Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2012
We are proud to announce a change to the Velominati Super Prestige moving forward: sponsorship. We are delighted (if a little surprised) at the interest our partners showed in this endeavor, despite the short notice we gave them. Four sponsors will be gracing the sides of our team bus for this year’s race: fi’zi:k is our Super Domestique Sponsor (think Big George without the shoe covers because who’d want to cover those beauties up), while the leadout train is being rounded out by DeFeet, Pavé Cycling Classics, and Malteni Beer. As we all know, fizik gets a lot of love around here as the Contact Point Supplier, and for good reason. So we thought now is as good a time as any to announce that DeFeet has agreed to come on board as Flandrian Best Supplier, the Pavé boys, our trusted guides over the stones and bergs, and Malteni Biere which fills our bidon and keeps us making bad decisions like teaming up with the Pavé boys.
So what does Super Domestique Sponsor mean? Free shoes to the winners – that’s what it means, dillwhips. Free R3’s, yup the Aristocrats, to the three winners of the VSP: TdF GC Winner and the two Stage VSP’s. As you watch this year’s race, look for the likes of Jeremy Roy and Richie Porte riding the R3’s in complete Rule Compliance. As Leadout Sponsor, Defeet is providing a full Flandrian Best Kit including a base layer, Armskins, Kneekers, and Slipstream Belgian booties for the VSP: Tdf GC second place as well plus two pairs of D-Logo socks to each runner-up of the Stage VSP’s. The Pavé boys (also Leadout Sponsors) are putting up a limited Pavé Cycling Classics wool jersey awarded to third place. We can’t ship Malteni (also Leadout Sponsors) legally, so you’ll just have to wait until you’re in Belgium to guzzle some of that lovely nectar or join the Pavé boys for their Worlds Weekend tour with Johan Museeuw where they’ll get you stupid(er) on the stuff.
Gianni’s Ruminations
Finally, the date has arrived. We have all done our training through the winter, contested the Spring Classics, The Ardennes Races, Romandie, Oh the Giro, The Dauphine, Tour de Swiss. Not all were in the VSP schedule but I know most of you wrote down your picks for the others and tucked them under your pillows. It’s training. There has been time to taper down before Saturday’s prologue start in Liége, Belgium. A young neo-pro, The Fish, is leading in points. The hardened veterans have seen these youth come and go, the season is long. A touch of wheels, a moment of youthful idealism, Vladimir Karpets is picked to podium, The Fish goes down, he panics and by the time he is back up he will never see the front again. Or he will continue to mock us all with his astute choices and lead all the way to Lombardy.
I have staked my claim on the yellow kit ownership some time ago and still see this as an epic Cadel-Wiggo battle to the death and if not death, until one of them sits up. But this year might be the time the youth start to fill up the other three places in the top five.
The Shack’s team car has been crashing into every static object all spring and now Bruyneel has been yanked out of the driver’s seat. The ride can only get smoother but with the reluctant leader Frank Schleck staring at over 100km of prologue and time trialing, as was said in the bunker, they are going stage hunting. I could go on for hours about the 2012 TdF but we have other Keepers who need to vent.
Please check the VSP page for the rules, keep an eye on the awesome VSP countdown timer, don’t Delgado your picks. Here is the start list.
I have to give a shout out to a brave group of Velominati who are heading to the Vermont/Canadian border to draft behind a massive dump truck full of Awesome all the way to the Massachusetts state line. It’s a Cogal only deranged people would attempt and as luck would have it, we supply them here. I hope they get their picks in soon as they may be in no kind of shape on Friday to think about such important things.
Brett’s Misconceptions
It’s all about Fränk. It’s perfect. All the pressure’s off. No lil bro to hold him back. Deliberately sucking all year so far, crashing and quitting, a hint of form, Bruyneel slinks off to deflect attention (and suspicion), Fränk suddenly can time trial and a couple of Pharmy style attacks later he wins in Paris by two minutes, taking the sprint on the Champs Elysees for good measure. Maybe not the last bit. Fränk will, however, finish in lil bro’s favourite position. Or suddenly leave with a stomach bug.
