Written by Don Hamstre of don hamstre team
  
  Welcome to another new and exciting one on one with the Don. This time we have on our table the most famous Albanian manager Albatros of Albatros
  
  Why did you start playing OCM?
  Probably like most people here I am a big fan of cycling in general and I started playing internet games that were related to real life cycling. Next to that I have always been fond of video games; mostly within the RPG and strategy genre. So when I stumbled upon OCM I was thrilled to find this great mix of cycling, strategy and RPG elements together in a slow paced game with a great community. And reading OCM Magazine I dreamed of the reporters writing something about my riders. When it finally happened in preparation of my first tour I was so happy that I quoted OCM Magazine in my own press release and I have done that ever since.
  
  Always nice to see the magazine being rated high, but let us move on; Why is your team from Albania and why is it named Albatros?
  Since I was born in Tirana I thought it would be nice to start an Albanian team thinking there would not be too many teams from that country around. When I picked Albania and had to think of a team name I immediately thought of an Albatros because of the alliteration.
  
  Your Albanian Albatros have had some success in the past. But what do you think is your biggest moment so far?
  I think my biggest moment must be the team's Race of the Minutemen campaign in season twenty-one. The then, brand new and not even maxed, captain Gilbert Roogaars won Laconia - Littleton, ended sixth in the General Classification and third in the Sprinting Classification. Second on the list is winning Classic Oslo and coming in second the year after with Hernandez Zuaza. Third is winning Race to the Wall twice in a row with Hamlin Havins and another great moment was when I became the manager of the Albanian national team.
  
  Speaking

of the Albanian National Team, does this new job mean you will focus on training Albanian talent, or do you have other talents you want to train?
  It does mean I am focusing on training Albanian talents hoping it will bring us to the A division in the future. Right now Bardh Shrkeli is tenth on the individual World Tour standings and I already trained Bardh Treska, who is now riding for Team Unibet, to assist him in the hilly stages. Next talent I am going to train is Xhelal Cani who potentially is a very good sprinter with nice all-round skills and I also have Driton Veliaj in my team who could be a good climber with downhill stages as his specialty, same as Valon Minxhozi who now the Albanian climbing captain. Around them, I formed a team of youngsters so they can train with guys of there own age but I do not see a lot of potential in the other riders. But you never know of course.
  
  Do you have a mentor or someone who has been an example for you to follow?
  Not really, I guess. I used to look up at EEO but after his retirement there is not really a team that I follow closely. Sometimes there were more experienced managers on the forum that I took advice from but never really did I have a mentor like figure. I think the most fun way to play this game is making mistakes and trying to do better next time.
  
  Talking about making mistakes, what was your biggest one?
  I guess my biggest mistake was trying to train my own riders in the beginning of my OCM career. It is just so much more worthwhile to try and buy the right type of riders than to hope you will train them yourself. But the little mistakes, I make them all the time. That is what makes that you have to keep your focus, otherwise the other managers will outclass you. I really like that kind of micro managing.
  
  Do you have anything you want to share with the community? Any tips, fun facts and what else?
  Just enjoy the game as much as you can, and give credits to all that make OCM possible. So

that means thanks to Nick, but also to the guys that help him out and of course all the OCM Magazine reporters. Thanks guys, you really contribute a lot to a better game experience with your writings.
  
  Choose the one you like best of these and try to explain your choice
  
  Climbing or Sprinting?
  Climbing, because most General Classifications in tours are won by climbers. I developed my team with the money earned by a sprinter's squad so that is a close second.
  
  Training or Transfer?
  That really depends on what you are after. Transferring will get you a much better team especially while staring up your team. But I eventually found more fulfillment in training, because then it is easier to feel a connection with the riders. The downside is having to sell them with a big loss if they maxed to low.
  
  Points or Trophies/Jerseys?
  Definitely Trophies. Mostly because trophies you can keep while points are lost over time. I had made it into third division which felt great at the time, but looking back at wins in tours and classics, those make me feel proud all the time.
  
  Dussel or The Beast?
  That is impossible to answer.
  
  EEO or FFL?
  I will go with FFL since he is still around. Props!
  
  Germany Tour or Vuelta?
  Since I have never had the chance to compete in either of them I do not really have an opinion about that. If you ask me Monte Rosa or Perm, I say Monte Rosa.
  
  Forum or Chat?
  Forum. It is what I use the most and it is easier to take your first steps in the OCM community there.
  
  Real Life or No Life?
  Then I will have to go with no life. The fantasy that is OCM can never be beaten by the dull and stressfull reality that is real life. Cheers!