Velominati Super Prestige: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2013

This is the real Ronde
This is the real Ronde

Imagine a world without the little things we take for granted; a house without a roof, a pub with no beer, a Keepers Tour without any clothes. The last one is a reality for me at the moment, five days in and still no trace of where the hell between Wellington and Paris my bag (filled with V-Kit, shoes, helmet, everything) is. The other thing that has me perturbed again this trip is that there is no Muur de Grammont/Kapelmuur in the Ronde. To me, the race feels naked without it.

That won’t stop us from riding it next weekend though, and although there will be no crowds, no pros, there will still be the magical spirit of the great battles past on these hallowed stones. We’ll try and emulate The Lion and climb it in the big ring (or the 50t) while the man himself watches on, probably laughing inside, or indeed outwardly, as we succumb to the gradient and stab frantically at the left-hand shifter. Then we’ll realise just how ordinary we are and how special this hill is.

Even though the Muur is absent again this year, the 2013 Ronde is shaping up as one of the best in recent history. The battle between Faboo and Sags is well touted, but will they mark each other out of it and let an opportunist take their chance? My money’s on that scenario playing out, but if you have any sense you’ll see my VSP scores reflect a total lack of tipping nous so far this season and reject anything I predict as hogwash.

Check out the start list, grab a cold Malteni or other fine Belgian ale, slather your frites in mayo and keep your eye out for the V-Flag on the Oude Kwaremont this Sunday. Goed geluk!

[vsp_results id=”22888″/]

 

 

Related Posts

276 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2013”

  1. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Sylvain Chavanel
    4. Van Avermaet
    5. Haussler

  2. although it would be great to see Stannard up there too  – so I’m almost hoping to be wrong!”

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Thomas
    2. Spartacus
    3. Van Avermaet
    4. Chavanel
    5. Sagan

  3. Heinrich to win and say “fuck youse all” on podium.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Heinrich foul mouth
    2. Cancellara
    3. Sagan
    4. Chavanel
    5. Some Obscure Belgian

  4. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Chavanel
    4. Van Avermaet
    5. Boonen

  5. Basically I haven’t a clue so I’m using the roulette tactic of betting on the same outcome as last time – and I wouldn’t bet against Sagan under any circumstances now anyway. Sagan is now of course cursed because I’ve picked him.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Peter “Wheelie Good” Sagan
    2. “Borat” Bozic
    3. Greg “This Time” Van Avermaert
    4. Heinrich “Hairstyle” Hausler
    5. “Norman Stanley” Flecha

  6. VSP PICKS:

    1. Fabien Cancellara
    2. Peter Sagan
    3. Greg Van Avermaet
    4. Heinrich Hausler
    5. Geraint Thomas

  7. Boom in for Hayman

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Chavanel
    4. Boom
    5. Van Avermaet

  8. VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Sagan
    3. Chavanel
    4. Boonen
    5. Stannard

  9. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sylvain Chavanel
    2. Peter Sagan
    3. Thomas Voeckler
    4. Lars Boom
    5. Oscar Gatto

  10. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Chavavel
    3. Cancellara
    4. Thomas
    5. Haussler

  11. VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Sagan
    3. Chavanel
    4. van Avermaet
    5. Haussler

  12. VSP PICKS:

    1. Fabian Cancellara
    2. Geraint Thomas (
    3. Peter Sagan
    4. Sylvain Chavanel
    5. Filippo Pozzato

  13. VSP PICKS:

    1. Fabian Cancellara
    2. Geraint Thomas
    3. Peter Sagan
    4. Sylvain Chavanel
    5. Filippo Pozzato

  14. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Van Avermaet
    4. Chavanel
    5. Devolder

  15. Whither to pick with head or heart? The head says Spartacus, the heart Boonen. However, I need VSP points so the head wins.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Boonen
    3. Thomas
    4. Haussler
    5. Sagan

  16. edit

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Chavanel
    3. Cancellara
    4. Roelandts
    5. Langeveld

  17. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Spartacus
    3. S. Chavanel
    4. Langeveld
    5. Van Avermaet

  18. @wiscot

    Whither to pick with head or heart? The head says Spartacus, the heart Boonen. However, I need VSP points so the head wins.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Boonen
    3. Thomas
    4. Haussler
    5. Sagan

    Yeah, I hear you.  I REALLY want Tomeke to win but I do NOT see it happening.  If not Tomeke then I would love to see Sagan but I had to go with Sparty b/c I think that he will do it.  Hopefully I’m wrong!

  19. Super Fab to ignite the race in the final.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Sagan
    3. Chavanel
    4. Boonen
    5. Thomas

  20. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Chavanel
    4. Van Avermaet
    5. Haussler

  21. At last, the season really starts….

    VSP PICKS:

    1. G
    2. Chavanel (the good one)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.