Categories: Belgian AffirmationsKeepers TourVelominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2013

Photo via Slipstream Sports

Outside my window, its pouring rain. My bike is leaning agains the wall in my office, covered in grim and grit from the ride in, which was characterized by equal parts cold, wind, and rain. The spot in the locker room where I changed before my shower was marked by sand and mud, and when I walked to the shower, I left a trail of dirty footprints.

It doesn’t bother me one bit, however. My mind is already cast ahead to Vlaanderen and the Cobbled Classics which kick off this weekend with Omloop Het Neiuwsblad. I still want to call it Omloop Het Volk, and people more brazen than me would call it Gent-Gent and people even more stubborn than that would call it “Feburacing”. (I made that last part up.)

Most importantly, this is when we kick off the third installment of the Velominati Super Prestige. We Keepers are all about the Spring Classics in general and the Cobbled Classics in particular – going so far as to host the second annual Keepers Tour: Cobbled Classics in April. (Sign up now, by the way, as we are looking at other projects for Keepers Tour next year and there is no guarantee we’ll hold it on the cobblestones again in 2014.)

With that, we kick off the season-long 2013 Velominati Super Prestige with the first major race on the berggen and Kasseien of VVest Vlaanderen. Name your picks in the boxes below; 7 points for naming the winner correctly, 5 for second place, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, and 2 for fifth. One point for naming a rider to the top five, but getting the place wrong. Points will be amassed over the course of the season, and the winner will win a personalized Velominati Shop Apron. Full Rules and Scoring Guidelines on the VSP Main Page. Starting roster is over on CyclingNews.com. The ladies event will go up later today or first thing tomorrow.

Good luck, and Merckxspeed.

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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

Bianchi Denti says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:01 am

Blanco, BMC and OPQS are all sending super-strong teams. But I'm picking Vanmarcke for a repeat win because Blanco are on a roll in early 2013, as they try to impress potential new sponsors.

VSP PICKS:

1. Vanmarcke
2. Hushovd
3. Terpstra
4. Pozzato
5. Roelandts
Sauterelle says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:11 am

VSP PICKS:

1. JÃ¼rgen Roelandts
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen
3. Greg Van Avermaet
4. Sep Vanmarcke
5. Thor Hushovd
GiantBars says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:20 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Pozzato
2. Flecha
3. Van Avermaet
4. Terpstra
5. Vanmarcke
torrefie says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:28 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Niki Terpstra
2. Juan Antonio Flecha
3. Tom Boonen
4. Geraint Thomas
5. Thor Hushovd
stickyjumper says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:32 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Vanmarcke
2. Boasson Hagen
3. Roelandts
4. Terpstra
5. Phinney
Erik says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:35 am

And it begins anew. Will I regret betting against Boonen and his flesh eating elbow virus. Probably.

VSP PICKS:

1. Heinrich Haussler
2. Thor Hushovd
3. Juan Antonio Flecha
4. Zdenek Stybar
5. Tom Boonen
imakecircles says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:36 am

Yay! Bike racing!

VSP PICKS:

1. Sylvain Chavanel
2. Juan Antonio Flecha
3. Jurgen Roelandts
4. Tommeke Boonen
5. Sep VanMarcke
Al__S says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:36 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Tom Boonen
2. Filippo Pozzato
3. Lars Boom
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen
5. David Millar
Buck Rogers says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:38 am

Ahhhhh, and so it begins!!!

VSP PICKS:

1. Van Avermaet
2. Roelandts Zee Hay
3. Boonen Nose-Blowin
4. Flecha "Who me dope?"
5. Boassan Hagen Daez
Deakus says:

Feb 21 2013 at 11:43 am

I think a couple of the pro teams are really going for the classics this year but I am not sure Geraint Thomas will make it and although I would love to put Flecha in there, workhorse that he is, I am not convinced going up and down mountains in the sun will have prepared them properly for the freezing NE wind...OFQS are look V strong and Avermaet is my lone wolf to sneak a place in there. In truth you could throw them all in the air to rearrange the placings but that is the joy of the cobbles!

VSP PICKS:

1. Terpstra
2. Van Marcke
3. Chavanel
4. Boom
5. Avermaet