Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Gent-Wevelgem 2012

Tom Steels takes his second G-W victory in 1999

Gent conjures up images of the quintessential Flemish city. Age-old medieval architecture rising from the river’s edge is classically Belgian. Gent is also firmly tied to Belgium’s greatest gift to the world, cycling tradition. Many a pro-expat cyclist has relocated to Gent with the hope of testing their mettle in the seat of cycling’s soul. Brad Wiggins and Tyler Farrar are two current stars who come to mind who emigrated to Gent. It is where Wouter Wylant hailed from and I believe it’s where Andrei Tmchil calls home. Wevelgem, while I’m sure a very fine place, boasts only an old German airport constructed in WW1 and a pair of Miss Belgiums (2007 and 2011). But the countryside in between is the ideal place to hold one of cycling’s classics, Gent-Wevelgem.

Some may see it as a semi-classic. That argument held more water when the race was placed in between The Ronde Van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix in April. Now that it’s been given it’s own weekend on the calendar leading up to Cycling Week, I think it’s fair to say that, while not a Monument, it deserves full classic status. Just look at the list of winners – Van Looy, Merckx, Van Springel, Godefroot, Maertens, Steels, and Boonen. And those are just a smattering of the Belgians. Throw in a few Cipollinis, Mosers, Kellys, and Hinaults and the winners list is a who’s who of hardmen.

That is all well and good but what is really getting me excited about Gent-Wevelgem this year is the Kemmelberg. The Kemmelberg factors virtually every year in the race but what’s different for me this year is the Keepers Tour is staying in Kemmel, very near the fabled climb. I imagine striking out on a morning ride just days after the race to have a go at the climb myself with the other blokes on the tour. I just hope I don’t have to unclip and walk up the damn thing and thank Merckx I don’t have to do it twice if I don’t want to (The racers will complete the climb twice).

There is no such thing as a VSP that is easy to forecast but this one can be particularly tricky. It’s usually one for the sprinters but rather than ending in a bunch gallop it often ends with a sprint from a small selection of riders who make it over the Kemmelberg intact. What does this mean for Mark Cavendish after his dismal day last weekend? Additionally, riding a bloc in this race could risk a premature peak for The Ronde the following week. In which case, maybe you look to guys like Sagan, Haussler, and EBH who are strong and likely to factor in the Monuments but may (and have) lay it all out for a day of Flandrian glory as they plot their up-and-comer status.

Here’s some great footage of the Kemmelberg and many of the other climbs being contested in 2010. It’s all good but if you want to skip to the Kemmelberg it’s featured at 7:30.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvaghC3Qhzg[/youtube]

There are many dudes who seem to be going well right now so get your picks in before 5am PST. Here’s the challenge – think for yourself this time, don’t follow the herd, and you just might put yourself in position to increase your tally for the Shop Apron awarded at the end of the season. Start list here.

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329 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Gent-Wevelgem 2012”

  1. VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Farrar
    3. Hushovd
    4. Boasson Hagan
    5. Bennati

  3. Is it just me or is the Belgian national champs jersey the coolest thing going around? The old school one in this pic is awesome but Fast Phil Gills is totally badass.

  5. if spartacus doesnt start crushing things soon we might have to rescind the moniker.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. cancellara
    2. boonen
    3. hincapie
    4. vansummeren
    5. voekler

  6. @Benj

    Meh, i’m not particularly fond of it to be honest. I actually like the Garmin Brazilian champs jersey myself.

  7. @Benj

    Is it just me or is the Belgian national champs jersey the coolest thing going around? The old school one in this pic is awesome but Fast Phil Gills is totally badass.

    To be honest I prefer the pale blue jersey with the three thin stripes across the chest rather than the tri-colour jersey in the main pic (and that Gilbert is running this year) althought I’m not sure whether that’s just the national jersey that they wear at the World Champs or if it has been the champion’s jersey too.

