Velominati Super Prestige: Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian 2014
The race of the funny hat.
Every team seems to have included one or two riders fresh off the Tour. One would either feel ruined or unbeatable a week after that slug fest, more than likely, ruined. I imagine there are a few riders dodging calls from their directors this week.
Tony Gallopin beat Malmerde in last year’s edition and the Spaniard will be hot to win something big after being relegated to fourth place in the Tour. Gallopin’s stock has gone way up, having just worn the yellow jersey, so if the legs allow he should have some confidence. Others will be tuning up for the Vuelta but it is hard to imagine the win not coming from a recent Tour finisher with the mint legs on. No amount of training will duplicate three weeks of pain bank deposits from that Tour. That being said, I dare Frandy to win it. Why do I have such a bad attitude about him? Move on Gianni, move on.
This is also when contracts are negotiated so it would be quite timely to impress everyone with a giant one-day race win.
Here is a start list for this race and a prize list the the overall 2014 VSP. The overall VSP points earned are not high this year; a strong last third of the season could win the overall. This race is on a Saturday so be wary, make picks by Friday.
- 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 overall wins a full Velominati V-Kit with accompanying custom orange Bont Vaypor+ road shoes. Yes, we said orange.
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gallopin
3. Van Garderen
4. Ten Dam
5. Valverde
How tired will the Tour guys be? I guess we’ll find out.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Rodriguez
3. Valverde
4. Bardet
5. Ten Dam
VSP PICKS:
1. Romain Bardet
2. Peter Sagan
3. Nicholas Roche
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Zdenek Stybar
VSP PICKS:
1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Dan Martin
3. Zdenek Stybar
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Tony Gallopin
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gilbert
3. Stybar
4. Ten Dam
5. Van Avermaet
I’m still lobbying for some post tour crit VSP inclusions. The Cycling version of professional wrasslin’.
VSP PICKS:
1. Meersman
2. Roche
3. Gilbert
4. Valverde
5. Sagan
As far as I can tell Sagan’s first go at this. Interesting!
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Maxim Iglinskiy
3. Daniel Martin
4. Tony Gallopin
5. Michael Albasini
Malmerde won’t win but he has to be up there for a “home” race
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagandouche
2. Simon Gerrans
3. Malmerde
4. Michael Albasini
5. Gianni Meersman
VSP PICKS:
1. A. Valverde
2. J. Rodriguez
3. N. Roche
4. T. Gallopin
5. S. Geschke
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sagan
3. Valverde
4. Gallopin
5. Van Avermaet
VSP PICKS:
1. GALLOPIN Tony
2. MARTIN Daniel
3. MOLLEMA Bauke
4. VALVERDE Alejandro
5. DEVOLDER Stijn
VSP PICKS:
1. GERRANS Simon
2. SAGAN Peter
3. GILBERT Philippe
4. SLAGTER Tom Jelte
5. MARTIN Daniel
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan, Peter
2. Van Garderen, Tejay
3. Roche, Nicholas
4. Valverde, Alejandro
5. Martin, Daniel
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter SAGAN
2. Tony GALLOPIN
3. Michael ROGERS
4. Greg VAN AVERMAET
5. Bauke MOLLEMA
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gilbert
3. Mollema
4. Rogers
5. D. Martin
Really no idea on this one, just using oddschecker.com for inspiration.
VSP PICKS:
1. Tony Gallopin
2. Michael Albasini
3. Zdenek Stybar
4. Arnold Jeannesson
5. Adam Yates
Sky needs something
VSP PICKS:
1. Nieve
2. J rod
3. Gallopin
4. Kruijswijk
5. Albasini
VSP PICKS:
1. Slagter
2. Valverde
3. Sagan
4. van Avermaet
5. Mick Rogers
VSP PICKS:
1. GILBERT Philippe
2. MOLLEMA Bauke
3. VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro
4. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin
5. VAN GARDEREN Tejay
Expecting Sagan to continue as bridesmaid.
