Velominati Super Prestige: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women 2013

Here is hoping for cold and wet.
Here is hoping for cold and wet.

Finally, some cold nasty Belgian one day racing. Oman, Qatar, does anyone brag about winning those stage races? Yes, they might but really, it’s a tune up for the real season which finally begins this Saturday. Will racing in China or Oman grow the sport? Will there be a new wave of inspired young racers from these countries. Does professional racing require geographic or historical context? Yes, I believe it does. There are many historically significant European races that have ceased to be while in October the professional peloton flies to China to race in the smog. What is the point? The money spent getting everything to China would be better spent supporting the smaller historic races and making sure they include women’s categories.

This Saturday’s forecast calls for zero percent chance of precicitation and near freezing temperatures. I wouldn’t want to ride in those conditions but I do like to see professionals race in them. And if it’s a little wet too, excellent. They can all test out their embrocation layering and neoprene gloves. Early season Belgian races should be cold and wet. It’s the Belgian brand.

The women’s provisional start list is here. The names of many teams have changed, a few big hitters are gone but it is just as large as the men’s field, 248 riders! Granted, many will get shelled on the first cobbled berg but that’s all in the game. If you want to call yourself a professional, you have to survive cold (and wet) races like this.

Let the betting begin. Velominati is an equal opportunity betting parlor. For points awarded, the women’s races hold as much value as the men’s.

[vsp_results id=”22127″/]

 

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140 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Women 2013”

  1. VSP PICKS:

    1. Armistead
    2. Bras
    3. De Vries
    4. Schnitzmeier
    5. De Baat

  2. VSP PICKS:

    1. Armistead
    2. De Vries
    3. Johansson
    4. Gunnewijk
    5. Stevens

  3. Go the girls!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Armistead
    2. Gilmore
    3. Brand
    4. Stevens
    5. Olds

  4. VSP PICKS:

    1. Armitstead
    2. Bookwalter
    3. Johansson
    4. De Vries
    5. Borghini

  5. VSP PICKS:

    1. Evelyn Stevens
    2. Liz Armitstead
    3. Chloe Hoskins
    4. Emma Johansson
    5. Rochelle Gilmore

  6. VSP PICKS:

    1. Emma Jo
    2. Trixi Wo
    3. Elisa Longo Bo
    4. DeVries
    5. Armistead

  7. VSP PICKS:

    1. Armistead
    2. Johansson
    3. Bookwalter
    4. DeVries
    5. Borghini

  8. VSP PICKS:

    1. Armistead
    2. DeVries
    3. Stevens
    4. Johansson
    5. Bookwalter

  9. Cromwell beats Guarnier for the Women’s race.  that’s two that I have never heard of before but know have.  Good on the Womens VSP!

  10. I’m doing OK with this one, touch wood: http://sports-livez.com/sopcast/sop-3.php

    When I say OK, I mean it is crappy grainy quality which keeps freezing, but at least it resembles video rather than a series of still photos, heavily pixellated to protect the innocent.

    Haussler is fucked BTW.

  11. I don’t need HD quality to see that there is a whole lot too much matching going on with Cofidis in their red leggings. Looks appalling.

  12. @JohnB

    No points for mis-spelling Johnansson? Bugger! Must remember that.

    If people got no points for misspelled names, no one would have bubkus. Contest that, we will straighten it out. We will blame it on Frank for the time being.

  13. One point is fine by me…puts me bang in the peloton although I am concerned about the early breakaway…damn those 7 pointers!

  14. @Gianni

    @JohnB

    No points for mis-spelling Johnansson? Bugger! Must remember that.

    If people got no points for misspelled names, no one would have bubkus. Contest that, we will straighten it out. We will blame it on Frank for the time being.

    This might be as lucky as I get. I’ll trust it’ll get amended.

  15. @JohnB

    Don’t trust it – contest it. Click the drop down next to your pick. If it says no points and it should, click dispute. Guys running this aren’t going to check every pick by everyone, so you have to use the system.

    Disregard if you meant that now you’ve contested it, you trust they’ll sort it out.

  16. I came to this after the race was over, so…….

    But this? This is PERFECT!

    “What is the point? The money spent getting everything to China would be better spent supporting the smaller historic races and making sure they include women’s categories.”

    Damn straight!

  17. I don’t think I’d want to ride today either!  Could be dangerous to them.

  18. @Carl

    Why ? They’re trying to promote in China and other countries to make money. Having a women’s edition of European races, some of which are struggling in the men’s version in any case, would make no sense.

