Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012
After a winter of long training rides that offered more in the way of numb extremities than it did in acute enjoyment, I have to say that the warming of the air and brightening of the skies have served to remind me that while I love riding in bad weather, I certainly don’t have anything against riding when its nice out.
But dont think for a minute that this quells my desire to watch the Pros battle the elements as well as each other and, quite frankly, after a Spring Classics campaign that gave us only fleeting tastes of Rule #9 Glory, I welcome the arrival of the 2012 Giro d’Italia which holds the distinction of being held in the worst weather and over the worst roads. Come July, I’ll get just as wound up as anyone about the biggest racing spectacle of the year, but in my heart, the Giro d’Italia is the best Grand Tour of the three.
All that said, I’m a little disappointed to see that the Giro starts in Denmark. Not that I have anything against Denmark – lovely place – it’s just that this choice takes us away from the classical Giro opening week involving a mountaintop finish or two and gives us a Tour de France-style opening week of flat stages and crosswinds. We’ll have to wait almost two weeks before we start seeing the riders cross the highest passes and hitting the uphill finishes, though the final week does appear to set us up for considerable fireworks as the second-last stage will see the riders cross the Mortirolo and finish atop the Stelvio.
What does this mean for the VSP? Quite a bit, actually. Bearing in mind the changes we’ve made to the Rest-Day picks from the years past, it means that as the race settles out, those who have made changes to their lineup on the first rest day will not have the opportunity to do so again on the second rest day. And, those who wait for the second day will see steep penalties tallying up against their totals. But on the line is a Symbol Pack, the chance to post for the rest of year with the Maglia Rosa VSP Badge and, of course, the grand prize of the personalized Shop Apron. Check the start list and with any divine beings that you might be able to influence, and then get your picks in by the time the countdown timer goes to zero at 5am Pacific on the 5th May.
For reference, please review the new Grand Tour scoring and penalty guidelines. Also note that since these new rules required new coding and this represents the first Grand Tour, there is always the chance that there are defects in the code. Watch your picks and your points as we move through the event and alert us of any anomalies. If your points seem wrong, use the dispute function to alert us of the matter; complaints in the posts feed to this effect will be ignored. Finally, don’t leave anything to the last minute so we have time to fix any problems before its too late. Good luck.
Scoring:
Readers who wish to enter shall enter their predictions for the top five placings on General Classification of each Grand Tour by 5am on the day of the first stage or prologue.
Points
Points will be scored as follows: 20 points for first place, 15 for second, 10 for third, 7 for fourth, and 5 for fifth; plus 3 points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing, but riders are not scored twice.
Changing of the Picks*
Contestants are allowed to make line up changes on one of the rest days of the Grand Tours but not both. These changes will come with a point penalty. You will be allotted one (1) rest day to make swaps in grand tours. You pick either the first or second rest day. The penalties for swapping will be lower for the first rest day than the second. This will allow you to swap out a rider(s) who gets caught in some first week nervousness with a 5 point penalty for each swap. Or make some go for broke/doomed to fail break-away swap on the second rest day for a 10 point penalty per swap. You make one swap or five on either rest day for the corresponding 5 or 10 point penalty per swap.
Additionally, if one of your riders crashes out, DNF’s, or DNS’s, you may swap them out on a rest day with corresponding penalties if you haven’t already used up your one rest day swap. The only exception to this is riders who are booted from a race for a positive test; if your rider is on the juice and gets chucked off the race, you get a free swap of that rider within 24 hours of the disqualification.
[vsp_results id=”15814″]
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@frank
That stage was better than the sum total of last year’s three week Contador-fest.
@sgt
Completely agree. There’s an interview at cyclingnews.com with Michele Acquarone, the marketing director of RCS, saying he’d like to start not only in the UK, but also in the US. WTF?!
