Velominati Super Prestige: Giro di Lombardia 2014
I’m getting too old and cranky for all this race schedule changing. I know they already did this last year and presumably I had the same gripings then, but Lombardia is supposed to close out the season and I’m downright angry that Paris-Tours is closing out the books now; it only seems right that one of the most beautiful races should close out the season, not some sprinter’s classic that even The Prophet didn’t bother to win.
Speaking of the end of the year, this season has blown by; it seems only a moment ago that the cobbled classics were in full flight and the whole of the season was stretching out before us. That confirms it: Time is an asshole. On the other hand, time always provides another season so I guess that’s a redeeming quality.
Ok, the caffeine is kicking in and I’m now capable of an emotion other than resentment, so lets get more positive. There’s a beautiful race coming this weekend so get stoked! We have a newly crowned World Champion whose choice of bib shorts color to scrutinize. This is important work, people, and no one else is going to do it. His team has a strong track record for pairing leader and championship jerseys to team-issue bibs, with the glaring exception of Der Panzerwagan’s white (and bloody) skinsuit. My money is on team-issue.
Remember we have some major prizes on offer; @il muro di manayunk has a solid lead, but if he’s out of the points and Der @Steampunk has a good showing, anything can happen. (That might not be true, it might be mathematically impossible but I don’t feel like doing the math.) So prognosticate on the start list and get your picks in by midnight on Saturday Pacific Time (or when the clock goes to zero). Cheers, and good luck.
[vsp_results id=”31190″/]
VSP PICKS:
1. D. Martin
2. A. Valverde
3. F. Aru
4. C.Gautier
5. M. Albasini
Well picking the favourites hasn’t worked out all that well this year so time for some outsiders
VSP PICKS:
1. Warren Barguil
2. Thibaut Pinot
3. Nathan Haas
4. Wilco Kelderman
5. Roman Bardet
VSP PICKS:
1. Michal Kwiatkowski
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Philippe Gilbert
4. Alberto Contador
5. Alejandro Valverde
Team shorts.
Extraneous rainbow decorations on bike and helmet, inspired by Jackson Pollack. Rhyming slang? Well, I suppose Spesh had to make a few bucks out of it.
http://bit.ly/1x9sruA
As a thank you for animating races all season, I would love to see De Marchi hold off the peloton…
argh damned idevices!
hopefully some French on the podium for this one.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Bardet
4. Rodriguez
5. Gallopin
VSP PICKS:
1. valverde
2. contador
3. rodriguez
4. phil gilbert
5. Kwiatkoski shows his stripes
VSP PICKS:
1. phil gil
2. valverde
3. j rod
4. kwiatkowski
5. aru
no GVA
VSP PICKS:
1. ‘Berto
2. J-Rod
3. T Dumoulin
4. Bauke
5. D Caruso
Dear V
Although not many races left in the super prestige this season, I seem to have lost my cobble from this years paris roubaix (sob!)
What chance it can feature for the leaves?
VSP PICKS:
1. phil gil
2. valverde
3. j rod
4. kwiatkowski
5. aru
VSP PICKS:
1. phil gil
2. valverde
3. rui costa
4. j rod
5. aru
@Geraint
Yup. You have to admit, OPQS do a pretty good job of keeping things restrained and classy.
WTF? No Fabs for Trek? His chance to win another Monument being blown off? Damn.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Ryder H
3. Rodriguez
4. Kwiatowski
5. Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Phil gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Gallopin
4. Contador
5. Rui costa
@starclimber
I like your picks, those are my top three favorite riders from 2014. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program and who is going to win on Sunday!
No Gautier, swap him with Barguille
VSP PICKS:
1. D. Martin
2. A. Valverde
3. F. Aru
4. W. Barguille
5. M. Albasini
Ride like hell for leather, boys.
VSP PICKS:
1. JoaquÃm RodrÃguez Oliver
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Alberto Contador
4. Philippe Gilbert
5. Fabio Aru
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Alberto Contador
4. Dan Martin
5. Fabio Aru
VSP PICKS:
1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Domenico Pozzovivo
3. Cadel Evans
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Joaquim Rodriguez
Can’t wait, fall is here in North Carolina, USA…gonna be 6*C in the morning when I head out for a ride.
I’ve been at this awhile, so how come I’m overthinking what I wear tomorrow? Riding early before the race, so a 5* to 15* swing is hard to sort out. When you have been in bibs + jersey for 6 months.
Enjoy the race everyone! Italy in October…oh boy!