VSP PICKS:
1. Albasini
2. Sagan
3. Gallopin
4. Gilbert
5. Rojas
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sagan
3. Gerrans
4. Valverde
5. Stybar
VSP PICKS:
1. Stybar
2. Sagan
3. Gallopin
4. Van Garderen
5. Van Avermaet
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gerrans
3. Valverde
4. Rodriguez
5. Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Philippe Gilbert
3. Zdenek Stybar
4. Tony Gallopin
5. Michael Rogers
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Stybar
3. Mollema
4. Rogers
5. Van Avermaert
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Malmerde
3. Gilbert
4. Gallopin
5. Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. sagan
2. phil gilbert
3. gallopin
4. van avermat
5. mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gallopin
3. Van Avermaet
4. Martin
5. Gerrans
I think this is one of the hardest to pick all year. It’s not the sort of race many of the big guns target and it’s so easy to get caught up in Tour form or Tour fatigue.
VSP PICKS:
1. J. Rodruigez
2. S. Gerrans
3. H. Zubeldia
4. G. Meersman
5. T. Gallopin
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gilbert
3. Gallopin
4. Mollema
5. Gerrans
VSP PICKS:
1. sagan
2. gilbert
3. gerrans
4. rogers
5. valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. SAGAN Peter
2. SLAGTER Tom Jelte
3. GILBERT Philippe
4. ROCHE Nicholas
5. GALLOPIN Tony
These selections were made purely because I think they are cool names.
VSP PICKS:
1. rolland -pierre
2. devolder – stijn
3. gilbert – phil
4. meersman – gianni
5. wellens – tim
There, I said it.
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Gilbert
3. Sagan
4. Bardet
5. Gerrans
raffle ticket choices
VSP PICKS:
1. Andriy Grivko
2. Phillip Gilbert
3. Peter Sagan
4. michael abasini
5. Tony Gallopin
if it’s anything like le tour, only 1 of my picks will finish
VSP PICKS:
1. moreno
2. van avermaet
3. ten dam
4. de marchi
5. valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde, A
2. Albasini
3. Gilbert
4. Rogers
5. Stybar
VSP PICKS:
1. avamaert
2. slagter
3. sagan
4. gilbert
5. bakelans
VSP PICKS:
1. A.Valverde
2. J.Rodriguez
3. N.Roche
4. T.Gallopin
5. P.Sagan
Doing so badly in the Super Prestige gives one the freedom to cast picks with carefree abandon. The spanish will come out fighting and this is Jrods statement for the Vuelta, the rest…well the names just looked good on the page at the time!
VSP PICKS:
1. Jrod
2. Malmerde
3. Stybar
4. Rojas
5. Phil Gil
VSP PICKS:
1. Giovanni Visconti
2. Gianni Meersman
3. Peter Sagan
4. Nicolas Roche
5. Alejandro Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. TV Garderen
2. Peter Sagan
3. Romain Bardet
4. Joaquim Rodriquez
5. A Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Valverde
3. Gerrans
4. Kreuziger
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Roche
2. Sagan
3. Van Avermaet
4. Albasini
5. Gallopin
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Phillipe Gilbert
3. Stybar Stybar
4. Galloping
5. Mick Rogers
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Peter Sagan
3. Phil Gilbert
4. Tony Gallopin
5. Dan Martin
good lord. shot in the dark, but what a great hat!
VSP PICKS:
1. sagan
2. valverde
3. van garderen
4. rodriguez
5. slagter
VSP PICKS:
1. A. Valverde
2. J. Rodriguez
3. J. Serpa
4. T. Gallopin
5. S. Geschke
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Michael Albasini
4. Tony Gallopin
5. Greg Van Arermaet
Hmm. Hope to catch some of this live!
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gallopin
3. Rogers
4. Rodriguez
5. Gilbert