@brett
I Il Giro looks good on the outside, but when you get her home, things aren’t what they seemed from the light of the neon bar. She has that Italian thatch going on and you just can’t get past it. You try and deal with it, but the excitement is stifled time and again. Every two bit nobody stands a chance with her, and you have to mix it with these lightweights to get a look in, and when you do no-one seems to care or remember in a few more weeks.Le Tour is well-dressed, preened and sounds great when she speaks. She attracts all the big players because she has not only the looks, the reputation but also the substance to back it up. And if she knocks you back the first time, you will keep coming back, again and again until she is yours, or at least gives you enough of a chance that if her number one choice should be revealed to be cheating on her, then you step right in. No matter how skinny you are.
Whale oil beef hooked Brett when you get descriptive you nail it – that is just pure bike porn – thanks!
@frank
If you can work out where they were at 5’54” there’s a decent pair of Oakley’s lodged in the hedge…
@Dr C
Woah, there is absolutely no way I’d do anything besides try and say hello to a PRO if I saw him out training. Takes some serious nerve to try and take someone like Zdenek up a climb. Glad he blasted ’em.
brett – you’ve either spent a whole lot of time in bars drankin’ & thankin’ ’bout wimmen or you’ve got a magical way of comparing Grand Tours to women. Either way, nice work!
I don’t know if I’m in enough arguments to justify posting my pics, as I see that might be the new requirement…
How’s this: Sean Kelly doesn’t get enough credit for his palmares.
Suck on that.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Ryder Hesjedal
3. Basso
4. Cunego
5. Vande Velde
J-RODDY loves it when there are very few TTs.
VSP PICKS:
1. J-ROD from the ROKKIT SKWAD
2. Roman Kreuziger
3. Mad Mad Thomas De Gendt
4. The Weight of a Nation
5. Tiralongo
@frank
You have to pick them before you can win them, you big wankspanner!
@Dr C
So your theory is that because a pro (a cross star no less) rode away from your little cycling buddies on a climb he is a chance to go well at the Giro? You do realise that, oh I don’t know, say a regular grupetto captain like McEwen, would absolutely cream just about any amateur rider up a climb without trying?
@Ron
Tour de Romandie 2012 results
33. Ivan BASSO, Liquigas-Cannondale at 2:34
@Marcus
Stybar might actually be quite a nice climber. He probably needs time to adapt to the road, but he’s never been quite as heavy as Boom. And he finished rather close to the podium in a Tour of Switzerland stage. Might not be a GC man, but in the lower hills…
@Vin’cenza
He kept up with all the GC man in Romandie in every ride, showing that he has an acceptable condition. On the time trial he showed that it wasn’t good, but he wasn’t exactly digging deep there. This might be a plus, since it means he’ll be (relatively) fresh in the heavy last week.
Also I don’t know why people are complaining about the Denmark start? It helps to promote the Giro in that particular region. Denmark is one of the biggest bicycle countries in the world, and might be interesting for sponsors and television rights to the Giro. It might be a bit far, but I never heard anyone complain about the (almost equally distanced) Giro start in the Netherlands. Not to speak about the Vuelta plan to start on the Canary Islands.
@Ron
It’s the former!
@frank
HA! Snorthing out loud at the computer, SWMBO is about to take it off me in case I spill any more food on it.
Oli, I think that’s a …
@packfiller
Actually I agree about Kelly. But your picks are rubbish! Cunego, really?
@Oli
And for Oli: The term wankspanner isn’t used enough on this site. Discuss.
@Netraam
Wasn’t Stybar told by Quick Step to choose either cross or road, and if he wanted to do both, it wouldn’t be with them? He’s obviously a very strong guy, so will be up for classics and stage wins.
@minion
I thought I’d just slip it up in thurr. It is a classic, after all.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Basso
3. Schleck the elder
4. Visconti
5. Pozzato
@Netraam
Although the Canaries are at least part of the same country
@Oli
As soon as I saw it I started wondering if I could hack the site and change Marcus’ username to wankspanner. That would be hilarious, and then I thought I could just ask Frhoank cos I can’t wouldn’t have the first clue about how to do that.
