Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Fléche Wallonne Femmes 2012

Armstrong and Arndt photo by B. Denti

During the Ronde von Vlaanderen, we of the 2012 Keeper’s Spring Classic Tour were right on the Oude Kwaremont climb as the women big-ringed it up the cobbles. Kristin Armstrong (US Women’s Team) was burying herself to get on Judith Arndt’s (Greenedge) wheel. It looked like the winning break was going right in front of our eyes. Seeing professional cyclists in action is always a humbling experience and seeing these women was no exception. Damn, these women looked great: fit, strong, awesome and crushing the Oude Kwaremont in the Ronde. They must have been jazzed too, anyone who gets to race these fabled climbs must get a buzz storming up, urged on by the massive throng of beer infused Belgian fans.

They will be doing it again on the Mur de Huy on Wednesday. Will they be as psyched to crush that climb? Perhaps the winner will but everyone else might find it a bit too steep the second time around. This year’s course is 123km, 13.5km longer than last year’s with two ascents of the Mur de Huy. Marianne Vos (Rabobank) was sick for the Ronde but she is the heavy favorite having won Fléche Wallonne Femmes only the last four times. Stay on her wheel until the final 30 meters and pop by for the win. How hard can that be? Bloody impossible judging from her previous record yet betting against Armstrong, Arndt or Pooley seems foolhardy.

It’s cheating to look at Cyclop’s picks. He obviously sold his soul to the devil, that might be cheating, I’m not sure. The betting office window closes early Wednesday morning so do your worst. Here is the start list.

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220 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Fléche Wallonne Femmes 2012”

  1. Wanted to put Amber Neben up there, wish we could predict top ten.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Marianne Vos
    2. Emma Pooley
    3. Judith Arndt
    4. Emma Johansson
    5. Nicole Cooke

  8. VSP PICKS:

    1. M. Vos
    2. J. Arndt
    3. E. Johansson
    4. N. Cooke
    5. E. Pooley

  10. VSP PICKS:

    1. Lesueur
    2. Vos
    3. Neben
    4. Zhaparova
    5. Hofmann

  15. For VVomen, there is only 1 possible winner: Vos.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Marianne /V/os
    2. Judith Arndt
    3. Emma Pooley
    4. Nicole Cooke
    5. Emma Johansson

  22. VSP PICKS:

    1. VOS Marianne
    2. JOHANSSON Emma
    3. ARNDT Judith
    4. POOLEY Emma
    5. DVORAK Andrea

  23. Hey, that’s my photo. Sweet!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Vos
    2. Pooley
    3. Emma Johansson
    4. Guarnier
    5. Pauline Ferrand Prevot

  35. Spectacular on so many levels when the women’s RVV came booking past us up the Kwaremont. Big rings, the soon-to-be familiar hum of carbon over cobbles, tan and fit cyclists that didn’t give me awkward and confusing feelings to admire.

    Can Vos really five-peat? She seems to be a Merckxtress so perhaps. I’ll go with the odds though.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Pooley
    2. Vos
    3. Arndt
    4. Armstrong
    5. Johansson

  36. Saw several teams out on the course today including Giorgia Bronzini rockin the rainbow bands. Very cool.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Arndt
    2. Vos
    3. Pooley
    4. Berlato
    5. E Johansson

  44. Really don’t care. This takes the fun out of the VSP.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Marianne Vos
    2. Judith Arndt
    3. Emma Johansson
    4. Nicole Cooke
    5. Emma Pooley

  45. VSP PICKS:

    1. Vos
    2. Arndt
    3. Pooley
    4. Johansson
    5. van Vleuten

  46. VSP PICKS:

    1. E. Pooley
    2. J. Arndt
    3. M. Vos
    4. K. Armstrong
    5. E. Johansson

  47. Chin up @Calmante; while not as “hot” as the Lingerie Football League, we’re learning something about how hard these women are. I’m getting into watching them.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Vos
    2. Johansson
    3. Arndt
    4. Van Vleuten
    5. Longo Borghini

  48. BTW, I don’t find Armstrong on the start list over at Cycling Fever, which seems to be the most accurate start lists I can find on the web.

  50. According to most recent start lists, Armstong is not riding for the US this race.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Pooley
    2. Arndt
    3. Vos
    4. Johansson
    5. Cooke

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