Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Nice 2012
It’s right around this time of year when the little voice in my head that spurs me on in cold, wet, Rule #9 conditions starts getting overpowered by all my other personalities who at this stage are gathering stones and crowbars and getting ready to enforce their will on him regarding their preference for riding in nice, warm, sunny conditions. I feel bad for the little guy, too, since he helps me a lot in a climate like the Pacific Northwest; but truth be told, my fingers still haven’t regained their feeling from last week’s ride and I admit it would be nice to arrive home after a ride triumphant and warm instead of frozen and soaked like a wet rat.
It appears I’m not the only one ready for some warmer weather, and Paris-Nice traditionally holds a place of honor as “The Race to the Sun” for its timing is such that the race often starts in the French interior with rain (and possibly snow), and arrives on the sunny Cote d’Azur in Nice in balmy conditions.
With that we start our first stage race of the season, along with an opportunity to expose more bugs and logical faults in the VSP software. But never mind that; the same basic rules apply as do with one-day races, expect the stakes are a bit higher with 10 points for first place, 8 for second, 7 for third, 5 for fourth, and 3 for fifth plus two bonus points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing. Should the race be exciting enough to merit its inclusion, The Keepers may elect to include a bonus round on the VSP for one of the stages along the way. Watch this space for news in that arena.
Check the start list and watch the countdown timer as picks close at 5am Pacific on Sunday; 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. Seeing as this is the first stage race, 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.
Good luck.
VSP PICKS:
1. LEIPHEIMER Levi
2. WIGGINS Bradley
3. VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro
4. SCHLECK Frank
5. BRAJKOVIC Janez
If I had a clue, I’d be dangerous……
VSP PICKS:
1. Martin
2. Cunago
3. Wiggins
4. Roche
5. Leipheimer
VSP PICKS:
1. Hushovd
2. Tony martin
3. Haussler
4. Kloden
5. Porte
VSP PICKS:
1. leipheimer
2. van garderen
3. kloden
4. wiggins
5. gerrans
VSP PICKS:
1. Jens Voigt
2. Jens Voigt
3. Jens Voigt
4. Jens Voigt
5. Jens Voigt
@Dr C
What the hell? Ok, I got Tea Cakes, but the rest have got me fucked…
@brett
Does frank have to map the entries manually? I try to keep it simple for his sake.
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Wiggo
3. Leipheimer
4. Big Dog Tony Martin
5. Kloden
Someone is going to test the limits of the “Abstruse Nickname Unmapped Statute” (ANUS)
VSP PICKS:
1. Cam Meyer
2. Twiggo
3. Count Basso
4. Swivelneck Senior
5. J-Roy
@RedRanger
Not quite – the majority map themselves based on our new fancy code. But now with this new system in place, the only ones it doesn’t figure out are the really odd ones, as @brett is kindly demonstrating.
The system keeps getting better and better with time and how many picks have been made, so it should keep lightening our load. Of the entries (times 5 for each of the five picks) there were maybe 50 in the Strade Bianche VSP that needed manual attention. So not bad – especially as compared with last year.
@all
Double-check your mappings and help us get better with this – the more we map correctly, the more it lightens our load in the future. Use the dispute function if you see something is off.
Wiggins to get first blood this year. Martin is a big contender for TDF this year
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Martin
3. Frank Schleck
4. Voeckler
5. Porte
@harminator
Nice.
Valverde because of his form in the Tour down under. Roche because his hardman father won this and he will be wanting to keep it in the family. Cunego cause there has to be an Italian in there somewhere
VSP PICKS:
1. Salsa Valverde
2. Cam Meyer
3. Russian assasin
4. Nicolas Roche
5. Can-he-go?
@brett
Giant Tomato – Gerry Thomas
Yoyo = Arroyo
Tandem = Ten Dam
@frank
Hook, line, sinker…
@RedRanger
Well I’m doing it, that’s why I asked. Most of the nicknames are coded now, so once they’ve gone in they get recognised. Keep the nicknames comin!
Here goes nothing…
VSP PICKS:
1. TJ Van Garderen
2. Porte in a storm
3. The Little Prince
4. Valverde
5. Big Tommy V
@King Clydesdale
Red wine and an E?
Thanks all for the Rolland tip. He really impressed me at last years tour, hopefully he will get his chance soon.
VSP PICKS:
1. Eggtimer
2. Little Richie
3. Valve Hurty
4. Guard your wren
5. Wigged Out
Got it… Port-E!
@King Clydesdale
Mine for the lottery…
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gerrans
3. Schleck A
4. Uran
5. Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Wiggins
3. Martin
4. F Schleck
5. Porte
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Vanmarcke
3. Vivani
4. Hutarovich
5. Uran
“Radio Shack to treat Paris-Nice as a “mini TdF.” Schleks in top form after spending all of February looking frantically for one another.” – Dan Wuori on Twitter.
