Velominati Super Prestige: 2011 Men’s Elite Worlds Road Race
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.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sagan
3. Thor
4. Eddie BH
5. Matt Goss
How or why does Morocco have a team of 6 riders, when Canada have 3 in this race? Eritrea have 3 riders! I’m sure there is a reason like Olympic qualification etc, but the UCI need to cut this PC BS out! Doesn’t make for a good race when the pack is full of cannon fodder!
VSP PICKS:
1. Lars Boom
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Phil Gilbert
4. CJ Sutton
5. Dan Bennati
Going all in against a bunch sprint, I just can’t pick against Gilbert. Going out on a limb with Boomer as well, but he seems like he’s peaking at the right time and the finish seems to fit him. Whatever happens it should be a great race.
VSP PICKS:
1. Philbert
2. Boom Boom
3. Spartacus
4. EBH
5. Thor
VSP PICKS:
1. Phast Fill
2. Hoss Bog
3. P Saggin
4. Motorcus
5. Thunder
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Boason Hagen
3. Matt Goss
4. Cavendish
5. Cancellara
Will sort of depend if Cav can hitch a ride on someone else’s train. If he does, unstoppable. If he jacks it up, he’ll finish about 20th.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Gilbert
3. Spartacus
4. Thor
5. Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Thor
3. Goss
4. Bennati
5. Gilbert
Where is Cuddles?
Give grape
VSP PICKS:
1. Giblets
2. Boss hog
3. Gossy
4. Andre the giant
5. Cav
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Boss Hog
3. Gilbert
4. Farrar
5. Thor
I don’t think the uphill is that significant – nobody could break away in the U23 race and the sprint was a proper sprint, not a late breakaway.
The Germans have one too many sprinters in their team but they will be riding for a sprint finish, as will GB, Spain and the US.
The Belgians, Italians and Dutch will want a breakaway finish or a big selection and Sagan, Hushovd and EBH will go along with it although having small teams they won’t be much help.
I don’t think the Aussies know what they want and should never have left out Renshaw (Baden Cooke, give me a break, they might as well have stuck Robbie in there).
I can’t see the rest of the field being able to overcome the numbers aiming for a sprint so I’m going that way, but with Gilbert as insurance. My only doubt with Cav is that he seems to do better in tours where he has a chance to warm up.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Kittel
3. Galimzyanov
4. Rojas
5. Gilbert
I haven’t got the faintest clue who’s going to do what. In saying that – Gilbert from Voeckler and Gerrans in a breakaway trio, with Cav over Sagan by a photo.
If only Jeremy Roy was riding. I’d love to see the rainbow stripes out front of 2/3 of 2012’s tour stages.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Voeckler
3. Gerrans
4. Cav
5. Sagan
It’s the year of Gilbert.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sagan
3. Cav
4. EBH
5. Farrar
Cancellara confirmed he’s with Radio Luxembourg for next year. Having Bruyneel around diminishes my man-crush on Faboo.
VSP PICKS:
1. Phil Gilbert
2. Thor Hushovd
3. lars Boom
4. CJ Sutton
5. Dan Bennati
VSP PICKS:
1. sagan
2. freire
3. boasson haggen
4. cavendish
5. benatti
Can I change my picks before the race with no penalties?
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I know what you mean. I’d pretty much given up on the Schlecks by LBL, but Spartacus could still be Spartacus. After a disappointing year this year, you know that he’ll be unstoppable in the Spring classics in 2012″”and maybe less marked. My heart jumped when I heard there was some talk of him going back to Riis. Following this logic, maybe””just maybe””Lance wasn’t the problem and Bruyneel was.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert the Crocodile
2. Carl Sagan’s eponymous nephew
3. Thor
4. JJ Rojas
5. Spartacus
Just wondering, do they use their pro team bikes at the Worlds or do they use a different bike for their national squad?
@snoov
They use most of there pro team kit, including the bike. I think the only thing that is different is the jersey.
@ChrisO
Love the Kittel pick. He’s a real sleeper if he still has form from Poland and if the Germans don’t ride solely for Greipel. I just didn’t have the balls to pick him. Good luck.
Who knows. Don’t think it’ll come to a bunch sprint, and even if it does, national teams aren’t going to be used to working together like trade teams are. Or will they?
And on a different note: IRAN has a national team??!!?? Where the fuck do those guys train? Whilst I have absolutely no racist intent, do you think they shave the guns?
VSP PICKS:
1. Phil Gill
2. Dirty Martini
3. Spartacus
4. Bennie King
5. Bennie Swift
Holy ass hat Bat-Merckx! Universal Sports is covering the race live tomorrow! Which is great since I don’t have cable or satellite. Party at my house tomorrow morning: Bloody Mary’s and hors de whatever!!
Just a dream…
VSP PICKS:
1. Bennati
2. Cancellara
3. Gilbert
4. Sagan
5. Viviani
How wheels are laced in Hoogerland.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Ed B-H
3. Sanchez
4. Cav
5. Sagan
Learned my lesson, never bet against Phil!
