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.

View Comments

  • OK, jack-holes. Getting a bit clever on the names. While I admire your creativity, we've got fuck-all as far as clues go for who the fuck you mean. If you're so clever we don't know who to map to, you risk not getting your points. @chuck, I'm looking at you.

  • Wiggins will be fine. He's spent the last 24 watching this to get his mojo back:

  • @snoov

    I haven't a clue, probably some of the lesser riders take a turn on the telly and whoever guesses right blows the VSP apart. I hate rest days, oh wait is the ToC on Eurosport tonight?

    Yep, ToC on Eurosport now. Andy Schleck looked ok yesterday, best tune in quick before he drops out.

  • @motor city

    Wiggins will be fine. He's spent the last 24 watching this to get his mojo back:

    The Welsh have the world bog snorkelling championships, the Scottish have the Baah, and the English have cheese chasing....or....they did.  It got banned a few years ago...fucking health and safety!

    interesting the difference in style between men and women on this....kind of tumble and break shit vs slide and have fun!

  • @Sauterelle

    @xyxax

    I pick like a bit of a girl really...not to disrespect girls, I have two at home.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Rabottini
    2. Atapuma
    3. Gatto
    4. Nibali
    5. Evans

    You pick the riders you think are the cutest?

    Hah, sprung! That's why I'd still pick Di Luca but never, ever ever ever a Schleck. Heck I struggle to pick Hushovd from time to time.

  • @frank

    OK, jack-holes. Getting a bit clever on the names. While I admire your creativity, we've got fuck-all as far as clues go for who the fuck you mean. If you're so clever we don't know who to map to, you risk not getting your points. @chuck, I'm looking at you.

    I didn't think you guys (Keepers) were eligible for the "special badges". Protest filed! (you do look good in pink tho, just sayin').

  • Fingers crossed one of these fellas can do something and earn me a point or two...

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Pozzovivo
    2. Pellizotti
    3. Santambrogio
    4. Atapuma
    5. Duarte

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