Velominati Super Prestige
The Velominati Super Prestige is a season-long competition wherein readers will be submitting their predictions for the top five finishers of each qualifying race. In order to qualify, your picks via the VSP Picks form above the posts section of the VSP Event article pertaining to the race in question by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight on the day of the race start. These articles are clearly marked and are generally posted at least 72 hours in advance of each event. The current leader of the competition has the honor of posting on the site bearing the VSP Leader’s badge; winners of select races (the monuments and Grand Tours) similarly gain the honor of posting with a dedicated badge for the remainder of the year. Prizes may be given for key events; these prizes will be announced on the associated VSP Event. Points will be tallied as the season progresses and the winner will be announced after Paris-Tours. Prizes to be determined.
Scoring (One-Day Races)
Readers who wish to enter shall enter their predictions for the top five placings of each race by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on the day of the race. Regular Points Points will be scored in reverse order of finishing order: 7 points for first place, 5 points for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, and 2 for fifth. Readers will also earn 1 bonus point for every other rider named in the top five, regardless of the rider’s placing, but riders are not scored twice. Tie Breaking In the event of a tie, the first reader to submit their predictions will be named the winner.
Scoring (Grand Tours)
Readers who wish to enter shall enter their predictions for the top five placings on General Classification of each Grand Tour by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on the day of the first stage or prologue. Points Points will be scored as follows based on the final G.C of the race: 20 points for first place, 15 for second, 10 for third, 7 for fourth, and 5 for fifth; plus 3 points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing, but riders are not scored twice. Changing of the Picks* Contestants are allowed to make line up changes on one of the rest days of the Grand Tours but not both. These changes will come with a point penalty. You will be allotted one (1) rest day to make swaps in grand tours; you may pick either the first or second rest day. The penalties for swapping will be lower for the first rest day than the second. This will allow you to swap out a rider(s) who gets caught in some first week nervousness with a 5 point penalty for each swap. Or make some go for broke/doomed to fail break-away swap on the second rest day for a 10 point penalty for each swap. That’s it. You make one swap or five on either rest day for the corresponding 5 or 10 point penalty per swap. Additionally, if one of your riders crashes out, DNF’s, or DNS’s, you may swap them out on a rest day with corresponding penalties if you haven’t already used up your one rest day swap. Tie Breaking In the event of a tie, the first reader to submit their predictions will be named the winner. Minor Stages We will be posting VSP’s for minor stages as well. Scoring is similar to one-day racing, except no bonus points are in play for getting the rider in the wrong placing.
Scoring (Minor Stage Races)
Readers who wish to enter shall enter their predictions for the top five placings on General Classification of each Minor Stage Race (less than three weeks) by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on the day of the first stage or prologue. Regular Points Points will be scored in reverse order of finishing order: 10 points for first place, 8 for second, 7 for third, 5 for fourth, and 3 for fifth; plus two bonus points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing, but riders are not scored twice. Tie Breaking In the event of a tie, the first reader to submit their predictions will be named the winner.
Posting Badges
The following badges will be worn by current leaders of the competition and sub-competitions:
| Overall Super Prestige Leader: |  |
|
| Milano Sanremo: |  |
|
| VVomen’s Ronde van Vlaanderen: |  |
|
| Men’s Ronde van Vlaanderen: |  |
|
| Paris-Roubaix: |  |
|
| Leige-Bastogne-Liege: |  |
|
| Giro d’Italia Leader: |  |
|
| Giro Rosa Leader: |  |
|
| Tour de France Leader: |  |
|
| Vuelta a Espana Leader: |  |
|
| Giro di Lombardia: |  |
|
| Overal Super Prestige Lanterne Rouge: |  |
2016 Velominati Super Prestige Schedule
Les Hommes
Start |
End |
Event |
Race Website |
| 18.03.2017 | 18.03.2017 | Milano-Sanremo | www.milanosanremo.it |
| 26.03.2017 | 26.03.2017 | Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields | www.gent-wevelgem.be |
| 02.04.2017 | 02.04.2017 | Ronde van Vlaanderen – Tour des Flandres | www.flandersclassics.be |
| 09.04.2017 | 09.04.2017 | Paris-Roubaix | www.letour.fr |
| 16.04.2017 | 16.04.2017 | Amstel Gold Race | www.amstelgoldrace.nl |
