Velominati Super Prestige: Il Lombardia 2013
Il Lombardia, this is the race of the fallen leaves. This fall classic is a beautiful race in a beautiful region of Italy. The arduous route may change year to year but what does not change is the Italian need to win this thing. There is some national pride at stake here after the Italian men finished off the podium in Firenze. Bergamo to Lecco, 242 km, with five equally spaced climbs between the two. This is the final Monument of the 2013 season, directly on the heels of the World Championships. Purito won the 2012 edition of Il Lombardia and will be energized to win again after his crushing loss in the Worlds. Paulo Bettini won the race in his rainbow jersey, Rui Costa can’t be counted out not to do the same.
Many racers have already shut it down for the season. Finding great form in October is not for everyone. Yet peaking for the World Championships and Il Lombardia has been on the calendar for many of the puncheurs and strong climbers. And many others will be climbing off at the first feed zone, pulling into the Milano Malpensa airport before the race is over.
Yes this is a brutal race often won by a lone rider. Climbing, descending, good bike handling a must when the forecast calls for possible rain (yes it does again this year).
The toughest climb is in the middle of the day.
A few hundred meters after crossing Maglio the race turns to the left into the Muro di Sormano (Sormano Wall) (2 km at 15%) on a narrow and very steep (recently repaired) road, partly running through a grove, featuring steep u-bends and gradients at time exceeding 25% and even coming close to 30% around meter 1.000 of the route.
That should separate the contenders from those dismounting at the second feed zone on the course. The climbs of Madonna del Ghisallo and Villa Vergano are waiting then a final 3 km flat run into Lecco ends it. A proper start list is not yet available as the director sportifs are still calling in the unwilling domestiques to fill out their rosters but for now this will have to do. Good luck and good picking.
Here is a possible video link.
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Quintana
3. Valverde
4. Costa
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Nibali
3. J. Rodriguez
4. Uran
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rodriguez
2. R Uran
3. D Ulissi
4. D Martin
5. P Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rodriguez
2. R Uran
3. D Ulissi
4. N Quintana
5. P Gilbert
First dabble at this…
VSP PICKS:
1. dan martin
2. R Uran
3. J Rodriguez
4. N Quintana
5. P Gilbert
Ditto @plynie
VSP PICKS:
1. N Quintana
2. rodriguez
3. sagan
4. martin
5. van garderen
VSP PICKS:
1. Spartacus
2. Nibbles
3. j-hot-rod
4. sagan
5. Visconti
@Teocalli
Fucking Quintana, man, that creep can roll.
Am I the only guy that has this immediately pop into his mind everytime I see Quinatana’s name?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6z0Zay9itk
@Buck Rogers Yuch!
Anyway, I just figured he will want to prove a point having failed to achieve what he hoped in the ToB so he’ll go glory or bust. Though given my track record at “play betting” he should be worried. My Grand National picks usually crash and burn at the first fence.
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Moreno
3. Uran
4. Ulissi
5. Majka
This is one of the races I look forward to all year – such a beautiful route and so much history
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Nibali
3. Gilbert
4. Quintana
5. Contador
A small change in response to the report that Mollema is out with an injury.
VSP PICKS:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Joaquin Rodriguez
3. Robert Gesink
4. Carlos Betancur
5. Dan Martin
@Duende where did you read that?
VSP PICKS:
1. Uran
2. jrod
3. clenbutador
4. nibs
5. quintana roo
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Visconti
3. Danny Martn
4. Sagan
5. Cunego
Gilbert to go for big win #2
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Uran
4. J Rodriguez
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Nibbles
3. J Rod
4. Martin
5. Moreno
@RedRanger
From his Twitter:
Bauke Mollema “@BaukeMollema 4h
Giro di Lombardia: DNS. Balen! Sinds WK knieklachten. Na echo en overleg dokter besloten geen risico’s te nemen. Zit klein beetje vocht in.
