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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@Marcus
Ah ha ha. I’m sorry, pardon me. I think I’ve just really been in the south for too long at this point. Going on two full years now. I think it is something about not having four months of snow & ice and riding my rollers during that time that has made me less pissed off. I’ll work on it.
I was actually just reading the local weekly newspaper and the opening short story was about a guy trying to keep his kids from hearing curse words, then trying to remember when he first heard them himself. My reaction: “What the fuck? They’re eight! They should be cursing away at this point. They’re just words.” Southerners and their manners. I do indeed need to reclaim my New York attitude.
I can’t believe that photo of the girl on the mtn. bike has finally made it here. Don’t think it has ever been here before, quite surprised we’ve gone this long. This Giro recon week is really shaking things in here up!
@Ron
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it here before.
And I actually do have something to be pissed off about. Yesterday out riding in a foursome, two good dudes, one fuckface. I’m third in line, #2 pulls around #1 on the left, not really a proper pull through, more like a pass. I remain at 3. #4, the fuckface comes around and says, “Are you going to take your pull?” Yeah dude, but we’re not really smoothly rotating here, that was a pass, not a rotation. We’d just been riding along 2×2 until that point, so I didn’t really know what the first two were even doing.
Does anyone else have one fucker who always seems to ruin a good group ride?
I had one, he managed to fade away & now I rarely see him. Now there is a new one. It’s like I’m cursed. Always seems to be one guy I just cannot figure out and don’t get along with, yet the others seem to like them. I try to pretend I like the guy and am nice, but he’s such a tosser. Maybe I’ll just act towards him like I truly feel.
I’ve been going over these picks all week so hard to choose. Probably gonna be using rest day swaps like crazy.
VSP PICKS:
1. I. Basso
2. J. Rodriquez
3. R. Kreuziger
4. F. Schleck
5. M. Scarponi
Pozzovino – now there’s a name ripe for some Lexicon pickins when he tests positive.
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Scared-Pony
3. GodRay
4. Winona’s Got a Big Brown Beaver
5. Kreuzenegger
@minion
You’ve been had, mate.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Kreuzinger
3. Basso
4. Cunego
5. Purito
VSP PICKS:
1. Schleck
2. Scarponi
3. Jaoquim Rodriguez
4. Kreuzinger
5. Basso
Bumping frankie down a couple of notches.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Basso
3. Cunego
4. Kreuziger
5. Schleck the elder
VSP PICKS:
1. Damiano Cunego
2. Basso
3. Kreuziger
4. Scarponi
5. Scarponi
Basically I have no idea, just going with who I like.
VSP PICKS:
1. Schleck
2. Rujano
3. Hesjedal
4. Rodriguez
5. Basso
sorry, messed my first attempt up
VSP PICKS:
1. Damiano Cunego
2. Basso
3. Kreuziger
4. Scarponi
5. Schleck
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Scarponi
3. Rujano
4. Hesjedal
5. Basso
Updated. I’m still not convinced Hesjedal is the guy. Maybe I am wrong.
Probably I am wrong.
VSP PICKS:
1. Kreuziger
2. Scarponi
3. Basso
4. J. Rod
5. Cunego
A disturbance in my water tells me those focusing on the TdF will not place and with Ben Swift pulling out late I am left having to place Basso ;)
Left Field….is where my hovel is…
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso Ivan
2. Scarponi Michele
3. Kreuziger Roman
4. Schleck Fränk
5. Rujano Jose
See no reason to include Grimpelder in this lineup.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Basso
3. Kreuziger
4. Rujano
5. Pozzovivo
I don’t know why, but I admire the way Scarponi seems to worry his way uphill. Dude just furrows his brow and goes.
VSP PICKS:
1. scarponi
2. rujano
3. rodriguez
4. nieve
5. basso
VSP PICKS:
1. Roman Kreuziger
2. Michele Scarponi
3. Joaquin Rodriguez
4. Sylvestor Szmyd
5. Damiano Cunego
Added a clarification since there are two J. Rodriguez racing in the Giro.