Cadel will take this. It’s perfect. All the pressure’s off. No lil bro to worry about in the mountains. Deliberately almost sucking so far, but not. Hints of form, staying low, deflecting attention. Look after the time trials and command the mountains. Safe, not exciting. Or he’ll step on someone else’s dog, breaking his elbow and decapitating the dog.
Wiggo could take this. It’s perfect. A lot of form. A lot of km’s against the clock. Not too many big hills. Too tall socks. Cav left to fight alone. One bad day is waiting there though, the sort of bad day that not even winning the final TT by 2 minutes can alleviate. Or he’ll crash in the first week, breaking both elbows after getting a sideburn caught in his crazy bio pace chainrings.
Sagan will win the first twelve stages, then leave with a stomach bug. Gossy will gratefully step into the vacant green in the greatest heist since Gerro won San Remo. And the Rug Salesman will be all spotty, due to getting in a long break and not sucking as much as even he expected. That’ll help him to 5th and Zubeldia level evanescence.
None of this may actually come close to happening, but whatever does I hope it’s an exciting race. Good luck to those battling hard for three weeks in the VSP race too, it could just turn out to be the main point of interest a couple of weeks from now.
Marko’s Reckoning
The Fish loses two spots on the G.C. but manages to eek out a pair of R3s in a sub-VSP as G’phant peaks in le Grande Boucle and walks away with le Grande Bouprize. Sad thing is, G’phant is legend but nobody remembers him because he only shows for races, not group rides anymore. Fausto rides a calculated, if not boring, race to move up a spot but just misses out. Gianni gets a glimpse of the podium going into the 16th stage and the Tourmalet but drowns in a lactic acid and caffeine soaked bath in that stage’s VSP. Marko Delgados virtually the entire event while he continues building his family a house in direct violation of Rule #11, which is more than we can say for Brett and Frank who were last seen going in the opposite direction with Bruyneel in a Radiotreksanshack team car dragging a muffler through Liege on its way to a USADA hearing near Austin.
In the meantime, two dudes from the Commonwealth – one with sideburns approaching muttonchops and another with an ass on his chin – duel it out in France. There will be some Italian, Spanish, and Russian dudes there too in an epic the likes of which hasn’t been seen in years. Fuck Yeah people, Vive le Tour.
Frank’s Delusions
It happens every single time. I get all weepy-eyed about the Giro and how it’s the Velominatus’ choice for a Grand Tour. Less crazy, better terrain, a comparatively weaker field usually yielding a closer race. But come the Tour, I get all starstruck as the big names line up in the best form they could muster for the season.
I also had decided to pick Twiggo for the big win, but now I’m not so sure. I love that the guy is tall and can get over a mountain, but there is one irrefutable fact that I can’t get over. He looks much too much like Gianni’s avatar, only not as well-kept. The sardonic look on his face along with those whispy sideburns are just too much for me to take. I’m back to rolling with my heart and my questionable sensibilities to favor Grimpelder this time round, now that he’s out of the shadow of his little brother and will be able to put the swivelnecking energy into the pedals instead of looking behind him.
The good news is that the racing always winds up being awesome. And that’s what its about: panache. So long as Wiggo doesn’t pull an Indurain and take 6 minutes on an early TT, I’ll be happy.
Epilogue
Pick carefully, don’t Delgado, and think twice about those rest day swaps; they come at a heavy price and there are some nice prizes on the line which make the Velominati Shop Apron look like a Schleck’s chamois during the descent of the Peyresourde.
The Fine Print: each contestant is of course encouraged to enter all VSP events, but everyone is eligible to take the prizes on only one VSP. If a contestant takes more than one VSP event (GC or Stage) the prize for that VSP will then be awarded to the player with the next highest score. In the event of a tie we’ll do our best to find the fairest way to break the tie. If something doesn’t make sense, please ask; we’re making this up as we go along.
Get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero, and good luck. Vive le Tour.
Been having the Wiggo argument at home – my wife points out that since I’ve been watching I’ve been fooled a load of times (Festina, USPS, etc…) although my counter argument has always been the “it’s not the one bad apple” but an endemic culture.
