Velominati Super Prestige: Critérium du Dauphiné
The Tour de France looms on the horizon, and those riders planning to race are putting the final touches on their form – or going into last-minute panic mode, final exam cram-style. The Critérium Dauphiné has long been a favorite preparation race serving both purposes rather well.
It’s a favorite of the Tour’s GC contenders as it usually features stages that, if not identical to key stages from the Tour, will at least feature many of the same climbs; habitual Tour winners like Indurain, Armstrong, and Clentador have traditionally used this race as their preferred method of final preparation; riders seeking additional form will take the beating taken from a week of suffering and have just enough time to recover prior to the Tour. And, of course, riders who have aspirations in July may also find they are a few kilos heavy yet and may indulge in some ultra-lean Spanish beef in order to get to fighting weight.
It’s also a dangerous gamble: ride too hard at the Critérium and you could fire off the Guns of Navarone and enter the Tour in a state of fatigue, as Pharmy did in 2003. A delicate balance, this.
The challenge in predicting the results of a preparation race such as this is that the favorites for the Tour are (hopefully) peaking in one month, not during this event. But they’ll be good – maybe good enough to win. But probably not. Combine that with that the notion that a rider with little hope in July may be looking for glory and will be in peak form, leading to an unexpected result – a review of last year’s race with Jani Brajkovic is a great example of this case.
With that we kick off into the first minor-stage VSP for the Critérium Dauphiné. Being a week-long stage race, the points on offer are 7 for first, 5 for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth, with the usual allotment of bonus points for getting the rider right but the place wrong. Also, there are no rest days, so no rest day swaps, but we will have our usual approach for riders who drop out. Piti Principle applies as always. Also review the guide, being careful to note that the rules have changes a bit this year, and we may not have completely updated the guide yet, so if there’s a question, ask.
Best of luck to all.
@frank
Lemon Turd, sil vous plait…
Seriously, Wiggo? I did not think he might be able to pull it off. We’ll see on tomorrow’s stage but he did well today. Skinny little dude. How did he lose that last 5kg? And how can I lose my first, well, um, lots of kg?
4th place on a VSP… this never happens!
What does a Red Lantern signify?
Check out the term “Lanterne Rouge“.
@snoov
And making your number 1 choice in the Tour de Suisse someone who isn’t riding is a good way to keep hold of it.
;-)
DAMN!!! Cuddles dropped again with 3 k to go. Wonder how much he’ll lose?
Dude showed up today, no doubt! Wow. Curious to see how he’ll handle the HC climb on tomorrow’s final stage. Brajkovic seemed to meet the Man with the Hammer out there today.
@Buck Rogers
I’m going to start calling Wiggo “The Barnacle”. That was some class grina there, holding on like that. Barnacle Brad.
Broke my heart when Cuddles got dropped, but strong work keeping the losses to a minimum.
Did Gesink look uncharacteristically choppy? Made a nice move at the end there, though.”
In the VSP, we’ve got heath taking over the lead for the Dauphiné. Strong work.
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@frank
Absolutely. I had written off Wiggo’s 4th in the tdf as a flash-in-the-pan result and while I knew that he was a class act rider, thought his days of being atop a podium for an overall GC result were not to be. Going to have to give him some serious consideration for the GC in July. As for Cuddles, let’s hope that he can try something tomorrow, maybe regain some of that attacking power that the rainbow jersey gave him last year? Great ride by JVDB, though. Liking him more and more.
Great riding from Sky. EBH looked like a monster at the bottom of the climb and Wiggo didn’t looked taxed on the way up. Smart riding””keep an eye on the contenders and save a bit of gas for tomorrow. Nice bit of poise.
Cuddles: still no help? At the bottom of the climb, did anyone else catch the stream of BMC riders falling off the back immediately? If he had any help whatsoever, I would be mightily tempted to slot him ahead of Grimpyounger next month.
Love it!
“they were pregnant heifers, incidentally.”
@Steampunk
Let’s quit the excuses, though it pains me to say, Cuddles has to do his work without help. Vino had no help. Wiggo had no help. J Rod had no help….
Cuddles getting dropped on the crucial climbs is getting way familiar. He’s first out of the saddle and cracking when it would be a good time to attack.
Wiggo looked good (including the hair) but Kern looks great in those yellow princesses.
@heath
Glad he clarified that point. WTF???
Wow! Tommy Voeckler is a pretty good bike rider. Just sayin’…
Classy touch: Basso complimented EBH on his riding yesterday early in today’s stage. I would imagine it’s nice to get those kinds of props.
@Harminator
Well, yes and no. Wiggo had lots of help. Sky controlled the peloton right up to the final climb and EBH then did the lion’s share of the work during the first half of that final climb. All I’m saying is that Cuddles would be going better if he had help.
@Steampunk
Tommy V or JVDB for the win today? Wiggo holding strong. Less than 1 K to go!!!
Gesink third in the uphill sprint. Looks promising for the Tour!
Well DAMN! J-Rod is flying in the mountains. Maybe a spooty jumper for him in the Tdf?
FLASHING THE MERCKX WITH VIRENQUE !!!
