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!

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

  1. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Valverde
    3. TJ Van Garderen
    4. I’m gonna F’in Schleck this!
    5. Kruijswijk

  2. Looks like Sanchez is out now also….

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Vanendert
    2. Rodriquez
    3. Nibbles
    4. Uran
    5. Gilbert

  3. I don’t think that Sagan is in for you that picked him?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Big Fast Phil
    2. Sammy Sanchez
    3. Joakim hot Rod
    4. Nibbles
    5. Ryder

  4. VSP PICKS:

    1. Big Fast Phil
    2. Sammy Sanchez
    3. Joakim hot Rod
    4. Nibbles
    5. Ryder

  5. sorry for the mess up, my computer had a seizure when i was tabulating the precise picks, or it may have been my 3rd place pick, then it went down in a tonic-clonic kinda way

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Big Fast Phil
    2. hot Rodriguez
    3. Fronk…why not?
    4. Nibbles
    5. Ryder

  6. @Buck Rogers
    the ramifications of the dude family spread far and wide. I’ve dealt with them in every state I’ve worked in- wonder if theyre related to the ones you have to deal with?

  7. VSP PICKS:

    1. rodriguez
    2. nibali
    3. gilbert
    4. vanendert
    5. albasini

  8. Phil Gil to time it right this time

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Friere
    3. Voeckler
    4. Sagan
    5. Sanchez

  9. @gaswepass

    @Buck Rogers
    the ramifications of the dude family spread far and wide. I’ve dealt with them in every state I’ve worked in- wonder if theyre related to the ones you have to deal with?

    Yeah, those “dudes, they’re quite the extensive and mean spirited bunch. Also it seems that “mind’in my own business” is a real risk factor for being shot or assaulted, at least in my experience on getting histories.

  10. VSP PICKS:

    1. P. Gilbert
    2. Joaquim Rodriguez
    3. Jelle Vanendert
    4. Igor Anton
    5. V. Nibali

  11. VSP PICKS:

    1. Rodriguez Joaquim
    2. Gilbert Phil
    3. Gasparotto Enrico
    4. Vanendert Jelle
    5. Mollema Bauke

  12. .

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Vanendert
    3. J Rodrguez
    4. Nibali
    5. Anton

  13. VSP PICKS:

    1. Fränk Schleck
    2. Joaquim Rodriquez
    3. Jelle Vanendert
    4. Daniel Moreno
    5. Bauke Mollema

  14. VSP PICKS:

    1. J. Rodriguez
    2. Nibali
    3. Rojas
    4. Voeckler
    5. Vanendert

  15. VSP PICKS:

    1. Vincenzo Nabili
    2. Phillippe Gilbert
    3. Alejandro Valverde
    4. Jens Voigt
    5. Thomas Dekker

  16. Since trying to make intelligent choices based on my impression of the riders form at this point in the season didn’t work, I will go with a random smattering of cyclists I want to do well.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Vincenzo Nibali
    2. Christopher Horner
    3. Chris Anker Sørensen
    4. Ryder Hesjedal
    5. Philippe Gilbert

  17. VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Valverde
    3. Rodriguez, Joachim
    4. Schleck, F
    5. Vanendert

  18. I totally missed the Amstel Gold race and I am going to miss the points that I would have accrued, but at least I have my picks in for this event.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Valverde
    2. Van Avermaet
    3. Gilbert
    4. Freire
    5. J Vanendert

  19. VSP PICKS:

    1. Phillipe Gilbert
    2. Jelle Vanendert
    3. Allejandro Valverde
    4. Joaquim Rodriguez
    5. Vincenzo Nibali

  20. Whoops…Sagan out; revised picks.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Rodriguez
    2. Gilbert
    3. F. Schleck
    4. Voeckler
    5. Vanendert

  21. See a vision. Trust the vision.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. URAN URAN (25)
    2. NIBALI (5)
    3. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER (9)
    4. ALBASINI (10)
    5. VALVERDE BELMONT (7)E

  22. The mind is willing but the Fleche is weak.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Vandendert
    2. Gilbert
    3. Ye olde Schleck
    4. Wegmann
    5. Nordhaug

  23. VSP PICKS:

    1. Phast Phil
    2. Valverde
    3. Vanendert
    4. Gasparotto
    5. Nibbles

  24. VSP PICKS:

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

  25. VSP PICKS:

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

  26. VSP PICKS:

    1. Philippe Gilbert
    2. Vincenzo Nibali
    3. Schleck-tastic the elder one
    4. Valverde
    5. Hesjedal

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