Velominati Super Prestige: Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2014
This is the kick off of the VSP for women’s racing, though the women have already kicked it off with the Ronde van Drenthe in the Netherlands. Now it’s down to Northern Italy, Varese, by Lago Maggiore, but this is a climbers course, more in the mountains than by the lake. And yes, Sunday is also Gent-Wevelgem for women but Trofeo is part of the women’s World Cup so it is the race of choice (unless you are a sprinter who likes cobbles and wet Belgian weather).
If you fancy doing well in this year’s VSP then you had better be studying up on the women’s racing. Podiumcafé always has some well informed articles on women’s racing, in addition, velofocus is worth a visit. Last year’s winner was Elisa Longo Borghini. This year’s winner will have to be a strong climber, descender and if last week’s Milan-Sanremo’s weather was any indicator of anything, tough as nails.
If any well informed individual would like to submit a guest article on women’s professional racing in 2014, we, in the Velominati Super Bunker would be open to that. Lastly, we hate whiners, so if you get confused about your time zones and nap schedule, and miss placing your picks, Rule #5. Start list is here.
[vsp_results id=”29361″/]
VSP PICKS:
1. Amy Pieters
2. Marianne Vos
3. Elizabeth Armistead
4. Van Dijk
5. Borghini
VSP PICKS:
1. Lizzie Armistead
2. Marianne Vos
3. Amy Pieters
4. Anna Van Der Breggen
5. Emma Johansson
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Armistead
3. Pieters
4. Borghini
5. Van Dijk
Vsp
VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Vos
3. Amy Pieters
4. Moolman
5. Borghini
VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Vos
3. Borghini
4. van der Breggen
5. Olds
VSP PICKS:
1. stevens
2. borghini
3. van dijk
4. cromwell
5. Confalonieri
Okay. Bring out the strong women.
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Armistead
3. Van Dijk
4. Johansson
5. Borghini
VSP PICKS:
1. Borghini
2. Emma Johansson
3. Van Dijk
4. Annemiek Van Vleuten
5. Eveylyn Stevens
VSP PICKS:
1. Borghini
2. Emma Johansson
3. Van Dijk
4. Annemiek Van Vleuten
5. Evelyn Stevens
I’ve read the chicken bones, but I don’t know what they mean.
VSP PICKS:
1. Van Dijk
2. Vos
3. Armistead
4. Johansson
5. Van Vleuten
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Stevens
3. Armstead
4. Van Dijk
5. Johansson
VSP PICKS:
1. Johansson
2. Ratto
3. Van Dijk
4. Armitstead
5. Longo Borghini
VSP PICKS:
1. vos
2. johannson
3. borghini
4. van vleuten
5. van dijk
And again
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Longo Borghini
3. Armistead
4. Johannson
5. Van Dijk
VSP PICKS:
1. Emma Johansson
2. Elizabeth Armitstead
3. Marianne Vos
4. Elisa Longo Borghini
5. Claudia Hausler
VSP PICKS:
1. Longo Borghini
2. Van Vleuten
3. Johansson
4. Van Dijk
5. Moolman
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Evie Stevens
3. Borghini
4. Emma Jo
5. Emma Poo
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Johansson
3. Borghini
4. Armistead
5. Van dijk
@imakecircles
That’s not the startlist. Not sure what it is, but http://www.trofeobinda.com/images/2014/elenco%20partenti.pdf is the startlist they link from their site.
It says Vos isn’t starting.
Also they had an interview on their site with her saying how she loved the race, but she wasn’t going to be in it.
(And I’ll look like an idiot if I’m wrong.)
VSP PICKS:
1. Longo Borghini
2. Johansson
3. Van Dijk
4. Armistead
5. Stevens
1. Emma Johansson
2, Lizzy Armitstead
3. Alena Amialiusik
4. Anna van der Breggen
5. Ferrand Prevot
6. Elisa Longo Borghini (I mention number 6, since I had her winning…).
Emma Johansson, Armistead, Amialiusik
can’t find fourth and fifth
Ah, the Professor always knows.
