Velominati Super Prestige: Vuelta a España 2012

Nibbles wins the 2010 edition of the Vuelta. Photo: Cyclesport Mag

One of the loveliest things about the Grand Tours is that you get a feel, by the nature of the route, of the country’s landscape and physical qualities. Italy is littered with mountains and coasts, France is bordered by mountains with large swaths of open landscape throughout, and Spain is like Tatooine; mostly desert with some rocky outcroppings. I might be oversimplifying here, but it seems like every edition of the Vuelta features a week or two of riders cutting through open desert on a freeway and then finishing it off with some climbs that require a buzz-saw gear to get up. Of the three Tours, this one is my least favorite, but it’s a bike race and I loves me a bike race.

The Vuelta also stands apart as being the event which generally decides the Velominati Super Prestige GC and the personalized Shop Apron that goes with it; in past editions, we’ve even had newcomers to the event debut at the Vuelta and win the overall, as was the case last year with @Nate’s performance. Unless I have that wrong, in which case I don’t really care. The important point here is that even though there is less interest in this event than others, it matters quite a bit to the year-long VSP, so you better be paying attention, corporal.

No fancy prizes on offer as we did at the Tour, but we do have our customary Symbol Pack up for grabs, in addition to second and third places winning a pair of Handlebar Cufflinks each when they come available in a few weeks. So, check the race details, get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero (5am Pacific time on Saturday), and buckle in for the ride. Regular GT VSP rules apply. Good luck.

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411 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Vuelta a España 2012”

  1. I think tired as he might be with the support of Uran Sky may well again prove dominant…but also suspect the Froomedog has been a little overhyped, it has been a long season for him.  Contador has a lot to prove on his return and the sheer number of mountaintop finishes on home soil will probably give him the edge..I am banking Uran works hard and Froome drags him to the end in the top 5 and Cobo will ultimately try and make his double but fail in the face of too much talent and the organisational ability of Sky..

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Clenbutador
    2. Froomedog
    3. Rodriguez
    4. Uran
    5. Cobo

  2. With a name like “Winner” and as a Colombian climber, he must be good… so I’m tempted to go with Lampre-ISD’s Winner Anacona Gomez.  At least that is how he is listed on the CN startlist.  But his last name is Winner at the Lampre website.  Either way, he has the name. Nonetheless, I just can’t go with a neo-pro.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Froome
    2. Purito
    3. Contador
    4. Igor Anton
    5. Maxime Monfort

  3. @frank

    Last year was certainly my first full season VSP.  @Marcus found my performance at the Vuelta remarkable for reasons other than rookie-ness however.

  4. Bertie’s coming back with a vengeance

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Contadorrrrr
    2. Froome
    3. Purito
    4. Kreuziger
    5. Boom

  5. For whatever reason I’m not allowed to choose Ryder 5 times, so I gave some other lesser beings the benefit of the doubt in the spirit of diversity.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Hesjedal
    2. Contador
    3. Froome
    4. Joaquim RODRIGUEZ
    5. Cobo

  6. VSP PICKS:

    1. Contador
    2. Froome
    3. Van den Broeck
    4. Rodriguez
    5. De Gendt

  7. @TBONE

    For whatever reason I’m not allowed to choose Ryder 5 times, so I gave some other lesser beings the benefit of the doubt in the spirit of diversity.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Hesjedal
    2. Contador
    3. Froome
    4. Joaquim RODRIGUEZ
    5. Cobo

    You might want to check the start list there, my friend.

  8. I’m picking that an unrestrained Froome will go nuts. And something will be fishy if Contador can outclimb the world’s best climber after 6 months off, regardless of how many miles Froome has in his legs.

    Likewise, I doubt we’ll see much from Cobo, now that WADA will be watching him like a hawk. So Valverde should be the Movistar leader, regardless of what their press release says.

    Anton always falls off. Roche and Gadret will fight. Uran and Henao will obediently toe the Sky line.

