The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige makes an unscheduled stop this week at the Tour de Suisse. Originally left off the VSP roster, it was decided among the Keepers that the ‘fourth Grand Tour’ is indeed worthy of inclusion in our humble tipping competition. As one of the final hit-outs for many Tour de France contenders, the Swiss race shows who might be ready to step up in July, who’s needing to pull their finger out, and who might be targeting this race as a worthy addition to their palmares. With a couple of TT’s, stages that could go to the sprinters or a daring breakaway, and some of the most picturesque mountain passes in Europe, it has something for everyone, and anyone could win.
Can Motorcus find an ‘extra gear’ and back up his 09 victory? Will the EgoTesticle show signs of his old self on the bike, or just behave like his old self off it? And are the Brothers Grimpeur finally going to do something, anything?
Let us know your thoughts, and make your picks to pick up a sweet Obey The Rules bumper sticker, in the posts section on this page. For a full rundown on the competition scoring etc, visit our VSP Schedule, Rules and Results page.
Good luck!
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There is a difference between being the best and being the best and a dickhead.
Humility covers over a multitude of sins.
@Frank - a perfect assessment of Cavendish and why I don't care for him. Cipo was cocky, and knew he was a badass, but had class, style, and charisma. Cav is fast but also a twatwaffle.
@frank @Cyclops @bikenerd. Thanks. I seriously was asking for some explanation of the animosity, not making any points. But, I still don't get it. Some sportsmanship gene I don't have, apparently.
One thing that catches my attention is the claim that premediated salutes show disrespect for his competitors. Maybe. But just because he's assuming beforehand he will win, and showing it? Hardly a grave breach. And, none of his salutes mocked his competitors, like Cipollini's over-the-shoulder-Good-Lord-how-come-all-of-you-are-so-far-behind-me-look salute. / Admitting mistakes? The relegation last year was really iffy. He was right to be pissed, given the Green jersey was at issue. Iffy calls shouldn't be made when big things are at stake. And, you know my assessment this TdS stage. Yeah, he violated the UCI rule, and should have been sanctioned, but, the crash shouldn't have happened because Haussler was just out of control. So, I don't see he has any reason to admit any mistake other than the fact that he violated the UCI rule, which he has already done. And, then, if French teams want to hold up the race like big pussies, Cavendish is right to respond with contempt. Silliness like that deserves a contemptuous response./ No humility? The demand for public displays of humility are to appease people with psychological problems, or else are ways other players try to gain power in the public realm. /Does not show respect for the history and traditions of the sport? I don't know. I'd be willing to listen to more on that. But, I do recall M Cav saying before the 08' TdF that he really wanted to finish the race. He didn't think it was fair to the organizers or the fans that he would start with the intention of quitting when the race got to the mountains. Note how different that attitude is to Cipollini's. In fact, aside from dopers, one could argue that no one has shown more lack of respect for the TdF than Cipollini. And, M Cav has worked hard to get himself into a position where he can finish the race and compete for the Green Jersey. I doubt Cipo gave it half as much effort.
I am now as big a fan of Cavendish as ever. I used to not much care for him, because his sprinting lacked the elegance that Cipollini's had. But, now I'm going to take up his cause. I'm really starting to like his defiance in the face of the unbalanced attacks on him. Instead of a floppy, flacid public persona designed to appease the masses, young Mark has his heart on his sleeve and is going to tell it like he sees it. Perhaps, I'm wrong, but I would suggest some mediation on Rule 5 may be needed for those who respond so negatively to him.
How 'bout some killer Rule 9 action out there today, huh? Man, I just love a good day of racing in the rain.
And, a fellow tall feller, too, to boot. Nice.
You obviously aren't married. :)
"A gentle answer turns away wrath."
@david
with you all the way on Cav. The answer you are looking for though is that Cav is easy to hate. At times he makes it look too easy and that is why people don't like him and probably because he didn't take much time to announce that he was the best of the best and stomp on all the established spinters. There is a huge amount of hypocrisy surrounding the criticism of Cav.
Let's have a look at some of these established sprinters:
McEwen: long in the tooth, but like Cav is now, when he was younger was considered brash, arrogant (remember those one-handed wheelies?), reckless/dangerous (remember that headbutt?)
Steegmans: Beat Boonen once, when he was his lead-out. Done nothing since other than get blown off his bike by a hurricane
Boonen: Not as fast as he was, can't really crticise other people after his last couple of years. Maybe not wayward riding, but wayward living can be just as reckless
And that it's, run out of sprinters.
It's a shame for Haussler as he was clearly back to form, but he should HTFU and accept that accidents happen, besides it'll give him more time at the bar. It's not like Cav took him across the road and into the barriers, the sprint was a lot more wild as they came around Ciolek
@frank
your graphic - once around Ciolek, each rider is one a line that will eventually cross the other.
frame 3 - both with outside cranks down
frame 4 - as the inside cranks come down bodies lean with it and they come together.
also, forgetting that Cipo used to taunt other sprinters for losing by telling they knew nothing about tactics and had he bothered to race he would have whipped their arses. Hardly respectful, but hey, this is sprinting. Sprinters are (generally) alpha-males and with that comes a certain arrogance for without it they wouldn't be able to get a place at the top-table.
@Guy: that is a serious ticket!!!
I would only be so lucky, but maybe one day
btw: 1969 was a great year!
@Souleur, @Guy
Just reviewed the profile - that's a proper ride, too!
It's probably inaccurate to call Boonen and Hushovd all-out sprinters. They're fast as hell, but they're more all-rounders and Classics threats. Which makes it easier to appreciate them. Can't help thinking that the Green Jersey race last year wouldn't have been close if Hushovd had had the HTC Columbia lead-out train. C-Douche is faster"”no question"”but he gets an awful lot of help.
For what it's worth, I'm a big fan of panache and irreverence, but C-Diddy is flat-out arrogant. He's a bit impish, and good for a laugh, but I think Frank's point about him not appreciating his sport's history and heritage is a good one; it hurts his character. Spitting in front of opponents (whether they need to HTFU or not): classy!
@souleur cheers for the comments. Looking forward to it in an odd way. We're going up to the Rapha Cycle Club in London tomorrow for their etape evening. Should be fun. Good stage of the TdS to watch before as well.
WRT to Cav. I love him. He's proper world class and he's a Brit. I don't buy all the Italian style bollocks. And the teams that protested today need to suck it up. They demonstrated why France hasn't had a Tour winner for such a long time.