The only thing I get is “DNS”. But which might be a Dutch acronym for “victory is certain”
Updated
VSP PICKS:
1. Greg Van Avermaet
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Sylvain Chavanel
4. Jan Bakelants
5. Thomas de Gendt
@RedRanger I first read it on inner ring.
@xyxax
Anything is possible!
@Duende
Like ever again typing the word “Schleck” into one of these VSP boxes?
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez, Wack
2. Nibali, Vinni
3. Valverde, Alec
4. Gilbert, p
5. Martin, Dan
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Niballi
3. Gilbert
4. Costa
5. Moreno
@xyxax
Chapeau.
@xyxax
Well played. Slow, deliberate hand clap.
@xyxax
A fine illustration of the distinction between possible and plausible.
FUCKSTICKS!!
VSP PICKS:
1. A. Schleck
2. F. Schleck
3. F. Strack
4. Steve Schleck
5. Tullio Schleck
VSP PICKS:
1. J. Rodriguez
2. R. Uran
3. A. Valverde
4. D. Ulissi
5. R. Bardet
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Gilbert
3. Rodriguez
4. Valverde
5. Rui Costa
I really hope Purito wins and rides Piti into the fucking ground.
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Uran
3. Nibali
4. Diego Ulissi
5. Gesink
VSP PICKS:
1. gilbert
2. sagan
3. J. Rodriguez
4. nibali
5. valverde
@DeKerr I bow to the wearer of the V-colors.
@Duende
@Steampunk
And @Steampunk rips the legs off possible and beats plausible to death.
silly season has started i see…
VSP PICKS:
1. JRod
2. RainbowRui
3. PedalwanJan Bakelants
4. endofseason Nibbles
5. nolegs balberde
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Nibali
3. Contador
4. Valverde
5. Pinot
Shots in the dark. I swear, the harder I think about this, the worse I do…
VSP PICKS:
1. JoaquÃm RodrÃguez Oliver
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Peter Sagan
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Michal Kwiatkowski
Lots of interesting dynamics going on in this race – hopefully Rui isn’t too hung over to make things interesting!
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Rui
3. Piti
4. Uran
5. Vince Nibbles
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. P.Sagan
3. J. Rod
4. Uran Uran
5. Santaromita
Here goes nothing
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Sagan
3. Uran
4. J Rod
5. Valverde
@xyxax
Is it possible to have all ‘Schlecks’ remapped as ‘Schitflecks’? You know, the kind you have to wipe from the bottom of your toilet seat after particularly meaningful Mexican food and tequila nights. Cuz those guys are going down with toilet tissue, or have done.
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Valverde
3. Nibali
4. Betancur
5. Dan Martin
Haven’t got a scoobies..I am tempted to go for Dirty Bertie but I think this is too long and I am not sure of his form. Nicos form is getting better and better and Uran has something to prove he looked so good in the Worlds before his crash. The rest are tired but JRod will have fire in his belly and Betancur has been quiet since early season so could come in strong.
Now if you believe any of that then you are as full of shit as me!
VSP PICKS:
1. D’Uran D’Uran
2. Nico Roche
3. JRod
4. Costa Coffee Rui
5. Betancur Carlos the Jackal
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Gilbert
3. Uran
4. Moreno
5. Martin
Tour of Lombardy is on eurosport tomorrow!
In for a pennI, in for a Euro
VSP PICKS:
1. Rui costa
2. Dan Moreno
3. Sagan
4. Voeckler
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Cunego
3. Rodriguez
4. Pellizotti
5. Sagan
Valverde will be racing angry
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Nibali
3. J-Rod
4. Ulissi
5. Uran
@xyxax
Sounds probable: It’s what I do for a living…
Nibbles will break the Spanish armada as they all stare each other down.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Perrenial second Purito
3. Valverde
4. Contador
5. Daniel Martin
Marco Pinotti will retire after this race , good luck Marco !!
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Uran
3. Contador
4. Costa
5. Martin