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Cavendish
3. Sagan
4. Hushovd
5. Boasson Hagen
Read the question……never was good at exams. Sanchez not riding.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Ed B-H
3. Boom
4. Cav
5. Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Cancellara
3. Gilbert
4. Hushovd
5. Cavendish
@rhys
Wouldn’t that be just Rainbowtastic!
@Minion
Got it, these two don’t show up on our data base of riders and I hadn’t studied the NZ roster as carefully as I should.
Speaking of, how does Morocco field such a big team? And yet Luxembourg, not so big.
@snoov
Are you getting cold feet about not picking Cav? Without reading the fine print on the VSP rules I would say yes you can change picks without penalty, this being a one day race.
@Gianni
I don’t know how they’re allowed to field so many riders, but I seem to remember Luxembourg were entitled to more but had no more registered riders to enter.
No love for Danny Oss? I’m not fond of this Italian team at all, but I do like Oss. If Pozzatto was racing, I think we could all safely plug him in in 6th place. But Bennati? Pfft! It just means were gonna get more Cipo lamenting the state of Italian cycling and how it was so much better a decade ago (it was, but enough already!).
I’m also warming up the idea of a Frenchman in rainbows””you can see Voeckler or Chavanel going solo from a long way off. That would be very satisfying.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert the Crocodile
2. Carl Sagan’s eponymous nephew
3. Thor
4. JJ Rojas
5. Spartacus
Just in from four hours of riding. A lot of rain…but those five hours I spent yesterday figuring out how to mount full fenders on a road bike were well worth it! And, I’ve also easily gotten over the looks penalty of the fenders. I enjoy riding in the rain and stay clean & dry(er) is great.
I cannot believe we’re only 12 hours away! Crazy, can’t believe it’s here again, very excited to watch.
@Gianni
You got it pal! After seeing the U23 race today I reckon he’s got a great chance. What I’ll do then is get rid of Wiggins and move everyone down a place with Cav at the top. Of course if a sprinter is gonna win it that changes everything. If Cav wins then my other four picks might not be in the top 5 but I’m leaving them in in case I was right the other day to say that he’s not in good shape at the moment. Maybe I’ll get a couple of points, I notice that I’ve got 10 now in the VSP which I think is good for someone with no clue who is good and who isn’t.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sagan
3. Thor
4. Gilbert
5. Bossen hagen
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. Thor
5. Spartacus
Forgive me, but what is the model name of these Oakleys? Seen a photo of LeMan in them at MSR as well. Think they look pretty slick and bet some of you wore them back in the day.
Am I making a big mistake by leaving Cav out? IS this going to haunt me. I agonize less over taking out/paying back student loans. But really, it’s all about the bike(s).
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Hushovd
3. Gilbert
4. Goss
5. Boasson Hagen
@Ron
They aren’t Oakley glasses they are Rudy Projects, but I can’t recall the model name. I think you are getting mixed up with the Oakley Razors perhaps…
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
Anyone have a good link to watch?
VSP PICKS:
1. Andre Greipel
2. Matthew Goss
3. Peter Sagan
4. Mark Cavendish
5. Thor Hushovd
@Ron
@Oli
I think those are the Rudy Project Sport model. A pair sold on ebay for $29.95 last month. To me, these look like a copy of the Oakley Factory Pilot.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. Freire
4. Hushovd
5. Cancellara
@Ron
Hey Ron, the’re not Oakley’s, these are Rudy Project.
I’m not sure but I think this is 1988 World Champ Maurizio Fondriest wearing them.
@scaler911 Where do you live? I thought I lived in the only market where Universal Sports was randomly not on some ridiculously expensive cable channel.
To everyone asking where to watch, Universal Sports, if you can get it. I watched the men’s TT and the women’s race. So worth it. Of course, it is broadcast over digital airwaves in Cinci.
For all of us who don’t have Universal, check out http://www.cyclingfans.com
They have links to several live streams from Europe. Sean Kelly is one of the commentators. Not the same as Paul Sherwen, but you take what you can get.
VSP PICKS:
1. Farrar
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. Goss
5. Hushovd
@King Clydesdale
Find links at http://www.cyclingfans.com
VSP PICKS:
1. Farrar
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. Goss
5. Hushovd
I’m figuring for a sort of weird sprint finish…
VSP PICKS:
1. Greipel
2. Boss Hogg
3. Spartacus
4. Goss
5. Thor
@Steampunk
No, I like Oss and this Italian team, if I wasn’t a moron I’d put Visconti in, AGAIN. I was referring to an Italian team of old where they had too many chiefs, they raced against each other, chased each other down and ended up with nothin’.
You are right about Pozzatto, slot him right into 6th.
Taking the kids to see my wife run a 5k during race time.
A sprint finish is not expected.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sagan
3. Hushovd
4. Boom
5. Cancellara