Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
The 2012 Velominati Super Prestige kicks off in proper form this season with the debut of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad as part of the series. I’m tempted to stubbornly refer to this race as Het Volk, but I’ll toe the line and refer to the race by its bewildering new(ish) name.
This is a tricky race to predict because the big races in April are a funny distance away; they are close enough that riders wanting to do well there should be in good enough form to be competitive now, but far enough off that a win here could indicate a rider hitting their peak too soon.
In fact, the latter seems to be the case: riders who show brilliance here rarely shine in April when the Monuments of Vlaanderen and Roubaix are contested. De Vlaeminck, Museeuw, Van Petegem, Vandenbroucke – all champions of the Cobbled Classics and all men who never succeeded to win Het Volk/Het Nieuwsblad in the same year as either of the big cobbled classics; in fact, a cursory study of past results lists reveals only Merckx and Ballerini as being able to pull this particular double.
This timing makes Het Nieuwsblad a particularly difficult race to predict; in addition to the wily nature of any cobbled classic, the big names may not quite have the eye of the tiger while riders with an outside chance at victory in April may be focusing their early season on glory in this minor classic which covers many of the sacred roads as de Ronde.
With that we kick off the first event of the 2012 VSP; up for grabs is the personalized Velominati Shop Apron to the contestent who wins the season-long competition. Check the Main VSP page for scoring guidelines and rules. As a sidebar, we’ve also made lots of changes to the VSP engine; despite my usual nonchalant approach to production-testing, I’ve actually done my best to test the system this time around. There are, however, too many scenarios to be sure I covered them all, so I strongly encourage you to enter your picks early, knowing that you can make changes all the way up until the VSP closes. If you notice something behaving strangely, please let us know and we’ll have time to resolve the issue or let you know precisely why you’re crazy.
Picks close at 5am Pacific time on Saturday, and since last year’s VSP taught us that our readership sucks at time zone calculations (I’m looking at you, Bretto), we’ve introduced a countdown clock which should make even the most bone-headed of contestants aware of how much time they’ve got left to enter their losing picks (now I’m looking at you, Ron).
Good luck, and stand by for the VVomen’s Het Nieuwsblad VSP, scheduled to go live tomorrow.
VSP PICKS:
1. Tom Boonen
2. Greg Van Avermat
3. Heinrich Hausler
4. Juan Antonio Flecha
5. Stijn Devolder
@Calmante
I got it, but I’ve already shown too much nerd this week with my comic book reference. I don’t frakking need to show my sci-fi geek as well.
VSP PICKS:
1. She’s Legal In Amsterdam
2. Phil Gilabert
3. Flecha
4. Boom
5. Sauceler
@Buck Rogers-Hair splitting not necessary, I was saying (although not explicitly) that his form is looking good and he’ll take this on his way to bagging a Monument (Paris-Roubaix) because Gilbert will probably take Flanders.
No idea whatsover… this is just a wish list. Left Thor off, as he’ll be aiming for P-R, so will be 6 weeks from peaking (just like me)
VSP PICKS:
1. Flecha
2. Boom
3. Leukemans
4. Phinney
5. Tommeke Boonen
@ramenvelo
I hope he takes another monument, but that surely means he won’t win Saturday!
@Buck Rogers
I think he’s saying he’ll win a monument – independently from this event.
and a top ten finish for Clinton Avery!
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Shpilevsky
3. Cooke
4. Haussler
5. van Avermaet
The big boys are here for some training & will keep the powder dry, there’s a few around that’ll be looking for a win on the board early to help along negotiations later in the year…
VSP PICKS:
1. Ale Ballet
2. Sauceler
3. The Arrow
4. Dynamite
5. Ciolek
Boonen to keep burning his form too early in the season and Burghardt as my roughie.
C’mon Heinrich!
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Flecha
3. Aussie Heinrich
4. Boom
5. Burghardt
Anyone know of any video feeds that will show this race?
One complete flyer of a pick just for fun. Happy racing everyone!
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Boom
3. Amorison
4. Klier
5. Boom
Trying again. :-(
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Boom
3. Amorison
4. Klier
5. Phinney
@Mikel Pearce
Bold call on Phinney! Nice one.
@CanuckChuck
Was tempted to throw in Boivin, who’s been going well, but opted for Rollin instead who tore up the early spring last year. Which means that Offredo will be the FDJ guy in the final selection.
VSP PICKS:
1. Double H on the comeback trail
2. Nose Candy (TB)
3. Boom goes the Dynamite
4. Johnny Degenkolb
5. Rollin Canuck
Yoann soloing to the win with fletcha taking the sprint for second.
VSP PICKS:
1. Offredo
2. Flecha
3. Boom
4. Tjallingii
5. Leukemans
Out on a limb for the first race. Big names to not fire for this but use it as recon for later races and a training run. Going to let their Loyal helpers for the bigger races get a chance at victory
VSP PICKS:
1. Van Summeren
2. Cooke
3. Van Avermaet
4. Flecha
5. De Gendt
@RedRanger
Cycling.tv I think. Also try Cyclingfans.com. There are links on the right hand side, some work some don’t depending on where you live I think. But some of the common-taters are pretty funny. They cuss and shit during the feed.