Full results at http://www.pdcvds.com/results.php?mw=0&y=2014&event=229
4. Anna van der Breggen
5. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot
Great. Now I have something else to follow. And to get this right, this is going to need some attention.
I couldn’t find a feed which really sucks. Congrats to johansson!
@Yagerbomb takes the first race for the VVomen; I have a feeling the women’s races will be a determining factor for the overall.
I wonder how many of the usual flurry of early season interlopers will be here until the leaves begin to fall…
A new bike might be the carrot some to stay.
Random picks generate random results. Tatiana Guderzo did not place? Ouch.
@Gianni or in my case almost no results. Maybe I get to keep my lantern rouge for another week.
@Ron are you serious?? I bow to your Black Velominatus status and I am an infrequent visitor to this space (I have many demands on my time in Real Life), but I feel moved to respond to your apparently elitist remark. Maybe, just maybe, some of these ‘interlopers’ will find something and discover that they “Couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this community.” and if they then find that” It’s taken me under its wing and transformed me from a biker to a cyclist!” this community may continue to thrive.
@UptheTrossachs
I’m shocked — shocked! — to find that anyone would call this place elitist.
@andrew not the place, the remark, or posting….
Fuck, bollox, bugger . Offline for a week only to realise I’ve double Delgado’d. The shame of it.
@UptheTrossachs
Well, to be fair, the Strada iR all painted up in VM colors was shipped off to the winner after the TdF last season and we (the community) haven’t seen it, or the winner since. So I wouldn’t call @Ron’s remarks elitist, so much as honest. That and Ron is probably the least elitist of any of the regulars around these parts.
@UptheTrossachs
I wouldn’t so much as call them interlopers as much as freakin’ astute bastards. Damn, could I be more off in my picks? These VSP picks, though are much more fun than that bracket thingy that everyone (re: the fat people) are talking about.
Gotta go drink some champagne now…
Ctips are doing some nice first person articles from riders on the Womens tour http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/03/inside-line-tiffany-cromwells-trofeo-alfredo-binda/
@scaler911
Exactly, would be nice to see how the frame looks built up and what its running.
Photos and a report isnt too much to ask.
Hence I agree with @Ron
@Beers Thanks for that. Interesting reading and great images.
@UptheTrossachs
First of all, the lads who really put in the work here, both physically and creatively, are the true chaps deserving of a thanks and all the credit. They could very easily tell me I’m not a welcome member and to go get F.ed. Big Frank, Gianni, Marko, Bretto, they’re the ones perpetually riding with their noses in the wind.
Let us picture it this way – say you are a member of a cycling club. Most members ride every Sunday, rain or shine, winter or summer. A few riders show up at the Cabin Fever party, where there are free Hot Toddies on offer after the rider. (an elitist drink, for an elitist club, right?) The next time you see them is the Giro kick off ride, where there is free Grappa for post-ride recovery. You don’t hear from them the rest of the year, unless they need to borrow your BB30 tool.
I don’t know enough in comparison to the true resident experts here, the ones who been riding and racing and wrenching for years and years, to be shutting the door on anyone. New riders in the pack is always cool, but if they only contribute when there are prizes on offer, it makes their participation seem a little less noble, eh?
As for this demands on your time in “Real Life” I’d say, see Rule #11. Then consider that for most of us, there is no real life without cycling, as they’re impossible to delineate.
That is just how I see things. Other community members might feel wholly different. But, I’ve never been one to bite my tongue when I feel like something fucky is going on.
scaler911 & Barracuda – thank you for what I’d call gettin’ a B. (getting a pal’s back when he’s about to be blindsided) I appreciate you having the wisdom to discern my intent.
@UptheTrossachs
First of all, the lads who really put in the work here, both physically and creatively, are the true chaps deserving of a thanks and all the credit. They could very easily tell me I’m not a welcome member and to go get F.ed. Big Frank, Gianni, Marko, Bretto, they’re the ones perpetually riding with their noses in the wind.
