Velominati Super Prestige: Giro di Lombardia

No event of the year is more likely to provide piles of Rule #9 in the Five and Dime than il Giro di Lombardia. A hilly circuit around Lake Como ensures lots of climbing and that the bunch is blown to bits before the finish. Add to that its position as the last classic of the season, nestled in amongst the falling leaves of mid-October, and you’re nearly certain the weather will be terrible. The fact that it is being moved from October to September is distressing on several levels, not least that I’m certain the weather will be better. Good for the riders, bad for us; the way you hear some of the race organizers and the UCI talk, you’d almost thing they actually put the riders’ well-being before the amusement of the public. That can’t be right.

But most importantly, the Giro di Lombardia represents the final edition of this year’s VSP. The results are all but buttoned up for Nate, although both Marcus and G’Phant are in with a mathematical chance of taking over the win with a perfect score and Nate pulling a Delgado.

VSP G.C.
1. Nate (120 points)
2. Marcus (109 points)
3. G’phant (107 points)

(Antipodal VSP Podium. Interesting.)

You know the drill, get your picks in by 5am Pacific on Saturday. Depending on how things go, we may be late to post the final results as the race organizers and the UCI scheduled the event in conjunction with the Seattle Cogal. Oh, and if you don’t know what time 5am Pacific is and your Google Skills are not sufficient to elucidate that for you, I suggest you simply don’t cut it too close.

Good luck.

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.

View Comments

  • @minion

    @Jamin

    @minion

    @harminator

    And further to this...1. Wallabies2. Wales3. All Blacks4. FranceDon't count on doing any business with New Zealand next week. It will be closed for mourning.

    SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP NOTLISTENINGNOTLISTENING SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP

    Love this race. Wish I could be there. Buuuut, absolutely salivating over the RWC semi's.Wallabies all the way.The Kiwi's play in black because it takes less time to look like their mourning
    VSP PICKS:
    1. Gilbo2. Gerro3. Roche4. Rodriguez5. Fuglsang

    Screw it. Where's Marcus, lets let him get his shot in then I'm off to kill myself before we fricken lose.
    VSP PICKS:
    1. Chavanel.
    2. What Pedale Forchetta picked

    Convicts and Southern Sheep Molesters to fight it out for the First and Second Loser positions. Northern Sheep Molesters for the win. Current Emgland team to be merged with the football team. Woodward/Deano combo to head up the win in 2015. I'll buy the first round at the 2015 cogal if I'm wrong!

  • Been a fun week in NZ. Whenever anyone has asked me who I think will win on the weekend I've said Gilbert. Apparently I'm a dick.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Giblets
    2. Simone Gerrans
    3. Visconti
    4. Dirty Sammy
    5. Roche Jnr

  • Have got to figure an Italian will step up to be counted at some point this year in a major race. And god, I love this race... the bittersweet feelings of the end of the year and a mid-table finish in the VSP

    VSP PICKS:

    1. cunego
    2. nibali
    3. gilbert
    4. sanchez
    5. sorensen

  • Love that photo! The VMH fell asleep the other night & I snuck in some race videos from my 'tube playlist. One of them happened to be that very, very wet 2010 edition (that's '10, right?). Cool racing, crazy weather.

    I guess this weekend will provide closure; I can move on with the year & accept that a V-apron just isn't in the cards for me this year. At least there was a ton of great racing with the added excitement of the VSP.

  • I want to put about 12 names, cutting it to 5 is hard. GVA has the form right now and will be tough to beat methinks. I bet against Phil at San Seb and paod for it but I think he will still be in the mix but not dominating. Sky and Rabo have som dudes on form too and should animate the race but this is a monument and so the winner will need to be special.

    This is my 3rd favourite race and I cannot wait!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Greg Van Avermaet
    2. Damiao Cunego
    3. Phil Gilbert
    4. Vincenzo Nibali
    5. Thomas Voeckler

  • @G'phant

    Been a fun week in NZ. Whenever anyone has asked me who I think will win on the weekend I've said Gilbert. Apparently I'm a dick.

    Yes, but you're our dick. Wait, what? That didn't come out the way I meant...

  • With that antelope video fresh in my head I was in fear of imminent donkey attack on my ride this morning.

    We had made the trip down to the mountains in the east of the UAE and there are lots of goats and the occasional donkey wandering around.

    As I was climbing a 8-10% hill, and as the lead rider, I came up to this donkey at the side of the road who got a bit alarmed and started running along the side just ahead. Then the roadside narrowed so he came onto the road, and I was thinking that at some point if he runs out of space and feels harassed enough he could just turn around and bolt at me.

    And without anyone to video it I wouldn't even make any money from the clip rights.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Rodriguez
    2. Sammy Sanchez
    3. Cunego
    4. Mollema
    5. Uran

  • what the hell. wont get to watch this, but it should be an awesome race. have a damn good time to you guys doing the Cogal.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boss Hogg
    2. Cunego
    3. Sorensen
    4. Nibali
    5. Sammy Sanchez

1 5 6 7 8 9 18
Share
Published by
frank

Recent Posts

Anatomy of a Photo: Sock & Shoe Game

I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…

7 years ago

Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s World Championship Road Race 2017

Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…

7 years ago

Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s World Championship Road Race 2017

The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…

7 years ago

Velominati Super Prestige: Vuelta a España 2017

Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…

7 years ago

Velominati Super Prestige: Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian 2017

This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…

7 years ago

Route Finding

I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…

7 years ago