Velominati Super Prestige: 2011 Eneco Tour

Eneco Tour of the Netherlands and Belgium. Photo: Team Sky

“The what Tour?” The question sounds less like a question and a bit more like an accusation. We’re sitting in Gianni’s home on Maui and I’ve just answered a query as to what I’m doing with a computer on my lap when the weather is too nice to justify such a thing.

Even a man as familiar with cycling as Gianni can be forgiven for not knowing the race by it’s new name, the Eneco Tour. The race used to be the Tour of the Netherlands and like the Amstel Gold Race, has enjoyed considerably more success than did the Eindhoven Team Time Trial which boasted a field of least one team each year it was held.

Originally the Tour of the Netherlands, the race now features a parcours through the Netherlands as well as Belgium. As far as preparation races go, it serves as a sort of bizarro preparation for the Vuelta, in the sense that racing in the lowlands would be good way to get ready for a mountainous Grand Tour. Never mind all that, we’re back racing in the VSP and we’re in Dutch-speaking country and I love it. I hope you enjoy lots of helpful translations of Dutch phrases you don’t care about (and probably didn’t hear) from yours truly, because that’s what you’ll be getting for a full week. And I hope you like the color orange.

With that we kick off into the last minor-stage VSP of 2011 for the Eneco Tour. Being a week-long stage race, the points on offer are 7 for first, 5 for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth, with the usual allotment of bonus points for getting the rider right but the place wrong. Also, there are no rest days, so no rest day swaps, but we will have our usual approach for riders who drop out. And, all you Rule #5 apologists out there will be happy to know that we now officially have abolished the 10-minute rule. Piti Principle applies as always. Also review the guide, being careful to note that the rules have changes a bit this year, and we may not have completely updated the guide yet, so if there’s a question, ask.

Best of luck to all.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Ankush says:

Aug 6 2011 at 11:49 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Phil Gil
2. Boasson Hagen
3. Van Avermaet
4. Lars Boom
5. Dries Devenyns
anotherdownunder says:

Aug 7 2011 at 12:00 am

VSP PICKS:

1. E Boasson Hagen
2. Allan Davis
3. Lars Boom
4. Gerdus Lineamann
5. KR Van Hummel
Marcus says:

Aug 7 2011 at 3:11 am

Good to see Richie Porte & Gerro flying in Denmark!

VSP PICKS:

1. EBH
2. Philgil
3. Geraint thomas
4. Greg van avermaet
5. Thomas de gendt
brett says:

Aug 7 2011 at 3:42 am

The what Tour of what now?
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Aug 7 2011 at 4:01 am

Fuck if I know.

VSP PICKS:

1. David Millar
2. Sebastian Langeveld
3. Edwald Boasson Hagen
4. Greg Van Avermaet
5. Lars Bak
il ciclista medio says:

Aug 7 2011 at 4:47 am

@brett

The what Tour of what now?

Enema and Co

VSP PICKS:

1. Greg hasamate
2. Phil Gil
3. Hondo
4. Fed Ex for himself this time
5. Stybar
Souleur says:

Aug 7 2011 at 5:45 am

VSP PICKS:

1. EBH
2. De Gendt
3. Nuyens
4. Flecha
5. VanAvermaet
ChrisO says:

Aug 7 2011 at 5:45 am

Damn your black heart Frank... making us take the time to study the form of a bike race that sounds more like a corporate event.

I'm guessing that whoever wins will need some TT ability and be able to hold their own in sprints.

However my exhaustive analysis (i.e. the link on Cycling News) has also revealed that 50% of winners in the last six years have had triple-barrelled names... something subliminal to do with the Dutch and Belgian fashion for Van and De, I imagine.

So I submit a list of Tri-nominal veloists, safe in the knowledge that if the VSP was a stage race I would be safely allowed into a breakaway with a gap of 20 minutes.

VSP PICKS:

1. Edvald Boassen Hagen
2. Matthew Harley Goss
3. Johan Van Summeren
4. Greg Van Avermaet
5. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez
Steampunk says:

Aug 7 2011 at 6:07 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Edvald Boassen Van Den Hagen
2. Philippe Van Gilbert
3. Tony De Martin
4. Thomas De Gendt
5. Geraint Van Der Thomas
Ron says:

Aug 7 2011 at 6:11 am

Holy shit, Frank! In Haw'aii again? I want to visit Gianni & have him serve as my DS, though I want it on a 10k cruise on a beach bike, not up the mountain.

Are you doing that ride again? If so, you are indeed crazy. But then again, I know how alluring a big climb can be; it makes you hate yourself, your legs, your bike, but you just can't resist climbing it again...

I actually just thought yesterday how pointless & empty my life was feeling without a VSP to follow. Back on again! Must study up before I make my picks.