The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige continues with its the final Grand Tour of the season, la Vuelta a España, on Saturday, August 28. This will be the final opportunity for contestants to rake in a load of points; and with the list of injuries, and non-starts together with riders using the race as preparation for the World Championships in October, it will make it all the more challenging to pull together some good picks.
This particular Grand Tour is simultaneously the most boring and most exciting; various sections of Spain features desert with dead-straight roads where little is to be seen aside from a colorful peloton gliding along a road for 6 hours. On the other hand, the mountains are steep and brutal, and the weather this time of year can be atrocious, so the mountain stages tend to showcase fireworks like we don’t see elsewhere during the season.
Having run the VSP Giro and Tour editions where we tested the ruleset for picks, and I think by this time we’ve managed to set up a scoring system that seems fair and helps to close down the competition to afford newcomers the ability to catch up with some good picks. There is a full overview of the rules and standing at the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page, but here is the ten-second overview:
Every contestant is to choose their top five General Classification picks of the race. The final podium of la Vuelta is worth 15 points to the winner, 10 points for second, 5 points for third, 3 points for fourth, and 2 point for fifth. Given the effect crashes can have on a tour, there are guidelines around making changes to your lineup during the race: you’re allowed to change your lineup if any rider in your pick list drops out for any reason without any penalty; rest days will allow contestants to make changes to their lineup, however those changes will come at a point penalty. (Visit the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page for a complete breakdown of these points.)
Every day, the leader in the points standings will have the honor of wearing the Golden Jersey when posting on the site; the overall winner will wear the Golden Jersey for the remainder of the season and will also earn an “Obey the Rules” bumper sticker. All reader’s points qualify towards the final prize of the free Velominati Artisan’s Shroud. As always, if you are inclined to enter, simply post your predictions for the top five placings.
Continuing with our jersey picks from the Tour de France edition is the competition of naming the winner of the points and climber’s jersey winners. There will be no points awarded towards these two jerseys, but the leader of the competition will have the honor of commenting with associated jersey badge throughout the competition and the winner will earn the right to comment with that badge until next year’s race. The contestant who picks both the final points and climbers jersey winners correctly will win a Velominati Logo bumper sticker. Tie-breakers will go to the first contestant who posts their entire lineup (all 5 GC picks plus points and climbers jersey winners). Given that this sub-competition has no points, pick substitutions will only be granted under the DNF regulations of the VSP; no rest-day substitutions are allowed.
Sub-competitions will be conducted while the Vuelta is underway for specific stages. These stages will be chosen a few days prior to the stage being held and will be selected based on the current race conditions with the aim of choosing the most decisive and exciting stages of the race, so check back often to make sure you don’t miss out. Sub-competitions will be held in separate editions.
Good luck!
Rules and results are posted Velominati Super Prestige page.
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View Comments
@Marko
HA! I was just pondering how it's possible that someone with the power and the head to go uphill like that can suck so completely against the clock. To beat a TT specialist? No. But 55th? And J-Rod? 105th? Seriously. 'Sup.
@frank
Methinks I should be on 5, with J-Rod falling to fifth place after the TT. Looking forward to Saturday!
@frank
It is an interesting conundrum. Does it come down to position on the bike and rider weight? It seems, as I'm no time trialist and quickly getting too fat to climb again, that both require the use of slow twitch muscles (as opposed to sprinting) and being able to sustain high cardio for longer periods. Certainly this is why we've seen so many GT champions succeed at both disciplines. However, Jo-Keen is pretty pinner at 120lbs and Frank, albeit a tall drink of water, still only tops the scales at 130. Faboo has close to fitty pounds on Frank (and a much smoother stroke). Maybe if Le Grimps keep drinking beer and eat a few sandwiches they'll be contenders one day. But then again, Bertie is certainly no hulk. I'm confused.
@Marko
Bertie is certainly the anomaly here. I presume the big factor is power, since all of the traditionally strong time trialists tend to be bigger men. Technique is also crucial, since cutting down on energy loss and wind resistance are crucial factors (maybe this is where Bertie picks up points). Watching Spartacus, you could almost cut him off at the waist, given how little his upper body moves (this is technique and power). Compare with J-Rod, who was all over the road today. Schleck, too, for that matter. Presumably size can help, too, when dealing with a tailwind. The bigger mass will get more push. Going uphill, you need to factor in a weight-to-power ratio more carefully, and Spartacus's extra fifty pounds are extra cargo he has to haul up the hill. I'm sure there's a much better and more articulate explanation, but that's what I've been figuring...
At the risk of downplaying the biomechanics, I gotta think one's ability to apply The V to oneself, rather than to others plays a big part. AC found himself down at the first time check in the final TdF TT, but was able to V himself back, and Spartacus seems to have some serious internal dynamism, as he showed in the Spring and on the cobbles in July. I personally find myself on the rivet a lot more on group rides as opposed to solo training... for some reason I can't bring myself to sit in as much as I probably should, but I have to really focus on drilling it when I'm solo. Maybe Les Grimps have the same affliction?
Saturday will be interesting, less than 30 seconds covering 4th through 9th and Nibbles only has 40 seconds on Vaconsoleils new signing. I could come in nicely here, or blow bigger than J-Rod did last week.
I reckon Nibbles will hold on by seconds, Velits will bomb to fifth behind FGrimp and J-Rod
As for some riders ability to TT and climb and other to fail miserably at TTing, it's not about the amount of power one or the other has or hasn't, otherwise the Grimps wouldn't be able to climb with the best. I think it mainly comes down to technique, climbing is a lot more about power-to-weight, while in the TT you have to be able to convert that power into speed rather than just combating gravity. So smoothness of stroke and body, mental aptitude and a big one, the shape of your body. Simply put, some people fold themselves into an aero shape better than others.
Take Wiggo for example. Could always TT, lose a bit of the chub and he goes up hills. The Grimps, could always climb, but all the might of Riis tactical nous and Specialized bikes and likely wind tunnel work and practice and the gains are a lot smaller.
@Steampunk
Right you are; I missed Mosquera in your list. Updated. Thanks.
@Jarvis, @Steampunk, @Marko
All good points. It's a weird one, this. I'm not even expecting them to keep up with Faboo or anything, but the gap is enormous. WTF? Personally, I think it has to do with how much time they work at it. I bet a guy like Faboo takes his TT bike out for kicks and is really used to riding it; I bet the Grimps are just like, "Awww...Dad?!? Do I hafta?" every time Bjarne sternly tells them to climb aboard. The more they practice, the more aero they get, the faster they get...
Have you gotten out the the extensions on a full TT bike going full tilt? It's scary as fuck. I can imagine practice would help out.
What's up with the stubby helmets Garmin's using? Haven't noticed them before.