Anyway I went similarly spare before the tour when she suggested that Wiggo might be juiced up so I can understand why he went off the deep end.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggo
2. Evans
3. Nibbles
4. Van Der Broeck
5. Froome
Only going to change the DNF rider
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Froome
4. Gesink
5. Westra
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Vrooooooooome
2. Frank Schleck
3. Porte
4. Tejay van Garderen
5. Nibali
@Dr C
what he said.
Still hoping Cuddles can pull this one off, but a change to send Golden Sammy packing. I’ll keep Rolland there given he’s still riding (no matter how far behind).
P.S. can we stop this fucking doping chatter? The last three or four pages have made for fucking boring reading despite being based (loosely) on the results of some bloody awesome riding.
Sorry about the sweariness @Dr C but I’m a little over it.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cuddles
2. Twiggo
3. Rolland Dirty
4. Nibbles
5. Froome
Don’t look now but sounds like Cofidis might be in a spot of bother….
Cyclingnews has the headline that hotel raided and arrest made.
@Giles
Well that was a quicker answer than I wanted…
I’m only swapping because my value system is worth less than a pair of R3’s.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cuddles
2. The Modfather
3. Westra
4. Invisible Denis
5. Nibbles
di Gregorio apparently in trouble
@Giles
Remy Di Gregorio
Me, I’m loving the racing so far….got rings under my eyes from the < 6 hrs per night sleep but loving every minute of it.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggo
2. Evans
3. Froome
4. Tejay
5. Haimar
I don’t know whether or not this has been discussed yet, but has anyone else noticed that the cause of the big crash in stage 6 that ended Hesjedal’s Tour does not seem to have ever been publicly identified? A friend pointed out to me that those interviewed about the crash have all seemed a bit cagey in their answers. And, when I think about it, it seems true that all of the other crashes from the first week were carefully dissected using slow motion replays and various camera angles. Is the lack of an explanation for the stage 6 crash simply a matter of there not having been a camera filming that part of the peloton at that particular moment, in other words, much ado about nothing?
@Dr C +1 @Mikael Liddy +1
As for the rest of you… I’m not angry. I’m just disappointed. I think you’ve let yourselves down.
(Patronising? Sanctimonious? Me?! Nooooo)
Rest day swap of DNF
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. twiggo
2. cadel
3. nibbles
4. FrooFroo
5. Christian V de V
Two swaps for me since Rolland isn’t going to be anywhere near the top 10 this year.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Nibali
4. Froome
5. Van Garderen
Swapped out the Dirty Sanch for JVDB – The skinny Dutchman can climb.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cadel Two-peats
2. Jolly Naughty Wiggo
3. Nibs-Ali
4. Jurgen Go for Broke
5. Denis the Menchov
@Mikael Liddy
Don’t agree with this. The discussion has been about many topics. The emergence of Sky, press conferences, team orders etc.
@roadslave525
+1 to that. Sky, Froome and Wiggo are dishing out a metric fuckload of awesomeness and I’m loving it. Hopefully they’ll all stay rubber side down, which most of my original picks failed to do.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggo
2. Cadel Evans
3. Froome
4. Nibali
5. Menchov
Still counting on Nibble to make this happen.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Nibali
2. Evans
3. Wiggins
4. JVdB
5. Froome
Swap out Ryder for now and take a wait & see approach w/ a couple of others…
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Gesink
4. Nibali
5. Froome
This is a tough choice. I don’t have Nibali in my top five. Vande Velde clearly isn’t going to be as strong as I have always hoped. I want to stick with Van Den Broek and Menchov.
So, the question becomes, Nibbles or Vroom Vroom Froome?
Froome. We’ll see. There is a lot of racing left.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Evans
2. Wiggins
3. Menchov
4. Froome
5. Van Den Broeck
I should have known better than to put Grimpelder in my top 5.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Froome
4. Menchov
5. Nibali
For those of you upset at some measured discussion about doping, get over yourselves. Maybe you haven’tbeen following the sport for long enough to be sus on every standout improvement. Maybe you weren’t around when the most innocent of all – Tyler! – got busted. Maybe the Floyd Fairness Fund doesn’t ring a bell. And that is only the recent stuff. This sport has created its jaundiced cynical fans – and it must live with us. Personally – like Frank- I am somewhat ambivalent as to whether they are orthey aren’t.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cadelephant
2. Valverde
3. Wiggins
4. Nibali
5. Menchov
Ah shit, shades of ’98?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cofidis-hotel-raided-di-gregorio-arrested-at-tour-de-france
Tricky one this, I could swap Hesjedal out my #3 spot for Evans. At least Ryder is a DNF. Within the rules but is it within the spirit. Vaughters hasn’t got that option.
