There are some sports that scream for video-game representation, and usually have reasonably broad appeal. Then there are the games that are vastly popular but transferring the tension and athleticism over to the video-game market is more of a challenge than (perhaps) the sport itself.

Give credit to Cyanide and Focus Home Interactive; they did try to bring the sport of cycling (as in Tour de France cycling) to the PC, but the results are less than satisfying. The game itself plays out like a chess match with pieces that move along a reasonably static, though photorealistic backdrop.

Pro Cycling Manager Season 2007 / Tour de France pretty much sums up exactly what this game entails – you are the manager and thus responsible for contracts, equipment and race strategy. Don’t worry if you don’t understand what you need to be doing – there is a tutorial that will walk you through all that you need to be aware of. The tutorial will teach you how to reposition a rider or protect your lead rider with his teammates, how to reply to an attack (for those who do not know, it is an attempted breakaway by another rider), how to force the pace of the team or prepare for a sprint (by managing stamina, mostly), and concludes with a time trial that is carefully monitored.

Other modes include single player, in which you are responsible for all aspects of team management, or you can hit a quick race feature (which does not impact your career). There is a multiplayer element, but there never seemed to be anyone online to play with, and a custom tour (which enables you to create your own stage race with the creation tools provided).

One of the biggest downfalls of the game, which will immediately strike players, is the graphics. They are photorealistic, but you will see clipping problems all over the place when riding in the pack, but the animations feel more mechanical than fluid. The same goes for the environments. The sound features a lite jazz musical score in the menu, which – while nice – does not exactly fit the perception of an intense sporting event.

The way the game works is that you have a team of riders. You can click on the name on the side of the screen to select your rider and then issue commands to him. The commands are context appropriate (to the race situation), so that does make it a bit easier. But you can’t just have a rider sprint out and hope to maintain the lead from the beginning of the race to the end. You have a stamina meter attached to the rider’s name and you have to manage that so you have energy reserves ready for the push at the end of the race. You can order other team members to run interference for your frontrunner, which is what is known as protecting the leader. As one can imagine, there are riders that are on teams to do that rather than challenge for the yellow jersey.

While Pro Cycling Manager tries, it just lacks the excitement and intensity that one expects from a sports event. This is definitely a niche game that may have small appeal to fans of the sport, but it is doubtful that those looking for a viable racing title will find this compelling enough to play for any length of time.

Gameplay: 6.5
There are several elements to the game that will have a small learning curve. Much of this is tied to the technical nuances of the sport and managing your physical resources (like stamina) to challenge when the opportunity for success is more pronounced. The interface is accessible, though, and players should not have a difficult time navigating the game.

Graphics: 6.5
Clipping problems abound in this title and the animations are borderline. The photorealistic quality is fine but it is lifeless.

Sound: 6.0
Nothing unique here. The music is lite jazz in flavor and pleasant enough, but does not carry the theme all that well.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 6.0
The game just feels mechanical and not that interactive. It is tantamount to a game of chess and while the interface is reasonably accessible, the lack of smooth animations and environments that feel alive set the game back.

Multiplayer: N/A
The game does have a multiplayer element but each time the game was taken online, there didn’t seem to be anyone to play with.

Overall: 6.0
This is a niche game that might appeal to fans of the sport but will leave others feeling very underwhelmed. The game is a cross between cycling and chess, but feels more like the latter due to limp photorealistic graphics. If you are not a fan of the sport, steer clear of this title.