The Velominati Super Prestige is a season-long competition wherein readers will be submitting their predictions for the top five finishers of each qualifying race. In order to qualify, your picks via the VSP Picks form above the posts section of the VSP Event article pertaining to the race in question by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight on the day of the race start. These articles are clearly marked and are generally posted at least 72 hours in advance of each event. The current leader of the competition has the honor of posting on the site bearing the VSP Leader’s badge; winners of select races (the monuments and Grand Tours) similarly gain the honor of posting with a dedicated badge for the remainder of the year. Prizes may be given for key events; these prizes will be announced on the associated VSP Event. Points will be tallied as the season progresses and the winner will be announced after Paris-Tours. Prizes to be determined.
Readers who wish to enter shall enter their predictions for the top five placings of each race by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on the day of the race. Regular Points Points will be scored in reverse order of finishing order: 7 points for first place, 5 points for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, and 2 for fifth. Readers will also earn 1 bonus point for every other rider named in the top five, regardless of the rider’s placing, but riders are not scored twice. Tie Breaking In the event of a tie, the first reader to submit their predictions will be named the winner.
Readers who wish to enter shall enter their predictions for the top five placings on General Classification of each Grand Tour by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on the day of the first stage or prologue. Points Points will be scored as follows based on the final G.C of the race: 20 points for first place, 15 for second, 10 for third, 7 for fourth, and 5 for fifth; plus 3 points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing, but riders are not scored twice. Changing of the Picks* Contestants are allowed to make line up changes on one of the rest days of the Grand Tours but not both. These changes will come with a point penalty. You will be allotted one (1) rest day to make swaps in grand tours; you may pick either the first or second rest day. The penalties for swapping will be lower for the first rest day than the second. This will allow you to swap out a rider(s) who gets caught in some first week nervousness with a 5 point penalty for each swap. Or make some go for broke/doomed to fail break-away swap on the second rest day for a 10 point penalty for each swap. That’s it. You make one swap or five on either rest day for the corresponding 5 or 10 point penalty per swap. Additionally, if one of your riders crashes out, DNF’s, or DNS’s, you may swap them out on a rest day with corresponding penalties if you haven’t already used up your one rest day swap. Tie Breaking In the event of a tie, the first reader to submit their predictions will be named the winner. Minor Stages We will be posting VSP’s for minor stages as well. Scoring is similar to one-day racing, except no bonus points are in play for getting the rider in the wrong placing.
Readers who wish to enter shall enter their predictions for the top five placings on General Classification of each Minor Stage Race (less than three weeks) by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on the day of the first stage or prologue. Regular Points Points will be scored in reverse order of finishing order: 10 points for first place, 8 for second, 7 for third, 5 for fourth, and 3 for fifth; plus two bonus points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing, but riders are not scored twice. Tie Breaking In the event of a tie, the first reader to submit their predictions will be named the winner.
The following badges will be worn by current leaders of the competition and sub-competitions:
| Overall Super Prestige Leader: | ||
| Milano Sanremo: | ||
| VVomen’s Ronde van Vlaanderen: | ||
| Men’s Ronde van Vlaanderen: | ||
| Paris-Roubaix: | ||
| Leige-Bastogne-Liege: | ||
| Giro d’Italia Leader: | ||
| Giro Rosa Leader: | ||
| Tour de France Leader: | ||
| Vuelta a Espana Leader: | ||
| Giro di Lombardia: | ||
| Overal Super Prestige Lanterne Rouge: |
Start | End | Event | Race Website |
| 18.03.2017 | 18.03.2017 | Milano-Sanremo | www.milanosanremo.it |
| 26.03.2017 | 26.03.2017 | Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields | www.gent-wevelgem.be |
| 02.04.2017 | 02.04.2017 | Ronde van Vlaanderen – Tour des Flandres | www.flandersclassics.be |
| 09.04.2017 | 09.04.2017 | Paris-Roubaix | www.letour.fr |
| 16.04.2017 | 16.04.2017 | Amstel Gold Race | www.amstelgoldrace.nl |
| 19.04.2017 | 19.04.2017 | La Flèche Wallonne | www.letour.fr |
| 23.04.2017 | 23.04.2017 | Liège-Bastogne-Liège | www.letour.fr |
| 05.05.2017 | 28.05.2017 | Giro d’Italia | www.giroditalia.it |
| 04.06.2017 | 11.06.2017 | Critérium du Dauphiné | www.letour.fr |
| 10.06.2017 | 18.06.2017 | Tour de Suisse | www.tds.ch |
| 01.07.2017 | 23.07.2017 | Tour de France | www.letour.fr |
| 29.07.2017 | 29.07.2017 | Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian | www.klasikoa.net |
| 19.08.2017 | 10.09.2017 | La Vuelta ciclista a España | lavuelta.com |
| 08.09.2017 | 08.09.2017 | Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec | www.gpcqm.ca |
| 10.09.2017 | 10.09.2017 | Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal | www.gpcqm.ca |
