Velominati Super Prestige: Amstel Gold Race 2014

Jan Raas, 5 time winner, not drinking Amstel Gold. photo-Peters, Hans / Anefo
Jan Raas, 5 time winner of Amstel, not drinking Amstel Gold. photo-Peters, Hans / Anefo

The Amstel Gold Race, 251 km from Maastricht to Valkenburg, the hard way. There appears to be no flat sections longer than ten meters. There are thirty-four mean little climbs to ruin the legs. We have moved on from the real Spring Classics. There is no rest in this VSP; The Ronde and Roubaix were amazing but we must continue. Legs that are smoked from those races are not lining up for Amstel. We are moving into Phil Gil territory. Regard the former winners from 2004 to 2008.

  • 2008 | CUNEGO Damiano
  • 2007 | SCHUMACHER Stefan
  • 2006 | SCHLECK Fränk
  • 2005 | DI LUCA Danilo
  • 2004 | REBELLIN Davide

Obviously, having the right pot belge mix working for these climbs paid off back then, especially for Schumacher, not a rider who would have been an obvious pick for any race. I’m not implying Phil Gil is on the juice but I am implying this is a race for the powerhouse speed climbers, like him or Valverde. Again, not implying, just saying.

For those who wished to squander a pick on Gesink (I’m looking at you Strack), you have been saved. He is out. Maybe Laurens ten Dam, Velominati Rules reader will represent the home country and win it all, or not. Here is the start list. Veel succes!

The points from the Amstel Gold VSP count towards the overall prizes. So check the start list, review the VSP Scoring Guidelines and get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on Sunday the 20th. If you think we mapped one of your picks wrong, use the dispute system and we’ll review it. Also remember to be precise enough in your description so we know which rider you mean; in other words, if you enter “Martin”, we will use our discretion (read: wild guess) to decide if you mean Tony or Dan – and that choice will not be negotiable once the the countdown clock goes to zero, so be sure to give yourself enough time.

Don’t forget we’ve got three major prizes for the season-long VSP:

First place overall wins a Veloforma Strada iR Velominati Edition frame in addition to the customary VSP winner’s VVorkshop Apron

Second place overall wins a set of hand built CR Wheelworks Arenberg wheelset in a custom Velominati paint scheme laced to orange Chris King hubs. (CR Wheelworks is Café Roubaix’s new wheel goods brand.)

Third place is you’re fired or overall wins a full Velominati V-Kit with accompanying custom orange Bont Vaypor+ road shoes.

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252 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Amstel Gold Race 2014”

  1. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Gilbert
    4. Gerrans
    5. Rodriguez

  2. VSP PICKS:

    1. Michal Kwiatkowski
    2. Valverde
    3. Philip Gilbert
    4. Roman Kreuziger
    5. Joaquim Rodriguez

  3. another throw of the dice

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Mollema
    2. Valverde
    3. Nibbles
    4. Gilbert
    5. Roman K

  4. VSP PICKS:

    1. VALVERDE Alejandro
    2. GILBERT Philippe
    3. GASPAROTTO Enrico
    4. GERRANS Simon
    5. VANENDERT Jelle

  5. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Nibali
    4. Gilbert
    5. Martin

  6. VSP PICKS:

    1. Alejandro Valverde
    2. Romain Bardet
    3. Philippe Gilbert
    4. Michael Kwiatkowski
    5. Tom Jelte Slagter

  7. VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwiaktowski
    2. Gilbert
    3. Kreuziger
    4. Valverde
    5. Gallopin

  8. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde Alejandro
    2. Kwiatkowski Michal
    3. Nibali Vincenzo
    4. Gilbert Philippe
    5. Martin Dan

  9. VSP PICKS:

    1. Michael Kwiatkowski
    2. Philippe Gilbert
    3. Simon Gerrans
    4. Alejandro Valverde
    5. Joaquim Rodriguez

  10. Well, I’ve got even less of a clue than usual, but here goes…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Tejay the Gardener
    2. Malmerde
    3. Purito
    4. Dan Martin
    5. Simon Gerrans

  11. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gerrans
    3. Gilbert
    4. Chavanel
    5. Michal Kwiatkowski

  12. I’d love to pick one of my fellow NLers, but….

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Kwiatkowski
    4. Rodriguez
    5. Gerrans

  13. For the points!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Philippe Gilbert
    2. Bauke Mollema
    3. Simon Gerrans
    4. Roman Kreuziger
    5. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte

  14. VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwitakowski, Michal
    2. Gilbert, Phillippe
    3. Valverde, Alejandro
    4. Betancur, Carlos
    5. Mollema, Bauke

  15. VSP PICKS:

    1. Nibali
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Kreuziger
    4. Gerrans
    5. Gilbert

  16. I think I need to stop picking people I actually want to win.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Valverde
    3. Nibali
    4. Kreuziger
    5. Gerrans

  17. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gerrans
    2. Kwiatowski
    3. Valverde
    4. Niboli
    5. Kreuziger

  18. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Gilbert
    4. Gerrans
    5. Rodriguez

  19. ?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Michal Kwiatkowski
    2. Alejandro Valverde
    3. Philippe Gilbert
    4. Tom Dumoulin
    5. Wout Poels

  20. VSP PICKS:

    1. Mikal Kwiatkowski
    2. Simon Gerrans
    3. Tom Dumoulin
    4. Tom Jelte Slagter
    5. Alejandro Valverde

  21. VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwiatkowski
    2. Kreuziger
    3. Gilbert
    4. Valverde
    5. Rodriguez

  22. .

    VSP PICKS:

    1. p. gilbert
    2. valverde
    3. kwiatkowski
    4. gerrans
    5. j. rodriguez

  23. VSP PICKS:

    1. kwiatkowski
    2. valverde
    3. gerrans
    4. gilbert
    5. mollema

  24. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Gilbert
    4. Kreuziger
    5. Rui Costa

  25. VSP PICKS:

    1. S Gerrans
    2. P Gilbert
    3. B Mollema
    4. M Kwiatkowski
    5. R Kreuziger

  26. and @frank is definitely on vacation because I doubt he’d commit such a flagrant Copy&Paste error -> @Gianni!

    Happy Easter.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Simon Gerrans
    2. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
    3. Roman Kreuziger
    4. Nibbles
    5. Sebastian Langeveld

  27. VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwiatkowsky
    2. Valverde
    3. Rui Costa
    4. Gerrans
    5. Dan Martin

  28. Another spin of the chocolate wheel, which so far has been a spectacular failure…

  29. Here goes mutton.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Nibali
    4. Gerrans
    5. Kwiatkowski

  30. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Valverde
    3. Kwiatkowski
    4. Kruetziger
    5. Gerrans

  31. VSP PICKS:

    1. ALEJANDRO VALVERDE BELMONTE
    2. SIMON GERRANS
    3. ROMAIN BARDET
    4. SYLVAIN CHAVANEL
    5. PHILIPPE GILBERT

  32. VSP PICKS:

    1. Philippe Gilbert
    2. Michal Kwiatkowski
    3. Alejandro Valverde
    4. Nathan Haas
    5. Bauke Mollema

  33. VSP PICKS:

    1. Slagter
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Gilbert
    4. Valverde
    5. Leukemans

  34. This doesn’t belong here, but it belongs somewhere. These boys are super stoked. God forbid the driver goes over some road chowder: exhaust pipe and muffler, dead deer, rock…

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