| 19.04.2017 | 19.04.2017 | La Flèche Wallonne | www.letour.fr |
| 23.04.2017 | 23.04.2017 | Liège-Bastogne-Liège | www.letour.fr |
| 05.05.2017 | 28.05.2017 | Giro d’Italia | www.giroditalia.it |
| 04.06.2017 | 11.06.2017 | Critérium du Dauphiné | www.letour.fr |
| 10.06.2017 | 18.06.2017 | Tour de Suisse | www.tds.ch |
| 01.07.2017 | 23.07.2017 | Tour de France | www.letour.fr |
| 29.07.2017 | 29.07.2017 | Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian | www.klasikoa.net |
| 19.08.2017 | 10.09.2017 | La Vuelta ciclista a España | lavuelta.com |
| 08.09.2017 | 08.09.2017 | Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec | www.gpcqm.ca |
| 10.09.2017 | 10.09.2017 | Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal | www.gpcqm.ca |
| 20.09.2017 | 20.09.2017 | Mens World Championship Time Trial | |
| 24.09.2017 | 24.09.2017 | Mens World Championship Road Race | |
| 07.10.2017 | 07.10.2017 | Il Lombardia | www.illombardia.it |
La Femmes
Start |
End |
Event |
Race Website |
| 26.03.2017 | 26.03.2017 | Gent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields | www.gent-wevelgem.be |
| 02.04.2017 | 02.04.2017 | Ronde van Vlaanderen / Tour des Flandres | www.flandersclassics.be |
| 16.04.2017 | 16.04.2017 | Amstel Gold Race | info@amstelgoldrace.nl |
| 19.04.2017 | 19.04.2017 | La Flèche Wallonne Féminine | www.letour.fr |
| 23.04.2017 | 23.04.2017 | Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes | www.letour.fr et www.pesantliege.be |
| 30.06.2017 | 09.07.2017 | Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile | |
| 20.07.2017 | 20.07.2017 | La Course by Le Tour de France | www.letour.fr |
| 29.07.2017 | 29.07.2017 | Prudential RideLondon Classique | www.ridelondon.co.uk/events/classique |
| 17.08.2017 | 20.08.2017 | Ladies Tour of Norway | www.ladiestour.no |
| 26.08.2017 | 26.08.2017 | GP de Plouay – Lorient Agglomération | www.grandprix-plouay.com |
| 29.08.2017 | 03.09.2017 | Boels Rental Ladies Tour | www.hollandladiestour.nl |
| 10.09.2017 | 10.09.2017 | Madrid Challenge by la Vuelta | lavuelta.com/Madridchallenge |
| 19.09.2017 | 19.09.2017 | Womens World Championship Time Trial | |
| 23.09.2017 | 23.09.2017 | Womens World Championship Road Race |
Standings
[vsp_gc year=”2017″/]
Past Results
[vsp_gc year=”2016″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2015″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2014″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2013″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2012″/]
[vsp_gc year=”2011″/]
2010 VSP G.C.
*The Changing of the Picks rules are designed to promote fair play and keep the competition fun and open throughout the three-week race. Abuse of these rules will be managed through the “Piti Principle”: if we 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.
Watched the cyclo-cross world champs today — brilliant to see Vos stamping on the pedals like they’d insulted her mother and storming to yet another win. Nails.
& looks like Vos might get a win on the Champs Elysees this year – UCI press release ”
The registration of La Course by the Tour de France as a category 1.1 event on the 2014 Elite Women calendar, scheduled for 27th July 2014. The Management Committee thanks and congratulates the organiser, Amaury Sport Organisation, for this new event which is to be raced in Paris on the final day of the Tour de France. This initiative is perfectly in line with the UCI’s strategy for the development of women’s cycling.”
Definitely a worthy addition to the VSP calendar
… as long as it doesn’t get pulled at the last minute
@Harminator
I got 8 – two weeks in a row I’ve actually managed to score – how long can I keep this up?
Will I fail a mental EPO test?
@Harminator
Must have popped at the same time! 4 disappointing points as well.
A big 10 by inspired guesswork. My bubble will burst soon.
Late on the break this week but an entirely respectable 11!
69th Omloop theme: Return of the Muur-Kapelmuur
Shee-it, the guns have blown, I’m just rolling into the finish – 6 points
@ped my spud-guns popped for a 3!
I give up. 6
Punctured and crashed out – limped home in shredded Lycra on the spare bike after the news conferences were finished and they started taking down the barriers.
3 points
FUCK ME! Brutal!!! 5 points here. Getting me some grupetto love lately.
Finishes in the fog to find it wasn’t the grupetto he was struggling to keep in contact but the chase group.
8 points worth of guesses.
10 points, I’ll take it.
Pop! 4
Not sure where to post this but Tommeke is BACK, BABY!!! Two wins at Qatar, a race he historically does well in when he is on form for the Spring classics! It is going to be a Battle Royale with him, Sparty and Sagan this spring!!! Cannot WAIT!!!
@Buck Rogers
Yup, if history is any guide, it’s going to be a cracking spring classics season! I don’t care if Tommeke only wins one more race this year (hell, his career) if it’s Paris-Roubaix #5, I’ll be happy.