Swapping Westra out of the #5 spot for any one of several riders would also be wise but even more at odds with the spirit of things.
Can this even be won once a 10 point penatly has been taken into account? Maybe time to have a rummage through @ChrisO‘s stats.
I’ve swapped out Gesink from second. Can’t afford / be bothered to swap out Sagan – i’ve enjoyed his antics but why on earth did i have him as GC contender?
Would like to see Sky build a team for Froome to take to the Giro in 2013 – they have a strong enough squad for him to be a serious contender.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Froome
3. Nibbles
4. Sagan
5. Cuddles
@Duende I thought it was because there was no camera, however the finger was pointed at some rider (can’t remember the team now) not concentrating when putting his bidon in to his back pouch and moving off-line…no doubt he is now struggling somewhere out the back of the peloton feeling very lonely…the main cause of the huge pile was attributed to the speed they were going…Millar said they were all doing 70kph…
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Froome
4. Gesink
5. The slightly less frail Schleck
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Ned Kelly
2. Froome
3. Monty Sideburns
4. Nibs
5. Dodger
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Nibali
4. Menchov
5. Van Garderen
Out with Hesjedal and Gesink, and in with Evans (grumpily) and van den Broek
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Evans
4. Gesink
5. Froome
Froome will be toast because he will be in charge of protecting Wiggo, he won’t last.
doh. again…
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Evans
4. van den Broek
5. Froome
Big George Hincappies weapon for stage 4 this year….lovin’ the decals!
@Deakus
They do not show so well…but across the top tube is “Big George’s SLR01”..down the seat tube is “lucky seventeen” and on the chainstay is “gentlemens round”….not sure I understand all of these..
@Deakus Found the history behind the bike http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/pro-bike-george-hincapies-gentlemans-round-bmc-teammachine-slr01
Swapping out for the injured Ryder. Also willing to take a 5 point penalty for my misguided faith in Voekler to relive last years magic.
While it sucks to pay a penalty for a rider crashing out, I haven’t lost my chance at the Podium in the Tour. Puts things in perspective from my way of thinking.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. B Wiggins
2. C Evans
3. Nibali
4. F Schleck
5. Froome
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Froome
4. Evans
5. Menchov
I’m putting Froome in for the injured Sanchez but sticking with the rest of my initial picks.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Nibali
2. Wiggins
3. Van Den Broeck
4. Evans
5. Froome
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Nibali
3. Evans
4. Menchov
5. Froome
@lindrop you forgot to switch out Gesink. It made me sad, too, but it’s time to let him go.
Froome for Hesjedal (damn), Nibali for Gesink. Damn that guy, losing time in a nothing stage!
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Froome
4. Nibali
5. Menchov
Swappity swap swap. Bye points.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. W-w-w-wiggo
2. Evans
3. Froome
4. Nibali
5. The Most Lonesome Schleck
Crap I should have dumped Schleck as well… can we only submit one swap or can you swap multiple times during the rest day?
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. WIGGINS
2. NIBALI
3. EVANS
4. MENCHOV
5. FROOME
@Cyclops
Your instincts serve you well. I did give him the benefit of 5th place.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Nibali
2. Evans
3. Wiggins
4. Froome
5. Menchov
I have a patient named Delgado who has missed two appointments in a row.
Makin’ my swaps. I can’t really get any worse since one of my original picks is now out. :-(
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Wiggins
2. Evans
3. Nibali
4. Froome
5. Menchov
I think these swaps are a gamble that usually wouldn’t be worth it, but if there is even a small chance at some free stuff I have to go for it…
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Bradley Wiggins
2. Cadel Evans
3. Chris Froome
4. Vincenzo Nibali
5. Denis Menchov