  8. There seems to be a few egos in need of salvation already, this early in the season. I reckon this is a race Farrar could win, one day, that being the day they run G-W the year after he accepts he’ll never beat all the other sprinters in a straight fight and has to look for something else to do. Hope he gets on with it – he could be a real good classics rider someday. Not today, though.

    Not picking Gilbert to do anything – he seems to be holding the stick attached to all the shitty luck at the mo. My hopes and heart say Tommeke – riding strong and clever this year…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Tommeke
    2. S Chavanel (pour homme)
    3. Gerrans
    4. Vandemarcke
    5. EBH

  10. VSP PICKS:

    1. Hushovd
    2. Boom
    3. Boasson Hagen
    4. Cooke
    5. Vansommeren

  11. @jkennedy

    if spartacus doesnt start crushing things soon we might have to rescind the moniker.

    Seems even more appropriate to me. Off the front first, gathers a huge following of lesser men, then is recorded forever in history as falling short of his goals.

  12. @itburns
    Poke, poke.
    Or, he could be smarter tactically…
    Insert semi colon followed by ending parenthesis to signify playful jibe…

  14. Bollox..if that link didn’t work go to youtube and type in

    Fabian Cancellara in De laatste show

    it’s good, you’ll like it.

  17. The ’99 edition pictrured was a superb show of team-work, in fact there is probably an article about the team-work in itself. Once off the Kemmelberg for the second time, Museeuw and Peeters drove the break to the finish into a block-headwind. Others in the break tied to attack but could only get 50m before the two Mapei riders clawed them back. Some said afterwards that it just wan’t possible to attack and you can rightly question why that might be the case, but that doesn’t diminish the work-ethic. Occasionally Museeuw and Peeters would be swamped by one of the attacks, but they would cling to the back of the group and then slowly return to the front and their relentless tempo. In the end the others submitted to them and awaited the sprint that was a formality for Steels.

    I learnt a lot about team-work from endlessly watching that race. Peeters was an awesome domestique and hardman

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Eddy Boss-Hog
    2. SMASH
    3. Benny
    4. Rojas
    5. Bole

  19. @simonsaunders

    Thought i’d throw in an odd one, Voeckler looking ok, might just be a day for him to head off on a crazy attack….

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Hushvod
    3. EBH
    4. Vansummeren
    5. Voeckler

    It’s still not clear from the official start list on CyclingNews if Cancellara or Gilbert are riding. If they are, then I resubmit my picks to factor in those engines….

    1 Gilbert
    2 Boonen
    3 Cancellara
    4 EBH
    5 Vansummeren

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. boonen
    3. cancellara
    4. EBH
    5. Vansummeren

  21. VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Hushvod
    3. Oscar Freire
    4. EBH
    5. Van Summeren

  24. Figure this one will come down to a sprint. If Cav avoids another jour sans, then he’s my man.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cavendish
    2. Greipel
    3. Farrar
    4. Hushovd
    5. Boonen

  25. Don’t see Cancellara or Gilbert on the start list so here goes, no Cav though he won’t make twice over Kemmelburg twice with the leaders.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. EBH
    2. Johan van Summerem
    3. Thor
    4. Lars Boom
    5. Baden Cooke

  26. @marko

    Excellent comment

    and that is why I’m here.

    Despite going to Flanders this year I’m disappointed not to be going to Wevelgem. The atmosphere on the Kemmelberg is stunning. The whole village of Kemmel shut’s down (not that it was a hive of activity any other day. Then after the second climb, everyone races to the nearest bar to watch the finish. I can see why they moved the race, but it is a shame as it means travelling fans can’t get three races in a week anymore.

