Velominati Super Prestige: Giro di Lombardia 2016

Quietowski leads the remnants of the break around Lake Como. Photo: pedale.forchetta

I turned forty last week. Nothing feels different except all my strength has gone, my memory sucks, and everything hurts now. That, and everything makes me mad because it isn’t the way it used to be. Case in point: the Giro di Lombardia is no longer the last race of the year. (I know it hasn’t been for a while but no one counts that race in Japan or the Tour of Beijing as real races.) And they moved it up so early in the season that the leaves aren’t even falling yet. We call it the race of the falling leaves for a reason, people!

Christ, I miss the Cold War.

At least we can count on @pedale-forchetta to be at the roadside, delivering the most badass photos on the most badass part of the route.

For those of you entering the VSP, don’t let the fact that Paris-Tours and the Words haven’t happened yet fool you. Lombardia is this weekend even though it will barely be October by the time they hit the start line. Get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero. (Countdown clock’s been fixed, by the way, just in time for the season to end – you’re welcome.)

Kick it.

[vsp_results id=”73758″/]

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

Next The Justifier »

Previous « FFS Fridays: Sideburn Doping

View Comments

universo says:

Sep 27 2016 at 11:55 am

If only I were still in the VSP
taon24 says:

Sep 27 2016 at 12:57 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Martin, Dan
2. Gallopin, Tony
3. Valverde, Alejandro
4. Poels, Wout
5. Majka, Rafal
weasel says:

Sep 27 2016 at 1:14 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. GVA
2. Alaphilippe
3. Uran
4. Pantano
5. D Martin
Rick says:

Sep 27 2016 at 2:36 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Julian Alaphilippe
2. Tom Dumoulin
3. Wouter Poels
4. Alberto Contador
5. Bauke Mollema
Kunanyi says:

Sep 27 2016 at 3:03 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Michael Albasini
2. Bauke Mollema
3. Winner Anacona
4. Tony Gallopin
5. Julian Alaphilippe
Kay_Jay says:

Sep 27 2016 at 4:27 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. daniel MARTIN
2. darwin ATAPUMA
3. davide FORMOLO
4. romain BARDET
5. miguel angel LOPEZ
Barracuda says:

Sep 27 2016 at 6:00 pm
nfi

VSP PICKS:
1. ARU
2. ATAPUMA
3. PHIL GIL
4. CUNEGO
5. ANACONA
Ccos says:

Sep 27 2016 at 6:36 pm
I am so out of it, I feel like that knucklehead who is sprinting for 34th place.

VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Gilbert
3. Contador
4. Are
5. Valverde
mark says:

Sep 27 2016 at 9:01 pm

Forty? Don't worry; you'll get over it when you reach sixty. In the mean time, rule 5.
Owen says:

Sep 27 2016 at 9:38 pm
40? Damn, are those the things I have to look forward to?

VSP PICKS:
1. Martin
2. Gallopin
3. Valverde
4. Majka
5. Mollema