Nicole is NOT riding the mens race. There’s a problem for you right there @frank
VSP PICKS:
1. Van Summeren
2. Baden Cooke
3. Van Avermaet
4. Flecha
5. De Gendt
If someone could point me toward a start list for the women’s race, I need to print it out and stick it to my dartboard.
@Calmante
Nice. I’ll throw it out there, your stock is slowly rising.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Boom
3. Flecha
4. Heinrich
5. Boasson Hagen
@Xponti
Funny. That was automatically mapped because more people have used “Cooke” to mean Nichole than Baden (we did a VSP on the Women’s Worlds Road Race last year) – the logic doesn’t account for the possibility that a man and woman might have the same name. I might have to add the sex of the rider and the race type if this happens more often. I’m guessing its not worth the hassle, though. Baden doesn’t win often, and doesn’t get picked often.
That aside, you fixed it by being more specific, so it automatically updated your pick to point at Baden.
Repeat of my earlier post of start list for the women.
Here is a link to the women starters, you know, for those of you who have already given up on work for the rest of the day and need time to research.
http://women.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_idd=MjI5NDY=
Seems fair to have Emma Johansson as a pick.
I’m so happy the VSP and V-worthy races are back. Whenever I tell my students that I participate in something akin to fantasy cycling (I couch it in these terms so they’ll understand) I get two responses: laughter and “wait, you’re actually serious?” So serious that we’ll get up at 5am on a weekend to watch a shitty live feed before we go out for our rides.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Shpilevsky
3. Baden Cooke
4. Haussler
5. van Avermaet
Third time lucky.
VSP PICKS:
1. Phast Phil
2. One an two Flecha
3. Johan “The Lips” van Summeren
4. Greg Van Avermaet
5. Big Stanny
@ramenvelo
Ahhh, mea culpa. Sorry about that. Just wanted to make it clear for any new readers as I often learn a ton about cycling history around here and did not want any confusion for others.
As for his taking a monument this year, YES, man, I hope he takes both the Ronde and Roubaix (but I’ll settle for either of them!!!).
Those of you thinking you’re in for an apron can dream on this awesomeness:
Now I’m off to meditate about Saturday’s results while sitting on some genuine Flandrian cobblestones. I’ll be back later with my picks.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Boom
3. Flecha
4. Heinrich
5. Phil Gil
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Boonen
3. Björn Leukemans
4. Sep Vanmarcke
5. Thor Hushovd
Methinks that Sylvain is gonna give it a go…
VSP PICKS:
1. Sylvain Chavanel
2. Lars Boom
3. Phillipe Gilbert
4. Juan Antonio Flecha
5. Johann Van Summeren
Wow, and Thor complained about Garmin having too many leaders? Are you kidding me…
VSP PICKS:
1. Juan Antonio Flecha
2. Stijn Devolder
3. Philippe Gilbert
4. Lars Boom
5. Johan Van Summeren
VSP PICKS:
1. Greg Van Avermaet
2. John Degenkolb
3. Sebastian Langeveld
4. G Ciolek
5. Will Clarke
Here goes my first VSP
VSP PICKS:
1. Bossen Hagen
2. Haussler
3. Langeveld
4. Leukemans
5. Phinney
VSP PICKS:
1. Langeveld
2. Navardauskas
3. Offredo
4. Paolini
5. Will Clarke
@el gato
Bossen Hagen isn’t racing. Do over.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Gilbert
3. Chavanel
4. Haussler
5. Flecha
@Calmante
cyclingfever.com, start lists for everything. See, I’m not a total dick. Nice ONCE kit on whatever other thread I saw that on.
@scaler911
And if you’d been around awhile, you’d know I can’t tell the difference anyway. @Frank: did you clear up my sexuality with marko btw?
VSP PICKS:
1. 1 LANGEVELD Sebastia
2. 34 FLECHA GIANNONI Juan Antoni
3. 81 BOOM Lars
4. 21 BAK Lars Ytting
5. 41 GILBERT Philipp
VSP PICKS:
1. Eisel
2. Gilbert
3. Boonen
4. Boom
5. Hinault
VSP PICKS:
1. Cooke
2. Tomeke
3. PhilGil
4. Hassellthehoff
5. Leukemans
@Nate
Hope u get it taken off u (and awarded to me) when Frank retrospectively bans rest day picks. U know u didn’t win with panache. And yes I am a bad sport
@mouse
Nice pick on Will Clarke :-) He did well at the TDU and it would be great to see him in the mix on a course like this.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boasson Hagen
2. Gilbert
3. Flecha
4. Clarke (Will)
5. Boonen
@ChrisO
Yeah, He’s a bit of a hard luck story but really deserving. Got class. Hope he can continue to show fine form and make it out of the Pro Conti leagues.
Thought I’d pick one from left-field. Might be a couple of years too early from him, but I think he’s a good dark horse to take out a classic on a gnarly day in the next few years…
VSP PICKS:
1. Stannard
2. Boonen
3. Gilbert
4. Kittel
5. Freire
was hoping Offredo doesn’t get suspended for his missed controls but now since he’s been, I will make the change in my VSP picks
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Flecha
3. Langeveld
4. Boom
5. Maasjkant
VSP PICKS:
1. BOOOOOOM!
2. God of Thunder
3. Boonen
4. Haussler
5. De Gendt
VSP PICKS:
1. Thor Hushovd
2. John Degenkolb
3. Sebastian Langeveld
4. G Ciolek
5. Will Clarke