Velominati Super Prestige: 2011 Le Tour de France
While a good number of Velominati get all uppity around May and make rash statements like their preferred Grand Tour is the Giro d’Italia, because it has more and bigger climbs, beautiful white roads and crazy tifosi, there’s no denying that Le Tour de France is the real grandaddy of them all.
Admit it, July trumps May every time.
Maybe it’s because of the greater media attention, or the fact that there’s bound to be a controversy, but I for one look forward to this time of year with a fervour that has myself and others residing in the lower half of the world consuming inhuman amounts of caffeine and staving off sleep deprivation for 21 days on end, without question or cause for concern. It’s all about the bike (race) and nothing else really gets a look in. Job? Ah, we can do that blurry-eyed and with concentration levels that are probably below safe standards if operating heavy machinery. Or even computers. In fact, operating a computer becomes the central task of the day, as we check results, reports, the topography and distance of the next stage, and of course our VSP standings.
Which brings us to the Blue Riband event on the 2011 Velominati Super Prestige; Le Tour de France. Who will be resplendent in the Maillot Jaune after three weeks of high-pressure tipping, rest-day swaps and bonus stage picks? Have we seen the last of Steampunk’s yellow reign of terror? It’s time to peak, to climb well for your weight, and move Sur La Plaque to the top of the VSP. Study the guidelines (with a grain of salt, as whatever we say here overrides the guide, so ask if you’re not sure), respect the Piti Principle, and enjoy the next three weeks of the greatest show on earth. As usual, get your picks in by 5am Pacific time on Saturday morning. If you wait until the last moment and bugger it up, don’t come crying, just wait until the first rest day with all the others who pulled a Delgado.
Brett’s Take:
As a Keeper, my own tips don’t count to any jerseys or prizes, so this Tour I think I’ll tip with my heart rather than my head; it’s let me down enough this season anyway, so any ‘logic’ or ‘knowledge’ is to be discarded and replaced with ’emotion’ and ‘taking a stab in the dark’. In fact, I might even target the KOM this time around, try and get in some long breakaways and pick up points over the smaller cols while none of the big contenders are paying any real attention. Yeah, channel the spirit of JaJa, Reeshard and the Chicken. Better get me some juice.
Taking the heart over head approach, I have to say that this is going to be the year of an upset. It’s there for Cadelephant to take. The cards are all falling for him; Cont Of The Highest Odor will fade in the last week, spent from his Giro and without a reliable supply of prime beef to call upon; Grimplette, while he may have been foxing in Switzerland, just doesn’t have the firepower to match it with Cuddles or COTHO against the clock, and hasn’t got the mental capacity to attack in the mountains. Wiggins, Gesink, Grimpelder… they’ll be fighting for scraps.
It’s a three horse race, this one, but at last count there’s only three steps on a podium.
Marko’s Take:
Recently on these pages we’ve at once lamented the loss of the all-rounder GC contender and derided the formulaic predictability that “well-rounded” riders in the modern peloton employ to win races. All the names at the top of the Giants of the Road list, however, excelled at one thing, winning the biggest sporting event in the world. But it isn’t climbing prowess, time trialling efficiency, tactical sense, and winning ability alone that endear riders to us. If it was it would be way easier and really boring to be a cycling fan. So what is the difference between a guy like say, LeMan and a guy like Armstrong? Panache. What we’ve lost isn’t a type of rider but a style of rider. Rather what we’ve lost is panache. If, in the modern day, being a douchenozzle or belladonna means panache, so be it. But if doping scandals and bro-mances make you yawn, keep in mind there is a lot of bike racing going on in le Grand Boucle.
So I ask, where’s the panache as far as GC contenders go? Cuddles (may have blown his panache wad last year), Le Petit Grimpeur (no panache), Sammy Sanchez (panacheicito), Basso (panached-out), Horner (Mcpanache), JVDB (panache-a-be), CVDV (pa-crash), Veino (panachenozzle), and Ryder (trying to get all the Canadian panache that Don Cherry has been hogging for the last 30 years). For me, other than Cuddles, Veino, and Ryder it’s hard to get really excited about any of the GC contenders. But alas, I will not vote solely with my heart like my Aussie bro in New Zealand. I will do my best to garner points for no other reason than pride as I don’t get shit for winning either.
