Velominati Super Prestige: Vuelta a España 2017
Holy fuckballs. I’ve never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I’ve missed them entirely – which is another kind of incompetence entirely – but I’m shocked at how quickly this week blew by me. I think I have whiplash.
Be that as it may, the Vuelta is on our doorstep, and before you panic, I’ll leave the picks open until Monday so we have enough time to screw up our picks despite knowing who crashes out in the first few days.
This is actually exciting stuff. We have some serious grudge-matching going on here for the Vuelta. Chris Froome is double-talking, Bardet is trash-talking, and Contador is exit-talking. This could be interesting.
On the subject of Bardet, he is my new Schleck. I love how he looks on the bike, and he’s got a fighting spirit. And he rides a white bike, which is the color bike I’m obsessed with. And I’m equally sure he will never win a major bike race, on account that I fancy him. (Roman, if you are reading this, I ask your forgiveness.)
Alright, I’ll stop faffing about. Check the start list, get your picks in, and let’s get this party started.
Damn fine result today! Does anyone deserve a GT stage win more than Thomas de Gendt? No-one, that’s who. The guy’s been busting his balls since the start of the Tour.
Nice effort by Bertie today. A lot to play for on the Angliru tomorrow. The final classification isn’t set yet – although my VSP was doomed from the start.
@RobSandy
That is my point. No one races anymore.
@Rick
Not sure that’s true. Zakarin and Kelderman have a pretty good low-key battle going on. But the only one’s racing to win are Froome and Nibali, for sure. And Contador is racing everyone.
They need to have a good long look at Rule #70.
Chapeau, Senor Contador.
@Rick
Hear, hear.
Also, if VSP gets scored, I have the top three in the right order.
@RobSandy
Congrats to you, Sir. I had the first two in order and Zakarin in fourth. His attack yesterday sunk my chances.
*sank my chances.
@Ron
Teocalli is right – I have a smartphone. My newer one is far better on battery life, especially as the screen isn’t on. I start the ride, start the app, turn off the screen and put the phone in my back pocket and forget about it. I also take a small external battery as the law of states that the one time it does kill the battery is the one time I need the phone to work as a phone!
@Rick
Nice. I had Contador correct in fourth, NITRO’d Froome and Nibbles.
Summing up the Vuelta, I’m still not a big Froome fan, but the man deserves respect. Got the sprinter’s jersey in the end, too. Contador was fun to watch as he went out fighting. I keep thinking how the race would have gone if he hadn’t had such a bad day on Stage 3.
@MangoDave
I agree regarding Froome. He is a bike racer, period.
Froome is surely a champion. i was rooting for him to win this Vuelta. he’s taken so many shots at this race, you know this was a big deal for him.
i mean look at the guy. he looks like a survivor of some POW camp. he’s walking the walk, in terms of what it means to be a Tour champion. maybe he’s even redefining the term. he, Bardet, and Contador have made this a very interesting summer.
He still looks terrible on a bike winky smiley
@Cary
Re-reading the Hardmen and wonder whether Froome will make it to the next one. When Sky mentioned he wanted to take the double, I thought, OK that will happen and soon he was already leading the GC as if it was effortless. I think a bit more drama and showing of a bit more suffering would improve his image.He’s a good cyclist for sure.
@KogaLover
Froome is a champion, of that there’s no doubt. One of the great GT riders? Certainly, and a Giro win would cement that. Hardman? Hmmmm . . . not so sure. Age will catch up with Froome and as dominant as he has been, he’s not getting younger and the competition seems to be stiffening.
I’m still very meh about him though. He doesn’t get me as emotionally engaged as say Dumoulin, Bardet, and a host of other riders.,
@wiscot
I found it hard to like him but he’s been chipping away; attacking over summits and with Sagan last year, letting Aru know who was boss at the tour this year and not being content enough with the double that he had to get stuck into the sprinters going for the points jersey. I can’t help but like that.
@chris
Agreed. I think this year, in both the Tour and Vuelta, the victories didn’t come quite so easily. I think if he wins a GT with a scrappier, come-from-behind performance, that’ll win over a lot of folks.
Ok, ok. I’m a bit busy at work and don’t have time to pen an article on this. While Froome’s Tour-Vuelta double is amazing, it pales into comparison to Giovanni Battaglin’s 1981 Vuelta-Giro double. Fortunately, the good old “comic” Cycling Weekly has done the honors.
http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/grand-tour-doubles-giovanni-battaglin-825
Impressive or what?
@wiscot
super impressive. also impressive, this year’s Il Lombardia route: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/il-lombardia-returns-to-the-muro-di-sormano-and-como-finish/
if it’s a dry race, this will be one for the ages.
trying to post the link again:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/il-lombardia-returns-to-the-muro-di-sormano-and-como-finish/
*of rollers.. lolz
Hey all! Sorry I’ve been MIA of late. Changed jobs at the end of June. My daughter’s high school golf season was August-September. Just had a lot of stuff going on. Fortunately, time enough to ride. Just ticked over 4,000 miles for the year yesterday, so everything after that is a bonus. My and rest of the PEZ crew’s thoughts on El Pistolero’s retirement. I know Alberto can be a bit of a polarizing figure, but I can’t help but like him. Cheers!
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/features/adios-alberto-the-pez-crew-looks-back-at-his-best/#.Wc1hCkyZPdQ