Velominati Super Prestige:
Giro D'Italia 2013
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Velominatus: acciaio

Order: Level 4 Velominatus

@acciaio's activity:

Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012 Stage 20

See that huge mountain over there? The one with the steep, twisty road going up it? The one that is often covered in snow this time of year? Right, race ya to the top.I don’t know what more there is to say about this year’s Giro; four days from the end, with two of the biggest mountain stages yet to come and the G.C., Mountains, and P...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Basso 2. Hesjedal 3. J Rod 4. Scarponi 5. Uran »

Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012

After a winter of long training rides that offered more in the way of numb extremities than it did in acute enjoyment, I have to say that the warming of the air and brightening of the skies have served to remind me that while I love riding in bad weather, I certainly don’t have anything against riding when its nice out.But dont think for...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. Would love to see J Rod light up the Giro but don’t think it’ll happen. Predictably boring VSP picks… VSP PICKS: 1. Scarponi 2. Basso 3. Kreuziger 4. Rujano 5. Schleck the Elder »

The Shropshire Hills Cogal Ride Report

With the Cogals slowly starting to take shape and the days getting longer, @936adl did a good job in the timing, organization, and the promotion of his Cogal. Buckle in for the fruits of his labor as from all accounts, this was a fantastic ride and great time; I’m only sad I couldn’t be there myself. Fair warning: He’s already ta...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. @Gianni I’m responsible for the pink bike! It’s a steel Condor painted for last year’s Giro. I posted this photo previously in The Bikes, so apologies if you’ve seen it before. The ride was fantastic, and the guys were a pleasure to ride with. The curry… »

Velominati Super Prestige: Luik-Bastenaken-Luik 2012

I thought I’d take this opportunity to move en danseuse on Rule #89 and to refer to Liege-Bastogne-Liege by its less-common Flemish name. It also draws into sharp relief that fact that while Dutch may be every bit as expressive and subtle as French, it certainly sounds less sexy.Some races seem to foster a romanticism that other races of e...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Gilbert 2. Rodriguez 3. Cunego 4. Samuel Sanchez 5. Valverde »

Velominati Super Prestige: Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2012

During the Ronde von Vlaanderen, we of the 2012 Keeper’s Spring Classic Tour were right on the Oude Kwaremont climb as the women big-ringed it up the cobbles. Kristin Armstrong (US Women’s Team) was burying herself to get on Judith Arndt’s (Greenedge) wheel. It looked like the winning break was going right in front of our eyes. Se...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Vos 2. Pooley 3. Johansson 4. Arndt 5. Cooke »

Velominati Super Prestige: La Fleche Wallonne 2012

I just had to use this pic of Tom Simpson in 1965 wearing the Peugeot kit as the title pic for this year’s VSP for La Fleche Wallonne. Rigid hooked himself up on the Keepers Tour with the same kit he purchased at the Flanders Cycling Museum and it’s Grade A nipple lube. Although victory eluded Simpson in this Classic he still looked dam...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Rodriguez 2. Vandendert 3. Gilbert 4. Valverde 5. Anton »

The Shropshire Hills English Cogal

April 2012 promises top be a special month for any Velominatus. While the current icons of our great sport do battle in spring classics, many of the Velominati will be enjoying The Keepers Tour.Meanwhile, in the quiet county of Shropshire, another event promises great things. Epic scenery, some pretty serious climbing, an imperial century, and fine...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. Arrived in Shropshire to glorious sunshine this afternoon, so obviously expecting a deluge tomorrow. A quick spin up the sides of ironbridge gorge confirmed there’s some fairly savage gradient around here… probably too late to reach for the EPO, sure I’… »

Velominati Super Prestige: Amstel Gold Race 2012

When people think of the The Netherlands, they generally think of flat lands, windmills, and a topography where people claim to “live at elevation” when their home on the third floor of a building. Never the less, this is not entirely true as The Motherland does, in its most southern reaches, boast quite hilly terrain; the province of...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. Was tempted to pick good Cadelephant, but he’s just missed the cut. VSP PICKS: 1. Rodriguez 2. Valverde 3. Sagan 4. Gerrans 5. Sanchez »

Reverence: Fi’zi:k Aliante

The saddle has got to be the most important piece of equipment for the cyclist when it comes to comfort and performance. If your ass is rubbing the wrong way, causing chafing and sores, or all circulation is cut off rendering you unable to locate vital organs for nature breaks, then it’s fair to say you don’t have the right saddle. And...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. I’ve also got a carbon railed aliante, having previously had a series of selle italia flites on mountain and road bikes. I reckon the aliante is more comfortable when new than others, and doesn’t seem to need much of a break in period. It’s worth noting t… »

The Shropshire Hills English Cogal

April 2012 promises top be a special month for any Velominatus. While the current icons of our great sport do battle in spring classics, many of the Velominati will be enjoying The Keepers Tour.Meanwhile, in the quiet county of Shropshire, another event promises great things. Epic scenery, some pretty serious climbing, an imperial century, and fine...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. @936adl Can confirm two of us coming up from London for the ride. Sure it’s going to be tough, reckon we’ll have earned a post-ride pint (or two…). »

Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix 2012

We rode the Pavé of Roubaix in the dry, and any comforting feelings we might have been carrying about with us that suggested we had somehow prepared for them were summarily vaporized as we hit the first secteur. Riding together in a group, unable to reach for the brakes or the shifters, we all were hit with the same realization: these aren’...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Boonen 2. Pozzato 3. Ballan 4. Chavanel 5. Hushovd »

