A clatter of the metal grate rolling up signals another opening of the Velominati Bookmaker’s Office. The gaggle of skinny (and not so skinny, you know who you are) jabbering cycling addicts rush the door, each with their dream of a bumper sticker dancing in their heads. Before the office opened the bookies have consulted the oracle; a garbled audio of Sean Kelly’s predictions where he maybe tipped the little known Gullaume Van Keirsbulck, or did he say Phillip Gilbert. Bettini likes Cavendish’s chances while Cavendish likes Thor’s chances and Thor likes Keirsbulck’s chances or did he say Roelandts?
Since Geelong everyone has been saying this was a sprinters course, so a sprinter won’t win. It is only 266km with no serious grades and a total of 1785m of climbing. I could finish this course, if I could ride 266km and there was no time cut. For the professional road championship it does not sound long or grueling enough but the weather could be cold, windy and wet, if so the Spanish will suffer and the Italians will have to race with neck gaiters.
Looking back this year Cancellara should have won the 2010 world title so his less-than-spectacular season could be blamed on the curse of the rainbow jersey. Gilbert cannot have another season as good as this one so he better not win on Sunday or the jersey will be blamed in 2012. I started to feel bad for Thor when the yellow jersey came off his back and went to Voeckler during the Tour de France until I remembered he had the rainbow jersey underneath it! Who needs that trashy yellow one when you are already have the rainbow? I stopped feeling bad for Thor.
It’s late in the season, many have packed it in for the year, others have ridden the Vuelta to gain form. Are they good or cooked? Will the British team work together to bring Cav to the line or go down in flames like the Italians used to? The thought of Cavendish wearing the rainbow hoops for the next year has caused some anxiety in the office. His propensity for white tube socks with black shoes would diminish the aura the rainbow jersey brings to any worthy rider. The Aussi team looks unbeatable and yet…The bottom line on bookmaking is this will be another impossible race to pick the winner, unless you choose Gilbert.
Here is a link to the start list. As always, if you are inclined to enter, simply post your predictions for the top five placings in the form below. Make your picks by 5am Pacific Sunday morning, regular VSP Rules apply.
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Maybe, finally, this bloody country and its uneducated public might, maybe, just maybe start taking cycling seriously. Though he'll probably have to underline it with a gold next year, just to be sure.
Chapeau Cav, Wiggo and Team GB. Awesome domination of the peleton.
@Oli
Damn it you are wise. Nice one. You deserve more points.
I'm hoping Cav eventually becomes an all-around Sean Kelly Hardman. And Chapeau to the Brits for fielding such a strong team and executing the win.
In sharp contrast to the US team, Farrar didn't have any teammates with him in the last kilo, oh well, he was riding for second anyway.
So have just watched the Eurosport coverage... my third time watching this. Still can't believe it. Infuckingcredible. Geraint Thomas pushing David Millar back into the line to keep going.... Wiggins fucken burying it for the penultimate lap, attack mode locked fully on 'time trial' mode... Stannard literally boxing his way back to the front, stewarding Cav back through.... then Cav, leaving it too late? no.... BOOM! pulling on the rainbow jersey... the hoops are coming home, they're coming home, they're coming home...
Am now a complete gibbering wreck. So excited. This is what happens if you set a 'corrugated' flat course (BBC commentator)... bunch finish... there can be only one (result).
What a day. WHAT. A. DAY. and what a ride. Chapeau Team GB, Chapeau Cav.
Frank... are you prescient? I quote from the BBC website: "Cavendish is also the first rider since Belgium's Freddy Maertens, 30 years ago, to win both this race and the Tour de France green jersey in the same year".... and you pick that awesome photo of Freddy to head this VSP thread... what did you know?
Seriously, the next 5-10 year will be amazing. Boss hogg 26 years old 8th, Peter Sagan 21 years old 12th, David Veilleux 24 years old 19th. These kids will be classics super star very very soon.
@frank
I'd wager that he's been closer than many critics are comfortable admitting this year. And I still love his youthful elation at winning"”twinned with his stopping just after the finish line to congratulate/thank teammates as they cross the line. I'd also bet that he knew before the race that Freddy Maertens was the last to win both green and rainbows in the same year and that history and legacy is important.
@Steampunk
+1(sob)
@Gianni
Not a chance. For starters he's not Irish (Isle of Man is not Ireland). And he's in short supply of slow twitch fibers. Can't climb to save his ass. Good on the Brit team for kicking ass today, but I still think Cav is a douche.
@frank
I like how the German all of a sudden turns into english "Cavendish rules the world! Cavendish is champion!"
@Gianni
Bennati is a disappointment. I liked the Italian team, but setting up for a Bennati sprint? That was never going to work. Even if the Italians controlled the finale, he still would have found a way to fall out of the top five. Of course, in a bunch sprint, Cav was always going to be the favorite; why not pit his new teammate, Davide Appollonio, up against him. That kid showed some nice speed this year. That said, Pozzatto's 6th is probably looking pretty good right about now...