Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s La Fleche Wallonne 2017

Energizer Bunny: Valverde

Valverde is one of those guys who seems to never suck. And he looks great on a bike; he doesn’t spin too much, he doesn’t grind too much. He likes to stomp a big gear uphill in the drops, 90’s-style, when the mood strikes. What’s not to like? I’m not sure, but I can’t find myself liking him, must be the Piti Principle nonsense that spoiled him for me.

In any case, I can’t believe the guy is still an active Pro, let alone still winning. This race always comes down to who can go uphill like he stole something at the end of a long, lumpy race, and have the patience to wait until the right moment – go too early and you’ll burn out. Go too late and you’ll have missed the move from the guy who timed it right. And don’t get tempted into it by that skinny climber who goes well in the Alps; if he hasn’t done this climb yet, he’s likely to get it wrong.

Dan Martin is due to win this race, and my money is on him, assuming he’s starting, and I haven’t checked that he is. (Update: He is.) That’s a free tip, the rest I leave to you. Contemplate the start list (which I can’t find), peruse those pesky tea leaves, and get your picks in before the timer goes to zero.

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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

Harminator says:

Apr 19 2017 at 10:53 am

@wiscot

Fuck Malmerde. It’s just not right. Just not right at all.

+1 and same for the Labrador

Not normal

I'll be cracking a Chimay bleu the day day he goes down. He leaves me cold.
Teocalli says:

Apr 19 2017 at 10:55 am

Dang - 4 out of 5 and just 5th in the right place.
wiscot says:

Apr 19 2017 at 10:58 am

@Harminator

@wiscot

Fuck Malmerde. It’s just not right. Just not right at all.

+1 and same for the Labrador

Not normal

I’ll be cracking a Chimay bleu the day day he goes down. He leaves me cold.

Right? I mean this is not an elder statesman of the peloton slipping into a break and using some tactical nous acquired over the course of a long career to outsmart some younger riders. This is a guy who turns 37 next week winning by a considerable margin on perhaps the nastiest finishing climb in pro cycling. Smells fishier than than a dumpster full of fish behind a fishmongers on a hot day.