Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France 2013
The early eighties saw the tide change in the European Peloton. Components were taking on a new, curvy shape as they left their boxy forms behind. The glint of toe clips in the sun would become a rarer sight as the move towards clipless pedals would take hold in 1985. English speakers were winning the big races classically won by continental Pros.
The 1984 Tour could be my favorite edition of the race. In 1983, the rookie Laurent Fignon had won in the absence of Le Patron, Bernard Hinault. The 1984 race saw the two go head-to-head, with Fignon becoming the one and only person in history to have laughed at Hinault and lived. He did more than live, he won. The new guard was here, and they were making their presence known.
This photo is from the stage to l’Alpe d’Huez. LeMond was riding in support of Fignon, and Robert Millar, in his second Tour, was leading the King of the Mountains competition, which he would eventually win. Millar wrote an account of this stage in Issue 13 of Rouleur, which everyone should make an effort to find a copy of. He describes the attacks that come fast and furious on the penultimate climb in such vivid detail, it makes my guns ache. But worse than that is his and LeMonds effort to hold on to Fignon and Hinault’s wheels in the ride through the valley to Le Bourg d’Oisans and the base of the final climb. It is the perfect description of the suffering of the Cyclist. LeMond, in service to his leader, is on the front one moment as he reels Hinault in after an attack, before being cast into the gutter and the back wheel a moment later when the next attack comes.
Just as 1984 was a watershed moment in the Pro peloton, 2013 is a watershed year for the VSP. This year we are offering five amazing prizes from five amazing partners.
Prizes
First prize is a Veloforma Strada iR road frame, painted in an exclusive Velominati color scheme with the newly-designed Velominati Super Prestige logo. Please note that this is a brand-spankin’ new frame for Veloforma. The geometry can be reviewed here.
Second prize is a pair of Café Roubaix carbon tubular wheels. The winner of this prize will be given the choice between the sub-1000g Haleakala wheels or a road version of my beloved Arenberg wheelset. As an additional incentive, anyone who enters their picks in the Tour VSP will get a $200 discount on any wheelset at Café Roubaix.
Third prize is a pair of Bont cycling shoes. The winner of this prize will be assisted in selecting the size, color, and model of shoe.
Fourth prize is a Flandrian Best kit from DeFeet consisting of a wool U-D-Shirt, Arm Skins, Kneekers, Slipstreams, and a pair of V-Socks.
Fifth prize is a wool jersey from our Keepers Tour tour partners, Pavé Cycling Classics.
Many thanks to each of our sponsors for providing such exciting prizes.
Rules
Enter your picks for the top five riders on G.C. by the time the countdown clock goes to zero; Grand Tour scoring rules apply. Check the mapping of your picks by the end of Stage 1 and use the dispute system should it be mapped incorrectly.
We will be enforcing Piti Principle rules much more closely. We will be accepting pick disputes through the start of Stage 2. After that, it will be at The Keepers’ discretion as to whether or not we allow the dispute. If your pick is ambiguous and we map them to the wrong rider, make sure you check your disputes before the deadline; we may reject the dispute after that time. For example, should both Tony and Dan Martin take the start and you enter “Martin” as your pick, we will pick one for you and you will have to live with it if you forget to dispute it before the deadline.
Good luck, and Merckxspeed.
Update: This is the same paint scheme that the winner will have, except the VSP Winner’s Badge will be replacing the V-Lion.
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[vsp_results id=”24179″/]
@Bianchi Denti Little chance that Bannon and Ryan are seething behind closed doors, it’s another fairytale to think they were unaware. Gerry Ryan has been around horse racing and happily let Damien Oliver ride for him (while under suspicion of betting) because it meant he would win a Cup. There is also the ‘current Cycling Australia official who helped Martin Vinnicombe inject’, then there’s Stevo, and Whitey, and no one’s asking Robbie what he thinks about all this and linking up his offer from LA to join Radioshack late in his career.
Just like the AFL doesn’t want to know about Essendon, or the years of hulking West Coast Eagles, Rene Kinks and Mickey Conlans, OGE have just played the broken record, and fed everyone a sh1t sandwich with the Vance Report. Liars and bullsh1tters. Quick, get a Backstage Pass out and the fans won’t ask questions…Nice one.
Stuey is really disappointing, but were you really surprised?
@Marcus Mick Rogers should buy a tatts ticket, he’s been a very lucky boy for a long time…
@Abdu In terms of hulking, dont forget that Collingwood “great” Wes Fellowes – went away for Christmas break on 18 December, returned 12 Jan, 15 kg heavier.
@Abdu
Interesting.
However, I don’t think too much can be read into McEwen moving to Retirementshack.I tend to believe that he needed a job after Pegasus folded, so he rang Lance and asked for a spot on the team at a reduced salary. A brother’s gotta eat. If he needs punishment for anything, it’s naming his son Ewan.
@Abdu
Agree, Mike Tomotoararis on SBS has got a touch of the “NIMBY” today. Apparently one rule for some, another rule for others.
Sadly starting to sound a bit “Cycling News Forums” at the minute.
@Barracuda Tomolaris sits below P1 & P2 when it comes to having credible points of view on cycling, he’s only beaten in the race to the bottom by his sometime offsider ‘the Tan-Man’
@Mikael Liddy
Correct, I had them all level pegging way at the bottom of the barrel, Ive suggested via the book of faces and twitter on more than one occasion to SBS Cycling Central that its time for a changing of the guard. Namely Mr Matthew Keenan and his trusty side kick Scott McGrory. Refer to “the Bike Lane” series for evidence of the difference
@Barracuda yup love the bike lane. Did you see my question about the Dirty Dozen this year? More info can be found here… http://www.adelaidecyclists.com/events/2013-adelaide-dirty-dozen
@Mikael Liddy
Roger that… I will heck it out.
@Barracuda
check it out that is
Here’s a nice little legend, wait for it, dary story on Mt Ventoux with the Legend!
A cycling legend recounts the killer climb at the Tour de France
Just a face in the crowd?
Um, I forget to check back on the results. Didn’t realise my success until I got an email from Frank right now. Blimey!
Anybody got linked up with their prizes yet? I keep checking my post but have seen nothing yet!
@AndyH
I am just boxing up a set of Cafe Roubaix Haleakala 24mm tubulars for @Oblewis!
https://www.facebook.com/CafeRoubaix
You can find a quick clip of the rear wheel in the truing stand…
@Oblewis has chosen well for his rubber! A set of cotton FMB Comp CX tubbies are now stretching on the F20s for mounting on his Haleakala wheel set!
@Dan_R I’m on the way home from vacation where some nice rubber also awaits me: a pair of FMB Super Mud for ‘cross season starting in a few weeks.
@G’rilla, @Dan_R FMB Party! Just got some Roubaix 27s for gravel/Rule 9 duty.