Velominati Super Prestige

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!

Related Posts

Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s World Championship Road Race 2017

Sep 21 2017

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s World Championship Road Race 2017

Sep 21 2017

221 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: La Fleche Wallonne 2012”

  3. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Hesjedal
    4. Vanendert
    5. Igor Anton

  4. VSP PICKS:

    1. Purito
    2. Giblets
    3. Valverde
    4. Van Den Broeck
    5. S Sanchez

  5. There’s darkness on the edge of town….

    VSP PICKS:

    1. PhilGil
    2. Valverde
    3. Hesjedal
    4. EBH
    5. J Rod

  6. Tough race to pick for sure. I’ve spent a lot more time going over these picks than I did for my taxes.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. V. Nibali
    2. T. De Gendt
    3. P. Gilbert
    4. J. Van Dan Broeck
    5. F. Schleck

  8. Wide open field, this ones could be anyone’s race with Philly Gilly not in form, and the Schleckettes definately 2 months from peaking.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Vanendert
    2. Valverde
    3. Nibbles
    4. Philly Gilly
    5. Freire

  11. VSP PICKS:

    1. Rodríguez
    2. Valverde
    3. Vanendert
    4. Cunego
    5. Gilbert

  12. I was going to say I’m thinking off modelling the rest of my amateur cycling career on Tommy Simpson now that I have the Peugeot Kit, but then I remembered he died of heart failure brought on by amphetamines and pastis halfway up Mt Ventoux in 1967. That would make short work of me.. Long live Tommy Simpson!
    I love the way his head and hat are pointed in a different position to his eyes indicating extreme concentration and laying down the V to the wheel suckers behind him

  15. VSP PICKS:

    1. Nibali
    2. Joaquin Rodriguez
    3. Gilbert
    4. Wegmann
    5. Mollema

  20. VSP PICKS:

    1. Philippe Gilbert
    2. J Vanendert
    3. A Valverde
    4. F Duarte
    5. F Schleck

  21. VSP pick

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. nibali
    3. vanendert
    4. Rowe
    5. De Gendt

  23. VSP PICKS:

    1. Nibali
    2. Joaquin Rodriguez
    3. Gilbert
    4. Wegmann
    5. Valverde

  24. VSP PICKS:

    1. GREG VAN AVERMAET
    2. Gilbert
    3. Jens Voigt
    4. Nibali
    5. Robert Gesink

  28. Chimay for special occasions? More special than a day on the muur de huy?
    Just rode 100k of the course finishing up the muur. It’s fucking cold an fucking windy.
    The muur is one bad muthafucka. Makes the Cauberg look like cheap imitation.
    We’ll be about halfway up with the green and gold marsupial…
    My tips suck. But I’m drinking Belgian beer in Huy so who gives a shit?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Giblets
    2. JRod
    3. Valverde
    4. Gasparotto
    5. De Gendt

  30. Oh man, so hard to pick this one, esp after pulling an all-nighter on call pieceing some guy’s right eye back together after being shot point blank by the notorious “Some Dude” while, of course, “minding his own business”. Full day of clinic then an early bed time for me!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Vanendert
    4. Freire
    5. F Schleck

  31. @Buck Rogers

    Oh man, so hard to pick this one, esp after pulling an all-nighter on call pieceing some guy’s right eye back together after being shot point blank by the notorious “Some Dude” while, of course, “minding his own business”. Full day of clinic then an early bed time for me!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Vanendert
    4. Freire
    5. F Schleck

    Ah hell, switching out Freire for Sammy Sanchez. Probably will regret it but what the heck, why not?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Vanendert
    4. Slammy Sammy Sanchez
    5. F Schleck

  32. VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Rodriguez
    3. Vanendert
    4. Gilbert
    5. Albasini

  33. @Buck Rogers
    You’ll regret picking Freire, AND you’ll regret picking SamSan. Freire can’t ride a top 10 here and Samuel Sanchez isn’t riding.

  34. Too many options…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Rodriguez
    2. Gilbert
    3. Sagan
    4. Voeckler
    5. Vanendert

  36. If Gilbert wins I will be very very surprised considering his form the past couple of weeks. Not even gonna waste a spot on either of the Schlecks.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Nibbles
    4. Tommy V
    5. Purito

  37. @Netraam
    Cheers for the heads up I missed the Sanchez scoop. How many people will regret picking Sagan!! And Vockler!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Horner
    2. J Rodriguez
    3. Valverde
    4. Gilbert
    5. De Gendt!

  38. @Netraam

    @Buck Rogers
    You’ll regret picking Freire, AND you’ll regret picking SamSan. Freire can’t ride a top 10 here and Samuel Sanchez isn’t riding.

    Told you I was half asleep! I agree about Freire and that is why I dropped him for Sammy but I did not know that Slammin’ Sammy was not riding. Switching AGAIN to J-Rod. That dude CAN climb and is hungry as well. Thanks for the heads-up! (still probably end up with a goose egg like in AG)

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Gilbert
    3. Vanendert
    4. J-Rod
    5. F Schleck

  39. VSP PICKS:

    1. Joaquin Rodriguez
    2. Jelle Vanendert
    3. Philippe Gilbert
    4. Alejandro Valverde
    5. Ignore Anton

  41. VSP PICKS:

    1. Friere
    2. Gilbert
    3. Horner
    4. Frank Schleck
    5. Valverde

  42. VSP PICKS:

    1. V. Nibali
    2. J. Rodriguez
    3. L. Ten Dam
    4. R. Hesjedal
    5. A. Valverde

  43. Think I’ll regret putting Giblets on the podium.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. J. Rod
    2. Phil Gil
    3. Anton
    4. Jelle V
    5. Durán Urán

  44. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Sagan
    3. Vanendert
    4. Schleck the Francker
    5. Hesjedal

  49. Magic 8 ball says…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Phil Gil
    2. Nibali
    3. J-Rod
    4. Valverde
    5. Voigt

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.