Velominati Super Prestige: La Fleche Wallonne 2012

Simpson leads Gimondi and Poggiali in 1965

I just had to use this pic of Tom Simpson in 1965 wearing the Peugeot kit as the title pic for this year’s VSP for La Fleche Wallonne. Rigid hooked himself up on the Keepers Tour with the same kit he purchased at the Flanders Cycling Museum and it’s Grade A nipple lube. Although victory eluded Simpson in this Classic he still looked damn good in the kit and gave it the berries, taking third that year behind the two Italians on his wheel in the photo.

With that, the VSP returns to Belgium after a short and exciting few days in the hilly parts of Dutchland. We’re not sure yet if Brett, Rigid, or Harminator will be drinking beer and harassing the fairer sex on the slopes of the Mur de Huy but the racing promises to be no less exciting, if almost totally unpredictable. There was a lot of talk about the Spaniards getting it right for Amstel Gold. Although they had two riders in the top 10, neither was able to reach the podium. Interestingly enough, PhilGil seems to have at least put the brakes on going Gilbackwards, Billions and Billions is still tantalizingly close to getting it perfect, and little Tommy V may be timing his peak just about right for either La Fleche or L-B-L this weekend.

So put that Dutch pisswater down and settle in with some more proper Belgian beer as Ardennes classics week continues with La Fleche Wallonne. We’re steaming full speed ahead to the end of the Spring Classics in the VSP and there’s only a couple chances left to slot your picks for your favorite rouleur or puncheur as from here on out the conversation will change largely to the G.C. men in the Grand Tours. Check out the start list and watch the timer, good luck!

Marko

Marko lives and rides in the upper midwest of the States, Minnesota specifically. "Cycling territory" and "the midwest" don't usually end up in the same sentence unless the conversation turns to the roots of LeMond, Hampsten, Heiden and Ochowitz. While the pavé and bergs of Flanders are his preferred places to ride, you can usually find him harvesting gravel along forest and farm roads. He owes a lot to Cycling and his greatest contribution to cycling may forever be coining the term Rainbow Turd.

Next Velominati Super Prestige: Fléche Wallonne Femmes 2012 »

Previous « Keepers Tour 2012 Update, Part I: Roubaix & RVV

View Comments

gaswepass says:

Apr 18 2012 at 10:03 am

@frank
sniff, sniff. I'd like to start out with a soliloquy, no wait, I feel I must express myself in dance.Thank you to the academy, my voice coach, clamanatee, Aw, shit. Thanks guys!
Chris says:

Apr 18 2012 at 11:23 am

@Chris

@frank and @VSP Commissar, a procedural question, where VSP picks refer to a rider who shares a surname with another rider, either riding in the race or listed on the start list, and the pick makes no reference to the riders first name or initial, should that pick be considered void?

@frank No. 198 Vanendert, Dennis started the race with his brother No. 191 Vannedert, Jelle
but abandoned. Move to have all unspecified Vanendert picks discounted.

Scoring points for picking Vanendert without specifying which one would be a bit like expecting to get points for 2nd and 3rd places in last years TdF after only putting one Schleck down in your picks. Well maybe not quite the same but you get my drift.
frank says:

Apr 18 2012 at 11:53 am

@Chris

@Chris

@frank and @VSP Commissar, a procedural question, where VSP picks refer to a rider who shares a surname with another rider, either riding in the race or listed on the start list, and the pick makes no reference to the riders first name or initial, should that pick be considered void?

@frank No. 198 Vanendert, Dennis started the race with his brother No. 191 Vannedert, Jelle
but abandoned. Move to have all unspecified Vanendert picks discounted.

Scoring points for picking Vanendert without specifying which one would be a bit like expecting to get points for 2nd and 3rd places in last years TdF after only putting one Schleck down in your picks. Well maybe not quite the same but you get my drift.

If you're not specific enough and don't specify a first name, then it is up to the Keeper doing the mapping as to (a) which name you mean and (b) whether to grant a change post-finish should you dispute it. If we think you're trying to cheat, its also at our discretion to award you a penalty according to the Piti Principle.

@Calmante

I don't even get a shout out for being on the podium... It's alright. I'm gonna own this shit.

Sorry about that mate, but since it was a six-way tie I would have had to list five more names aside from yours, and quite frankly, I was too busy fixing a data issue on the women's event to try to get ahead of all the disputes that would have resulted from. Next time, if its less of a wide-tie, you'll get your kudos.
Chris says:

Apr 18 2012 at 12:00 pm

@frank
Fair enough, it was worth a try. Rule 70 and all that given that the VSP is an extension of the race.
Buck Rogers says:

Apr 18 2012 at 12:10 pm

@Tartan1749

@Netraam

It is now snowing on the Mur.

Andy is attacking?! Must be snowing in hell, too.

Shit! What a great post lost in the mix! (yeah, I'm done with that no swearing bullshit, limited me to half my vocabulary)
Chappy McPappystackings says:

Apr 18 2012 at 1:00 pm

Nobody puts Baby in the corner, but Frank puts Chappy McPappystackings in the basement!
Oli says:

Apr 18 2012 at 3:49 pm

@G'rilla

@Skip

Perhaps he opts for the black ones for modesty reasons if rain is a possibility?
Ron says:

Apr 18 2012 at 4:13 pm

Woah, I'm just now discovering there is more Vanendert than just Jelle around. Good to know for future VSPs!
Belgian Cobblestones says:

Apr 18 2012 at 4:42 pm

@Ron

Woah, I'm just now discovering there is more Vanendert than just Jelle around. Good to know for future VSPs!

Brother Gilbert just signed a pro-conti contract with willems verrandas-accent
Ron says:

Apr 18 2012 at 4:47 pm

Good to know, BC! Seems the best bet is just to use a first & last name, which I'll be doing starting Sunday.

Just saw a photo of Dirk Bellemakers. What a great name! Kind of like a Boilermaker (a tough/gross drink), but far cooler!