Velominati Super Prestige: Giro di Lombardia 2016

Quietowski leads the remnants of the break around Lake Como. Photo: pedale.forchetta

I turned forty last week. Nothing feels different except all my strength has gone, my memory sucks, and everything hurts now. That, and everything makes me mad because it isn’t the way it used to be. Case in point: the Giro di Lombardia is no longer the last race of the year. (I know it hasn’t been for a while but no one counts that race in Japan or the Tour of Beijing as real races.) And they moved it up so early in the season that the leaves aren’t even falling yet. We call it the race of the falling leaves for a reason, people!

Christ, I miss the Cold War.

At least we can count on @pedale-forchetta to be at the roadside, delivering the most badass photos on the most badass part of the route.

For those of you entering the VSP, don’t let the fact that Paris-Tours and the Words haven’t happened yet fool you. Lombardia is this weekend even though it will barely be October by the time they hit the start line. Get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero. (Countdown clock’s been fixed, by the way, just in time for the season to end – you’re welcome.)

Kick it.

[vsp_results id=”73758″/]

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.

Next The Justifier »

Previous « FFS Fridays: Sideburn Doping

View Comments

Steve Trice says:

Sep 28 2016 at 5:40 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Julian Alaphilippe
2. Michael Albasini
3. Robert Gesink
4. Leopold König
5. Warren Barguil
TheVid says:

Sep 28 2016 at 8:21 am
I'm thinking this year's course will favour climbers over typical classics men, but it's hard to deny Alaphilippe's form right now.

VSP PICKS:
1. Alaphilippe
2. Chaves
3. Atapuma
4. Contador
5. Aru
Erik says:

Sep 28 2016 at 8:48 am
I suspect that the leaf next to my name will soon be leafing. Bah-dah-bum.

Schleck and Hesjedal retirement tour aside, I'm picking Igor Anton Hernandez because Dimension Data needs it some WT points.

These are desperate choices in desperate times. Oh, and Contador is on the start list.

VSP PICKS:
1. Igor Anton Hernandez
2. Darwin Atapuma
3. Dan Martin
4. Damiano Cunego
5. Alberto Contador
MangoDave says:

Sep 28 2016 at 11:42 am
I'm just pack fodder for the overall, but still have to throw in my picks.

VSP PICKS:
1. Alaphilippe
2. GVA
3. Contador
4. Dan Martin
5. Chaves
cycleman3000 says:

Sep 28 2016 at 11:51 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Van Avermaet, Greg
2. Ulissi, Diego
3. Alaphilippe, Julian
4. Mollema, Bauke
5. Martin, Dan
Randy C says:

Sep 28 2016 at 2:03 pm

@Teocalli

Oh man don't I wish ! But hey, maybe so … And I'm about gonna go for a good bike ride on a glorious sunny fall eve here in the deep south if that helps bring it on. Cheers
R00tdown says:

Sep 28 2016 at 2:35 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Brambilla
2. Dan Martin
3. GVA
4. Alaphilippe
5. Cummings
Phillip Mercer says:

Sep 28 2016 at 6:06 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Wout Poels
2. Julian Alaphilippe
3. Rui Costa
4. Fabio Aru
5. Dan Martin
Yagerbomb says:

Sep 28 2016 at 6:19 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Fabio Aru
3. Julian Alaphilippe
4. Wout Poels
5. Rui Costa
Nicholas says:

Sep 28 2016 at 6:42 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Uran
2. Alaphilippe
3. Lopez
4. Ulissi
5. Woods