So then, now that I’ve gotten all pessimistic about the GC, what am I looking forward to? Panache, fucktards. I wanna see Faboo tow Frandy through the TTT for Leotard Schleck (thanks Dr C) and then make some perfect amount of dumb remark afterward. I wanna see Cavenisgrowingonmedish win some sprints. I wanna see Farrar beat the Manx Mouth in some sprints or cry trying. I wanna believe in the Rainbow Jersey again. I wanna see if Tomeke still has what it takes. I wanna see Jens hurt EVERYBODY. I wanna see some Russian or Spanish dude I’ve never heard of have the ride of his life and shed some tears on the podium, and I wanna see Gilbert on a long solo break on his birthday get himself a stage win and maybe even the yellow jersey for a bit.
The reason this race is so cool is there are so many races within the race. Sure, you betcha, get drawn into to GC drama but don’t lose sight of the forest for the trees. There’s a shit-ton gonna happen in the next three weeks and it’s gonna be good.
Gianni’s Take:
Burned from the all too predicable days of Pharmy, I just don’t care that much about the yellow jersey, Contador or a Schleck – ahhhh, who cares, skinny little bastards. I’m all in for the drama hidden within each day’s race. A stage win in the Tour can make a rider’s career and every stage has unscripted drama: Stuey O’Grady finishing the stage within the time limit, riding in from 100km out with a broken collar bone. Or Magnus Backstead riding in by himself, dropped in the small mountains, finishing beyond the time limit, his number peeled off his jersey and he is ruined. These things happen every day in the Tour.
I like a good spoiler, like Eros Poli on Mount Ventoux, or the spoiler small break that stays away when the last 40km is a high speed tailwind run, ruining a day for the sprinters. I like Rik Verbruggen, flat back, so aero on his bike, hauling ass, a crazy solo bid for glory. I want to see more of that. I would be thrilled to see one of the Garmin roulers win a stage, and I’ll be thrilled if HTC doesn’t win the TTT.
I can schleckulate about a few things: unless Contador and Cavendish get their front wheels tangled up together resulting in a horrendous career threatening crash, both Andy Schleck and Tyler Farrar are doomed. I’m sorry, Andy can’t go fast unless it’s a steep hill (up) and no one is as good a sprinter as Cav, by a lot. Then again, if my schleckulations were worth anything, I wouldn’t be down in the boggy hole that is the low end of the VSP results.
Frank’s Take:
Every year, it happens. Every single year. It has a bitter taste, Disappointment. It sits on the front of your tongue like a small black weight that is surprisingly heavy for its size. Even though you’re not swallowing it, the taste spreads throughout, slowly – into your jaws first, then the rest of your being.
With one exception, I have never had my chips down for a rider who ended up winning – not since 1990, when I was all-in for Greg LeMond. 1991-1995 was Indurain: I favored first Bugno, then Rominger. 1996: Virenque. 1997: Virenque. 1998: Pantani; it was a long shot, but the awesome little dude pulled it off for once in my life. 1999: Zulle. 2000-2004: Ullrich. 2005-2006: Basso. 2007: The Chicken. 2008: Frank Schleck. 2009-2010: The Grimplette. But I continue to favor the dark horse because I know that when I am redeemed, it will be glorious beyond articulation.
This will be that year. Not because I will change my tactic, but because this is the one for les Fréres Grimpeur. It’s a hilly enough race with enough uphill finishes – we all know the skinny boys have a challenge when the road points down. (You’d really think that with all that practicing they do going uphill that they’d occasionally get a chance to practice going down one as well, but those boys descend like first-year amateurs.) Bertie blew the guns at a very difficult Giro and all the Spanish Beef in the world can’t help you recoup from that kind of effort in time for a similarly difficult Tour. Cuddles is a pipe dream borne from the understandably optimistic thoughts from our antipodal brothers and sisters in Oz and Newz. Wiggo, Vande Velde, Gesink, and Van den Broek will all learn how hard it is to pull out a good Tour ride for a second (or first) time when the pressure is truly on.
