While the The V Moment of the Year is the moment during the season when the sport demonstrated the most pure example of spirit of The V, the Anti-V Moment of the Year similarly acknowledges the moment in which all those things that make The V great were ignored. This is more than just cheating or climbing into the broom wagon; this is reserved for under-handed tactics, or wheel-sucking to the win, complaining about dangerous descents, canceling races for bad weather.
The Anti-V is a virus. It starts small, as a nagging doubt perhaps about form or willingness to suffer that day. It replicates and feeds on itself; giving in to doubt is easier when you’ve done it before, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. It manifests itself in an absence of those things we love most about cycling: a combination of guts, class, and panache.
Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that we had even more trouble deciding on the Anti-V moment than we did the V Moment. Bretto made the case for les Fréres Grimpeur, but couldn’t dial in on a specific incident of Anti-V and kept repeating, “Every time they looked around, or when they mounted their TT bikes!” We did the only thing we could do, and had CERN crunch the data for us. They confirmed the Schlecks spent the equivalent of three full weeks rubbernecking and nearly a quarter as much working on their time trialing – too much to mathematically isolate a single moment. Sometimes the best decision in the midst of indecision is simply to make one, and that’s exactly what I did.
At the very instant when Johan Van Summeren was doing a reverse 270 cannon ball into the deep end of the V-Pool to bring us the V Moment of 2011, Jonathan Vaughters was clutching his shoulders as he gingerly waded into the kiddie pool – dragging a handful of race favorites with him.
The race was shaping up beautifully for Garmin-Cervélo. Van Summeren had read the race and left the favorites at the Trouée to join teammate Gabriel Rasch up the road in the day’s breakaway. The plan was to keep Johan in reserve at the front while the Garmin team worked to bring the break back, giving Thor Hushovd an armchair ride to the finish with the considerable advantage of having teammates in the finale. A beautiful plan, and I love it when a plan comes together.
But Garmin’s firepower wasn’t quite enough to bridge up in time, and Faboo wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of riding into Roubaix with Thor getting a leadout from three teammates. In typical style, he took the race into his own hands and left the others to their own devices. Hushovd, Flecha, and Ballan came along for the ride and the four made huge inroads on the gap with Cancellara doing the bulk of the work.
And here the sticky tentacles of the Anti-V set in. Faboo started doubting whether he should really be hauling such a fast finisher as Hushovd up to his teammates and sat up when the gap had gone down to within arm’s reach.
At this point, Garmin’s plan wasn’t as solid as it had been a few dozen kilometers before:
The plan was in need of some quick-thinking to maintain the upper hand, and everyone knows driving while strategizing is dangerous. So, for safety reasons, Vaughters called in Garmin’s pocket Timid Tactician: His Turtleneck Sweater. New plan:
Cancellara, Hushovd and Vaughters all had their hand in making this the Anit-V Moment of the year, but Vaughters takes the bulk of the blame not only because his was inflexible and unimaginative thinking, but because he was playing both sides: the rider up front can’t work if he’s got a rider coming up, or the rider coming up can’t work because he’s got a rider up front. Pick one.
But worst of all, there is nothing more Anti-V than two riders within a chance of winning riding along gesturing to each other as they both refuse to take a pull for fear of dragging the other to the win. Certainly, a rider must be sure not to do too much work and place themselves at a disadvantage, but this should never come at the risk of losing the opportunity to win the race in the first place; I’m sure we can all agree it is much more in the spirit of the V to fight and get beaten into second place than to never fight at all and throw your chance away. In this, Cancellara and Hushovd each had a hand in the pie, but Vaughters and his Sweater were were the masterminds behind the stalemate.
We truly love what Vaughters is trying to do with Garmin by making it their mission to race clean, but racing clean is no excuse for uncorking an entire case of Vintage 2011 Anti-V. Vaughters races his team like they are weak with nary a chance to win, when in fact they are one of the strongest teams in the sport. It is time to wrap the bars in white tape, set aside the underdog tactics, and start racing like leaders. And by all means, fire the Sweater.
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@frank
LBL - Gilbert did I think ... (and he won the race)
Tour - COTHO tried, and oh, what other favourites were there again? Everyone knew Cuddles just had to keep the Brothers Grimpeur in sight until the TT and then steamroll them. It was up to them to take time, and they couldn't do it, because they kept rubbernecking.
@Minion
Actually, he bet against JVS...that was the whole point. JVS won on his own merit, in spite of his DS doing his best to bugger the whole mess up...
@936adl
Awesomeness happening in the front seat while lameness is going on in the back...
@Mikel Pearce
Gilbert followed the Schlecks, and though COTHO Jr did attack on the way to l'Alpe, at that stage he was out of contention.
Cuddles did everything he should have and I'll say this again - Cuddle deserved the win and rode a masterful Tour. In fact, my saying the Schlecks gave him a fight just bolsters the validity of his win. If we sit around and say everyone but Evans was a soggy cat, then what value was there in his win? His win is great because of the fight to take it, not because of the lack of one.
@Nate, @frank
The Chateau Rayas is a CdP and Chateau Fonsalette is a Cote du Rhone.
I'd agree that the purple topped bottle is unlikely to be Bordeaux, certainly not anything of note, I don't ever recall a decent bottle of Bordeaux without a white label and a read seal.
@sgt
With nipple lube?
As an alternative, the UCI showing up before a TT to enforce the level saddle rule. Way to get into he heads of a bunch of riders before a TT while they're in the gate waiting to start. Email ahead of the race could have fixed a lot of things no? @brett
While I agree with Bretto about Garmin, I agree with Fronk about the Schlecks. Remember the hate Cuddles got till he own the tour and world champs? If a Schleck wins the tour I guarantee there'll be a few people whistling a different tune around here
Lifetime anti-V award? Easy. Pat McQuiad's tenure with the UCI.
@frank
That's a matter for interpretation. Garmin had 2 riders in play: they forced Cancellara's hand and kept a rider up the road. If JV had run the race the way you think he should have, Thor should have worked, they should have chased down their own rider and ended up with a bunch finish featuring Cancellara? Who's to say Spartacus wouldn't ride them off his wheel from that bunch? THAT would have been not the Anti V moment of the year, but the dunce of the year by a team manager moment.
@frank
Yeah, but it wouldn't surprise me if there are a few scented candles just out of camera shot. You just know JV is a scented candle kinda guy. Probably gets the skinny ones and jams then in his empty wine bottles for that "rustic" look.
Another thing that amazes me is that this is an official, approved Slipstream Sports image. They actually released this! For what reason? "Look how debonair and sophisticated our DS is in the off-season?"
@Minion
Did you read the article? Or any quotes from the team, including JV? Its not open for interpretation, and their own quotes from the race prove it. JV was trying to get Vanmarcke to bridge up - they're already chasing their own teammate. JVS was up front telling this breakaway companions that he couldn't work because his rider was coming up. Their entire plan revolved around getting Hushovd up to the break and have everyone outnumbered. JVS was on the radio telling JVS he couldn't ride until the Carrefore.
There is very little left for interpretation.
@wiscot
That's an excellent point! WTF?
Though, given my history with candleagate and that I have one of those bottles of wine...it is not casting me in the most favorable light...