Velominati Super Prestige: Amstel Gold Race 2012
When people think of the The Netherlands, they generally think of flat lands, windmills, and a topography where people claim to “live at elevation” when their home on the third floor of a building. Never the less, this is not entirely true as The Motherland does, in its most southern reaches, boast quite hilly terrain; the province of Limburg juts out into the Ardennes region which is famous in Belgium for the short, steep climbs typical of a geography hewn from high plains by flowing water. Its the perfect place for a bike race.
This Sunday marks the official end of the Cobbled Classics, and the begging of the Ardennes Classics. The big, heavy riders who go well on the cobbles will take a back seat to lighter but powerful rouleurs who can go uphill quickly for a few kilometers. A Grimpeur may be able to gain the upper hand, but only if they go climb quickly enough to shed the stronger riders with fast finishes. Last year we saw Philippe Gilbert use the Amstel Gold Race to start his astonishing streak of wins, finishing off all the Ardennes races with his fast finish. However, if a Lexicon entry is enough to condemn a rider’s chances, then the recent addition of Gilbackwards should seal his fate. Valverde is back from suspension and going as well as ever, and he could well be the man for this season.
The Ardennes Classics also serve as an indicator for the Grand Tours. The Giro is just around the corner, and the Tour de France only a few months away. Riders will be eager to measure themselves against one another and see who is ahead and who is behind schedule (I’m looking at you, Grimplette). Then there are the upsets and the kamikaze breakaways to consider; Jens Voigt has been close in these hills before, can he close the sale this year?
Check the start list and watch the countdown timer as picks close at 5am Pacific on Sunday; up for grabs is the personalized Velominati Shop Apron to the contestent who wins the season-long competition. Check the Main VSP page for scoring guidelines and rules. Also don’t be alarmed if your post doesn’t show up in the sidebar; in an effort go cut down on the noise caused by the VSP, we’re now filtering out the posts that only contain someone’s picks and no further content; don’t worry – they still count and they’ll still show up in the main feed; they’re just being filtered out of the “Recent Posts” feed.
Good luck.
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Joaquim Rodriquez
3. Sanchez
4. Gerrans
5. Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Valverde
3. Westra
4. Sagan
5. Cadel
VSP PICKS:
1. Samuel Sanchez
2. Joaquin Rodriguez
3. Cadel Evans
4. Sagan
5. Gilbert
sdf
I sense Cadel & Gerro going toe-to-toe in the finale
VSP PICKS:
1. Gerro
2. Cadel
3. Valverde
4. Nibali
5. J-Rod
not putting to much thought into this right now but it sounds good.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibles
2. Evans
3. Valvere
4. The little Prince
5. J-Rod
Figure it’s probably best to get these in before I’m dosed up on post op painkillers.
Surgery on Friday the 13th…what could go wrong?
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gerro
3. Silvain Chavanel
4. Gilbear
5. Tommy V
Good luck on the surgery, Mikael. Go hard on the morphine – great stuff, I’m told, if you’re not allergic to it like me, in which case it’s like being locked inside a very small cross-channel ferry full of sick.
Picking Evans to try and do something to salvage BMC’s classics season, and Devolder to try and do something to salvage his career. Although after the last miserable performance by my picks…
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzato
2. Evans
3. Chavanel
4. Gerrans
5. Devolder
VSP PICKS:
1. Chavanal
2. Purito
3. Gilbert
4. Valverde
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Chavanel
2. Evans
3. Valverde
4. Purito
5. Gerrans
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. J Rod
3. Gilbert
4. Gerro
5. Cadel
VSP PICKS:
1. 117 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro
2. 77 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin
3. 1 GILBERT Philippe
4. 134 GESINK Robert
5. 98 SAGAN Peter
BMC does three in the top 5 with PhilGil in at No.1 after playing the “I’ll see how long I can hang in there” card.
VSP PICKS:
1. PhilGIl
2. Vulvarde
3. Gerro
4. Greg Hasamate
5. Good Cadel
Fixed spelling error…
Sorry guys but I think Gerrans has the better chance for Australia then Cadel.
VSP PICKS:
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Peter Sagan
3. Simon Gerrans
4. Damiano Cunego
5. Joaquim Rodriquez
VSP PICKS:
1. Chavanel
2. Peter Sagan
3. Valverde
4. Nibali
5. gilbert
PDM jersey and shorts was the only team replica kit that I ever owned…is that Steven Rooks on the way to winning in 1986?
