Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France, Stage 14

Plateau de Beille has a reputation. It’s long. It’s hard. It’s steep. It’s high. And, because it’s in the Pyrenees, it’s either really hot or really wet.

Although it has only been featured in the Tour four times (1998, 2002, 2004, 2007), it has quickly been placed high on the list of fabled Tour mountaintop finishes for the simple fact that every time the Tour has had a stage finish at the Plateau, the winner of the stage has gone on to win the Tour: Pantani, Amstrong, and Contador have all won here and gone on to win le Grand Boucle. (Of the past winners, Pantani is the only rider whose photo I’m willing to post on a VSP event.)

For those of us who are superstitious, we will, because of this track record, choose the rider whom we hopes will go on to win the Tour. Those of us who are more reasonable might engage in some prognosticating, while others still will inexplicably pick Mark Cavendish or Philbert.

While we traditionally kick off the first intermediate VSP for a Grand Tour on the first mountaintop finish, this time around we waited for this decisive day. The riders have played their cards close to their chest, but surely they will be laid out on the table tomorrow. Get your picks in by 5am Pacific tomorrow morning for the chance to win 3, 2, or 1 points for the podium spots, and 1 point for 4th and 5th places.  Good luck.

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152 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France, Stage 14”

  1. @Oli
    It’s actually 8.30 in the evening here. So what’s the protocol? Do you wish someone a good ____________ depending on where they are or where you are? Not sure, you know, with globalization and the interwebs and all things get complicated.

  2. @Ron
    Oooh Ooooh I had my first road ride on tubs yesterday too, despite being paranoid about punctures, and the spokes needing their spoke tension evened out, it is undoubtedly teh awesome. I just bought a cheap pair off the local ebay, cleaned the rims, glued up some old tubs, greased the hubs and glued them during the week. Takes 400grams off my training wheels, but climbing on them is rediculous. I’m off for another ride soon, can’t wait.

  3. @scaler911
    Your bike looks like the terminator with half it’s face shot off – half disguise, half industrial menace underneath.

  4. Do you wish someone a good V-day depending on where they are or where you are?

  5. @marko
    Put that down to mental fatigue from the long, hard stage last night – I wasn’t thinking about time zones, just responding in kind. Good night, kind sir…

  6. @Steampunk

    @OliSpend a week in Houston. You’ll know you can’t be at the bottom of the heap…

    Ah, yes. A little salt for my wounds. I should get a point for living here for 16 years. Oli, save yourself. Don’t travel TO Houston, travel THROUGH Houston.

    I would like to point out I picked 3 of the top 5 finishers. Just none in the right places.

  7. I’m slightly bemused by many of the write-ups and tweets about yesterday’s stage on two points.

    1. Amazement that Voeckler is in yellow ? He kept yellow on the same stage previously against the ‘extra-terrestrial’ efforts of Armstrong and Basso. I had left him in my Fantasy team, as had a lot of other people. Chances are he would make a supreme effort to hold on as he has done in the past. It’s what he’s quite good at.

    2. People having a go at the leading GC contenders for not making all-out repeated attacks. These are often the same people who bemoan doping. Surely there is a contradiction between thinking that these guys should ride up an HC mountain at 20km/h while relentlessly attacking each other, and arguing that they should never resort to performance-enhancing drugs.
    One of the effects of a clean peloton is going to be a levelling of the playing field and reduction of the margins, so it seems odd to complain about the cause AND the effect.

  8. @Jeff in PetroMetro
    Nanci Griffith (‘Woman of the Phoenix’) sings of Houston looking ‘like Cleveland with the colour removed’. Not a ringing endorsement. But sometimes I think it must be nice not to have hills. Generally I think this at the end of a ride when I am reminded I live at the top of one.

