Velominati Super Prestige: Clasica San Sebastian

Jalabert takes the win in 2001

The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige continues with its the first Summer Classic, Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian, on Saturday, July 31. This will be the first post-Tour event in the series and with the unpredictability of how riders are recovering, it makes this race a tough one to predict.

The route of this Basque road race is a difficult one, and this year’s new route makes it more suited to the strong climbers who can finish well like Damiano Can-he-go.  Defending champ Carlos Barredo showed good form at the Tour; will he be able to defend?  Peer deep into the race preview, and then deep into your heart, and divine your selections.

This winner of this Super Prestige edition will again earn an “Obey the Rules” bumper sticker  and all reader’s points qualify towards the final prize of the free Velominati Shop Apron.  As always, if you are inclined to enter, simply post your predictions for the top five placings in the comment section.  Make your picks for by the time tomorrow’s stage starts, regular VSP Rules apply.  Good luck!

Rules and results are posted Velominati Super Prestige page.

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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  • 1. Barredo for the repeat
    2. Navarro b/c after working his ass off for Bertie he wants some glory
    3. Garate because I picked this dude for the dotty jumper and he let me down. Might as well let him do it again, right?
    4. Kolobnez (not a typo, he goes by Kolobnez en espana). Want to put him first because the ground-to-air missile team is blowing shit apart like Pashtuns shooting down Russian helicopters. Maybe we should nickname that team Charlie Wilson?
    5. Bertie. He won't contest but wants to show something to his countrymen.

  • My San Sebastian picks!
    1. Gilbert - who deserves some love and a nickname from the Velominati - if he doesn't already have one?
    2. LL Sanchez
    3. Pippo Pozzatto
    4. Cunego
    5. Barredo

  • 1. Rodriguez: finished Tour strong and likes the course.
    2. O Hesjedal: if the Tour had lasted another week, he would have busted Bertie & Andy.
    3. Nibali: taking a flyer on fresh over in-form"”b'sides: he climbs and descends well.
    4. Cunego: He came up short again and again during the TdF, but he was often there or thereabouts.
    5. Barredo: because I'm running out of Spaniards"”and he won it before.

  • Marko :
    4. Kolobnez (not a typo, he goes by Kolobnez en espana). Want to put him first because the ground-to-air missile team is blowing shit apart like Pashtuns shooting down Russian helicopters. Maybe we should nickname that team Charlie Wilson?

    According to Wikileaks, you can probably update that metaphor to The Taliban shooting down American choppers...

    Imma drop some knowledge later in the evening, after I catch up on Kanye's tweets...

  • Ok, here goes
    1. Rodriguez - Can climb, can go down, is spanish, can win
    2. Can-he-go - can't go enough
    3. Pip Pozzato - I love this guy.
    4. Ryder - reckon he must be peaking this week
    5. Gesink - the sort of classic that suits him I think

  • 1. JANEZ
    2. J-ROD from the ROKKIT SKWAD
    3. Papa Tiempo Sastre
    4. Handy Sammy Sanchez
    5. Gavazzi - dude is on the upswing.

    Always bet on the Spaniards in Spain, and throw in an Italian to keep it oiled.

  • OK, first time up flirting with the curse of the rainbow bands. The pressure, the pressure ...

    1.J-Rod. (Could've almost as easily been Kolobnev or Pippo, and at a pinch Ivanov. But I agree - J-Rod is on fire at present and climbs like I don't.)
    2. Can-he-go. (He's been there and thereabouts a few times already this year, and I think he's got another performance or two left in him.)
    3. Barrrrrrrrreeeeedo. (Spanish and peaking.)
    4. Navarro. (Ditto.)
    5. Richie Porte. (Yeah, I know, fat fucking chance. Except I love an outsider (even, on occasion, an Australian one), and there's the Broken-Hearted Bjarne (unless he snags Bertie) factor ...)

  • 1; This one's got Phil Gilabert written all over it... or has it?
    2; F Poz... needs the limelight back, and I dug his black Italian kit at Roubaix.
    3; Yes-the little-fucker-Can-Go.
    4; Janes Addiction... the best moment of the Tour for me was watching him blow himself to bits driving it up to Morzine; he became a fave rider of mine that day.
    5; Kiwi Rouly... why the hell not? If a kiwi who takes an Aussies screen name can pick an Aussie, then I'm taking one back for the Colony.

  • 1. Rider Hesjedal the redeemer
    2. Sylvain Chavenel because he deserves one Nibali
    3. Barredo 3rd times not charming enough
    4. Mattie boy Lloyd my gut call
    5. Can'tiGo...just because he can't

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