VSP PICKS:
1. Martin
2. Kloden
3. Wiggo
4. Nuyens
5. Brajkovic
VSP PICKS:
1. Taylor Phinney
2. Frank Schleck
3. Tomas Voeckler
4. Heinrich Haussler
5. Bradley Wiggins
So many guys can pull a top 10. So here goes.
VSP PICKS:
1. T. Martini
2. Wiggin’
3. Tommy V in the house
4. A Valverde
5. TJ in the Garden
@Netraam
HA!!
VSP PICKS:
1. T. Martini
2. Wiggin’
3. Tommy V in the house
4. A Valverde
5. TJ in the Garden
@harminator
Yo-Yo is my nickname after I’ve been into the sauce.
VSP PICKS:
1. T. Martini
2. Wiggin’
3. Tommy V in the house
4. A Valverde
5. TJ in the Garden
Isn’t someone going to pick Dennis the Mennis?
@marko
Not for the win, but draffenator and Andrew think he’ll end up as third and napolinige is guessing fourth.
@marko
Really, really thought about it. I originally did, then balked. I’m sure I’ll regret it.
VSP PICKS:
1. T. Martini
2. Wiggin’
3. Tommy V in the house
4. A Valverde
5. TJ in the Garden
Wow, we do like Wiggins for this, don’t we? At least for a top 5 finish.
I suppose it’s in the English psyche to not dare to expect anything of any great hope until they actually deliver.
Let’s face it. Wiggo is far less likely to let you down than the English football team.
I hope he gets this, then disappears until late June. Gets the dauphine and then rides at the front and gets a podium in the tdf. Doing the big pull for cav on the champs elyses
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Leipheimer
3. Wiggins
4. Mollema
5. Van Garderen
VSP PICKS:
1. Leipheimer
2. Wiggins
3. Valv Piti
4. Martin
5. Van Garderen
Levi is like a fine wine….
VSP PICKS:
1. Leipheimer
2. Wiggins
3. Valverde
4. Kloden
5. Van Garderen
@Skinnyphat
…that was left in the cellar too long and is now corked?
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Voeckler
3. Leipheimer
4. Gerrans
5. Martin
@Mike Burdon
Not a fuckin’ chance, of course. But there is a chance, naturally, that I’m wrong. And, supposing for a moment that’s the case, lets even go so far as to suppose he is in the Maillot Jaune on the Champs? Would he lead Cav out? That would be fuckin’ badass, and if he did, I’d be a converted fan for ever.
The more likely thing, of course, is that Cav burns all the leadouts on the flat stages and Wiggo rides alone in the mountains, has a chance right until the most critical moment when he needs a mate, and loses 5 minutes and any hope of a podium.
As a side note – I’ve never seen the point of shooting for the podium. I say shoot for the win, and if you podium that’s just that. I’d rather try for the win and finish last than try for the podium and never take a chance at the win. Its a very negative way to train and race. But I suppose there’s too much money in winning at losing for that to be a realistic way to conduct yourself as a professional.
@frank
I think you’re right about the being realistic bit. Riders are on short contracts. Top ten finish..stock goes up. Podium..stock goes up. Your palmares means nothing if it says…blew it all and came in 34th but really went for the win. Shame but that’s life. There are only very few racers who can afford to have that cavalier attitude and only because they have already achieved so much, I guess.
VSP PICKS:
1. Frank Schleck
2. Tony Martin
3. Bradley Wiggins
4. Damiano Cunego
5. David Arroyo
VSP PICKS:
1. Martin
2. Wiggins
3. Valverde
4. Brajkovic
5. Taaramae
VSP PICKS:
1. wiggins
2. schleck (the Frank half)
3. van garderen
4. voeckler
5. menchov
@frank
That’s a lexicon entry right there–corked.
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Wiggins
3. Martin
4. Kloden
5. Porte
@Netraam
One of the funniest things I’ve seen today! I’m gonna look that guy up and follow him for sure, if we don’t already.
@paolo
Not so sure – take a look at Jackie Durand – classic escape artists who went on the hail mary and almost never made it and still enjoyed great success. Character and panache can’t be great assets that a team wants and is very marketable – often as much so as a few wins on a sheet of paper. The, if e guy can also talk to the press? Gold mine.
But I suppose he netted a RVV and thats no joke. But riders often get contracts for getting in breaks and putting the logos on TV for an afternoon – but that’s also not racing for the win either.
I’m thinking more of the Wiggo class rider – the ones who could win a massive race, but it seems they’re afraid to dream too big. Not sure where I’m going here. Best to stop then.
VSP PICKS:
1. B. Wiggins
2. L. Leipheimer
3. T. Martin
4. JJ Rojas
5. E. Viviani
VSP PICKS:
1. Wiggins
2. Piti
3. Levi Eggtimer
4. Ratpack
5. Roche
As an aside is the Grimplette riding this? I’ve seen him listed as a starter but I can’t see him picked by anyone?