  9. @ChrisO

    I’m slightly bemused by many of the write-ups and tweets about yesterday’s stage on two points.
    1. Amazement that Voeckler is in yellow ? He kept yellow on the same stage previously against the ‘extra-terrestrial’ efforts of Armstrong and Basso. I had left him in my Fantasy team, as had a lot of other people. Chances are he would make a supreme effort to hold on as he has done in the past. It’s what he’s quite good at.
    2. People having a go at the leading GC contenders for not making all-out repeated attacks. These are often the same people who bemoan doping. Surely there is a contradiction between thinking that these guys should ride up an HC mountain at 20km/h while relentlessly attacking each other, and arguing that they should never resort to performance-enhancing drugs.
    One of the effects of a clean peloton is going to be a levelling of the playing field and reduction of the margins, so it seems odd to complain about the cause AND the effect.

    right on ChrisO.
    I’m also tired of Shergitt constantly saying he’s riding above his abilities. They give no credit to the actual awesome riding he’s doing at the maximum of his abilities. He’s been one of the winningest riders this year behind Gilbert.
    Credit where credit due methinks.

  10. @Jeff in PetroMetro
    Apologies: that was an uncalled for and totally inappropriate blindside. Not my finest hour””don’t know what came over me. But I feel constrained to point out that while you might deserve some sympathy, sixteen years would suggest a level of gluttony for punishment that, fronkly, shouldn’t be encouraged. (No, I’m not at all still jealous about the Look””damn! I wish that flight had been earlier in the day…)

  11. @Slash

    Frank, you douchebag . . .
    ” the winner of the stage has gone on to win the Tour: Pantani, Amstrong, and Contador have all won here and gone on to win le Grand Boucle. (Of the past winners, Pantani is the only rider whose photo I’m willing to post on a VSP event.)”
    Freakin’ self-indulgent, drug abusing Pantani, and you are going stand the line on the claim that somehow, Pantani, was what??? Clearner? No. Stronger? No. More stylish on a bike? No. What then, you douche bag??

    No, cooler.

    @CJ

    Frank has been known to smudge the line between fact and shouted, repeated opinion), passion, feeling, you know, cycling fan stuff.

    I generally don’t shout. Which proves comprehensively that I’m not a douchebag because douchebags shout.

    I would argue, though, that I make it pretty clear in my writing where facts end and opinions start.

  12. @ChrisO

    2. People having a go at the leading GC contenders for not making all-out repeated attacks. These are often the same people who bemoan doping. Surely there is a contradiction between thinking that these guys should ride up an HC mountain at 20km/h while relentlessly attacking each other, and arguing that they should never resort to performance-enhancing drugs.
    One of the effects of a clean peloton is going to be a levelling of the playing field and reduction of the margins, so it seems odd to complain about the cause AND the effect.

    Brilliant observation.

  13. Is anyone else annoyed that the Schlecks are saying that everyone else wasn’t aggressive enough? What?

  14. @Erik
    I’m not a racer, have never been in a race and I am only watching my 2nd Tour ever. But yeah that makes little to no sense to me.

  15. @Erik

    Is anyone else annoyed that the Schlecks are saying that everyone else wasn’t aggressive enough? What?

    Maybe they’d got into their dad’s viagra and wanted a little, y’know, privacy.

  16. @CJ CJ, your reply is just drivel. I’m not new here. I’ve been reading the posts here for some time. I know that Frank likes to indulge his feminine sensibilities. He “just likes” some riders rather than others. Like a woman just likes flowers on Thursday, but chocolate on Saturday. A real man has reasons for his value judgments. Frank has none. He’s a bitch.

  17. @Slash
    And you’re manifestly a fuckwit.

    Now, let’s all settle down and be nice to each other again.

    Thanks for the talk.

  18. @Slash

    He “just likes” some riders rather than others

    Well, yeah – isn’t that the point of being a fan? Certain riders will appeal to you and others won’t, and not necessarily for fully objective reasons. For example, I must admit to not really knowing who Johnny Hoogerland was before his crash (still getting into the whole racing thing) but now I’ll keep an eye on his results. Who do you watch out for and why?