VSP PICKS:
1. R. Hesjedal
2. D. Pozzovivo
3. I. Basso
4. R. Kreuziger
5. J. Rodriguez (Катюша)
@frank
Ahah! I’m short of words!
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Scarponi
3. Cunego
4. F Schleck
5. Hesjedal
Nothing special.
VSP PICKS:
1. Ivan Basso
2. Frank Schleck
3. Michele Scarponi
4. Roman Kreuzinger
5. Christian Vandevelde
VSP PICKS:
1. ‘Poni Club Rider
2. Ivan the terrible
3. Roman K
4. Ryder H
5. J Rod
Hmm, could be a good race this year.
When can we prognosticate the Tour of Cali for V points?
VSP PICKS:
1. Roman Kreuziger
2. Michele Scarponi
3. Purito Rodriguez
4. Domenico Pozzovivo
5. John Gadret
@sprider
Never. It’s not a real race, is it? Didn’t Eggtimer win it a few times? Yeah. So you see right there…
@brett
Eggtimer also won Suisse last year, so that’s not a reason. Look at the podium rather.
And for le tweak finale.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Basso
3. Kreuziger
4. Schleck Le Vieux
5. Rujano
@Netraam
But he only won Suisse once…
VSP PICKS:
1. Boring as Basso shit
2. Scarred for life
3. Tom Krueziger
4. Rujano
5. The Garate Kid
@brett
I think the entire podium makes a better argument than just eggtimer. Come on, last year the top 5 was entirely made of Americans! Behind that was LTD…
The Netherlands are eagerly anticipating the end of #wagendorpgate. Bert Wagendorp, journalist @ ‘de Volkskrant’, said they will open tomorrow with bad news regarding professional cyclists. Many seem to think it’s about doping…
So happy that cheating fucker Garzelli is not around
VSP PICKS:
1. Kreuziger
2. Scarponi
3. Basso
4. Schleck
5. J rod
@Netraam
Didn’t bother to look beyond the ‘timer!
@brett
Not even worth looking past him.
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Kreuzinger
3. Schleck F
4. Basso
5. Hesjedal
Wagendorpgate turned out to be about doping. Apparently Rabobank doped its riders from 1997 until 2007.
Has anyone ordered the Giro on Universalsports.com? I went on there, I swear my 5 year old daughter could design a better site, pathetic. Normally I wouldn’t sweat possibly losing $19.99 but I have no confidence that site is even functional. I had to login 3 times.
OK, this is my LAST change. And anyone picking a Schleck to win, please report to the V-lodge for drug testing. Uh…there IS a V-lodge, right?
VSP PICKS:
1. Cunego
2. Kreuziger
3. My Little ‘Poni
4. Hesjedal
5. Gadret
@Sauterelle
There is a V-lodge, but I don’t think it includes an anti-doping control.
Basso
Scarponi
Kreuzigr
Purito
Pinotti
Gadret
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. Scarponi
3. Kreuziger
4. Purito
5. Gadret
Pinotti out for Judas
I
VSP PICKS:
1. Basso
2. J-Rod
3. Scarponi
4. Hesjedal
5. Cunego
cant wait to swap out
VSP PICKS:
1. scarponi
2. roman k
3. ryder h
4. f. schleck
5. taylor p.
VSP PICKS:
1. SCARPONI Michele
2. SCHLECK Frank
3. CUNEGO Damiano
4. KREUZIGER Roman
5. BASSO Ivan
Apparently Denmark is so excited about the race they are painting the streets pink……
Is this a cunning plan by Cunego for camouflage in his ugly Lampre gear? Shame the day-glo Wilier will stand out…..
A plan so cunning you could tie a tail to it and call it a weasel.
Oh, and for those who are not putting Gadret in for “ethical” reasons, put your money where your mouth is and put in Roche instead.
VSP PICKS:
1. scarponi
2. basso
3. rodriguez
4. kreuziger
5. cunego
Period?
VSP PICKS:
1. Scarponi
2. Kreuziger
3. Basso
4. Cunego
5. Gadret