@Buck Rogers
Man, posting it anywhere is right!!!
Abysmal 3 points this week!
8 today, better than last week but still not good enough!
12 today. Decent result for sure and much needed. Personally, I thought the 1983 Lombardia was a five-man sprint, not three!
@Deakus
Yup, 8 here as well.
Fun but challenging quizes this winter!
So I saw that Schleck the younger was dropped from the peloton in the hills in Oman yesterday. So good to see he’s already rounding into form. #Dirtyschlecklove
@The Oracle
It’s called “training” and not wanting his Tour rivals know that he is is superb early-season form that will peak in July!
@wiscot
Blah blah blah bullshit. Which July? Maybe Frank had stopped off somewhere for a “training plan” and he was waiting.
@Mike_P
I think Frankenschleck actually finished well ahead of Andy. At this point, even he has given up on his brother.
@Mike_P
Sorry for not making my sarcasm more obvious. If either make top 20 in July, I’ll be amazed. Even to be called “favorites” which they will, will be a joke.
@wiscot
No apology needed, I was just ratcheting up the sarcasm quota.
Mid peloton today…8pts.
So on today’s quiz I went from “yep, know that, know that….” to getting my results and thinking WTF? I’ve had to accept that I’ve crashed on a wet hairpin, had my numbers ripped from my back and am in the wagon. 3 FFS!
Yup. Felt good and then it looked like I missed the break on today’s quiz. 7 points for me.
@Mike_P
Discovered to be an imposter and kicked out by an angry badger. (Not that I’d got as far as the podium) 1 pt.
That’ll serve me right for going for a run with my daughter yesterday. Wearing a ********** shirt. I shall retire to the garage this evening and do some damage to myself on the rollers.
Decent ride today – 12 points. End of season form after a few weak performances.
Even Gmail is beginning to despair, consigning Barry’s quiz notification to the Spam-box.
A return to form with 12 points – doubling the previous 2 weeks’ scores
Here we go.
Ah yes, a timely reminder that the “good” races start this weekend. According to Tommeke, the forecast is good. Fine for him, bad for us armchair riders who want mud, rain, wind. Let the season commence!
@wiscot Not necessarily embarrassed, but have had 5 picks ready since January.
Hey Frank, Brett, Gianni: I suspect you guys are over-whelmed with the popularity of this site, the book and all the other good works you do. The Super Prestige doesn’t look like it is at the top of the list of things to do. Many of us really enjoy the game. If you need some help, I’d be happy to help out. I’m not a bean counter or computer geek, but with a little instruction I might be able to help. We have great Het Volk men’s and women’s races Saturday. Let me know if you want some help. Dan
@dancollins Finished 2 places behind Two Ball Billy and I have been at peace ever since.
@dancollins
Oh sure Senor Collins, let me dominate my buddies again, not so fast jongens. Velominati Super Prestige will not start until Milan-Sanremo this year. Important things, besides bike riding in Flandrian Best and drinking Chimay Blue are going on deep in the V-bunker. Code is being written, manufacturers cajoled, Brett, Marko and I are just riding and drinking. This is all subject to change but the VSP starts with La Primavera this year.
Unofficial likes and taunting can still take place within these walls but nothing will be going through the great Velominati Cray/Big Orange super prestige matrix consolidator. I may have poured too much beer into it last fall and she’s a broken now. Mama mia. Betting window is closed until March.
@Gianni How is this… ?? I just entered select picks with quantitative data to boot. Must have opened up some sort of VSP wormhooole?
@unversio
@unversio
You have placed a bet mit der Teufel’s own betting window. All hope is lost.
Ahh! That red monster reminds me of the wacko fuzzy bear-thing Jack sees when slipping into insanity in The Shining.
@unversio You’ve posted some random shit in your time but teletubbies on the pave?
Fabs or Boonen would probably blast past without raising an eyebrow but it’d fuck up lesser riders as badly as a camera wielding spectator in the gutter.
@Chris Remember: episode where Col. Hans Landa showed up in a photograph shooting cyclo-cross riders charging up the
hill.
@unversio I’ve never actually watched it. I did record it but my wife thought it inappropriate to have content on the sky box with such a name.
Speaking of movies, ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ is streaming (legally) today only over on rapha.cc as part of their 1974 Giro tribute thingy.
@unversio
What’s Cadel Evans doing on the pave?
As for Het Volk, was just looking at the belge bookies’ odds: Boonen favored, but I would put my hard earned cash on Sep VanMarke at 14-1. Other interesting picks are:
Stybar at 7 to1 , Langeveld at 26 to 1. If you want to throw your money away, you can do so with Farrar at 151 to 1.
@unversio
Kapelmuur: A sacred place of suffering, redemption and glory.