  19. @Slash

    @CJ CJ, your reply is just drivel. I’m not new here. I’ve been reading the posts here for some time. I know that Frank likes to indulge his feminine sensibilities. He “just likes” some riders rather than others. Like a woman just likes flowers on Thursday, but chocolate on Saturday. A real man has reasons for his value judgments. Frank has none. He’s a bitch.

    He’s also the moderator. Good one einstein.
    Bye Bye now!

  20. Hi All, is there a prob with the VSP – I have just logged on again for the rest day reshuffle, and it has been taking an age to upload each page, logon etc – other pages and emails are normal speed….

    Anyway, I see I have also dropped off the VSP for some reason

    Can I be reinstated with my list, which won’t appear even though I am logged on

    1. Schleckette
    2. Cuddles (I know he is going to win, but W)
    3. Fronk
    4. Basso
    5. Contador, now he appears to be drug free

  21. @Slash
    Nope, you’re new here. And noone gives a flying fuck what you think. Maybe share something, build up a profile and personality and someone will. Or fuck off and troll somewhere else.

  22. @ChrisO
    Regarding 2, I think you are correct that you can’t have it both ways, fast ascent and furious attacks, with a truly clean group of riders. However, I think someone should have been able to get away on the climb. Andy seemed free multiple times, but he slowed down and waited it almost seemed. Perhaps he didn’t actually have the explosive kick, or he was more on his limit than he realized. Both Vandewelle and Sammy Sanchez escaped the group and put time into them. Could one of the Big 6 turned the screws tighter and gotten away? The elder Schleck did on Luz-Ardien.

    I conjecture people complaining about the lack of repeated attacks are actually more concerned about the lack of tactics. Not that I know much about tactics, but 2 > 1, right?

  23. Perhaps, like the “Velominatus of the week” jersey, currently held by “Drops you with a smile” Cyclops, we could have a “COTHO of the week” jersey, the form of which could be this or that.

    Slash, even Frandy manage better attacks than you.

  24. @Slash

    @CJ CJ, your reply is just drivel. I’m not new here. I’ve been reading the posts here for some time. I know that Frank likes to indulge his feminine sensibilities. He “just likes” some riders rather than others. Like a woman just likes flowers on Thursday, but chocolate on Saturday. A real man has reasons for his value judgments. Frank has none. He’s a bitch.

    You appear to have some real repressed shit going on here; on the one hand you seem to find Franks feminine sensibilities somewhat distasteful, yet on the the other, you say you’ve been lurking here for sometime. Do you get some sort of voyeuristic kick out of that which you find abhorrent?

  25. @RedRanger

    VSP be damned. I can only hope TV takes it all the way with riding like that.

    Yea, I pretty much missed out on all the VSP rankings, and TV seemed like a longshot in the company of the other “well established” GC contenders. However, he is still riding like he intends keep the MJ while the Schleck bros seem to think they are entitled to it because its their turn to win. I have been really impressed with the way his Eurocar team has ridden to protect the yellow. Can’t get enough of the Garmin success this year as they are my favorite team. My son is an HTC fan and he is liking Cavendish’s run of luck too. With 4 min off the pace, I don’t see AC making a comeback short of a major accident that forces everyone else to abandon the tour. At the end of the week its been a great Tour so far no matter what the outcome.

  26. @GottaRideToday
    Contador will take back ~30 seconds on Wednesday and more than 2 minutes on Thursday. Depending on how Cuddles fares, he might snatch a bit more on Friday, but I suspect we’ll see Evans crack at some point if Contador decides to up the pace dramatically.

    @Collin
    The most dynamic climber so far seems to be Voeckler. Fabulous on Luz Ardiden and he looked the strongest on le Plateau de Beille. I loved Harmon egging him on to attack, but he seemed to stay within himself and did what he needed to do. If he has anything left in the tank, I don’t see him sitting pat in the Alps. He’ll go for it (although I suspect he’ll blow up), which is what a champion should do.