| 20.09.2017 | 20.09.2017 | Mens World Championship Time Trial | |
| 24.09.2017 | 24.09.2017 | Mens World Championship Road Race | |
| 07.10.2017 | 07.10.2017 | Il Lombardia | www.illombardia.it |
Start | End | Event | Race Website |
| 26.03.2017 | 26.03.2017 | Gent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields | www.gent-wevelgem.be |
| 02.04.2017 | 02.04.2017 | Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres | www.flandersclassics.be |
| 16.04.2017 | 16.04.2017 | Amstel Gold Race | info@amstelgoldrace.nl |
| 19.04.2017 | 19.04.2017 | La Flèche Wallonne Féminine | www.letour.fr |
| 23.04.2017 | 23.04.2017 | Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes | www.letour.fr et www.pesantliege.be |
| 30.06.2017 | 09.07.2017 | Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile | |
| 20.07.2017 | 20.07.2017 | La Course by Le Tour de France | www.letour.fr |
| 29.07.2017 | 29.07.2017 | Prudential RideLondon Classique | www.ridelondon.co.uk/events/classique |
| 17.08.2017 | 20.08.2017 | Ladies Tour of Norway | www.ladiestour.no |
| 26.08.2017 | 26.08.2017 | GP de Plouay – Lorient Agglomération | www.grandprix-plouay.com |
| 29.08.2017 | 03.09.2017 | Boels Rental Ladies Tour | www.hollandladiestour.nl |
| 10.09.2017 | 10.09.2017 | Madrid Challenge by la Vuelta | lavuelta.com/Madridchallenge |
| 19.09.2017 | 19.09.2017 | Womens World Championship Time Trial | |
| 23.09.2017 | 23.09.2017 | Womens World Championship Road Race |
[vsp_gc year=”2017″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2016″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2015″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2014″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2013″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2012″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2011″/]
2010 VSP G.C.
*The Changing of the Picks rules are designed to promote fair play and keep the competition fun and open throughout the three-week race. Abuse of these rules will be managed through the “Piti Principle”: if we we feel you are attempting to exploit loopholes or otherwise take advantage of the Changing of the Picks rules, we will penalize you by deducting points from your total score. Much like the UCI doping suspensions, the amount of points deducted will be based on how egregious the abuse was.
View Comments
@KogaLover
Ah, that is correct. Unfortunately for Tom D, mechanicals and unintentional moto drafting are a part of the sport. Roglic can't be blamed for drafting since he had no choice. Also, it is difficult to blame the moto because it is difficult to get out of the way.
Roglic got a benefit but everyone in the peloton knows that trick. Roglic was the one who attacked but Tom D had the same opportunity.
@Rick
Yes, the stage to Mur de Bretagne. Could Tom D have won the Tour without that mechanical? Very possible.
Too many motos. If the UCI were interested in stopping moto-drafting or moto related crashes they'd do something. But clearly, they are not.
@RobSandy
Without motos there would be limited or no TV coverage.
@Rick
It's worth noting that when Roglič had gained a gap of about 10 seconds, they put a camera moto in front of the Dumoulin group as well. David Millar went nuts about it on the ITV commentary, from a safety more than a drafting standpoint, so he was very bemused when Dumoulin had a moan after the stage.
@mulebeatsdrums
Thanks for the info. I think Tom D's frustration was misplaced.
@Rick
Yeah, same. He was in a much better mood after the TT today.
Despite Sky's continued dominance of the TdF, this has been a rather surprising race. Congrats to G Thomas, who I am glad is the winner if it has to be Sky.
Things that were predictable:
Porte crashing out.
Dan Martin attacking for no apparent reason. He has, however, been named the super combatant for this year's edition of the TdF.
Sagan winning the Green Jersey. This was not without some drama, however. Kudos to Peter for enduring what must have been a massive sufferfest on Stage 19.
Team Movistar's lack of results while working for three captains. This never works out but they did capture the team classification.
Fan's negative reaction to Team Sky.
Surprises:
Lawson Craddock finishing. This year's Lanterne Rouge was first in courage! This is why cycling is special.
G Thomas winning yellow. This was a surprise to all VSP contestants, who are unusually astute cycling fans.
Primoz Roglic, who looks like a potential TdF winner in the future.
Egan Burnal who looks like a potential multi year winner at the TdF.
Tom D's prowess in the mountains. I expected him to do well but also expected him to get dropped at least once on the steep pitches. But for a broken spoke in the first week, he might have been the winner.
I am sure that I have missed a few on both sides.
Vive le Tour!
Got to Paris OK with one mechanical - more in Rides later. Got home in the early hours this morning, managed to get a decent position on by the Arc de Triumph so will load some photos later.
Congrats to @Wiscot who held on to his breakaway as the rest of us fell back in the heat. @Wiscot I will PM you re the spot prize.
TdF results - at least it shows that this year was anything but predictable - or that we are mostly collectively shite!
and Standing post Le Grand Boucle....@Rick still holding a length or two from @RobSandy
https://www.amazon.com/Lanterne-Rouge-Last-Tour-France/dp/1681771365/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532943733&sr=8-1&keywords=lantern+rouge
Well that was fun...