Velominati Super Prestige: Gent-Wevelgem 2013
Gent (Deinze)-Wevelgem, it starts with 130 km of cruising around Belgium and Northern France followed by a flurry of bergs and then a final 38 km of flatter riding to the inevitable sprint finish. How hard can the climbing be if Super Mario got over them? Ask the riders from KT 2012, (the ones not in the following car) and they will tell you the Kemmelberg, for one, is a steep beast of a climb. It does not go up too far but it goes. And all these bergs seem to have some climbing just to get to the named climb, so yes, one can be gassed real fast in this area. Luckily there is the chance of catching back on each descent too, something sprinters like Cipo must have been good at.
This is one of the final tune up races for Ronde van Vlaanderen. The Velominati banner shall be flying in Flanders in a week from this Sunday’s race. Whomever is fit and fast into Wevelgem shall be on the short list for the Ronde.
Here is a provisional start list and here is the race profile. The start list shall be updated by Saturday so double check your picks before start time. No whining, no delgados.
[vsp_results id=”22780″/]
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Spartacus
3. Boonen
4. Farrar
5. Griepel
@unversio
I heard his wife filed for divorce citing “irreconcilable fashion sense.”
Had a rethink, luckily before the clock ran out! David Millar is a bit of a shot in the dark though
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian
2. Sagan
3. Big G Thomas
4. Flecha
5. David Millar
@wiscot
He was expected at the Asheville REI Cogal last year (was it?). I was also planning to ride then too, but found a road race instead. Missed the chance to meet the man.
Sagans tactical error in MSR takes nothing away from his strength at the moment and I suspect he may even be able to best Cav. I am going for the bunch sprint…
VSP PICKS:
1. sagan
2. cavendish
3. degenkolb
4. faboo
5. stannard
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Phinney
3. Sagan
4. Boonen
5. Boasson Hagen
VSP PICKS:
1. cav
2. sagan
3. greipel
4. goss
5. thor
It looks like the weather is going to be pretty bad they are already planning on shortening the route and possible cutting out some of the climbs.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gent-wevelgem-start-moved-to-gistel
Changing my picks accordingly –
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Sagan
3. Goss
4. Faboo
5. Mini Phin
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Cancellara
3. Bozic
4. Boasson Hagen
5. Roelandts
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Sagan
3. Boasson Hagen
4. Cavendish
5. Oss
VSP PICKS:
1. I suck @ VSP
2. I screw the pooch @ VSP
3. I am become the VSP Anti-V
4. I attack off the back @ VSP
5. Cyclops = VSP Cat 5
Go big or go home. Daniel Oss for the win because not many others will pick him and I saw him chugging champagne in a picture the other day.
VSP PICKS:
1. Daniel Oss
2. Mark Cavendish
3. Edvald Boasson Hagan
4. Taylor Phinney
5. Tom Boonen
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. Eisel
4. Cancellara
5. Phinney
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Thor Husholvd
3. Sagan
4. Goss
5. Steele Von Hoff
Dice rolled, chicken entrails inspected, tea leaves consulted, magic 8-ball shaken, coin tossed, wet finger aired, eeny-meeny-miney-mo played, prayers offered, Cyclingnews read, others’ picks reviewed and self introspected at length. Still, remarkably, no wiser. As time will tell. Again.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Gripe
3. Sag
4. Fab
5. Min Phin
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Eddy Bo
3. Sagan
4. Phinbar Saunders
5. Degenkolb
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. Greipel
4. Boassan Hagen
5. Cancellara
VSP PICKS:
1. Mark Cavendish
2. Peter Sagan
3. Tom Boonen
4. Andre Greipel
5. Matthew Goss
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Cavendish
3. Boonen
4. Greipel
5. Cancellara
VSP PICKS:
1. Boassan Hagen
2. Cav
3. Greipel
4. Phinney
5. Roelandts
So, anyone, what derailleur am I looking at here, and surely this is ‘at least’ an 11-28 on Fab’s E3 winning rig.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. Goss
4. Griepel
5. Cancellara
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Gilbert
3. Faboo
4. Goss
5. Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. Boonen
4. Boasson Hagen
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Gilbert
3. Cancellara
4. Phinney
5. Cavendish
@starclimber
Isnt that the Dura Ace 9000?
-Dinan
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. EBH
4. Breschel
5. The Motor
With the shortened parcours I’m adjusting my picks.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendoush
2. Sagan
3. Griepel
4. Min Phin
5. Degenkolb
VSP PICKS:
1. Mark Cavendish
2. Peter Sagan
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen
4. Taylor Phinney
5. Fabian Cancellara
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Cavendish
3. Cancellara
4. Boonen
5. Greipel
Deckchairs swapped…
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Turgot
3. Faboo
4. Boss Hogg
5. Gilbert
@Dinan
Sure, the crank is, but look at the cage on the rear derailleur. Now with wings for better protection.
With the course changes, and I bet they drop the two climbs as well, it favors Cav. We’ll see soon enough.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendouche
2. Billions and Billions
3. Tomeke
4. Cancellara
5. Greipel
VSP PICKS:
1. Sagan
2. Cav
3. Greipel
4. Stannard
5. Ciolek
…the plot thickens
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Greip
3. Sag
4. Boss Hog
5. Fab
@starclimber
I think Spartacus uses oversized derailleur jockey wheels to reduce drivetrain friction (the chain doesn’t go through as sharp a series of turns to get through the rear mech) and from memory he uses a standard shimano rear mech that is fitted with an aftermarket cage and obviously jockey wheels.
VSP PICKS:
1. Mark Cavendish
2. Peter Sagan
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen
4. Elia Viviani
5. Geraint Thomas
VSP PICKS:
1. Mark Cavendish
2. Peter Sagan
3. Andre Gripel
4. Fabian Cancellara
5. Geraint Thomas
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendish
2. Sagan
3. EBH
4. Al Kristoff
5. The Motor
Flat and short.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Thor
3. Farrar
4. Sagan
5. Gripel
I’m betting against Cav making it to the finish with the lead group. Crap shoot. Boonen and Fabs rest up.
VSP PICKS:
1. sagan
2. boss hog
3. Gripel
4. Langevelde
5. Thomas, G
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Sagan
4. Cavendish
5. Phinney
VSP PICKS:
1. Gripel
2. Cavendish
3. Sagan
4. Boonen
5. Cancellara
VSP PICKS:
1. Degenkolb
2. Boasson Hagen
3. Hushovd
4. Maes
5. Coquard
Cancellara put down the hammer in this and even drops Boonen and then later Sagan on a climb to win on a solo run to the line. So sit back and enjoy ( E3 Harelbeke 2013 )
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0n5rkzhT5As
This all happens at around 61k to go in the race or 1:02:00 on the time. Or just watch the whole thing better yet.
-2 C and ist has eben snowing all night. This will be a race to remember.
VSP Picks:
1. Stybar
2. Sagan
3. Phinney
4. Eisel
5. Viviani
Damn, Delgado’d and still an hour before the start. Goodbye 3rd place unless it’s A. Cancelled because of icy weather or B. An early breakaway group of neo-pro’s stay away to the finish.
The race is still in the balance, start delayed and if anyone crashes on ice the race will be stopped…
For what it’s worth
1. Cav
2. Eddie Bos
3. Sagan
4. Griepel
5. Boonen