    Cycle racing is, was and always has been about sponsorship. If women’s races got the right target audiences they would have sponsors, sponsors would bring money, and riders and teams wuuld come and more people would want to put on races. It’s your virtuous circle innit.

    I’m not saying there isn’t anything the UCI can do about that but it isn’t easy, and simply putting on races is not the answer.

  19. @ChrisO

    I know your opinion on this, and that’s fine (magnanimous of me, I know).

    But the UCI aren’t there just to raise revenue (they own the ToB). Their stated mission is to develop and promote cycling. Not men’s cycling. Their website has a section titled “cycling for all”. Does “all” include half of humanity? I’d say so. The problem is that it’s a happy coincidence that “cycling for all” could also mean tapping into a quickly emerging superpower with a lot of quickly emerging disposable cash.

    To sum up: cycle racing can be about making money. The UCI should not be.

  20. @Sauterelle

    I don’t think I’d want to ride today either! Could be dangerous to them.

    INRNG retweeted this pic of the Kwaremont not long ago.  Not much choice I’d say.  Unless they’ve got a stable of Pugsleys with studded tires back at the Service Course…

  21. Thanks for posting the Facebok drawing  – looks like what I’m seeing outside my window here in New England today.

    Good day to order some V-gear  ! ( :vD )

  22. ….and I should of added a good snow day to read the latest issue of Rouleur !  ( after trainer workout with thought of snow-free roads )

  23. @Skip Thanks skip for the photo.  Went to bed last night with butterflies excited about the first ride of the season and woke up at 6 am seriously disappointed to see all the snow.  1 hour drive to gent would have been sketchy let alone the 3-4 hrs in the snow on pavé.  I feel slightly less like a pussy now……

  24. Off the back. Well it is the early season. Like Hinault used to say, Let’s see who’s slow in July!”

  25. @Blah

    @JohnB

    Don’t trust it – contest it. Click the drop down next to your pick. If it says no points and it should, click dispute. Guys running this aren’t going to check every pick by everyone, so you have to use the system.

    Disregard if you meant that now you’ve contested it, you trust they’ll sort it out.

    Novice error. The score here was for the women’s race only, not cumulative with the score from the men’s race.