  27. @Cyclops
    @Cyclops

    @xyxax
    Dude!? How can Rush be associated with COTHO? It should be and Axl Rose jersey if anything.

    It’s statements like these that have you wearing the V-jersey of the week. Strong work.

  28. I like Rush a lot, but would never, ever wear a Rush jersey. Or anything from Primal. Ever notice how strange most folks wearing a Rush t-shirt are? Or for that matter, a Tool t-shirt? I like both, but most of their fans are just a bit weird.

    Frank, I shout sometimes, but I chalk it up to being a JanKee; we like to argue in the northeast, or at least my southern friends tell me that I curse and argue too much.

    Where’d this slash fella come from and where has he gone? What a fucking waste of time to try and argue with a rather small group of cycling enthusiasts who generally get along but do enjoy some banter. I guess we have a COTHO in Le Tour and on the site? Jeez.

  29. @Cyclops
    In my rush (ahem) to get a Primal jersey, Rush was my least favorite on offer. I retract and give you this.

    A favorite Pavement lyric:

    what about the voice of geddy lee
    how did it get so high?
    i wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?
    (i know him and he does!)

  30. @xyxax

    @Cyclops
    In my rush (ahem) to get a Primal jersey, Rush was my least favorite on offer. I retract and give you this.

    That is so unbelievably wrong… Rule #14 and verging on Rule #19 infractions…

  31. @xyxax

    Perhaps, like the “Velominatus of the week” jersey, currently held by “Drops you with a smile” Cyclops, we could have a “COTHO of the week” jersey, the form of which could be this or that.

    So, you suppose that Rush jersey comes with a hit of blotter and a ‘lid’ of dirt weed with the packing slip?

  32. @Steampunk
    Sorry my response is so late. I swear I’m not a glutton for punishment. I’m stuck here. If I wore the pants in the family, we’d be gone by now. And, as I am a narcissistic whiner, I wouldn’t have anything to complain about if I lived in, say, San Diego, or on Lake Como. I wouldn’t be truly happy ’cause my life would be so much more awesomer.
    @G’phant
    I can’t find my month’s ago reference to Nanci Griffith, but I’m sure I mentioned I had college boy crush on her back in the 80’s. And while I’ve never been to Cleveland, I believe her completely.

    With regard to hills, I did most of my racing and training when I lived in Austin a lifetime ago (the same time I was crushing on Nanci G.). I like hills because they make you stronger precisely because you don’t have a choice. You have to climb if you want to ride. When you’re a flatlander, you (I) can give into personal weakness and stop laying down the V anytime I want. My only issues here are wind (not much), heat mixed with humidity (life threatening), and traffic (really life threatening). I could gently roll at 24km/h for the rest of my days in Houston, showing my mad skillz as a recovery ride specialist, sit up and beg on a department store mountain bike, and think I’m a cyclist. I have to get in my car and drive at least an hour each way to climb, unless I want to ride over highway overpasses and a ship causeway (which I do, but it’s not very aesthetically pleasing). So be thankful, in a masochistic sort of way.

  33. OK, gents, Tomorrow 7/19 the Shit Goes Down. No more Plateu de Bullshit; the road turns up in the Alpes, and by Merckx is my witness, we are gonna see The V in copious amounts.

    This article is particularly interesting. Weather might play a big factor. Hard men will survive, all the rest will be laid to waste. Gilbert? Could Jens make some titanic breakaway? Screw these “favorites” and even Voeklers “no way I can win” horse shit.

    Someone will go on The Alpe, and not like Sastre. It will be murderous. Not like Ventoux last year.

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/07/news/inside-the-tour-with-john-wilcockson-calm-before-the-alpine-storm_184705

  34. @Jonny
    If you can also find me an “I’m with C-nt” shirt in a women’s small, my next wedding anniversary gift planning is done.

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