Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de Suisse

A big man playing where little men frolic. Photo: Sirotti

The Tour de Suisse is the last warm-up race prior to the Tour, and the last chance to test your form. As far as Tour rivalries go, we typically see one rival choose the Dauphiné and one la Suisse; it’s unpleasant to ruffle your feathers too much with a pre-Tour head-to-head, you see.

While the Dauphiné has the benefit of previewing some of the Tour’s stages in a race situation, the Tour de Suisse has the benefit of including the only thing more sinister than cobbled bergs: a cobbled mountain pass. This road also holds the distinction of being the only one where I feel more sympathy for the road layers than I do the riders.

Aside from rivals and masochism, the key factors determining which race to ride have to do with the timing of the peak: this race features a full week later in the calendar than does the Dauphiné, and based on the Tour’s parcours and rhythm of the rider’s season, this race may have better timing. But in any case, as with the Critérium, the effort is a dangerous gamble: ride too hard and you could fire off the Guns enter the Tour with little more than starter pistols. Balance, balance.

So, as the Dauphiné winds down, it’s time to start thinking about Suisse, our last VSP before le Tour. Get your picks in by 5am Pacific on Saturday morning. Same drill as usual: Being a week-long stage race, the points on offer are 7 for first, 5 for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth, with the usual allotment of bonus points for getting the rider right but the place wrong. Also, there are no rest days, so no rest day swaps, but we will have our usual approach for riders who drop out. Piti Principle applies as always. Also review the guide, being careful to note that the rules have changed a bit this year, and we may not have completely updated the guide yet, so if there’s a question, ask.

May Merckx be with you all.

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.

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View Comments

Ankush says:

Jun 10 2011 at 7:54 am

VSP PICKS:

1. F Shleck
2. Ryder Hesjedal
3. Monsieur Chavanel
4. Little Prince
5. Kloden
Dr C says:

Jun 10 2011 at 7:54 am

VSP PICKS:

1. The Cav
2. Franck Schlecki
3. Ben Swift
4. King Cancellara
5. Thor
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:36 am

VSP PICKS:

1. F. Schleck
2. TJ Van Gardenen
3. Horner
4. A. Schleck
5. Christian Vande Velde
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:38 am

@Dr C
God DAMN, man. With those picks you are SURE to maintain the Lanterne Rouge! :)

VSP PICKS:

1. F. Schleck
2. TJ Van Gardenen
3. Horner
4. A. Schleck
5. Christian Vande Velde
Dr C says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:48 am

@Buck Rogers
As a Newbie, I thought it might be a touch rude to pick the correct riders first time out - I have a nice collection of Welly Boots, Wooden Spoons, Dunce's Hats and DME awards on my mantlepice at home, so a Red Lantern wouldn't cause me the least displeasure - in fact, the Only Way Is Up is my favourite theme, so what better way to start

Whilst I have grabbed the limelight, no doubt only temporarily, could someone of you educated sounding punters please give me some technical advice (I'm now trembling in case I have transgressed some hidden rule about ventilating one's shortfalls in public / Rule 5 etc) - but how does one do that thing where you ride with your forearms resting on the handlebars, looking nonchalantly from left and right? Is velcro allowed, or is there some friction mystery thing going on, like the thing where you stick a spoon to your nose in the pub?

I tried it last week and fell off - no don't laugh, I hurt my hand....
Sam says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:49 am

@Buck Rogers
btw steep hill seems to think that Horner has pulled out. But if he's in then i will make the change cos i think he's up there where as i want to put CVV in but i just think he's past it and Garmin can't seem to buy a win for love nor money atm. Kruijswijk is in there cos i thought Svitzoff (SP?) would die in the Dauphine but he hasn't so hey

VSP PICKS:

1. F Schleck
2. TJ Van Garderen
3. A Schleck
4. Cunego
5. Kruijswijk
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:53 am

Sam :
@Buck Rogersbtw steep hill seems to think that Horner has pulled out. But if he's in then i will make the change cos i think he's up there where as i want to put CVV in but i just think he's past it and Garmin can't seem to buy a win for love nor money atm. Kruijswijk is in there cos i thought Svitzoff (SP?) would die in the Dauphine but he hasn't so hey
VSP PICKS:
1. F Schleck2. TJ Van Garderen3. A Schleck4. Cunego5. Kruijswijk

Thanks for the info about Horner, I'll double check that. Le Petit Prince, eh? I considered throwing him in but felt a bit about him the way you do about CVV. Should be a great race and pretty open as well.
heath says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:53 am

et, voilÃ .

VSP PICKS:

1. Schleck the Elder
2. Schleck the Younger
3. Il Piccolo Principe
4. KlÃ¶den
5. The Weight of a Nation
Nathan Edwards says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:54 am

Come on Chav

VSP PICKS:

1. FrÃ¤nk
2. KlÃ¶den
3. Hesje
4. Sylvain!
5. Andy
Sam says:

Jun 10 2011 at 8:54 am

@Dr C
practice, basically i nearly fell first time i had tried it, for some reason i found it easier when trying to unwrap an energy bar using both hands. Dunno y but it might be worth giving it a go, also check ur saddle is level as if it's tilted forward it'll pitch all your weight forward and just hurt, the rules are there for more than just looking awesome, which it does