The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige kicks into full swing this week with the Amstel Gold Race to be held Sunday, April 18. Sunday will be the second race in the season-long series and is an opportunity to unseat current series leader and rainbow cog wearer, Rob, who took the lead last week by predicting two podium finishers.
We are happy to report that all post-prediction samples came back negative for clairvoyance-enhancing substances, although several readers did return samples showing high caffeine and alcohol levels. Those readers have been issued letters indicating that they have been placed on a watch list and may be subject to further scrutiny.
This week’s winner will earn an “Obey the Rules” bumper sticker and all reader’s points qualify towards the final prize of the free Velominati Shop Apron. If you are inclined to enter, simply post your predictions for the top five placings in the comment section. Good luck.
Rules and results are posted Velominati Super Prestige page.
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Alright, I gotta get on this early because I'm taking off for the weekend.
1. Karsten Kroon
2. F. Schleck
3. Chris Horner
4. Roman Kreuziger
5. Robert Gesink
Because Marko is throwin down the glove...
1. Gesink
2. Maaskant
3. Gilbert
4. Wegman
5. Hesjedal
I reserve the right to make substitutions up until race time because some of my favs are not on the start list - like Popovych...
@Marko, @Rob
Wow, the gauntlet is down! Still working on my list - Gesink is a favorite for sure, Kroon, the Brother's Grimpeur's form (Schlecks) is a bit unknown, so I'm shaky on them. I like both your lists. I'll be formulating my list over the course of day.
@Rob
Nice Rob. I had a hard time between Gesink and Kroon topping the podium. I couldn't put them one>two because that would be way overwhelming and too tall an order for the Dutch. So I went with Kroon because Evans will pull him to the last climb and he rides a BMC (not to mention the fact that he's strong and lives on the course).
@frank
Frank is stronger than Andy right now.
@Marko
Yeah, for sure. And, he's won it before and wants it again. That's a motivator.
Well, this is a challenge.
It's a challenge for a few reasons, principle among them being that this is really the first of the Ardennes classics, and it's further confused by my deep, irrational desire to have Dutchmen at the top of the list. The riders have been prep'ing for this race out in the Spanish weeklong tours where the fields have not been uniformly strong, by any stretch of the imagination, so I don't have a good read on anyone's form.
I've short-listed about 15 riders who I think can figure into the top 5, and I'm finding it hard to settle on my pick. That said, looking over the list, I see some that are obvious long-shots, and others that are more likely to be there.
1. Valverde(WTF is this guy still doing racing?)2. Cunego3. Gesink
4. Kroon
5. Horner
My gut tells me that the Schlecks are going to be peaking for La Doyenne, and won't be at their best, nor will they be willing to risk it all out on the road. Gesink should figure strongly in the finale, and truly he is my hope for the win, but I have a feeling that the uphill sprint will be just a bit too much for him. Horner is showing good form but is no match for more explosive climber/sprinters like Cunego and Valverde.
I reserve the right to modify my line-up after the UCI decides to finally suspend Valverde later this week.
F. Schleck (Bjarn needs the wins, and at LBL Frank will be helping Andy)
R Hesejdal
P Gilbert
C Horner
K Kroon
P.S. As Brett will confirm, I would've picked Spartacus for P-R if I'd known the comp was running. In the unlikely event I'm tied for the apron, I'm going to claim the points. Unless that's a breach of Rule 5.
@Marko
Thanks and I like your reasoning but my thoughts are simplistic and I'd have gone with Kroon if you had not picked him. I just like the sound of Maaskant and he is probably hungry from P-R so if he has the legs? Wegman is rested and Hesjedal is just cool. Everybody loves Horner (so do I) but this is a tough little race and he's American...
Geof, I am with Frank on the Schlecster.
Good luck everyone.
@Geof
I'm not confirming jack!
Ok, this race looks like a lottery to me, so I'll roll the dice and...
1: Cunego
2: Kroon
3: Fuglsang
4: Kolobnev
5: Efimkin
Ahhhh...I'm rubbish at this.
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Gesink
4. Cunego
5. Kroon
Am going to preempt the ride with my own equivalent tomorrow morning, 10 climbs in the surrey hills and good achey legs for a bit of rehydration at the pub on sunday.