A little surprise for y’all
Special dedicated to Frank, brett & Velominati
Hey guys ( & Grrlz) …
VIDEO FLASHIN THE MERCKX WITH VIRENQUE
Look at this video made one hour ago
at la Toussuire : 2 corners before the finish …
Richard Virenque : TDF legend.
7 Polka dots jersey / 7 mountain stages wins
10 years go …
just now…
I can’t resist to present you this last (disturbing) image of mine who allowed me to be casted tor represent Mr Cyclist talking to Mr Virenque. :
Rule #2394 : no cycling shoes allowed when you are not hammering the pedals.
the film was an “ironic-comedic” teaser for Eurosport with Richard Virenque as he ‘ll be the Tour de France Sports consulting commentator for this TV channel this year… )
also you can see here more images of the spectators, mountain village, polka dot jersey family and even the TDf devil of cylcing ( yes , he was there too for the film…)
[album: http://filemanager.dutchmonkey.com/photoalbums.php?currdir=velominati.com/content/Reader Galleries/21307893464/|width=595|height=512]
)))
@Buck Rogers
He doesn’t ride there. Katusha goes all Russian this Tour.
Bummer. Only TWO bloody points in the Dauphine’ VSP. Oh well, at least it was a truly super race!
@Alpin
Virenque flashing the sign…I never thought I’d see the day…AMAZING. Thank you for that!
@all
As for the Daupihiné, Barnacle Brad did what it took and Kern fell off the pace at the end. I’m with Netraam; Gesink is looking good for the Tour, and so is Evans. Very cool.
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Seriously?!?!? That’s crazy!!
@Buck Rogers
Sure. but hey? even cannibals have eaten forbidden fruit(s).
..he is still one of the best historical climbers ( engaging meself only)
mythology
I know, I know. And I am a closet francophile after having lived in France for a month in ’89 and seeing Paris-Nice. I actually really liked his style in clmbing and it seems that truly almost everyone was doping then. It’s just the cynic in me. Bottom line: Fucking Cool video!!!
@Alpin
OFF.THE.HOOK!
Thanks for that. Reeeeeshard!
@frank
in the VSP G.C. i’m in the 38th & 87th places. i promise i’m only one person; so, if i combine my points i should be able to move up in final standings a bit.
@Buck Rogers
They supposedly want Karpets to be their team leader.
@heath
You been using two email addresses? I’ll contact you to get from you the one you want to use and consolidate your points.
@Marko
SERIOUSLY. I’ve watched it like 15 times already.
hahaha. Nice Frank !
@Alpin
That’s fantastic!
At the risk of Ronning it, think I might deserve an extra point? Thought I had cuddles in second for 5 then jrod and Van Den Brought it in wrong pozzies but in my 5?
Couldnt actually check my picks as I am a computer Luddite
Woo-hoo… top 75. That’s my contract for next year sorted.
@Marcus
Hey Luddite, we haven’t got you down for J-Rod unless when you said “S sanchez” you meant Roddie and not Sammy Sanchez. Click the little down-arrow next to your picks to check out the mappings/points.
@frank
It is a little know fact (but one I thought you would know) that jrod often gets called Sammy Sanchez due to his preference for a particular bedroom position and the fact that he brags that “I am so good at it I deserve a gold medal just like Sammy”.
Quite amusing I have been mistakenly cheering JRod along the last few days – not sure Sanchez was mentioned once during the whole race…
while i’m playing the jam all day long in honor of wiggo’s triumph, purito was beyond amazing during the last two stages. his winning sprint today could only have been executed by a hardcore bad-ass. and, he collected two jerseys along the way. bravo purito!
man, what a great dauphiné.
Pour en finir avec le Dauphiné 2011:
For those who remember the bit with Virenque “flashing the merckx” at la Toussuire at the finish at the Dauphiné … the reason i was there was for the filming of this little Video for Eurosport ( and the TDF) :
the little film is now available on-line and on Eurosport !
here it is :
VIDEO
FYI I am the cyclist in full BMC kit at the start who recognizes Virenque and yelling “Mais c’est Reeeeeshard!!!!!!”
Post Scriptum : i’ll send a crafted email to BMC HQs…
maybe i could get a new frame for this (almost) free publicity ! )))
Richard Virenque was considered to ride my bicycle at first but for legal reasons ( BMC Brand too visible ), the production team chose not too… they even masked the little stickers from the Mavic Yellow Bike !!!
… as you can see Virenque is still the “chouchou des français” dans le vélo ! )) French people forgive everything to their best loved celebrities!!!
@Alpin
Solid work. I didn’t understand a word of it but I did sport a BMC fan boy who was screaming like a little boy about to meet his hero ;)
@paolo
crazy late response, sorry – i sort of had to drop spending time on the V suddenly, probably won’t be able to play here much in forseeable future.
but had left couple of comments un RE-ed, which i hate to do; bad manners in my book :) . so belatedly tying up loose ends.
~ ~ ~ ~
the microbiologist in me says “health alert: avoid playing in used shower water!”
the karolinka in me says, warm water would be nicer! ;P
ciao!
@Karolinka
I’m sorry, it’s not in my nature to be mysterious… but I can’t reply to your post right now and I can’t explain why!
@paolo
no worries!