I’ve also vowed not to get caught up in my propensity to dwell on the fact that Contador should not be in the race. The fact that a rider who failed a dope test in last year’s Tour has been allowed to start is a reflection of the ineffectiveness of Cycling’s governing bodies, not on Bertie. True, I hate him and would be happy to see him not start, but if I were in his shoes, I admit that would start if I was allowed to. And, lets face it: Andy’s win will mean more when it comes with the defeat of Alberto than with a nonstart.
Holy fuck, I can’t believe what I just saw… that dickhead should’ve just driven straight into the tree, it’s not like it’s his car or anything. Putting rider’s lives at risk like that is deplorable, if he’s not charged for that the gendarmes aren’t worth a pinch of shit.
Hoogerland, what a fucking hardass (a hardass with barbed wire gashes all over it…)
Damn, I’m shaking still after watching that.
VSP PICKS:
1. Elephantitis
2. COTHOdor
3. Bottom half of a Mermaid
4. Tits on a bull
5. The Italian Dog
Older useless brother in for JVDB…
VSP PICKS:
1. Clenbutadol
2. Shrek the Younger
3. Cuddles
4. Basso
5. Shrek the Elder
Kloden in for JvdB DNF. Sammy San in for Levi uselessness.I’m picking that Frankie will have to be sacrificed to get Andie to finish near the top.
Now to get some sleep…
VSP PICKS:
1. Cadel
2. A Schleck
3. Basso
4. Sammy Sanchez
5. Kloden
Don’t know if I can switch just VDB or all my choice so i will just switch VDB for Brother grimpeur elder. CUnego seems to be in good shape even after his good Giro and terrific TdS but Dirty Sanchez and Gradet seems to be out of : L’espoir du Jaune
VSP PICKS:
1. Brother grimpeur younger
2. D.Cunego
3. J.Gradet
4. Brother grimpeur elder
5. S.sanchez
How do I go about replacing Horner (poor guy) now that he has dropped out?
Basso in for Horner (see my pre-stage 9 comment when my phone wouldn’t show the picks) and F Schleck in for JVDB.
@frank
Nice work on the V-Pint. If funds allow, why not send him 2, 4 or even 6? That way he might be able to one day pour somebody else one and talk about how he earned his sacred V-chalice(s).
Devastated that it looks like the career of my favorite (non-Aussie) rider is at an end.
I know many here will say he is a nasty uncontrite (is that a word?) convicted doper. However to my mind he was just playing the game like most of the others but people criticise him because he didn’t come on like a whiney born-again bitch when he got caught – not speaking English didn’t help in this regard.
As for his riding, to me it was nothing short of beautiful. You didn’t hear him whingeing like a Millar when his own team chased him down in the Tour in 05 – and how good was his performance that year to win on the Champs to steal 5th from Eggtimer? He was just a tough hombre.
While they often just looked like another crazy attack from the Kazakh, the best ones were when he attacked, was caught and then attacked again. His 2003 Tour (in fact his whole 2003 year) was a triumph.
Farewell Vino. I, for one, will miss you.
VSP PICKS:
1. Contador
2. A schleck
3. Basso
4. F Schleck
5. Evans
Can I move CVV up and promote Basso into 5th? Picks appear locked (what time is it now? I’ve been asleep).
What a mess on the road today, but huge props to all the break away riders.
Anyway, slotting Elder Grimpeur into the 5 slot for Horner and maybe switching out Sammy S. for someone else tomorrow. Or not.
@frank, it’s not letting me switch out Horner right now. Is it too late since he was a DNS from yesterday?
VSP PICKS:
1. Schleck Jr.
2. Spanish Steak
3. Cadel
4. Basso
5. Schleck Sr.
@Marcus
I’ll drink to that. Au revior, Vino.
I am absolutely destroyed by this Tour. Every stage I’m anxious now. My two favorites, Horner and DZ, have crashed out. What other horrid events are going to occur? Hopefully nothing. Just beautiful lactic suffering.
I tried a Tommy V-style attack in my race today from 1km out. Got about 5 seconds, but a headwind crushed my dreams after 500m. Still clung to 5th and dodged the crash.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. Basso
3. Old Schleck
4. Evans
5. Levi
@Marcus
Good point Marcus, I’d happily pay for extra glassware to be sent to Hoogerland. I have a fucken big mouth and not much money: but occasionally they meet and have a standoff. In this case however, my big mouth and wallet are in agreement. Man deserves a pint, at least.
