Categories: Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Gent Wevelgem 2014

The Kemmelberg is a brute. In my opinion, its the hardest of the cobbled climbs in the Spring Classics; it has a high speed tarmac approach that saps the guns of their snap. The transition from tarmac to cobbles is awful, the stones are very badly laid throughout and if you don’t hit it just right, you’ll come to a standstill. The cobbled part of the climb is long enough to make you consider a plea-bargain with any deity willing to listen before it ends with a brutal 23% ramp with good cobbles. The length, the camber, the gradient, and the way the stones are laid combine in a way that makes you feel every centimeter of the climb.

Gent Wevelgem is considered a sprinters classic, but it’s a shock considering how many climbs are along the route. I can’t imagine the Italian curses that must have escaped Cipollini’s mouth along his bumpy way to winning the race. No wonder he chucked the odd bidon at a motorbike.

I miss the old setup of the Cobbled Classics, with the Ronde on Sunday, Gent on Wednesday, and Roubaix on Sunday, but on the plus side, now we get to drool over the racing for three weeks instead of just one. So, check the start list, review the VSP Scoring Guidelines and get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on Sunday the 30th. If you think we mapped one of your picks wrong, use the dispute system and we’ll review it. Also remember to be precise enough in your description so we know which rider you mean; in other words, if you enter “Martin”, we will use our discretion (read: wild guess) to decide if you mean Tony or Dan – and that choice will not be negotiable once the the countdown clock goes to zero, so be sure to give yourself enough time.

Don’t forget we’ve got three major prizes for the season-long VSP:

First place overall wins a Veloforma Strada iR Velominati Edition frame in addition to the customary VSP winner’s VVorkshop Apron
Second place overall wins a set of hand built CR Wheelworks Arenberg wheelset in a custom Velominati paint scheme laced to orange Chris King hubs. (CR Wheelworks is Café Roubaix’s new wheel goods brand.)
Third place overall wins a full Velominati V-Kit with accompanying custom orange Bont Vaypor+ road shoes.

Good luck, and don’t lose your Rule #43 spirit.

[vsp_results id=”29351″/]

[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/VSP Prizes/”/]

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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View Comments

afroturk says:

Mar 28 2014 at 1:45 am

VSP PICKS:

1. boonen
2. van marcke
3. cancellara
4. gatto
5. degenkolb
Deakus says:

Mar 28 2014 at 1:45 am

Haven't got a scoobydoo but I would suggest Stybar is in good form...Fabulous is looking...well...fabulous. Ian has broken the seal on classics wins, Greg is normally in the mix somewhere, and G could even win it but I am not sure which Sky boy to back!!

You wait... it will be a straight sprinters finish and I will cement my position on the VSP somewhere between low down and subterranean.

VSP PICKS:

1. Crowbar (Zdenek)
2. Faboo
3. Stannard
4. Van Averagemeat (Greg)
5. Geewhizz (Geraint)
afroturk says:

Mar 28 2014 at 1:46 am

These are my picks

VSP PICKS:

1. boonen
2. van marcke
3. cancellara
4. oscar gatto
5. degenkolb
Dr C says:

Mar 28 2014 at 2:50 am

I'm going to put Stybar down as winner for all races between now and May 1st, as he is an animal

VSP PICKS:

1. Stybar
2. Vanmarke
3. Cancellara
4. Stannard
5. Thomas
Dr C says:

Mar 28 2014 at 2:50 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Stybar
2. Vanmarke
3. Cancellara
4. Stannard
5. Thomas
bunji says:

Mar 28 2014 at 3:27 am

Love this time of year, practising my accent "Gent wevelgem", "Gent wevelgem", "gent..."

VSP PICKS:

1. boonen
2. vanmarcke
3. stybar
4. cancellara
5. sagan
gallilano says:

Mar 28 2014 at 3:41 am

VSP PICKS:

1. cancellara
2. sagan
3. boonen
4. stybar
5. van avermat
Dr C says:

Mar 28 2014 at 4:29 am

@bunji

Love this time of year, practising my accent "Gent wevelgem", "Gent wevelgem", "gent..."

VSP PICKS:

1. boonen
2. vanmarcke
3. stybar
4. cancellara
5. sagan

I think the European Head's of State should introduce a few new consanants, to allow us to speak with a Belgian accent at this time of the year - how do you spell the phonetic opening of Gent - Gh is close, but will lead to a lot of folk thinking it is Phent since Frank Bough confused us all - in Ireland we have lakes spelt loughs, which doesn't help the situation any - being really pissed helps

VSP PICKS:

1. Stybar
2. Vanmarke
3. Cancellara
4. Stannard
5. Thomas
il ciclista medio says:

Mar 28 2014 at 4:37 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Degenkolb
2. Saggin"
3. Boom
4. Cav
5. Boss Hogg
Mikael Liddy says:

Mar 28 2014 at 4:56 am

@Deakus

Haven't got a scoobydoo but I would suggest Stybar is in good form...Fabulous is looking...well...fabulous. Ian has broken the seal on classics wins, Greg is normally in the mix somewhere, and G could even win it but I am not sure which Sky boy to back!!

You wait... it will be a straight sprinters finish and I will cement my position on the VSP somewhere between low down and subterranean.

VSP PICKS:

1. Crowbar (Zdenek)
2. Faboo
3. Stannard
4. Van Averagemeat (Greg)
5. Geewhizz (Geraint)

personally I think Thomas should do a deal where he gets UCI points irrespective of where he finishes as long he doesn't fall off during the race...

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Tommeke
3. Degenkolb
4. T-Bone
5. Goss