Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012

Vittorio Adorni crosses the snow-covered Stelvio pass

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″]
[/vsp_results]

Related Posts

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

Sep 21 2017

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

Sep 21 2017

1,232 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2012”

  4. @RMK
    Spoiler alert: he can’t.

    And welcome, if you haven’t been welcomed before! You must be Canadian. I once was thrown out of a Canadian pub for cheering for the Norwegian team during an Olympic hockey match. During the Olympics. At Whistler.

  6. I can’t help feel entirely and singularly responsible for the success of this thread given my suggestion that you needed to be involved in at least 2 arguments to entitle you to make picks.

    The rest of you can get bent.

  8. @Daccordi Rider

    @scaler911

    Froonk proves he lacks The V!

    Careful, fuckface. Mispelling of the name “Frank” is my domain and is meant to refer to me. That statement just accused me of lacking the V. Surely that couldn’t be what you mean. I believe you meant “Fränk lacks the V”. Learn to use your keyboard or just spell it as “Frank”. First warning.

  10. VSP PICKS:

    1. Basso
    2. Scarponi
    3. Kreuziger
    4. Schleck, F
    5. Hesjedal

  12. @frank

    @Daccordi Rider

    @scaler911

    Froonk proves he lacks The V!

    Careful, fuckface. Mispelling of the name “Frank” is my domain and is meant to refer to me. That statement just accused me of lacking The V. Surely that couldn’t be what you mean. I believe you meant “Fränk lacks The V“. Learn to use your keyboard or just spell it as “Frank”. First warning.

    ‘pologies, learner mistake. Prbly don’t need to point out FSchmuck lacks.

    Here is a cycling photo to make amends.

  15. @Daccordi Rider
    All is forgiven, of course. You can call Grimpelder whatever you want, just don’t spell his name as Frahnk or Fronk or Froonk or any derivation of the such as that will cause confusion as people like to misspell my name that way and instult me through other channels.

    Insulting me, of course, is both approved and encouraged; its the confusion of insulting the Grimpelder and making it look like you’re insulting ME that was at odds here.

    Moving on.

    Unrelated topic: A Schleck needs to win a Grand Tour THIS YEAR or they are off the books for good. Seriously; I love me a flawed character to root for, but the entitlement and bitching has to come at the cost of a win, boys.

    Ullrich never fucking bitched. He fought like a man, lost like a man.

  16. VSP PICKS:

    1. Basso
    2. Scarponi
    3. Kreuziger
    4. Rujano
    5. Hesjedal

  17. VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Kreuziger
    3. Basso
    4. Rujano
    5. Hesjedal

  19. @frank
    A-fucking Merckx on the Schleck, der Kaiser comparison. Quit looking behind yourself and go uphill already.
    But he won’t.

  20. @scaler911

    The one time he did last year was on Iozard, got a bit of respect back for that one. I rode that stage last year and it was fuckin hard, took me 2 days (with an additional 1200m of climbing and finishing in Bourg). I dip my lid on that attack, the rest of his work is rearview mirror stuff.

  21. @scaler911

    @Nate

    @Bianchi Denti

    Fuck me! Check out this from Cycling News.
    Fränk Schleck has admitted that he was surprised at his late call-up to lead the RadioShack-Nissan team at the Giro d’Italia, but he has insisted that he will do all he can to finish in the top 5 in Milan…”I don’t want to look for excuses, but since I’m replacing Jakob and this frankly wasn’t predicted, it’s not exactly the best preparation,”
    Way to go, Mr Motivation! Does anyone else think the Schlecks’ lifespan at Radeopard is limited?
    I have reorganised my picks again, based on his uplifting assessment.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Kreuziger
    3. Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver
    4. F Schleck
    5. Basso

    Could be sandbaggery.

    Maybe he should have done what Clenbutador did when they called him off the beach in 2008; have a Spanish Steak and not bitch about it.

    He’s from Luxembourg, where apparently bitching is a birthright.

    @minion
    I’m hearing reports of a severe sheep shortage in the vicinity of Canberra. No wonder you have so much free time right now.

    @frank

    Unrelated topic: A Schleck needs to win a Grand Tour THIS YEAR or they are off the books for good. Seriously; I love me a flawed character to root for, but the entitlement and bitching has to come at the cost of a win, boys.

    After the recent flap with Brunyeel I read a convincing article somewhere that said if the Schlecks want to be GT contenders they need to get on Johan’s program and learn the fuck to TT. (And go downhill). If they don’t want to, they need to accept the fact that they are one dimensional grimpeurs and accept their lot in life.

  22. @Nate
    Tell me about it! Lying bastards told me Canberra was a sheep station, I get here and it’s full of fucking politicians and public servants. SOBs.

  24. Doubting but willing to put online.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Basso @ 1.01
    3. F Sch(ore N)leck @3.30
    4. Kreuziger @3.40
    5. Gadret @4.15

  25. @frank

    @Mikael Liddy

    @Chris

    @harminator
    As I said, I didn’t get obsessive about it, you may well be right, but you googled it, just to make sure, didn’t you?