  26. Here are the current standings. @napolinige takes an early lead.

    2013 VSP G.C.

    1. napolinige (8 points)
    2. JohnB (8 points)
    3. Chris (7 points)
    4. Two Ball Billy (6 points)
    5. San Tonio (6 points)
    6. motor city (6 points)
    7. snoov (5 points)
    8. ramenvelo (5 points)
    9. razmaspaz (4 points)
    10. RedRanger (4 points)
    11. pakrat (4 points)
    12. jeyrod (4 points)
    13. torrefie (3 points)
    14. Deakus (3 points)
    15. roberto (3 points)
    16. Steampunk (3 points)
    17. asyax (3 points)
    18. Heihachi (3 points)
    19. The Grande Fondue (3 points)
    20. Bat Chainpuller (3 points)
    21. Cyclops (3 points)
    22. Roberto Marques (3 points)
    23. Skinnyphat (3 points)
    24. Bianchi Denti (2 points)
    25. Sauterelle (2 points)
    26. Duende (2 points)
    27. The Oracle (2 points)
    28. Blah (2 points)
    29. Barracuda (2 points)
    30. Markp (2 points)
    31. mouse (2 points)
    32. CanuckChuck (2 points)
    33. Geordi (2 points)
    34. Adrian (2 points)
    35. SimonH (2 points)
    36. la plaque (2 points)
    37. freddy (2 points)
    38. Bottles (2 points)
    39. dancollins (2 points)
    40. Chica (2 points)
    41. LA Dave (2 points)
    42. girl (2 points)
    43. xyxax (2 points)
    44. GiantBars (1 points)
    45. Erik (1 points)
    46. imakecircles (1 points)
    47. Buck Rogers (1 points)
    48. taon24 (1 points)
    49. simonsaunders (1 points)
    50. tony macaroni (1 points)
    51. bugleboy21 (1 points)
    52. moondance (1 points)
    53. skagitteam (1 points)
    54. Skip (1 points)
    55. strathlubnaig (1 points)
    56. Fausto (1 points)
    57. the Engine (1 points)
    58. Tobin (1 points)
    59. Dr C (1 points)
    60. unversio (1 points)
    61. sthilzy (1 points)
    62. spandexbro (1 points)
    63. Mikael Liddy (1 points)
    64. unjoursans (1 points)
    65. Rob (1 points)
    66. Stephen Rash (1 points)
    67. scaler911 (1 points)
    68. Ron (1 points)
    69. Gino (1 points)
    70. eightzero (1 points)
    71. JBailey (1 points)
    72. TomC (1 points)
    73. il ciclista medio (1 points)
    74. sgraha (1 points)
    75. nathan (1 points)
    76. seemunkee (1 points)
    77. VeloVita (1 points)
    78. ralph (1 points)
    79. Babbs (1 points)
    80. blue (1 points)
    81. camh (1 points)
    82. THISMACHINEKILLSCOBBLES (1 points)
    83. Kyle (1 points)
    84. Matthew langley (1 points)
    85. Nosyt (1 points)
    86. King Clydesdale (1 points)
    87. brian (1 points)
    88. ClydesdalePilot (1 points)
    89. Rigid (1 points)
    90. Jay (1 points)
    91. Ashwin.S (1 points)
    92. ChrisO (1 points)
    93. MJ Moquin (1 points)
    94. chrismurphy92 (1 points)
    95. Islandbike (1 points)
    96. stickyjumper (0 points)
    97. Al__S (0 points)
    98. Matt (0 points)
    99. Lukas (0 points)
    100. Facetious_Jesus (0 points)
    101. DrewG (0 points)
    102. Benny (0 points)
    103. cal (0 points)
    104. TOM.NELS2120 (0 points)
    105. R00tdown (0 points)
    106. paul.c (0 points)
    107. Simon (0 points)
    108. Gervais (0 points)
    109. paolo (0 points)
    110. graham d.m. (0 points)
    111. diablo (0 points)
    112. Don Amedo (0 points)
    113. Noel (0 points)
    114. Russ (0 points)
    115. Dan_R (0 points)
    116. Lister (0 points)
    117. anotherdownunder (0 points)
    118. Harminator (0 points)
    119. Kojczak77 (0 points)
    120. V-olcano (0 points)
    121. eenies (0 points)
    122. Jhortua (0 points)
    123. EricW (0 points)
    124. typevii (0 points)
    125. Anjin-san (0 points)
    126. brett (0 points)
    127. m_demartino (0 points)
    128. BJH (0 points)
    129. Jonny (0 points)
    130. Graham (0 points)
    131. piwakawaka (0 points)
    132. RossM (0 points)
    133. wiscot (0 points)
    134. G’phant (0 points)
    135. HeinrichHauslersHairstyle (0 points)
    136. Vernwitha_V (0 points)
    137. starclimber (0 points)
    138. el gato (0 points)
    139. Alex (0 points)
    140. Marko (0 points)
    141. lovehateclimbing (0 points)
    142. frank (0 points)
    143. Gianni (0 points)
    144. dndrouleur (0 points)
    145. Green Al (0 points)
    146. oneninefiveninesix (0 points)
    147. ten B (0 points)
  27. @Blah

    @JohnB

    Don’t trust it – contest it. Click the drop down next to your pick. If it says no points and it should, click dispute. Guys running this aren’t going to check every pick by everyone, so you have to use the system.

    Disregard if you meant that now you’ve contested it, you trust they’ll sort it out.

    This. Contest your picks if they’re not mapped correctly, and we’ll fix them. Also note that we do NOT monitor disputes via the comments as point of principle as that becomes unwieldy as the season goes on. Use the dispute mechanism and we’ll get you sorted.

    Thanks.

  28. @ Frank I will highjack this post now….seeing as it is all over.  If there were ever a pic that spoke to me and said “These two guys have the V ….. then it is here…and what is more I think they are from the Dutch air demonstration team. Which surely must have @Frank soiling himself with pride!

  29. To get this thread back on track as an appreciation of women’s racing here’s an early contender for V-Moment of the year.

    Despite wearing following Rule #36, Marijn de Vries suffered an abrasion to her cornea but rather than taking a couple of days off she headed out training today with just a little more protection

    For @frank “Naschrift: Dat het echt bizar koud was blijkt wel uit het volgende. Ondanks dat ik een bril droeg, hebben de kou en de wind een stukje van mijn hoornvlies (het epitheel) afgeschraapt. En ik maar denken dat ik met een vieze bril koerste, omdat ik zo wazig zag. Maar de waas bleef zitten toen ik de bril afzette. Er zit een klein schaafwondje op mijn oog, filmde Jochem voor Ogen vanochtend. De verwonding is niet ernstig, morgen moet dat flieberende flapje weer aangegroeid zijn. Intussen train ik maar zo, om te voorkomen dat er weer kou op mijn oog komt. Over episch voorjaarsklassiekerweer gesproken!”

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