Velominati Super Prestige: Giro d’Italia 2013, Stage 10

Altopiano del Montasio. Photo via Cycling Passion

Day 5 of the Six Days of the Giro continues with an impromptu VSP event.

Lets have a look at where we are in the 2013 Giro. Wiggins must have spent time training in Luxembourg because he’s been descending like a Schleck when things get dodgy before disappearing into the team van to have a cry about it. Hesjedal has put in some good moves and then proceeded to get creamed in the time trial before getting shelled on the last climb in yesterday’s stage. Evans seems to be riding like he did when he won the Tour though he’s sure to get sick before very much longer, as appears to be his usual approach to racing. Perhaps the biggest shock is that Gesink has managed to both stay in contention and on his bike. And Nibbles is killing it, proving once again that moving to a team with a long history of doping is usually all anyone needs to convert from contender to winner.

We’ve also had climbs, rain, rain, climbs, turns, descents, twists, rain, climbs, and more rain. The Giro is proving once again why it is the best Grand Tour of the year.

In honor of the first big climbing stage and with the time gaps already big enough to suggest some bigger, gutsier moves from some of those riders who have already lost time, this could be a zinger. Most likely some wild cards will escape and stay away, which makes naming your picks even harder than usual, but surely the favorites who are already behind will lay down massive helpings of the V to try to claw time back. The irony is not lost on me that the climb has the word piano in it, when you know the last thing that would ever happen is that they would ride up there at an easy tempo.

Get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero. There isn’t much time, so get to it.

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.

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frank says:

May 14 2013 at 9:30 am

@Buck Rogers

@Deakus

*cough..0 pts.

I know you wanted clarity over who the names were but I thought my picks were pretty easy to understand?

1. Cuddles 2. Nibbles 3. Dirty Diggles Sanchez 4. Wiggles 5. Biggles Bentancur

I'll put in the disputes and stick to the real names next time if it is going to cause a load of manual work for the keepers..

I believe on these special stage VSP you only score if you have the rider in the correct place, not just in the top 5.

Correctomundo. Slightly different rules on the Stage VSPs. Forgot to mention that specifically but it is outlined on the VSP rules page.
Ron says:

May 14 2013 at 9:38 am

A lot of folks getting Ronned up here. Don't be afraid to read the Rules, then the VSP Rules, and then don't get too worked up.

Reeelax, we're all still Followers.
Buck Rogers says:

May 14 2013 at 9:53 am

As I was mulling over the results of today's stage I started thinking that I really do not trust those Columbians as I bet they are doping like crazy down there in South America. I mean, the only guys that are likely doping more are the Spaniards where anything goes, unless you think about all the dirty Italians and the French with their history--they're also due for a return foray into the doping world but of course, that made me think about how the most likely organized doping program right now has to be British Sky so they are probably the worst but then again, where did they take their needle-tracked lead from, those cheating American Bastards US Postal and the COTHO which made me finally realize with great joy that I am not a doping racist as we all know that it started with the Dutch and who cares about them, right?
scaler911 says:

May 14 2013 at 10:00 am

@frank

@Buck Rogers

@Deakus

*cough..0 pts.

I know you wanted clarity over who the names were but I thought my picks were pretty easy to understand?

1. Cuddles 2. Nibbles 3. Dirty Diggles Sanchez 4. Wiggles 5. Biggles Bentancur

I'll put in the disputes and stick to the real names next time if it is going to cause a load of manual work for the keepers..

I believe on these special stage VSP you only score if you have the rider in the correct place, not just in the top 5.

Correctomundo. Slightly different rules on the Stage VSPs. Forgot to mention that specifically but it is outlined on the VSP rules page.

Ah yes then. As I stated in when I sent in my dispute, I'll go ahead and fuck off now..........
seemunkee says:

May 14 2013 at 10:03 am

Damn. Three correct riders, but incorrect order
ped says:

May 14 2013 at 10:39 am
Deakus says:

May 14 2013 at 10:54 am

@frank

@Buck Rogers

@Deakus

*cough..0 pts.

I know you wanted clarity over who the names were but I thought my picks were pretty easy to understand?

1. Cuddles 2. Nibbles 3. Dirty Diggles Sanchez 4. Wiggles 5. Biggles Bentancur

I'll put in the disputes and stick to the real names next time if it is going to cause a load of manual work for the keepers..

I believe on these special stage VSP you only score if you have the rider in the correct place, not just in the top 5.

Correctomundo. Slightly different rules on the Stage VSPs. Forgot to mention that specifically but it is outlined on the VSP rules page.

Bah! Hidden in the small print, bottom of the Terms and Conditions...right where you knew I would not find it! What makes it worse is that I scoured the rules before posting about it!

"Minor Stages

We will be posting minor stages as well. Scoring is similar to one-day racing, except no bonus points are in play for getting the rider in the wrong placing."

You will find me on the naughty step!
Ron says:

May 14 2013 at 11:01 am

Who the hell is the Lampre rider sporting the crazy mustache and Dumbo ears on Sunday? I can't be the only one who saw him, looked more like a pirate (not that one) than a cyclist. I think I saw him again today and the Urstache was gone...

Ha, that's a tough misstep for that Tifosi.

Buck - strong work! This should be good.
frank says:

May 14 2013 at 11:53 am

@ped

I promise that's not me.
frank says:

May 14 2013 at 11:56 am

@disputees

All of your disputes were rejected because as we've discussed they were over bonus points that aren't in play.