    There was some proper mentalist descending and classic old school jerseys going on, though.

    Can safely say I’ll be getting very little work done today after watching that & looking through the list of related videos on the side…

    The road was carelessly strewn on the cliffs up there and any mistake will send you plummeting into the vast emptiness of death and ultimate wisdom.

    That’s good to hear as I thought I might do this and this when I’m down that way in the summer.

  26. VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Hesjedal
    3. Kreuziger
    4. Basso
    5. J-Rod

  27. In for a penny, in for a pound!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Kreuziger
    3. Basso
    4. Pinotti
    5. Uran

  28. Yeah, I had to take Basso out. Of course that means he’ll probably WIN now.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cunego
    2. Scarponi
    3. Kreuziger
    4. Hesjedal
    5. Gadret

  29. @frank

    Unrelated topic: A Schleck needs to win a Grand Tour THIS YEAR or they are off the books for good. Seriously; I love me a flawed character to root for, but the entitlement and bitching has to come at the cost of a win, boys.

    Not sure I’d even put him on the podium for this year’s Tour at the moment. Funnily enough, I see Wiggins and Evans finishing above him. Who’da thunk things would change so quickly that Wiggo would be a favourite over Schleck…

  31. VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Basso
    3. Kreuziger
    4. Rodríguez
    5. Hesjedal

  32. Here’s a question: What fool thought it was a good idea for Chrastian Broken Vandebone to ride TWO grand tours in one year? When was the last time he did that unscathed?

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Basso
    2. Scarponi
    3. R. Hesjedal
    4. J. Rodriguez
    5. F. Schleck

  33. I wouldn’t pick Basso(may still yank him) but with all the hard stuff in the last week I’m sticking with him. I’ll be very interested to see how Hesjedal does, he and Kreuziger appear to be the best TTers in my group.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Basso
    3. Kreuzgier
    4. Schleck
    5. Hesjedal

  35. @frank

    @The Oracle

    What has this site got against apostrophes? every time I post on this thread it switches the apostrophe in my pick to that “‘” garbage, so my picks keep showing up. Are contractions against the Rules?

    Honestly, I’m flummoxed about that. That whole matter was stitched up and fixed, and I haven’t touched the code since. Now the little problem is back. Obviously I did something, I just don’t know what. Suck it up for now, can’t be bothered to track it down. I’ll try to have it fixed up by the time you change your picks on the first rest day.

    No sweat. I will just revert to the “no contractions” mode of writing that I use for work. I will sound more the snobby douche than I actually am.

  37. i could nail all these dead on the money and still be sucking hind tit

    Life is too busy, and when you don’t even have time to do your V picks, well, your toooooooo busy!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Kruezinger Missle
    2. Scarponi…like last years 2nd
    3. PozzoVino
    4. Nibbles
    5. J-Rod

  38. VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Kreuzinger
    3. Rujano Guillen
    4. Rodriguez
    5. Hesjedal

  39. @The Oracle

    @Sauterelle

    @wiscot
    The popped collar looks a little Jersey-douche but at least he’s flashing a V-sign!

    I think he’s ordering a couple of cold ones.

    For the Schlecks. “Here boys, sit down and let me tell you about manhood…”

    And it looks Jersey-douche unless you are a Swiss monster that TTs like nobody else. Then it looks V.

  40. @frank
    I loved der Kaiser for that attitude. The only time I remember him even complaining a bit was when he was “cross with his own performance.” Like a lot of people, he took on pharmastrong, but never whined publicly.

  41. VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Kreuziger
    3. Basso
    4. Ryder
    5. F’ing Schleck

  42. VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Cunego
    3. Basso
    4. Hesjedal
    5. F Schleck

  43. Gotta make a play some time. I’m going with Basso; he’s the only rider big enough not to be a fluke, but I actually don’t think he’ll win. The problem is I can’t think of anyone else who will. I think Scarponi could play but I think he’s just not a true GT rider.

    The Angry Cross could be close, as could Winona. Then there’s the opportunist in J-Rod and the predictably lackluster performance of Frankieboy to consider. Brutalness…

    To go with my heart it would be Frank taking the win and restoring faith in the brothers grimpeur.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Basso
    2. The Angry Cross
    3. Hope of a Nation
    4. J-Rod
    5. Grimpelder

  44. VSP PICKS:

    1. Scarponi
    2. Basso
    3. Cunego
    4. F. Schleck
    5. Hesjedal

  45. Pozzato’s probably got no chance but I am gonna personally meditate every morning of the Giro and send him my Positive Venergy in the hope that he will prevail. Why? I just like him and A) As a Scot we usually go for the underdog, B) It’s probably his last chance, and C) It’s a bit of a crap-shoot anyway. Good luck one and all.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Pozzato
    2. Kreuziger
    3. Cunego
    4. Scarponi
    5. Basso

  48. Random selection of possibilities.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Basso
    2. Scarponi
    3. Cunego
    4. Hesjedal
    5. J Rod

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.