You know what I find amazing so far with this race is the strength of Katusha and Movistar at this race:
Katusha:
JoaquÃm RodrÃguez
Oscar Freire
Luca Paolini
Movistar:
Alejandro Valverde
Rui Costa
Giovanni Visconti
Jose Joaquin Rojas
The other thing that amazes me is that Uran isn’t racing. Doesn’t this sort of finish favor him? And he seems to be on form right now.
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Valverde
3. Gerrans
4. Sagan
5. Chavanel
A Canadian has to win sometime.
VSP PICKS:
1. Ryder Hesjedal
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen
3. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte
4. Thomas Voeckler
5. Frank Schleck
VSP PICKS:
1. Gerrisimo
2. Valverde
3. J Rod
4. Chavanel
5. Gilbert
Jesus, Tony Martin now….why are so many Pros getting whacked by cars these days? – did the Hoogerland / Flecha drama of the TdF inspire a new sport of hunting cycling Pros?
Bad shit all round, there will be no-one left to race by the time the Tour comes around….
@King Clydesdale
Shame about Uran, he was pretty awesome in Catalunya, albeit with half the fleet on the flight home – maybe they want him to hold off a bit to help Brad get up the hills at the TdF?
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Valverde
3. Gilbert
4. Gerrans
5. Chavanel
Looking forward to this one, fingers crossed for Dan Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Simon Gerrans
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Lieuwe Westra
4. Dan Martin
5. Sergio Henao Montoya
Nibali finally comes good. Gilbackwards starts to wake from his 2012 slumber.
Thanks to Alex, William, Genevieve and all the KT attendees for such an amazing 9 days. I’ll remember that for a long, long time!
My VMH is already sick of the “and this one time, on the Keepers Tour…” stories.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Gilbert
3. Valverde
4. Gerrans
5. Evans
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rodriguez
2. S Gerrans
3. S Sanchez
4. D Cunego
5. C Evans
@Mikael Liddy
If the surgeon is wearing a hockey mask, be wary…
@the Engine
If it is that means that Joop Zoetemelk is the man in front…
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. J Rod
3. Sammy Sanchez
4. Sagan
5. Phil Gil
@the Engine
It says it right under the photo guys…
@brett
I’m a moron…
Time to roll the dice and check the tea leaves again…
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Freire
3. Nibali
4. Chavanel
5. Sagan
@the Engine
Well, no, you worked it out all by yourself without even looking…
@the Engine
Actually, maybe you are, as I just realised your conversation was with yourself…
Yeah, not diggin the mobile site Frank.
Seems buggy.
Won’t recognize my login.
VSP PICKS:
1. Evans
2. Gerrans
3. Valverde
4. Purito
5. Chavanel
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Chavanel
3. Gerrans
4. Sagan
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Chavanel
2. Valverde
3. Hoogerland
4. Boasson Hagen
5. Evans
An outsiders chance…..
VSP PICKS:
1. Cunego
2. Freire
3. Voeckler
4. Sanchez
5. Rodriguez
I heard the best ever put down today – and from a German…. In response to a protagonist, his casual rebuke:
“Call your mother and remind her she still owes my dog fuck money. ”
Massive.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Gerrans
3. Chavanel
4. Evans
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Evans
3. Rodriguez
4. Gerrans
5. Westra
Rabobank will do what they can.
VSP PICKS:
1. Sanchez
2. Valverde
3. Renshaw
4. Sagan
5. Boom
@brett
Its these voices in my head – they just won’t stop…
VSP PICKS:
1. Chavanel
2. Nibali
3. Valverde
4. Gerrans
5. Sagan
@Simon, @brett thanks boys, all went well. Relaxing now with ice on the shoulder reading issues 9 & 10 of Peloton magazine.
The Inner Ring preview has come up with a term worthy of inclusion in the Lexicon IMHO.
He refers to Hoogerland as premature attackulation. Love it!
After tossing the chicken bones…
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gerrans
3. Sagen
4. PhilGil
5. Hesjedal
Where is that genius Juan Jose Cobo? Did he not get a ride this year?
@936adl
Definition of Premature Ejaculation : “it’s all over my friend”
@mouse
PEBCAK. Or, be specific enough that something can be done about it.
@Dr C
Now that he’s won the Vuelta, he’s a Movistar