Velominati Super Prestige

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. Gilbert
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Valverde
    4. Kreuzinger
    5. Rodriguez

  2. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Voeckler
    4. van Poppel
    5. Rodríguez

  3. Ah, to hell with it – if he falls off, it will all be my fault, but I love him, so revision to supremo required

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Geraint
    2. Dirty Valverde
    3. Kwitakowski
    4. Fast Phil
    5. Prince Roman

  5. @Gianni

    @Buck Rogers

    @xyxax

    @Steampunk

    As with most of my “contributions” here, there applies the political dictum, “if you’re explaining, you’re losing.”

    Frahnk and Gianni are going to kick your a$$ when they see these monikers and try to figure them out. But, if I am not mistaken, picks 2-5 are explaining your pick 1 and you will repost your real picks when Oddschecker finalizes the odds??? (Smiley face here)

    Frank has fled the interview so I will be cursing everybody, because I can. Abandy? Someone is picking Abandy? Dude. That is deep.

    Gianni is this guy for Amstel Gold. Don’t play him like that.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd7FixvoKBw

  6. I think Katowa is gonna be hard to beat in the Ardennes. As will C-dale. Gilbert will be there too but without a team. Cheers.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Q-tipblutowski
    2. Knee ball ee
    3. Jill bear
    4. J-J-Rod
    5. Valve air day

  7. VSP PICKS:

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

  8. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Valverde
    4. Slaughter
    5. F Schleck

  9. VSP PICKS:

    1. VALVERDE, Alejandro
    2. CUNEGO, Damiano
    3. KWIATKOWSKI, Michal
    4. MATTHEWS, Michael
    5. SWIFT, Ben

  10. I have no idea on this one. Just the tea leaves and a good IPA.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. J Rod
    3. Giblets
    4. Gerrans
    5. Kwiatkowski

  12. VSP PICKS:

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

  13. VSP PICKS:

    1. Geraint Thomas
    2. Philippe Gilbert
    3. Greg Van Avermaet
    4. Michal Kwiatkowski
    5. Andy Schleck

  15. VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwiatkowski
    2. Valverde
    3. Purito
    4. Phil Gilbert
    5. B. Mollema

  16. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Gilbert
    4. Ten Dam
    5. Gerrans

  17. VSP PICKS:

    1. Alejandro Valverde
    2. Joaquin Rodriguez
    3. Phillip Gilbert
    4. Roman Kreuziger
    5. Vincenzo Nibali

  18. VSP PICKS:

    1. Michal Kwiatkowski
    2. Alejandro Valverde
    3. Simon Gerrans
    4. Tom Jelte Slagter
    5. Philippe Gilbert

  19. VSP PICKS:

    1. Ben Swift
    2. Alejandro Valverde
    3. Philippe Gilbert
    4. Tom Jelte Slagter
    5. Bauke Mollema

  20. VSP PICKS:

    1. Stybar
    2. Nibali
    3. Kwiatkowski
    4. Fränk Schleck
    5. Gilbert

  21. Need to stock up on beer now…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. kwiatkowski
    2. gilbert
    3. rodriguez
    4. gerrans
    5. slagter

  25. Goin old school on this one… Rebellin to do a Vino.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Rebellin
    2. Cunego
    3. Gilbert
    4. Valverde
    5. T5

  28. VSP PICKS:

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

  29. VSP PICKS:

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

  30. VSP PICKS:

    1. Philippe Gilbert
    2. Alejandro Valverde
    3. Michal Kwiatkowski
    4. Simon Gerrans
    5. Ben Swift

  31. I had to hot wire the VSP generator to take that little doper Rebellin’s name. It gagged on it so I opened a 2 liter bottle of Old Horse Buns Strong Ale and poured it down the generator’s input punch card slot.

  32. VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwiatkowski, Michal
    2. Valverde, Alejandro
    3. Costa, Rui
    4. Leuekemans, Bjorn
    5. Kreuziger, Roman

  34. Picking Piti always makes me feel dirty.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Alejandro Valverde
    2. Michal Kwiatkowski
    3. Philippe Gilbert
    4. Joaquím Rodríguez
    5. Roman Kreuziger

  35. VSP PICKS:

    1. Bauke Mollema
    2. Jurgen Van Den Broeck
    3. Roman Kreuziger
    4. Philippe Gilbert
    5. Michal Kwiatkowski

  36. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Valverde
    4. Slagter
    5. G.Thomas

  37. @Gianni  that’s an old school solution to an old school tech problem, nice! Brett let us know how that pick works out for you?

    I’m in with my usual mojo shagadelic catfadillac picks and hope I can stay on at least the second step of the podium one more week before my idiot karma catches up with me…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Rodriguez
    3. Valverde
    4. Martin
    5. Avermaet

  38. Merckx help me but here we are. If I don’t have any Amstel, is a local pale ale an appropriate substitute for Easter morning drinkery?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Van Avermaet
    2. Kwiatkowski
    3. Thomas
    4. PhilGil
    5. Haas

  39. Shuffle up the picks a bit. Minus Gilbert (I don’t care what everyone says, including Oddschecker.com) and add Ben Swift (Has had a good spring and looked great in San Remo).

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Alejandro Valverde
    2. Michal Kwiatkowski
    3. Simon Gerrans
    4. Ben Swift
    5. Tom Slagter

  40. First guessing and now second guessing

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde, Alejandro
    2. Michal Kwiatkowski
    3. Gilbert, Phil
    4. Slagter, TJ
    5. Gerrans, Simon

  41. It’s getting close!

    VSP PICKS:

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

  42. VSP PICKS:

    1. A Valverde
    2. G Thomas
    3. P Gilbert
    4. R Kreuziger
    5. S Gerrans

  45. Me needs me some new carbon hoops

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwiatkowski
    2. Gilbert
    3. Valverde
    4. Thomas Geraint
    5. Gerrans

  46. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gerrans
    2. Alejandro Valverde
    3. Kwiatkowski
    4. Gilbert
    5. Ben Swift

  47. I had sworn off Malmerde but I need the points. I believe not one person (OK, maybe a few?) has chosen a Schleck in this VSP, how far their stock has fallen. And if you did pick a Schleck, you will get burned. It’s time for Johnny Hoogerland to get back to it. I’m putting him in for fifth.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. malmerde
    2. gilbert
    3. kwiakowski
    4. laurens ten Dam
    5. hoogerland

  49. Han Raas is a pimp.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Kwiatikowski
    2. Gilbert
    3. J rod
    4. Gerrans
    5. Slagter

  50. Time PhilGil re asserted himself.

    I am anticipating these picks will result in my humiliation, but consoling myself with the thought that the humiliation will be less than that which would come from a Delgado. Probably.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. PhilGil
    2. Purito
    3. Kwiatkowski
    4. Swift
    5. Kreuziger

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