The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige continues the with Tour de France edition, on Saturday July 3rd in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, just kilometers from the start of the Giro d’Italia in Amsterdam (Dutchland is a small country). This will be the second Grand Tour of the series, and at this stage the Grand Tour rules and regulations are fairly well-defined, so take a moment to review them on the VSP Page.
The Tour is, of course, a major event. My personal preference lies with the Giro, but there is no denying the magnitude of the Tour and the appeal it holds. For three weeks, the world pays attention to our sport, and – provided the Tour doesn’t coincide with the World Cup football matches – this is the biggest sporting event during this time of the year. (An interesting observation: the last time these events coincided, the winner was eventually stripped of his title.)
Having run the VSP Giro edition where we tested the ruleset for Grand Tours, we’ve managed to set up a scoring system that seems fair and helps to close down the competition to afford newcomers the ability to catch up with some good picks; the Giro proved that lineup switches and the associated penalties kept the point gains pretty small while allowing strategy to play an interesting role. There is a full overview of the rules and standing at the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page, but here is the ten-second overview:
Every contestant is to choose their top five General Classification picks of the race. The final podium of le Grande Boucle is worth 15 points to the winner, 10 points for second, 5 points for third, 3 points for fourth, and 2 point for fifth. Given the effect crashes can have on a tour, we’ve set up some guidelines around making changes to your lineup during the race: you’re allowed to change your lineup if any rider in your pick list drops out for any reason without any penalty; rest days will allow contestants to make changes to their lineup, however those changes will come at a point penalty. (Visit the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page for a complete breakdown of these points.)
Every day, the leader in the points standings will have the honor of wearing the Yellow Jersey when posting on the site; the overall winner will wear the Yellow Jersey for the remainder of the season and will also earn an “Obey the Rules” bumper sticker. All reader’s points qualify towards the final prize of the free Velominati Shop Apron. As always, if you are inclined to enter, simply post your predictions for the top five placings.
New to the Tour de France edition is the addition of naming the winner of the Green and Polka-dot jerseys for the Tour. There will be no points awarded towards these two jerseys, but the leader of the competition of these jerseys will have the honor of commenting with a Green or Polka-dot jersey badge throughout the competition and the winner will earn the right to comment with that badge until next year’s Tour. The contestant who picks both the final Green and Polka jersey winners correctly will win a Velominati Logo bumper sticker. Tie-breakers will go to the first contestant who posts their entire lineup (all 5 GC picks plus Green and Polka-dot jersey winners). Given that this sub-competition has no points, pick substitutions will only be granted under the DNF regulations of the VSP; no rest-day substitutions are allowed.
Sub-competitions will be conducted while the Tour is underway for specific stages. These stages will be chosen a few days prior to the stage being held and will be selected based on the current race conditions with the aim of choosing the most decisive and exciting stages of the race, so check back often to make sure you don’t miss out. Sub-competitions will be held in separate editions.
Good luck!
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@Marko Can't help there but I wonder how many there are out there now?
@Marko
"Ps. Are you drinking and posting again?"
Drinking beer is not drinking. Drinking vodka is. I catagorically deni Iam drinking!!!
@Souleur
Glad to see someone else with little faith in Menchov. Where has he been all year? He lives with the gimp in that box(Pulp Fiction ref.) and Rabobank pulls him out occasionally to race him. DS drumming on his head with his fingers, "what race do we put you in this year? The Giro? no...we got away with that last year...hmmmmm, maybe the Tour, no one will be expecting you, inept drug testing, yes the Tour!"
@Geof Fine Geof. You are a master of the Rules and the VSP rules. No surprise. But I don't think you've addressed my issue with them. The rule takes the risk out of picking Contador. When I first read the rule it seemed sensible. Dudes go down in freak accidents; let the players pick again. This is all together different. I think what Marcus mentioned is right. Radio Shack, Saxo, maybe Garmin too are going to try to hurt AC badly in the first week on the cobbles and in the wind. Quick Step may join in for stage wins. People are going to go down left and right. And, good Lord, let us all pray for rain too. But now you can just say like Marcus. Well, if AC goes down, I'll just pick again? The strategy in dealing with the first week and how it may play out ultimately is far less interesting and weighty with the rule allowing new picks in this kind of case. That's all. I'm not whinning. As I said, I made my picks in full light of the rule.
You've got the wrong Josh, Marko... that's the Kiwi Josh who I work with, who has a sickening man-crush on George.
@david I hear you. But I think the Piti Principle should prevent people taking the piss. The footnote to the VSP rules says "Abuse of these rules will be managed through the "Piti Principle": if we feel you are attempting to exploit loopholes or otherwise take advantage of the Changing of the Picks rules, we will penalize you by deducting points from your total score. Much like the UCI doping suspensions, the amount of points deducted will be based on how egregious the abuse was". So taking advantage of Bertie's broken collarbone by completely swapping out your entire line-up would, I'd say, involve some serious penalisation. And swapping out Bertie because he's been totally creamed on the cobbles (without being injured) because one of your other picks went down would also be deeply suspect. To avoid infringing the Principle, surely you'd need to swap out only those who are injured, except to the extent you could justify other changes by cogent reference to the changing expected dynamics of the race as a result of those injuries - i.e. NOT as a result of shitty (but non-DNF) performances by your other picks. So trying to get your picks right from the start is important. You are right that the ability to replace takes some of the risk out of picking Bertie (i.e. the risk that he DNF's because he breaks something on the cobbles). But I don;t think it takes the risk out of picking him if he just ends up placing poorly because he couldn't hang with the others on the bumps. (Interesting question though - would he, at that point, abandon, or decide to chase stages and KOM?)