@Marcus
Nope, no comparison, just saying they had a laugh, and he blew them away, which they thoroughly enjoyed – it will also be interesting to see how he goes – no major statement there…. Glad to give you the opportunity of belittling my friends though
VSP PICKS:
1. Astana man
2. Rigoberto Uranus
3. Kreuziger
4. Boring Basso
5. Why not, young Sagan
@the Engine
Touché.
I noticed on the start list that they omitted race number 108. Classy.
Well there goes my plan. I was all set to build my Giro picks around Nibbles and he swans off to California to compete for awful, awful jerseys. Now I’m going to have to fire up the chicken bones again… *Exits stage right, grumbling*
@minion
Is there actually a tool called a wankspanner? I want one that can go to 40Nm. For Campagnolo please.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Basso
3. Schleck
4. Pozzato
5. Hesjedal
@Bianchi Denti
PFFFFFFTTTTTT!
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzovivo
2. Scarponi
3. Kreuziger
4. Hesjedal
5. Rujano
Trentino made me think Pozzovivo has a shot. Unless the winner from Turkey is allowed in….
This is the softest Grand Tour lineup I’ve ever seen. Levi or Horner would clean up against these stiffs, but no they’re rather battle for a top 15 TDF result.
VSP PICKS:
1. Michele Scarponi
2. Roman Kreuziger
3. Frank Schleck
4. Ryder Hesjedal
5. John Gadret
Btw Basso post-juice is a shell of his old self.
VSP PICKS:
1. Rom Kreuz
2. Turn up the Bass..O
3. Scared Pony
4. Gossy for the comeback kid
5. Banged & fell
@Sauterelle
Shhh. We’re trying (obviously not very well) to stock up on argument points, in case they become a tie-breaker.
@frank
Frank will spend the whole tour at the back, looking back hoping Andy shows up and tells him what to do. Then if Roche gets his way and unzipped jerseys are banned (which I fully agree with) Frunk will be totally fucked.
@Skinnyphat
You started off strongly, then got ridiculous, then back to reality!
@Marcus
PFFFFFT what the fu. Don’t worry sunshine, if anyone’s got a wankspanner and just doesn’t know it, its you. In fact I suspect you’ve been using it your whole life!
Purito in for Visconti.
What’s the deal with everyone painting Astana and all the Spaniards as being on the Jooce?
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Scarponi
3. Kreuziger
4. Purito
5. Pinotti
@packfiller
Plenty of reverence round here for Sean — you’ll need to try harder if you want to start an argument.
Can’t believe Nibali is forsaking the Giro to come out here to California. WTF?
VSP PICKS:
1. Kreuziger the Roman
2. Scarponi
3. Joaquim Rodriguez
4. Schleck the Elder
5. Giovanni Visconti
@Nate
I’m pretty certain that wasn’t his call. I can’t imagine any rider, let alone any Italian, skipping the Giro. Especially for the ToC.
Andy could have won this easily and backed up and taken the tour.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Basso
3. Kreuziger
4. Rodriguez
5. Pozzovivo
@MJ Moquin
I can imagine a GC rider (even an Italian) skipping the Giro for the Tour de France. Contador has shown us that no matter how strong you are, the Giro/Tour double is too much at the moment.
VSP PICKS:
1. Schleck
2. Scarponi
3. Hesjedal
4. Basso
5. Pozzato
Tough pick this year…..
VSP PICKS:
1. Pinotti
2. Kreuziger
3. J Rodriguez
4. Cunego
5. Gadret
Just started reading Pedalare! Pedalare! in anticipation of the Giro. Looking forward to this. Greetings from Oxford, where I’m spending a few days with family before heading back to home, family, and bike (more than a week away, not necessarily in that order)…
VSP PICKS:
1. JRod
2. Scarponi
3. Schleck
4. Nieve
5. Basso
VSP PICKS:
1. Kreuziger
2. Rodriguez
3. Basso
4. Schleck the elder
5. Pozzato
@noiyce
Please, enlighten us.
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Hesjedal
3. Rodriguez O.
4. Scarponi
5. Kreuziger