The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige continues the with Giro d’Italia, on Saturday May 8 in Amsterdam. This will be the first Grand Tour of the series, and while we have a set of rules established for the competition, we’ll be modifying them as we go if we notice any problems with them.
Personally, I feel the Giro is the Cyclist’s Grand Tour; it’s not as main-stream or commercial as the Tour de France, but the race generally makes for a more exciting three weeks. There is something about the topography and geography of Italy that seems to lend itself to unpredictable and aggressive racing where several riders typically stay in contention until the final stages of the race.
With this being the first Grand Tour of the series, we’ve set up a scoring system that we think will be fair but will also help to close down the competition and afford newcomers the ability to catch up with some good picks. Jump over to the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page for a full explanation of the rules and the standings, but here is the ten-second overview:
Every contestant is to choose their top five General Classification picks of the race. The final podium of the Giro is worth 15 points to the winner, 10 points for second, 5 points for third, 3 points for fourth, and 2 point for fifth. Given the effect crashes can have on a tour, we’ve set up some guidelines around making changes to your lineup during the race: you’re allowed to change your lineup if any rider in your pick list drops out for any reason without any penalty; rest days will allow contestants to make changes to their lineup, however those changes will come at a point penalty. (Visit the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page for a complete breakdown of these points.)
Every day, the leader in the points standings will have the honor of wearing the Pink Jersey when commenting on the site; the overall winner will wear the Pink Jersey for the remainder of the season, and will also earn an “Obey the Rules” bumper sticker. All reader’s points qualify towards the final prize of the free Velominati Shop Apron. As always, if you are inclined to enter, simply post your predictions for the top five placings in the comment section.
Sub-competitions will be conducted while the Giro is underway for specific stages. These stages will be chosen a few days prior to the stage being held and will be selected based on the current race conditions with the aim of choosing the most decisive and exciting stages of the race, so check back often to make sure you don’t miss out.
Good luck!
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OK. It's lunchtime and it's time to Harden Up and get this over with.
1) Sastre. His form is a question mark, but the man has class and is always good in a GT. Add to that the mountains this bastard is rolling over, and I don't know who can beat him other than people who are not on the start list.
2) Evans. He's the Poulidorof our age and something will happen. Also, his stroke is not as smooth as mine, he is not peaking yet, and he is too fat to climb.
3) Basso. One of my repented favorites. His form is not good enough to win and he's not willing to take the real drugs (only the sissy ones) but he's a monster and the third week is a brutal and by then he'll be on form.
4) Veino. Experience in the Giro will be key; this is no ordinary Grand Tour. The tiffosi and geography transform donkeys into thoroughbreds. Or was it the transfusions that do that? I can't remember.
5) Nibali. Out of form, but the Giro's last week will be brutal. Plenty of time to ride into it, and this is one heck of a talent right here.
Time to make my bids. Am tempted to bleat a bit about how difficult this is. But that would breach Rule 5. And a bleating New Zealander would also risk Brett feeling he has licence to 'entertain' us with some witty extracts from his "Big Aussie Book of Kiwi Sheep Jokes". So I'll just have to man up and do it:
1. Wee Carlos Sastre. He'll be boringly cautious and conserve energy for two weeks then just grind all the competition out of competition on those big bad hills in week 3. Then he'll switch teams.
2. Good-ish Cadel. He'll be boringly cautious and conserve energy for two weeks then just grind nearly all the competition out of competition on those big bad hills in week 3. Then he'll switch teams.
3. Twiggo. He'll smoke the TT and TTT, play it safe on the flats, then plug away on those big bad hills until he realises he might be in with a chance, at which point it will be just too difficult for him to pull out in order to focus on coming 12th in the Tour. Then he'll switch teams. (OK, maybe none of this will happen. Particularly the last bit. But it's sufficiently credible not to infringe the Piti Principle if he does, in fact, pull out in order to focus on coming 12 in the Tour.)
4. Bad Vino. He'll look good, he'll attack, but he won't be able to ride to the front and stay there in that last week. Sooner or later he's going to crack on one of those big bad hills he hasn't even bothered to recce. (This has happened before.) But he won't change teams.
5. Basso. Notwithstanding the doping ban and some possible question marks over the extent of his remorse, for some reason part of me quite likes him. I nearly put Nibali, as there has to be an Italian and Basso isn't in ideal shape (and I don't think he'll ever be as good as he was). But Vincenzo is too young. I think that big bad last week will favour an older chap.
Hot damn. Thought I might land me a big angry Brett-fish, but he's gone and spat the hook straight back out.
@Geof
Well played. I don't think Twiggo stands a chance on the Plan de Cajones or the Mortirolo. Christ those look awful and awesome. "Awesome" in this case only applies if you're not riding it yourself or if you are it will only apply after the ride is over.
I'm with you on Veino; he'll show but week three will kill him. Like in the '03 Tour.
@Geof
Me too. That taste? Disappointment.
By the way, Piti Principle on Urban Dictionary. I tried to credit you, but the editors kept rejecting it because you can't name people, apparently. Anyway, let the record show that this term was coined by you.
@frank
@Geof
I hear what you guys are saying about Veino and week three. But I'm staking my weak reputation on what he looks like right now. Not so much his Leige performance (although that's a factor) but how fit and skinny he looks. The guy just looks hardman right now, even compared to a couple years ago, there's something about him that just looks lean and like a slightly different rider. He's been training more in the mountains as well. Of course I'll probably be totally wrong and you all can say I told you so but I have a hunch.
@brett
Vladi Karpets? You're tipping Vladimir "ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE" Karpets? Bold.
@brett, @Marko
Oh...THAT's who you meant. Totally didn't get that. That is a bold move indeed.
What on Earth would make you do that to your head? I can hear the country music just looking that picture. I bet his DS is annoyed that he insists on having Billy Ray Sirus played through the car's megaphone during time trials.
He would actually be a rider worth admiring if it weren't for that awful hair dangling out his helmet. He actually pedals a bike quite nicely.
Looking at this picture, I just noticed now that I think Rod Blagojevich may be Vlad's estranged father:
@frank
I think it's Butt-Rock blairing out of the team car, not Achy Breaky Heart. When I consider the ear ring it's Scorpions, Poison, Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, and The Crue! C'mon Feel The Noise, Vladi.
I'm so excited about this Giro, Douche-strong and Cunt-odor should be ashamed that they're not showing up to contest it. This is a hardman Giro par excellence. That said, I'm massively late to the party with my picks...soo...
1. Sastre - remember the little fella dieseling off up Vesuvius last year? More of that on Zoncolan and the mortirolo.
2. Basso - because he's not Veino and I need an Italian in there, think he could come strong in the 3rd week.
3. Veino(count drac) - regardless of being something I'd want the cycling equivalent of antibiotics prescribed for, he's on awesome form.
4. Evans - great form too but is going to fall apart like a cheap watch in the mountains and he's too fat.
5. Wiggo - probably won't turn up but will put in a big TT and if's he's anywhere near in the last week may go for it. I think mullet-chops could win this if he really tried but Sky are probably too focused on the tour.