  27. Go Tommeke!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Fabian Cancellara
    2. Edvald Boassen Hagen
    3. Greg VanAvermaet
    4. Peter Sagan
    5. Tom Boonen

  28. I again think Cav has a chance to pull this one out (although less so after watching that video), but I’m feeling very tentative after he got cooked so early in MSR. He’s in there for the points in case he does place, but otherwise my money’s on Faboo to finally figure out how to end the race in front of the guy he’s been dragging along for 50km.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Spartacus
    2. Boonen
    3. Sagan
    4. Boss Hog
    5. Cav

  29. So, yeah. No one knows who is starting. Not even the race organizers. They just list the teams.

    http://www.gent-wevelgem.be/en/elite-men/race/participants

    Cyclingnews (the “World Centre of Cycling” indicates that Cancellara and Gilbert are not starting.
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/gent-wevelgem-2012/start-list

    Cycling Fever (not the “World Centre of Cycling”)says they are.
    http://www.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_idd=MjI5MDQ=

    Seems like this VSP is a race to determine who to pick.

    I reserve the right to change my picks for a third or even fourth or fifth time right up to the deadline.

    Meantime – and again this is out of place so sorry, the 13 seed OHIO Bobcats will upset 1 seed UNC tonight in the NCAA basketball tournament. There can be no doubt. Thank you for allowing that detour.

    And seriously, UCI? Lawyer tabs were stupid when they were thought up by lawyers like me. Come on.

  31. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Boonen
    4. Boassen Hagen
    5. Farrar

  32. Are Spartacus’ years with Leopard/Radioshack going to be looked upon in the future as wasted years? Do they even have a strategy or does Fabian show just up for the team meetings alone whilst everyone else is in bed or in the pub?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Boonen
    3. Chavanel
    4. Boss Hogg
    5. Greipel

  33. @Mikael LiddyThe pale blue is the National Team strip and the black, yellow and red jersey has been the National Champion jersey, and has been for a very long time.

    @Jarvis
    Nice one, you brought that race back to life for me!

  38. @taon24

    Thanks for the updated listing. Changed my picks as a result, though I probably won’t do any better. So many on form right now…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Farrar
    3. Cancellara
    4. Boasson Hagen
    5. Gilbert

  40. BTW, Boonen looking very strong driving the chase group w/ 35k to go today. Meanwhile, Cancellara absolutely CRACKED and might as well be riding in reverse.

  41. @Chris

    @RedRanger
    Shitty luck. Iwas just about to put him in my VSP but went with Freire instead.

    He should peak in time for the Olympics now.

    Hate to break your heart mate but he is banned from the Olympics.

  42. Hate to break your heart mate but he is banned from the Olympics.

    Probably won’t be banned by the summer. But not sure he’d want to ride anyway. Would attract a lot of attention

  43. @taon24

    That’s what I’m looking for. Cancellara and Gilbert are starting. Sorry Oscarito, you are back out of the picks. You too, Thor.

    I’m sticking with Oss, though.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Daniel Oss
    2. Cancellara
    3. Boonen
    4. Farrar
    5. Gilbert

  44. @RedRanger
    Not entirely true, he’s banned from representing Great Britain and if that is found to be an illegal ban then he’s available for selection.

    @Jarvis

    My guess is that he’ll ride. I think he didn’t want the attention that a legal challenge would bring to him and the sport but if the WADA appeal won he would welcome the decision. There would be nothing to be gained from not riding at that point. We’ll find out about the result of the hearing in a few weeks I think.

  45. Tommeke! Tommeke! Tommeke! Damn, that was close. Gotta keep an eye on Friere – another couple of meters and he’d have had Tommy. Strong ride by Fabian despite a stupid crash.

  46. @Jarvis
    Of course I might be completely wrong having not read everything that’s been said. From an excerpt of an itnerview with Cycling Weekly at last month’s Tour of Oman.

    What is Millar’s own view? “As far as I’m concerned, I’m not going,” “If anything changes, then I’d have to have a total rethink.”

    Whether that means he’s not interested or he’s just put it out of his mind because he can’t have any bearing on the outcome might be open to debate.

  47. Um…who was the grandma in the sash & the wacky dress kissing Boonen on the podium?

    There was also a dude in the back with descending tint shades who looked like a hitman.

    My Flemish isn’t so good.

    Nice win though for TB. Oscar was darn close there.

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