I’m also abandoning my amusing photo VSP: Hoogerland has that one down, what I thought would be a diverting tongue in cheek way to have some fun has taken on a very unpleasant aspect, esp with Veino and Hoogerland. Next rest day just wipe my picks and put Hoogerland and Veino in first equal, no – one should be flung into barbed wire or break their femur for their job.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cuddles’ Dog vs Journo
2. Gil – Rutger Hauer – Bear
3. Thor’s mighty hammer
4. JENS MOTHER FUNKIN VOIGHT!
5. Whoever runs COTHO into ditch
All of these late nights must be getting to me. Saw Veino’s demise and fell to sleep thnking “poor bastard, what a way to go out”. No idea what happened next. Then reading what happened afterwards with the car!? Respect to TV on his ride though
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Good Cadel
2. Asleck
3. Frau schleck
4. Guessing
5. Turn up the bass….o
As much as I’d like to bump down Clentador seeing as he’s having bad luck, falling down, supposedly bum knee now, etc., you just have to know that he can’t wait to be on his turf in the Pyrenees to lay down some pain. Bastard.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Grimpeur the Younger
2. Clentador
3. Cuddles
4. Sammy Sanchez
5. Grimpeur the Elder
Check the Flecha/Hoogerland crash footage once more and watch Voeckler. He did pretty well to keep it upright. Despite all the shit that went down in that stage, TomVee should still be recognised for getting himself in the “lucky” break that fortuitously got the big time gap which gave him the yellow. The harder you work, the luckier you get…
Putting today’s unfortunate events to one side, presuming he hangs onto the lead until then, could we see some remarkable Bastille Day heroics from Voeckler on Thursday as he tries to retain the jersey going up Luz Ardiden? Only (minor) problem might be that the cameras will stick on Voeckler whilst the GC contenders are battling it out elsewhere!
Can’t wait for Thursday!
@frank
Hold up…do you honestly believe that Josh Hamilton is the reason that fan died? There is no way that’s Hamilton’s fault. It was a tragic accident, yes, but not his fault. How does one “cause” someone else to fall to their death for tossing a ball into the stands?
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. A Schleck
3. Cadel
4. Basso
5. Roche
Rest day swaps.
Why not. I should put Phil Gil in first simply because I don’t want his yellow watch to go unmatched in Paris.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. C. Evans
2. A. Schleck
3. F. Schleck
4. P. Gilbert
5. T. Voeckler
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. A. Schleck
2. Clenbutador
3. Cadelephant
4. F Schleck
5. Can He Go
Old Man Schleck in for JVDB.
Will dispose of my faded Levi tomorrow.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Abierto Cantbardadoor
2. Anton “Andy” Schlekhov
3. Evans Cant Wait
4. Levi Lifetimer
5. Frankenschleck
Crazy race today, nice work Tommy V! I don’t have a t.v. but staying with a friend at the moment and he does. Man, I think I’ve had Versus on since Friday. A lot of fun to watch non-stop cycling on a huge flat screen when I typically watch a Europort feed on my laptop. I’m watchin’ in style.
Off topic – anyone have prescription shades for cycling? The only time I put in contacts is when I ride, and I hate it. Takes five minutes for them to center on my eye, hands normally have grease, creme, sunblock on them. I have a few pairs of Oakleys, but they are prohibitively expensive to get prescription lenses.
I realized Tifosi are darn cheap, but can’t figure out how much they’d be to add a prescription lens. Going to give them a call, but anyone have them with Rx lenses?
Wow, just saw the replay of the car running into Juan Antonio. So damn insane. Imagine being in the Tour and still having to worry about cars hitting you? “Oh a tree, let me accelerate, not slow down…” What a fucking jerk.
And Hoogerland’s crash was insane. Wow, that looked painful.
And I walked around DC yesterday. Lived here awhile back but I’m still surprised at the single-speed rider obsession with making their bike as poorly set up as possible. Yeah, I’m going to pull my bar tape off, even though it’s hard to hold metal bars in 103* heat. It’ll look cool though. And fuck those bar plugs. Those things are stupid. And I just bought this bike new, but I decided to get it so big that I have 2cm of seatpost showing. And I’m going to turn my bars up so far that my drops are unreachable. It’s like a silent competition to put form way, way ahead of function. I did a double take at numerous bikes I saw locked up. “Now why’d they do that?”