    Unfortunately, no room for Talansky, Gesink or Cunego. So my top 5 is pretty much the same as everyone elses.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Froome
    2. Contador
    3. Purito
    4. van den Broeck
    5. Valverde

  9. @Bianchi Denti

    Are you serious? If Froome even finishes this race, there’s your fishy. That guy must be toast right now. Contador is fresh and has been doing the work, so he will be raring to go. And he’s a real proper climber.

  10. I wouldn’t normally pick Clenbutador even if there was nobody else in the race, such is my loathing for him.  But my VSP standing is shamefully low so I’m turning into a points-whore.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Clenbutador
    2. Cobo
    3. Purito
    4. Uran
    5. Valverde

  11. VSP PICKS:

    1. Alberto Contador
    2. Christopher Froome
    3. Joaquim Rodríguez
    4. Juan Jose Cobo
    5. Igor Anton

  12. Unlike in the Tour I’m going to place my bet on the guy that I think is going to win – screw this playing mind games with Fortuna.

    By the evidence of my own eyes Gilbackwards can climb a hill when he wants to.

    Flecha gets in there because if Sky can get Vroom on the top step at least one other Sky rider will work closely enough to get up there too – its Spain so why not Flecha? They watch satellite TV there too.

    It’s a shame that Soupe isn’t more competitive because then we’d have much better punning opportunities.

    I notice that Jesus is riding for Andalucia…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Va Va Froome
    2. C*ntador
    3. Gilbackwards
    4. Thomas De Went And Got Me Points
    5. Norman Stanley Flecha

  13. Nothing original, but daddy needs some points.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cothodor
    2. J-Rod
    3. Froome
    4. De Gendt
    5. Cobo

  14. @frank hmmm, my picks didn’t post but they’re showing up in the boxes when I refresh the page as if they’ve been entered & saved. I’ve no doubt the cause is the shocking browser my work IT dept foists upon us but can I get you to check if they’ve registered?

  15. My only prediction is that Contador won’t be as good as he has been; if he is he’ll get popped but it will be at another race, not this one.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Contador
    2. Froome
    3. Lars Boom
    4. Menchov
    5. Van Den Broeck

  16. Whatever…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Contadouche
    2. Froome-dog
    3. Jay-Rod
    4. Cobo the Clown
    5. de Gendt

  17. Going with the bookies this time.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Alberto Contador
    2. Chris Froome
    3. Joaquim Rodriguez
    4. Juan Jose Cobo
    5. Igor Anton

  18. This is a lot of work for Froome the Tour, the Olympics and on the podium in the Vuelta well see I have my doubts.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. A. Contador
    2. J. Rod
    3. De Gendt
    4. Froome
    5. JJ Cobo

  19. @Anais Ninja – awesome handle!

    @minion

    My only prediction is that Contador won’t be as good as he has been; if he is he’ll get popped but it will be at another race, not this one.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Contador
    2. Froome
    3. Lars Boom
    4. Menchov
    5. Van Den Broeck

    Genius! By the time WADA, USADA, CANADA or whoever suspend him, you’ll already have your apron!

    @brett @Steampunk

    Maybe the old Alberto was the greatest climber. But the new Alberto was outclimbed by Cuddles in the 2011 TdF (the last big race he contested).

  20. VSP PICKS:

    1. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER
    2. CONTADOR VELASCO
    3. BALLAN
    4. TERPSTRA
    5. HENAO MONTOYA

  21. @frank I’m having the same issue as @Mikael Liddy…..could you please let me know if I need to re-register or something? Thank you, mate  I appreciate it!

  22. @Bianchi Denti

    @brett @Steampunk

    Maybe the old Alberto was the greatest climber. But the new Alberto was outclimbed by Cuddles in the 2011 TdF (the last big race he contested).

    It’s probably worth remembering he already had a Giro in his legs at that point…

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