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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View Comments
The Badger interviews Cav.
@Oli
Good man Oli and thanks for bringing some sense back to this.
It was a cracker of a race and despite being an Aussie and yelling "Gooooooooo Gosssssss" at the TV (he didn't quite) I'm very pleased to see such a worthy winner.
As you say we'll see rainbows with arms aloft a lot next year.
And guys, let's not be too harsh on the women. It wasn't exciting I'll grant but the sprint was just as good and the race had its moments. They all certainly deserve a minimum wage to support more professionalism in women's pro cycling.
Now, bring on Lombardia!
@Steampunk
Cav dates a porn star? Just when I think I can like the guy....
Congrats to Cav. I mean, wow. Simply amazing.
(I'm referring of course to the Peta Todd google image search I just did.)
@Marko
Pin-up might be more accurate...
@Marcus
Millar spent his formative (teenage years) in Hong Kong but was 20 or there abouts when HK was handed back to China. Like anyone else, with British parents, who grew up there during that era, he wouldn't ever consider that qualified him to ride for Hong Kong.
Other grapes:
The top three all had a team at the front in the final couple of kms. And Cancellara finishes 4th, sprinting on the hoods, behind Greipel by a tread. My due respect.
Regardless of the argument about whether Cav was a worthy winner (he was, in my opinion) I'm just worried abut the extent to which Cav might be a rainbow turd next year. His clothing choices are dubious: that skinsuit was awful. The top half of the GB jersey is ok but carrying the design down into the shorts is hideous.3/4 sleeves? the personalized socks? The silver shoes? the weird helmet cover (was it really that cold?) Did the skinsuit have rear pockets or did he expect teammates to carry gels etc? I know it's a circuit race so he has regular access to hand-me-ups from support staff. Still, I guess he might feel faster in a skinsuit and in a race like the WCRR when he must have made an educated guess that it would come down to a sprint, every bit of help, be it physical or psychological, is worthwhile.
Couple of other things: The Aussies must be kicking themselves for leaving out Renshaw - the man who knows Cav's sprinting tactics better than everyone else. I think Cancellara and Griepel should have had joint bronze medals. Too close to call.
If people think Cav's winning record is boring, let's remind ourselves whose pic heads this article: Freddy Maertens. In the 1977 Vuelta he won 13 stages!
@wiscot
This is where the Velominati schism starts, isn't it? Ugly get-up to be sure, but if plastic on the helmet and skinsuit saved him in the neighborhood of 5 watts @ 45kph, that's going to make a big difference by the end of the race.
And, surely, even for the cynics: the fact that the GB train seemed to lose its way just a bit in the final stretch and Cav wasn't delivered to the line makes this more impressive than if he'd been set up in perfect position. Incredible team ride, to be sure, but Cav had some real work to do in that sprint...
@Steampunk
Peta Todd seems pretty nice actually - I follow her on Twitter.
She's quite articulate, definitely not stupid and tweets quite well - sometimes quite funny. Tends to avoid the inane and mundane in jokes and crap that a lot of celebs, and others, put on Twitter.
I'm assuming those are the main reasons Cav likes her.