What a difference four years can make. In Beijing, Nicole Cooke was the dominant rider in Women’s Cycling, taking wins in every important race on the Women’s calendar for several years running. Fast finish, good in the hills, good against the clock, she helped give context to what we mean by the term “all rounder”.
Four years on, she’s been struggling with injury and the pressures of forming her own team which has resulted in the inevitable reduction in results. But don’t count her out just yet; she has been showing some form already this year and during the last Olympic year, she burst into form for the event to take Gold. Add to that the motivation a British rider is sure to feel racing at her home Games, and you’d be a fool to leave her off your list of considerations.
Be that as it may, she’s facing up to a strong field. Kristen Armstrong dropped out of the Cascade Classic (while leading it) in order to prepare for the games. Not to mention Marianne Vos, who dominated the Giro last month – or Giorgia Bronzini, whose website I find vaguely frightening.
Review the route and study the weird, paged roster if you like pretending that helps you, and get your picks in by 5am Pacific on Sunday. (If you find Time Zone Mathematics too complicated, just get your picks in by the time the giant countdown timer in the banner goes to zero), regular One-Day VSP rules apply. Good luck.
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Hard to go past Vos after the Giro.
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Bronzini
3. Olds
4. Armistead
5. Villumsen
Shelley Olds!!!! I am honored to know her and see her career grow from my San Francisco days. She has great potential and is super motivated. She had set her goal to compete 2012 in the velodrome (piste) but her event was taken away! So, when she won a stage a Giro stage (along with other wins) she qualified to represent the USA on the road. so great to see young talent who have worked so hard.
VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Vos
3. Johansson
4. Arndt
5. Pooley
USA USA USA
Also interesting to note that these Olympic headshots are the worst.
I mean the DMV can take a better photo for crying out loud.
VSP PICKS:
1. E. Stevens
2. K. Armstrong
3. S. Olds
4. M. Vos
5. E. Pooley
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Bronzini
3. Armitstead
4. Johansson
5. Arndt
All the ladies did send their worst photos for Olympics. I will re-quote San Tonio
"I mean the DMV can take a better photo for crying out loud."
Emma Pooley mentioned that team GB is united and will be going for Lizzie. But then Bronzini is super cunning and Vos hasn't clicked yet (I mean gold) in these medal road races. Ina-Yoko could be unstoppable if she gets down the hill with the bunch.
VSP PICKS:
1. Bronzini
2. Vos
3. Lizzie
4. Evie Stevens
5. Ina-Yoko
Absolutely no clue at all!
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Bronzini
3. Armstrong
4. Arndt
5. Pooley
Jeeeeeezh Frank! Warn a man before just throwing up a link like that to Bronzini's site! I know you said it was "vaguely frightening" but good lord man, if that is only vaguely frightening, what is downright scary to you???
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Bronzini
3. Armstrong
4. Teutenberg
5. Pooley
@Buck Rogers
+1
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Bronzini
3. Arndt
4. Armstrong
5. Stevens