Velominati Super Prestige: Il Lombardia 2013
Il Lombardia, this is the race of the fallen leaves. This fall classic is a beautiful race in a beautiful region of Italy. The arduous route may change year to year but what does not change is the Italian need to win this thing. There is some national pride at stake here after the Italian men finished off the podium in Firenze. Bergamo to Lecco, 242 km, with five equally spaced climbs between the two. This is the final Monument of the 2013 season, directly on the heels of the World Championships. Purito won the 2012 edition of Il Lombardia and will be energized to win again after his crushing loss in the Worlds. Paulo Bettini won the race in his rainbow jersey, Rui Costa can’t be counted out not to do the same.
Many racers have already shut it down for the season. Finding great form in October is not for everyone. Yet peaking for the World Championships and Il Lombardia has been on the calendar for many of the puncheurs and strong climbers. And many others will be climbing off at the first feed zone, pulling into the Milano Malpensa airport before the race is over.
Yes this is a brutal race often won by a lone rider. Climbing, descending, good bike handling a must when the forecast calls for possible rain (yes it does again this year).
The toughest climb is in the middle of the day.
A few hundred meters after crossing Maglio the race turns to the left into the Muro di Sormano (Sormano Wall) (2 km at 15%) on a narrow and very steep (recently repaired) road, partly running through a grove, featuring steep u-bends and gradients at time exceeding 25% and even coming close to 30% around meter 1.000 of the route.
That should separate the contenders from those dismounting at the second feed zone on the course. The climbs of Madonna del Ghisallo and Villa Vergano are waiting then a final 3 km flat run into Lecco ends it. A proper start list is not yet available as the director sportifs are still calling in the unwilling domestiques to fill out their rosters but for now this will have to do. Good luck and good picking.
Here is a possible video link.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
I’m picking a showdown between the 2 strongest riders from Florence. Costa will still be hungover.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Purito Rodriguez
3. Ulissi
4. Visconti
5. Santaromita
VSP PICKS:
1. JoaquÃm RodrÃguez Oliver
2. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
3. Rigoberto Uran
4. Alberto Contador Velasco
5. Damiano Cunego
All Italian selection for me.
VSP PICKS:
1. Ivan Santaromita
2. Rui Costa
3. Giampaolo Caruso
4. Ivan Basso
5. Vincenzo Nibali
Except for Costa of course
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali, V
2. Rodriguez, J
3. Costa, R
4. Ulissi, D
5. Henao, S
Not sure of order yet but this will do for a start!
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Nibbles
3. Valverde
4. Gilbert
5. Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gilbert
3. Nibali
4. Costa
5. Uran
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Gilbert
3. J-Rod
4. Nibali
5. Kwiatkowski
This is gonna be good!! Complete with exclusive back-story pics from @Pedale.Forchetta
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Nibali
3. Costa
4. Gilbert
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Uran
3. Pozzovivo
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Froome
VSP PICKS:
1. Costa
2. Rodriquez
3. Nibali
4. Valverde
5. Martin
Italian grudge match
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Rodriguez
3. Scarponi
4. Sagan
5. Pozzovivo
VSP PICKS:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Nicolas Roche
4. Nairo Quintana
5. Rigoberto Uran Uran
5 men who would be quite motivated after last week I would think.
VSP PICKS:
1. His Nibs
2. J-Rod
3. Hungry Like the Wolf
4. Faboo
5. Sags
VSP PICKS:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Jan Bakelants
3. Juaquim Rodriguez
4. Rigoberto Uran
5. Damiano Cunego
VSP PICKS:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Joaquin Rodriguez
3. Bauke Mollema
4. Carlos Betancur
5. Dan Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Greg Van Avermaet
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Sylvain Chavanel
4. Jan Bakelants
5. Bauke Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. Juaquim Rodriguez
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Simon Clarke
4. Warren Barguil
5. Rigoberto Uran
VSP PICKS:
1. Rigoberto Uran
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Vincenzo Nibali
4. Philippe Gilbert
5. Nairo Quintana
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Nibali
3. Uran
4. Valverde
5. Costa
IPA has increased my clarity of mind so I must change my picks slightly.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali, V
2. Rodriguez, J
3. Sagan, P
4. Costa, R
5. Ulissi, D
I think Nibbles wants another win bad
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Visconti
3. Mollema
4. Sagan
5. Cunego
VSP PICKS:
1. Rui Costa
2. Rodriguez
3. Nibali
4. Roche
5. Uran
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Nibali
3. Cunego
4. Sagan
5. J Rod
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodders
2. Nibbles
3. Phil Gill
4. Costa Rica
5. Uran Duran
VSP PICKS:
1. Robert Gesink
2. Simon Clarke
3. Rigaberto Uran
4. Nairo Quintana
5. Dan Martin
Weather forecast are awful for Sunday, I think we’ll have another hard edition…
VSP PICKS:
1. j Rodriguez
2. Uran
3. Rui Costa
4. gilbert
5. nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Rigoberto Uran
3. Carlos Bettancur
4. Joaquin Rodriguez
5. Rui Costa
VSP PICKS:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Rigoberto Uran
3. Carlos Betancur
4. Joaquin Rodriguez
5. Rui Costa
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. Costa
5. Ulissi
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. Rui Costa
5. Ulissi
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Ulissi
3. Purito
4. Sagan
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Nibali
3. Peter Sagan
4. Gilbert
5. Gesink
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez, J
2. Nibali
3. Costa
4. Quintana
5. Uran
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez, J
2. Nibali
3. Rui Costa
4. Quintana
5. Uran
Here goes nothing, as usual…
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. J-Rod
3. Betancur
4. Sagan
5. Voeckler
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Costa
3. Nibali
4. Voeckler
5. Cancellara
Step climb and a descent to the line, this should have Costa written all over it….Having said that, I read someone already mention he’ll still be hungover and I think you might be right. Plus J-Rod will be super motivated and not have Piti-ful to “help” him on the final ramp and descent.
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodrigez
2. Riggaberto Uran
3. Vencenzo Nibali
4. Rui Costa
5. Nairo Qunitana
@Pedale.Forchetta
to quote Monty Burns, eeeexcellent!
VSP PICKS:
1. V. Nibali
2. Purito
3. D. Martin
4. J. Fuglsang
5. R. Uran
What do you think the over/under would be for people actually finishing this race?
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Martin
3. Rodriguez
4. Uran
5. Scarponi
VSP PICKS:
1. Rigoberto Uran
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. JoaquÃm RodrÃguez
5. Kwiatkowski
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Niballi
3. Rodriguez
4. Valverde
5. Costa
I think I’m going to have to pick the Colombian rider every for every VSP from now on… how can’t you with a name like his. Hopefully Lampre didn’t pick him for his name alone. I think that the top 5 will be one of these, haven’t decided on the exact order, though.
VSP PICKS:
1. Contador
2. Nibali
3. Martin
4. Gilbert
5. Winner Anacona
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Pozzovivo
3. Nibali
4. Rui Costa
5. Dan Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Quintana
2. Betancur
3. Schleck
4. Uran
5. Chavanel
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. D Moreno
3. Ulissi
4. Nib
5. Majka
Really curious how Martin and Roche are going to fare on Sunday especially if it pours. Not curious enough to change my picks though.