Velominati Super Prestige: La Vuelta a España 2013

The Long Sock Brigade hits the Angliru

Seriously. Is it almost September? This was not the agreement, this was supposed to be an endless summer. And all you A-Holes down there in the Antipodes are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, enjoying longer days and shorter nights. I don’t need to tell you where you can take that, but it’s dark and it smells. I have no patience for the changing of seasons when it means I’m going to be benching Number One and busting out the headlight.

I’m not going to lie to you; the Vuelta is my least-favorite race of the year. Part of it is the parcours-it’s hard enough to get excited about flat sprint stages in the Tour, but these stages in central Spain that go down a straight freeway for hours are just too much for my brain to find interesting. Hey look! There’s another shrub! Wasn’t he a President at one point? There will be some redeeming points of the race, I’m sure, and the shit-steep climbs they dot along the route are certain to be highlights of the season. But after you do the math, this is the grand tour with the weakest field, the worst route, and-most damning-the strongest signal that Summer is coming to an end on the half of the world that matters.

I can’t be bothered to sort out the route and what stages are going to matter, but I’ll tell you this: for the last few years, the winner of the Vuelta VSP has won the VSP GC. A few years back, @Marcus complained that he only lost the VSP because @Nate used the second Rest Day Swaps to his advantage to take the win, but after heavily increasing the penalties, he kept losing. Typical of a man who posts photos of his todger on a Cycling site. (@Nate, your win was clean according to the VCI.) Speaking of which, at worst the Vuelta will distract from Pat McQuaid and his bid for losing the UCI Presidency.

He has a strong lead in the 2013 Anti-V competition, however.

Check the start list, get your picks in, and don’t Delgado this baby; it could be your ticket to the shop apron. Bon chance.

[vsp_results id=”26944″/]

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

Barracuda says:

Aug 20 2013 at 9:37 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. nibali
2. valverde
3. rodriguez
4. martin
5. uran
Mikael Liddy says:

Aug 20 2013 at 9:46 pm

@Barracuda

@Daccordi Rider

Here in the Antipodes it is still cold, 5c last night whilst I was doing my hill repeats, but yes the sun is with us a bit longer each days and that holds forth promise.

I haven't usually followed the Vuelta that closely but last years was probably the best tour of the year. Watching Bertie, J Rod and Valverde hammer each other was great racing. Looking forward to this years, it looks like an interesting parcours.

Agree, colder and wetter, the further south of Adelaide, you go, days starting to get a bit longer here @frank so soon no need for the Ay-Up's.

All in good time for our take on a Spring classic, the Dirty Dozen. Either of you keen for some Five & Dime action on election day?

VSP PICKS:

1. Dirty Sammy
2. Purito
3. His Nibs
4. Don't dream it's over
5. Dan Martin
Mikael Liddy says:

Aug 20 2013 at 9:47 pm

hmmm, VSP code don't like no apostrophes.

VSP PICKS:

1. Dirty Sammy
2. Purito
3. His Nibs
4. Don't dream it's over
5. Dan Martin
Chris S says:

Aug 20 2013 at 10:29 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibali
2. Henao
3. Uran Uran
4. Rodriguez
5. Valverde
UptheTrossachs says:

Aug 20 2013 at 10:44 pm

In other words, no idea - whatever he said.....

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibali
2. Valverde
3. Rodriguez
4. Henao
5. Uran
Al__S says:

Aug 20 2013 at 10:53 pm

(I'm liking some of the more challenging picks to map)

VSP PICKS:

1. Henao
2. Nibbles
3. Rodriguez
4. Sammy Sanchez
5. Uran Uran Uran Uran Uran Uran
Ptyrer13 says:

Aug 20 2013 at 11:36 pm

Vsp Picks - I dont mind the Vuelta to much, usually the best looking race but thia year with 11 or something summit finishes its going to be a leg breaker!

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibali
2. Rodriguez
3. Uran
4. Martin
5. Valverde
snoov says:

Aug 21 2013 at 12:44 am

I've Delgadoed a couple of times this VSP and in my dreams could have been a contender. Earliest picks I've submitted so far. Or is @dancollins running away with this?

VSP PICKS:

1. HENAO Sergio Luis
2. RODRIGUEZ Joaquim
3. BETANCUR Carlos Alberto
4. NIBALI Vincenzo
5. MARTIN Daniel
snoov says:

Aug 21 2013 at 12:45 am

The link didn't show me a start list and I couldn't find it on the page.

Here's one: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Vuelta_a_Espana_2013-Startlist
Yannersan says:

Aug 21 2013 at 12:49 am

Will Uran toe the corporate line and work for Henao? La Vuelta is certainly the "third" grand tour and with so many competing races lacks the identity of the Giro and Tour but it is still a grand tour so I'll be watching as much as I can.

Nibbles is the best in the race but I think he'll hold something back for the Worlds.

VSP PICKS:

1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Sergio Henao
4. Dan Martin
5. Sammy Sanchez