Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Elite Road Race 2013

Gobbles goes clear on the Cauberg in 2012

The world championship road race stands out among all other one-day races as the one where the winner is awarded both a curse and a jersey to carry for the next 12 months. It also inspires way too many riders to wear white bibs, which is an alarming trend in itself and one which I hope Brian Cookston, the new UCI President, prioritizes over the doping problem – let’s face facts: white shorts on rainy days does more damage to Cycling’s image than any doping scandal ever could.

Be that as it may, I often find myself wondering if its easier to win a Grand Tour or a one-day race. Certainly, winning a Grand Tour requires focus, discipline, and performance across a wide range of terrain and over a long period of time, but it also offers the opportunity to recover from a bad moment and to take advantage of the days where the terrain or discipline suits the qualities of the rider. A one-day race, on the other hand, is shorter but also less controllable. All in, no net; a moment’s inattention could be disastrous and in an instant your chances could disappear up the road.

The World Championships are also the only race which has brought Mary V to tears after narrowly losing the title. The Dutch don’t cry easily, especially not the ones who bleed pure V.

The Worlds are always a live wire of a race; the national teams mean the riders are riding for and against their usual teammates. Team unity is always a question, and loyalties are hard to predict. All for one and one for all, until a mate goes up the road and suddenly things start looking blurry. Throw in a circuit race, a big climb you ride 17 times, a steep ramp about V km from finish, and you’ve got yourself a race Nostradamus would have a chore predicting.

The Men set out in what is predicted to be horrendous weather on Sunday, September 29. Check the start list, rattle the bones, and put your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero. Good luck.

[vsp_results id=”27411″/]

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 La Vie Velominatus: The Choice »

Previous « Velominati Super Prestige: Women's Elite Road Race 2013

View Comments

V-inden says:

Sep 27 2013 at 11:57 am

This has to be the most difficult race to predict of the entire calendar! Climbers? Puncheurs? Sprinters? Who knows.... Sunday will probably prove that the answer is "not me".

@Sauterelle - I was thinking Bakelents as well for an outside shout at the win, he's been in excellent form the second half of the season and the way he dealt with Tommy V in the Grand Prix Wallonie showed his tactical nous!

VSP PICKS:

1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Peter Sagan
3. Jan Bakelants
4. Joaquim Rodrigez
5. Vincenzo Nibali
napolinige says:

Sep 27 2013 at 11:57 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Cancellara
2. Rodriquez
3. Nibali
4. Froome
5. Gilbert
piwakawaka says:

Sep 27 2013 at 12:08 pm

The haters gonna hate but here comes the curse for Peter

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Cancellara
3. Gilbert
4. Rodriquez
5. Valverde
Roberto Marques says:

Sep 27 2013 at 12:08 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibali
2. Cancellara
3. Froome
4. Purito
5. Murilo Fischer!!!
Roberto Marques says:

Sep 27 2013 at 12:08 pm

BRAZIL!!!!!
Mike_P says:

Sep 27 2013 at 12:19 pm

@Sauterelle

@Mike_P

So who is handing out the medals, Cookson or the fat Irish fucker?

Cookson, thank Merckx!

And speaking of Merckx....I MET HIM TODAY!!!!! Holy shit, I was at the finish line for the men's U23, turned around, and there was Eddy! I nearly wet myself. I got to meet him and Axel!

THIS!
Erik says:

Sep 27 2013 at 1:05 pm

I'm going all in. Going to rearrange everything. Putting Evans first. Because I put Horner first and was the only one at the Vuelta to do that. I'll do it here too. Mind you, this does not mean I won the Vuelta VSP. Just that I managed to pick one of five.

Good Cadel pips Nibali at the line in the rain! Cancellara comes around Valverde to round out the podium. A tired but smiling Chris Horner comes across 20 second later. The devastated pack is lead in by Peter Sagan 1 minute and 20 seconds later.

The VeloNostra (damas) has spoken.

VSP PICKS:

1. Evans
2. Nibali
3. Cancellara
4. Valverde
5. Horner
razmaspaz says:

Sep 27 2013 at 1:18 pm

Total crapshoot.

VSP PICKS:

1. Boassen Hagen
2. Froome
3. Boonen
4. Cancellara
5. Sagan
Kyle says:

Sep 27 2013 at 1:31 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Froome
2. P Sagan
3. Nibbles
4. Phil Gil
5. J Rodriguez
simonsaunders says:

Sep 27 2013 at 1:49 pm

Not going to win VSP now, so might as well have some wild cards in

VSP PICKS:

1. Froome
2. Fabian Cancellara
3. J-Rod
4. Peter Sagan
5. Richie Porte