Velominati Super Prestige: Giro Stage 9, Mt. Etna

There will be fireworks

There will be fireworks. It’s a phrase we often use, and one we rarely take literally. But this photo shows Mount Etna. Actually erupting. Recently. There is a non-zero chance that it will erupt tomorrow, when the Giro d’Italia riders over this brute twice.

Tomorrow’s stage will be the first real battleground for this year’s Giro, and we expect there to be fireworks. Possibly literally. And figuratively. Get your picks in by 5am Pacific time tomorrow for a chance to grab a few extra points in the VSP.

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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View Comments

seemunkee says:

May 14 2011 at 3:59 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibbles
2. Scarponit
3. Clenbutador
4. J-Rod
5. Le Mevel
ben says:

May 14 2011 at 4:11 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Berto
2. Kreuziger
3. Igor Anton
4. Scarponi
5. Nibali
Brett says:

May 14 2011 at 4:16 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Sella solo
2. EEEE GORRRRR
3. Nibbles
4. Cont Of The Highest Odor
5. Scarper!
Netraam says:

May 14 2011 at 4:27 pm

Not sure, but when one goes (very likely to be Contador) they will ALL go.

VSP PICKS:

1. Contador
2. Joa-Clean
3. Anton
4. Nibali
5. Kreuziger
Steampunk says:

May 14 2011 at 4:35 pm

@RedRanger
A bit early for that, don't you think? But he'll be under some pressure to perform"”and he'll want to have a good showing. The safer claim might be that we're likely to see whether he'll be in the running a couple of weeks from now (answer: yes).

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibbly
2. Jokey Roadie
3. Scarred Pony
4. Paolo Tiramisu (Tiralongo)
5. Singin' like Caruso (Giampaolo)
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

May 14 2011 at 4:50 pm

Wow. I made it to a start line on time.

VSP PICKS:

1. Contador
2. Nibali
3. J. Rodriguez
4. Scarponi
5. Le Mevel
sgt says:

May 14 2011 at 5:13 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibali
2. Clentador
3. DiLuca
4. Scarponi
5. Garzelli
il ciclista medio says:

May 14 2011 at 5:53 pm

Everyone under pressure to perform and get up that mountain, or risk being swept away by molten lava.

VSP PICKS:

1. Niblets
2. Scarface
3. J-Ro
4. (Tom) Kreuz
5. Sella
heath says:

May 14 2011 at 6:07 pm

oh my god.

VSP PICKS:

1. sella
2. purito
3. contador
4. kreuziger
5. scarponi
Scuba Steve says:

May 14 2011 at 6:39 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Cuntador
2. Scarponi
3. Nibali
4. Kreuziger
5. Rodriguez