Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Gent Wevelgem 2014

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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:

  1. First place overall wins a Veloforma Strada iR Velominati Edition frame in addition to the customary VSP winner’s VVorkshop Apron
  2. 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.)
  3. 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″/]

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323 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Gent Wevelgem 2014”

  1. VSP PICKS:

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

  3. VSP PICKS:

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

  8. Going with Cav again this week, for MSR he earned me my one and only point.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cav
    2. Degenkolb
    3. P Sagan
    4. Boonen
    5. Faboo

  11. VSP PICKS:

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

  12. 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)

  13. These are my picks

    VSP PICKS:

    1. boonen
    2. van marcke
    3. cancellara
    4. oscar gatto
    5. degenkolb

  14. 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

  16. 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

  18. @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

  20. @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

  21. @Mikael Liddy Wow…not a single pick the same….that has given my confidence the equivalent of a kick in the bollocks!  Sprinters finish it is then!

  22. VSP PICKS:

    1. Greg van Avermaet
    2. Moreno Hofland
    3. Fabian Cancellara
    4. Peter Sagan
    5. Ian Stannard

  25. Slight revision of picks.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Van Avermat
    3. Degenkolb
    4. Farrar
    5. Boonen

  27. Neck and neck as to which looks worse – Luca Paolini’s Big Hair Grandma shades or his red beard? And not sure which is worse from Assos, those shades or their news bib shorts that clock in at $450USD. Suddenly Assos man doesn’t look quite that stupid in comparison.

    Also, glad to Stijn Devolder back to racing strongly. I didn’t know he was the current Belgian road champ. Wasn’t he thought to be at the end of his career when Trek took a gamble on him last year? Glad to see him riding strongly and chasing on Weds. after his crash.

  29. Stannard with a HARD crash a bit ago at E3.  Wonder how he will be for Sunday?

  31. VSP PICKS:

    1. Greg van Avermaet
    2. Moreno Hofland
    3. Fabian Cancellara
    4. Peter Sagan
    5. Tom Boonen

  32. HOLY SHITTTTTT!  Did anyone just see Cancellara come back to that split.

    The only reason he won’t is if OPQS team tactics can keep him on the ropes.

    Folks, Cancellara is going to win EVERYTHING this spring.  UN-FUCKIN-beliavable

  33. And there are the team tactics at E3.  Tommeke sitting in when Sparty chases b/c Terpstra is up fornt so Sparty lets Devolder go it alone.  Man, this Spring is already sooooo Epically cool!!!

  34. @Buck Rogers Yeah, this is great racing to watch… though I had to giggle when Faboo went from group to group after watching the ‘motorbike’ vid Fränk posted.

  37. Fuckin Terpstra.  I guess it makes sense not to work as he will lose to Sagan in the sprint but it looks so completely Nancy to me!

  40. VSP PICKS:

    1. Peter Sagan
    2. Fabian Cancellara
    3. Tom Boonen
    4. Mark Cavendish
    5. John Degenkolb

  41. VSP PICKS:

    1. Hofland
    2. Degenkolb
    3. Boonen
    4. Kristoff
    5. GVA

  42. Wow!  Time to change my picks for Sunday.  Sparty is the storngest but once again his team is weak but I still think that he can do it.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Boonen
    3. Sagan
    4. Stybar
    5. Terpstra

  43. Hopefully I’ll get to watch the E3 Handbrake tonight. Hoping Stannard isn’t damaged. Was Thomas riding for him before the crash and then took over lead duties or were they both in the mix?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Thomas
    3. Cavendish
    4. Sagan
    5. Vanmarke

  44. So what are the thoughts on that finish. A loss for QS because they had two riders? Or is Sagan just strong and smart? He seems to not only have the legs but very smart tactical skills for a relatively young rider. And, he was busy yelling at guys, waving his arms, etc. Not quite Casually Deliberate, but sure must be unnerving to have a guy yelling at you when he’s isolated.

  49. VSP PICKS:

    1. peter sagan
    2. Stijn Devolder
    3. Ian Stannard
    4. tom boonen
    5. lars boom

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