squares and 5 paying squares, cost = 11. The racer moved only 2 paying squares up hill; therefore, he respects the fixed value and the rider does not risk crack.
• The leader (yellow base) makes a move of 4 squares: 2 free squares and 2 paying squares, cost = 3. The racer moved 2 paying squares on the hill; therefore, he respects the fixed value and the rider does not risk crack.
• The rouleur (green base) makes a move of 4 squares: 1 free square and 3 paying squares, cost = 5. The racer moved 3 paying squares on the mountain pass; therefore, he exceeds the fixed value and the rider risks crack.

Fall

• The blackened squares are "fall" areas (treacherous asphalt).
• A racer does not risk a fall if he passes on the blackened square during his free portion of movement (base placement + possible slipstreaming). If he is in the "paying" portion of placement, he risks a fall. In this case, after his placement, he rolls the "event" die. The die value to reach is fixed on the energy table (the "run risk" line).
• If a racer falls, he is put outside the road at the point of the square where he finished his placement. He pays twice his movement and skips a turn. E.g.: Placement cost = 5. If he falls, placement cost = 10 + skip a turn. Before running this risk, the racer must have 10 energy points at least.
• Attention: in the same placement, a rider only risks one fall.
• After a fall, the rider starts again from the square where he finished his placement and fell. He follows the classification order. If his square is occupied, he moves after the rider occupying his square has moved.

Example: the leader (yellow base) moves 7 squares: 2 free + 5 "paying" squares (11 energy points). He passes the mountain with 2 paying moves, therefore he does not risk crack. However, he risks a fall, because he crosses the blackened portion with his paying move.

Example: the climber (red base) makes a move of 8 squares: 4 free + 4 "paying" squares (8 energy points). Although he goes across the blackened squares, he does not risk a fall, because he passed over them when he was in the free portion of his movement. Notice: when moving (8 squares starting downhill), the climber cuts the slipstreaming from the green rouleur behind him.

C.3 Puncture

• If the die roll falls on the red face, the peloton (and the riders left behind, if there are any) is placed. Then, all riders (breaking away, in the peloton and those left behind) risk a puncture according to their classification order.
• The peloton is moved according to the die value or more (see B.4).
• Then the player of the racer classified 1st rolls the die "events". If 1 comes out, the rider punctures. Then the player of the 2nd classified rolls the die "events". If 1 comes out, the rider punctures and so on for all riders. For the riders in the peloton, the order is the following: the riders of the player with the "peloton leader" token are in the lead in the following order: rouleur, then leader then climber and so on clockwise for the other players.
• If there is a puncture, in the following turn, the rider who has punctured will not play following his classification order, but last, after the peloton (see also the left riders if there are any).
• The rider that has punctured will stay on his square. Any slipstreaming is lost (both for the rider who has punctured and the rider that was following him).
• The riders in the peloton that puncture are placed one square behind the peloton. On the next turn, they will play after the peloton. The other riders are not allowed to stop on the punctured racer's square, but they are allowed to cross it.

C.4 Energy Recovery

Due to feed zone

• The player must pick a "feed zone" tile for each of his riders that passed the "feed zone" token.
• The rouleur picks a green card, the leader a yellow one and the climber a red one.
• This card gives additional energy to the rider (from 2 to 5 points).
• This energy can immediately be added to the rider's energy, but the rider can also secretly keep it and use it later (suggested solution).
• Attention! A player cannot take the feed zone tile for one of his riders if the rider that follows has already moved.

Due to a move

A rider that moves less than his free moves (basic movement + eventual slipstreaming) immediately gets 1 energy point back for every free square unused. Therefore, he adds on these points on his "energy table".

Example: the leader (yellow) moves 4 squares (2 free + 2 paying). The rouleur (green) has 4 free squares (3 + 1 slipstreaming). If he moves 3 squares, he gets 1 energy point back. If he moves 2 squares, he gets 2 energy points back. If he moves 1 square, he gets 3 energy points back.

D. Stage Race

D.1 Strategy

If you want to play a stage race, you will have to build a long term strategy. For your "1st stage", you can choose the stages shown on the inside box cover and choose the order. Three or five stages are enough. Prepare also a calendar (1 stage per evening, 2 per evening, …).

The general classification is set on the "general classification hexagon" (see below). There are 15 "general classification" tokens each representing a rider. The biggest token will mark the rider in the lead of the "general classification".

• At the beginning of the 1st stage, place the tokens representing the participating racers on the large starting square (white square).
• If a rider gains bonus time (see D.2): move his token 1 square forward (clockwise).
• If a rider wins the stage: move his token 2 squares forward (clockwise).
• At the arrival, the token is moved back (anticlockwise) by as many squares as the number of delay turns compared to the stage winner.
• The rider who ends his stage in the same turn as the winner has no turn delay: his token will not be moved.

Eliminations:

• On the "general classification" hexagon, if the first classified reaches a rider, the latter is definitively eliminated.

• If a rider ends his stage more than 3 turns after the peloton, he is eliminated.

• The leading token of the general classification is placed on the larger token (pink or yellow face).

• In the case of a draw, the rider with more energy left is in the lead.

Example of general classification: the rouleur of the white team is leading. The leader of the blue team is second, 2 turns behind the first. The climber and the leader of the green team are both third, 3 turns behind the first. The white climber is fifth at 6 turns etc. Attention, the blue climber (last) is only 3 moves away from elimination.

D.2 Bonus Time

• Place one or more bonus time tokens on the prepared race.
• The rider that first passes the line corresponding to the "Bonus time" token gains a placement on the "general classification" hexagon: the token that represents this rider is placed 1 square forward (clockwise).

D.3 Remaining Energy

At the end of each stage, the remaining energy of every rider is kept and added to that of the following stage.

However, the addition will never be more than 15 points.

E.g. Rider A ends his 1st stage with 6 points. Rider B ends his 1st stage with 22 points. In the following stage: A will start with "assigned energy for the 2nd stage" + 6. B will start with "assigned energy for the 2nd stage" + 15.