BTW, my best wishes to you and your mother. And full respect to your (very HTFU) two-rides-a-day-to-peak-in-one-month approach to maintaining your health and sanity.
Let me try to put some perspective on picking Armstrong. As I said above, it's probably crazy. Four climbing stages followed immediately by a fairly long time trial in the third week. Sheeit, Armstrong lacked his ruthless attacking prowess even in 04 and 05. (He probably was on a less risky EPO regime.) And, even he himself says he just doesn't have the TT ability anymore. Then, again, don't forget the Alpe d'Huez in 2001. He may just be playing a game. Why on earth should he be picked to win in 2010? I picked him assuming everyone else would pick Contador--the only sane choice to win--on the small chance I could gain against everyone else in the VSP standings. I'm a late comer with only 1 point so far. That strategy failed. Three or four picked him also, including Rob, who is high up in the VSP standings.
But, Armstrong is the romantic pick. I think more than a few of us have the sense that desire, will, passion, and heart are powerful, and if they are, no one more than LA will benefit from them. Perhaps all one needs to say is Luz Ardiden, 2003. Armstrong is fucking fierce. God I love him for it. You didn't see it last year because he was, under Bruyneel, a team player in support of AC. Even then he beat down the pompous and deluded Wiggins for the podium.
And, it's not clear who the 3rd week will favor. The young or the old? The young have the physical advantages when it comes to damn hard challenges. The old have the psychological advantages. The older are just mentally tougher. Is the challenge long and hard enough that mental hardness will trump over physical power and adaptability. That is the question. I don't think A. Schleck is up to it. I'm going with the old, tough bastards, LA and Basso, for the third week. But, that maybe just because I'm old. Too exciting this Tour. God damnit.
@Geof: "So taking advantage of Bertie's broken collarbone by completely swapping out your entire line-up would, I'd say, involve some serious penalisation. And swapping out Bertie because he's been totally creamed on the cobbles (without being injured) because one of your other picks went down would also be deeply suspect."
I like this a whole lot. I hope the Keeper's Penalty Commission will pay this due regard.
Dan, my condolences to you.
David, all the best to you and your mother. My mum and an ex both had breast cancer, both came through it, I'm sure your mum will too.
Ok, time to tip...
1: Cuntodor. He's not gonna crash on the cobbles, he'll smash em in the TTs and the Cols, there's no way he can lose. Even though I'm not really a fan, I hope he wins the next 6 Tours just to fuck EgoTesticle's record.
2: An awesome Cadel. The rainbow will cast a spell over him and propel him onto Bertie's wheel until he's the last man dropped. 2 minutes back at the end.
3: Fuck, it's a crapshoot from here. No one stands out, it's all chaff. Throw a dart at a start list and... Gimp, A.
4: Boring as bat shit Basso.
5: Veino. Even though he'll be working for Cunty, he's tough enough to hang on at the summit finishes to limit his losses.
Pharmhand and Eggtimer will be holding hands at the back, figuring out the best excuses to use.
Green: Thor. C-douche can go fuck himself too.
KOM: Kruezinger Burger
Rant-tastic. This is a tough one. Undoubtedly, Basso has been the only rider to show pure class this year, but the Giro is still going to be in his legs and Nibali's probably blown it by being an uber-dom for Ivan....(is he even riding?)
1: Cuntodor. He's looked alternatly polished and turd so far this year. If he carries on with the, no I really am human, style of riding this will be optimistic. Veino could be a wildcard, dogged lieutenant or banzai attacker?
2. Basso. Looked pure quality on the giro, can climb (and the tour should be easier) and TT. Liquigas are strong.
3. Menchov. Done fuck all this year....I'm putting him in for a peak in the third week, lost a bit of weight so he can get up the cols and still TT, outside chance. Hopefully he can stay off the vodka gels for long enough in the first four days to keep it relatively upright.
4. Douchestrong. Will suffer in the last week and in the TT but still strong and clearly on good form after the swiss.
5. Syrup of Figg-O. Going to lack support in the mountains but has a massive point to prove. Will be strong in the TT.
The 'Unit' Grimpeurs are going to cockblock each other and Grimp Jr won't be able to pull out enough in the mountains to make up for his inevitable wet blouse TT. I'd argue the Grimp Sr looks stronger this year anyway....
Cadel is too fat to climb and is going to get touched by too many random french photojournalists. I predict a meltdown.
Green: Cavendish (AND I'll be happy if he wins it!)
Polka: Sanchez, the little devil.