Let us picture it this way – say you are a member of a cycling club. Most members ride every Sunday, rain or shine, winter or summer. A few riders show up at the Cabin Fever party, where there are free Hot Toddies on offer after the rider. (an elitist drink, for an elitist club, right?) The next time you see them is the Giro kick off ride, where there is free Grappa for post-ride recovery. You don’t hear from them the rest of the year, unless they need to borrow your BB30 tool.
I don’t know enough in comparison to the true resident experts here, the ones who been riding and racing and wrenching for years and years, to be shutting the door on anyone. New riders in the pack is always cool, but if they only contribute when there are prizes on offer, it makes their participation seem a little less noble, eh?
As for this demands on your time in “Real Life,” I’d say see Rule #11. Then consider that for most of us, there is no real life without cycling, as they’re impossible to delineate. Plus, it’s easily the most incredible VSP of all time!
That is just how I see things. Other community members might feel wholly different. But, I’ve never been one to bite my tongue when I feel like something fucky is going on.
scaler911 & Barracuda – thank you for what I’d call gettin’ a B. (getting a pal’s back when he’s about to be blindsided) I appreciate you having the wisdom to discern my intent.
@Ron I see where you are coming from – it’s very understandable and I agree, it grates a little.
However I think its fair to say that we i.e. the regular ‘community’ don’t come here for prizes or even for the VSP.
It’s shit and giggles on the internet innit, and as long as the community continues to be what it is and contribute in the same spirit then who gives a toss if some people want to do a smash and grab raid.
To take your analogy, if you had 52 weeks of great riding with those people in your cycling club and someone on a mailing list turns up twice a year for a drink, well who got the better end of the deal, and did you lose anything by it ?
Having said that I would support a return to simpler prizes as a way to avoid or at least mitigate this issue.
It was more in the spirit of the thing and the place when we were competing for token souvenirs than for real swag.
There are plenty of ‘real’ fantasy cycling competitions out there if sponsors want to get promotion.
ChrisO – a very intelligent response. Thanks for that! A smart way to look at things, and to go through life – nope, I’m not losing anything, so why worry? Right, I’ll happily get worked up over just a shop apron and the fun is all in the community energy. Thank you for re-indexing my mental shifter.
@ChrisO
Wow! I thought that I was the only one who felt this way (and perhaps I am misreading you, ChrisO!). With huge kuddos to the sponsors and their amazing generosity (and never having won anything and not having fuck alls chance of ever doing so with my murky, cloudy crsytal ball) I do not like the feel of prizes. Seems to sully the overall feel of the competetion. Makes it too materialist.
But then again, I am a weird fuck with REALLY weird ideas so what the fuck do I know???
Besides, it’s play if you want to, don’t if you don’t and I have no problem if someone stumbles by, wins the whole thing outright and never posts once.
@Buck Rogers
Buck, ChrisO, this ^ the interweb has no rules but this site has a vibe that keeps the boil down to a simmer so that great discussion and fun times roll out almost every day. There is no bad in the sometime/onetime poster coming just for the big Magilla (Vagilla?)… In fact now that I have squeaked on to the leader board I’m hoping to pass BoomBoom84 and Xyxax by the grand tours. I need a new N-1!
Just a note to those not Cogally exposed to Buck – He is NOT weird, just the opposite, probably the most normal of human beings to ride amongst us and that includes the totally warped sense of humor!
@Rob
[ Nacho Libre voice ] “All those things you just said (about Buck) are all the same things I would say about me (unversio). Normal and warped…”
@unversio
Si Se̱or, does this not apply most here?@Rob
Yaaesss
@ChrisO
I wouldn’t describe the VSP Champions Shop Apron as a token souvenir more like highly sought after trophy and in my case prized possession.
That being said I don’t disagree with you but damn that Veloforma is one sweet ride.