VSP PICKS:
1. J. Rodriguez
2. Dan Martin
3. Gallopin
4. Valverde
5. Albasini
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Valverde
3. Contador
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Moreno, Dani
@Ron
17* – 29*C in the Texas Hill Country this weekend. It’s not the same as “up north”, but autumn is a pleasure for riding in San Antonio (v. the typical summertime heat of 35*C plus). There were cyclists all over this morning and tomorrow will be a good day to take out the newly refurbished French steel!
No coverage tomorrow of the Il Lombardia on Universal Sports?!?! So did cycling coverage stop with the Worlds?!?! No. Wait. They’re advertising some stage race in a country far, far away and known for it’s pollution, incredibly dense population, and lack of cycling culture.
This might change yet, but it’s time to get a marker on the wall. xyxax? dyalander?
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Fabio Aru
3. Alberto Contador
4. Daniel Moreno
5. Alejandro Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Aru
2. Bauke
3. Hesjedal
4. Bardet
5. Kelderman
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez, J
2. Contador, A
3. Valverde, A
4. Aru, F
5. Moreno, D
@Minnesota Expat
Just finished Heck of the North a few hours ago. As the official latern rouge of this year’s race, my picks are late, but race-tested.
They have the “internets” in Two Harbors? How were the mosquitoes? Horseflies? See any bears? Pics! We want pics!
@xyxax
Excellent! You strong like bull. I bet there was a buttload of riders who didn’t finish at all. Sleet, rain, gators, sasquatch, we need reports.
VSP PICKS:
1. ryder hesjedal
2. gilbert p
3. Alessandro De Marche
4. Laurens VV Dam
5. Roger Wilco Kelderman
Coast’s ready.
VSP PICKS:
1. R. Costa
2. F. Aru
3. A. Valverde
4. J. Rodriguez
5. A. Contador
a year of guessing draws to the penultimate stab in the dark
VSP PICKS:
1. J-rod
2. Dumoulin
3. Valverde
4. Fabio Aru
5. Contador
VSO PICKS:
1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Dan Martin
3. Joaquim Rodriguez
4. Alessandro de Marchi
5. Daniel Moreno
1 delgado (curse you Internet gods)
2. Valverde
3. Aru
4. J Rod
5. Gilbert
6. Moreno
There’s always next year.
Based on the video OPQS have released there’s no danger of white bibs.
Damn! I delgadoed this one.
I will disclose what my picks would have been after the final results are known…
@Mikael Liddy
Kid is growing and growing in my mind. Soooo, so was mad at him when he SMOKED Sagan at Strade this Spring as I wanted Sagan to win. Then I was watching the T-A Stage where he blew up and Contador took the lead but and kept going, even though he lost about 8 minutes. He’s got guts and thankfully has passed the Rainbow Turd test as well.
Favourites carnage in full swing with 10 to go. I’d be delighted if Weening managed to somehow eke this out: properly eccentric and tough as fuck.
Does anyone else long for the days when you had to actually click through to get race results from cyclingnews? I know that it is a better website than it used to be, but I could find out results by reading the live stream in order to pretend like I hadn’t missed the whole thing. Now, you log onto a website and you know who won immediately.
Get off my lawn, you crazy kids.
Anyway.
1 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp 6:25:33
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:01
3 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
4 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol
5 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
1 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin Sharp 6:25:33
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:01
3 Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
4 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Belisol
5 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
Damn… Exactly as I predicted. Oh well.
@Erik
The main page of steephill.tv is automatically non-spoiler mode and has a link to the results and news updates. It’s an aggregation site, no original content, but it’s got everything you need or want.
@Jay
Good race and finish. I’ve rewatched Martin’s attack 5 times. Wow. It’s always good to see a native of the British Isles win. But, one point?! Dyalander delgado’s and I only score one point?!
@Minnesota Expat
Seems like we have a lot of 1 and 2 point showings — particularly among the top 10 in the VSP overall standings.
Dan’s got to be one happy little mofo finally taking his big win this season! So close, so much heartbreak! The Valvecap has to be getting pissed off about getting close. Mr. Consistency this year for sure.
@plynie takes the win
The GC with one race left to go:
[vsp_gc year=”2014″/]
Great finish. Chapeau to Danno, great way to end the season after the ‘mare he had in LBL.
Sammy Sanchez descending is scary to watch, I thought he was straight in the wall in that archway. Nutter.
Meant to say: Chapeau to Danno, great way to end the season after the ‘mare he had in LBL and Il Giro
@il muro di manayunk
Too much watching wheels. Not enough attacking.
Looking good!
Looking good!
So three or even two years ago how many laughs (or what odds) would you get for saying that the Monuments score would be Dan Martin 2, Peter Sagan 0?