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Ronde van Vlaanderen 2012

The Velominati Super-Prestige continues with our second Women’s event of 2012, the Women’s Ronde van Vlaanderen. This one is made even more exciting for me by the fact that I now have some small connection to the Women’s Tibco Racing Team, as I watched with envy as they each pulled their bikes off the oversized baggage carrousel...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. Last minute modification… VSP PICKS: 1. Armistead 2. Johansson 3. Pooley 4. Arndt 5. Wild »

  2. VSP PICKS: 1. Vos 2. Johansson 3. Armitstead 4. Pooley 5. Arndt »

Velominati Super Prestige: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2012

The Keepers and Rigid rolled into a region in France called Flandres which, without doing any further research into the matter, we assume is the coloquial French term for this region of the world. If its anything like the other regions in Europe, these places have roots that extend way past any modern country’s border and situate themselves i...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Cancellara 2. Boonen 3. Sagan 4. Chavanel 5. Van Marcke »

Velominati Super Prestige: Gent-Wevelgem 2012

Gent conjures up images of the quintessential Flemish city. Age-old medieval architecture rising from the river’s edge is classically Belgian. Gent is also firmly tied to Belgium’s greatest gift to the world, cycling tradition. Many a pro-expat cyclist has relocated to Gent with the hope of testing their mettle in the seat of cycling...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Cancellara 2. Boonen 3. Cav 4. Freire 5. Sagan »

Velominati Super Prestige: Milano San-Remo 2012

The Poggio. It’s probably one of the most famous easy climbs in the world; going through old cycling photographs, I rarely come across one where the leaders haven’t moved Sur La Plaque. It has a reputation, however, for being a real leg breaker, mostly because any climb is a big climb once you cross its summit after a paltry 291 kilomet...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Cavendish 2. Sagan 3. Spartacus 4. Freire 5. Boss Hog »

The Bikes

The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.It seems in s...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. @Skip I’ve got a fetish for shiny components on steel frames too. Also running Athena on bike number 1 and I particularly like the alloy crank. The frame is a special edition Condor painted to celebrate the 2011 Giro. Planning a ride over the Gavia and … »

Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Nice 2012

It’s right around this time of year when the little voice in my head that spurs me on in cold, wet, Rule #9 conditions starts getting overpowered by all my other personalities who at this stage are gathering stones and crowbars and getting ready to enforce their will on him regarding their preference for riding in nice, warm, sunny conditi...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Valverde 2. Wiggo 3. Leipheimer 4. Big Dog Tony Martin 5. Kloden »

Velominati Super Prestige: Strade Bianche 2012

The Monte Paschi Strade Bianchi is happening this Saturday and it is such an interesting race we are putting it into the VSP.  The route is a mix of pavement and white marble sectors that roam through the hilly Tuscan country and finishes in the middle of beautiful Sienna. It seems early to me but that is because the Giro had an epic stage on the...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Gilbert 2. Ballan 3. Cancellara 4. Nibali 5. Sagan »

Anatomy of a Photo: Take a Look While You Still Can

FDJ guy: Is that the new fi'zi:k Kurve in Bull?Fast Phil: Oui. Continue reading...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. I reckon the mark of a quality classicist is to look seriously fast standing still: race won at the gate. Phil’s got it nailed. »

The Shropshire Hills English Cogal

April 2012 promises top be a special month for any Velominatus. While the current icons of our great sport do battle in spring classics, many of the Velominati will be enjoying The Keepers Tour.Meanwhile, in the quiet county of Shropshire, another event promises great things. Epic scenery, some pretty serious climbing, an imperial century, and fine...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. I’m definitely in, just need to do some enthusiastic parenting between now and then square it the VMH. Velominababy #1 was born last week. She hasn’t got her own bike yet but as she has nearly two months to peak before the cogal I reckon she’ll be laying … »

Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

The 2012 Velominati Super Prestige kicks off in proper form this season with the debut of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad as part of the series. I’m tempted to stubbornly refer to this race as Het Volk, but I’ll toe the line and refer to the race by its bewildering new(ish) name.This is a tricky race to predict because the big races in April ar...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. VSP PICKS: 1. Boonen 2. Flecha 3. Gilbert 4. Breschel 5. Chavenel »

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

We kick off the first races of the 2012 VSP with a double-header as we open the picks for the VVomen’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Aside from an early hiccup, the new software has been running as expected, though I should have known better than to declare something as “tested”; as the first few picks went in sideways, there was more co...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. No idea… VSP PICKS: 1. Lizzie Armitstead 2. Chloe Hosking 3. Kirsten Wild 4. Megan Guarnier 5. Emilie Moberg »

The Shropshire Hills English Cogal

April 2012 promises top be a special month for any Velominatus. While the current icons of our great sport do battle in spring classics, many of the Velominati will be enjoying The Keepers Tour.Meanwhile, in the quiet county of Shropshire, another event promises great things. Epic scenery, some pretty serious climbing, an imperial century, and fine...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. Thanks for organising this, love the flyer. Very very keen, an imperial century on home turf sounds fantastic. Need to pull some swaps at work… will start hassling people on Monday! »

Anatomy of a Photo: Looking Fantastic

Steel Gazelles, check. Monster fork rake, check. Hairnets, check. North European monsoon, check. Flemish Mirror, check. Chain welded to the Big Ring, check. WTF Leggins affixed to Our Hero, check.Roger de Vlaeminck does his part to remind us that while Looking Pro isn’t synonymous with Looking Fantastic, being a Level V Badass can make ev...

@acciaio's posts:

  1. I’m currently riding the 50k round trip to work on an early 80s Gazelle Champion Mondiale, bought to protect bike number 1 from the winter commute. Still a fast and stiff ride aged almost 30, with 53/42 Campy Gran Sport up front, matching down tube shifte… »