@Ron
Re: Rx lenses, my eye doctor charged about $90 to put lenses into my Tifosi, but I bought the kind with the clip-in Rx part… I actually don’t wear them because they wound up annoying me… they feel really heavy. The normal ones where you’d get the main lenses in your perscription would probably feel better.
I have a pair of Ray Bans with Oakley lenses, which is what I normally wear – they were really expensive though and I’m paranoid of breaking them.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. stupid jerk steak eater
2. Andy Schlecktacular
3. Lil Cuddles-wuddles
4. What’s eating Gilbert Grape
5. Fronkinstein Schleck
F-ing Prudhomme needs to get control of his race. I think that the riders should protest on Tuesday and ride a neutralized stage. Motorcycles and f-ing TV cars taking out riders?? I don’t care if they’re GC or Lanterne Rouge, hang those drivers and their controllers by the nearest tree.
“Prudhomme added: “We want to apologize for this incident to the teams and the riders involved. Two accidents involving vehicles on the race is two accidents too many.”
Too f-ing little, too f-ing late Prudhomme. I want to see a rider protest.
Why can I imagine a far greater outcry if a spectator had been cleaned up by a media car rather than ‘just’ the riders? Crashes in the peloton seem to be expected (maybe so, but..), and this tour more than ever is getting attention for crash-pron. When a vehicle gets involved though, things change..
@Marcus
Re Vino and his attacking style:
+++1 to that.
I felt physically ill watching him being carried up to the road after the crash.
Feel very sad as well for JVDB and Zabriskie as well as all the others involved in that one.
Then I thought; ok move on guys, catch the break.
I went to bed with about 55k to go after it became apparent that the peleton wasn’t likely to catch them.
I’m glad I did. The Flecha, Hoogerland crash was a disgrace. It was a gutpunch watching it this morning. Very, very ugly.
I hope that the bad shit that’s been happening this year decides to Fuck off on it’s way.
We have been witness to some beautiful racing throughout the spring and in this years Tour. The best one in years. Let’s hope that barring any more accidents, we will be able to remember it that way.
VSP
I’m going to shake it up and concede a bunch of rest day pick penalties.
I’m going Cuddles for the win where I was too gutless before.
Here’s hoping I haven’t cursed him.
It must be said; I’m pleased to be able to witness the community that has formed here. With few exceptions, it is something special to witness the thoughtful commentary and heartfelt musings on the sublime beauty of our endeavour and those who partake in it.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cuddles
2. A Schleck
3. Contador
4. Basso
5. Cunego
@tommeesee
Hate to say it but your post indicates that there has been relatively little fuss over fan deaths at the TdF. Unfortunately a number of fans have been hit by cars over the years – especially the caravan – all too often. Most recent death was in 2009 when a lady was hit by a police vehicle following the race. And I recall that a little boy was run over by one of the caravan vehicles in the early 2000s.
Damn these crashes, at this rate the Top 5 will select itself. After the first rest day, my picks again.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cadel
2. Contador
3. Andy
4. Basso
5. Cunego
@Marcus
Might not have been clear initially. I expect if there was footage of a car taking out a pedestrian it would all hit the fan. But in this case, because cyslists are ‘expected’ to crash (especially at the moment) this one is not being shown for what it is. This was not a racing accident it was aggressive, impatient, inattentive driving like we all see every day when we are on our bikes.
Frank, Basso and Karpets on the outer.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. MiniSchleck
2. Contador
3. Its Not Stephen Roche!
4. Good Cadel
5. Ladies Love Sanchez
Is it past midnight pacific time?
If so, fail. Andy would have won his way into my picks through sheer attrition.
This tour is ridiculous. This whole damn season has been ridiculous.
Maybe it’s finally Cadel’s time.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cuddles
2. Mini-Schleck
3. Cantadore
4. Jill Bear
5. Bassomatic
Changes for Vandenbroucke.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Clenberto Clenbutador
2. Schleck le Jeune
3. Cuddles
4. Schleck le Vieux
5. Gesink
!st rest day changes…
Not ready to make a move with Contador yet… but I will swap one Sanchez for another.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. Frank Schleck
3. Schleck
4. Lulu Sanchez
5. Cadel
Engaged brain.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. Evans
3. Sanchez S
4. Schleck F
5. Schleck A
Er. Does that count as dnf, or rest day?
Sorry frank, don’t mean to give you the ron-around.
@CJ
ron-around. very good.
OK… I’m gonna stand pat here.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. cadel
2. A schleck
3. F schleck
4. Levi
5. Basso
Man, finally watching stage 9…. all these crashes are really bothering me. To see someone like Vino, who had that kickass climb yesterday have to bow out today just sucks. And I can’t add anything on to what has already been said about the media car… ugh.
I think I’m going to keep my current picks intact for now, even though Bertie is looking a bit tired. I’m waiting to see how he does once things start getting really steep. He keeps crashing, too – sort of reminds me of what happened to Armstrong last year, as he just kept crashing and couldn’t seem to catch a break.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. stupid jerk steak eater
2. Andy Schlecktacular
3. Lil Cuddles-wuddles
4. What’s eating Gilbert Grape
5. Fronkinstein Schleck
Lanterne Rouge, what the?
Is this ’cause I changed all my picks, or am I being punished for Cyclops-gate.
Honest, it was the cheese.
@Sprider
Not really sure why Prudhomme is catching all your ire. The Commissaires ordered the car to not move up and the driver did anyway, which is no ones fault but the drivers (and maybe his passenger/s), and the motorbike was a similar example of human error. And a rider protest, really? What will they protest about? Should we remove all the vehicles from the convoy? I bet the riders would love that…
I’m starting to wonder if Contador can catch up but I’ll stick with him for now. Strange story about Karpets and being involved in an “accidental” collision yesterday and his team not seeming too bothered.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. SchleckA
2. SchleckF
3. Voekler
4. Contador
5. Martin
Cadel looks the goods. Every little Aussie cycling fan is holding their breath and willing Cadel’s luck to hold out. No jinxing him please.
He’s really biding his time well. He is super strong. His team is holding up well. He took it upon himself to lead the TTT home (And did it well). First stage victory across the line vs Cuntador. Always up the front looking relaxed and comfortable. Hasn’t hit the deck (yet).
Might get found out in the high hills. Let’s hope not.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Cadel’s gonna do it
2. A. Schleck
3. Fucken Cuntador
4. F. Schleck
5. Sammy Sanchez
@Oli
Prudhomme saw how well the Giro was received last year and has tried to do something similar and shake it up a bit.
I think, like Zomegnan, he has gone a bit too far or maybe it was just too fast.
The introduction of the intermediate sprints, coupled with the selection of roads and relatively difficult early stages plus to some extent a bit of bad luck with weather. And throw in some jobsworthiness from the UCI about saddles and sprinting.
Maybe all could have been handled separately but together they have created a febrile atmosphere and perhaps some of them have also influenced the driving and support.
When a rider not given to moaning, like Cancellara, says (and this was several days ago after Stage 5 to Cap Frehel)
“I have done a few #tdf but until now the parcours and specially the last kilometers has nothing to do with racing.it is so dangergous.”
I think people like Prudhomme should listen.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. A Schleck
2. Contador
3. Gilbert
4. Levi
5. Evans
@ChrisO
Cancellara not prone to moaning? Pray tell who it was who led the neutralization of a stage last year on safety reasons? Hint: he TTs really well.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. A schleck
3. Basso
4. F Schleck
5. Evans
Ah, I’ve discovered that I’ve fallen a long way foul of the Piti Principle and am thus changing back to my original top 3.
Substituting Cunego for DNF Horner.
Do I get my points back Frank?
Oh, and for some reason I show up twice in the standings.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. Contador
2. Evans
3. A Schleck
4. Gesink
5. Cunego
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. A.Schecktacular
2. Cadelephant
3. Cuntador
4. F Schlecktacular
5. Kloden
Not sure if my original tips have come through or how I go about changing them now that Wigglet and Horny are broken… hopefully the changes I have made now have worked. Ho hum – go cuddles!
This tour is just wild…. Henri Desgrange must be the only man smiling (and he’s been dead for a while)… loving it, but respect for the riders has gone nothing but upwards.
VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):
1. The Beefeater
2. Andy Schleckanical
3. Evans
4. Kloden
5. Basso