Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France 2013, Stage 19

Dirty Schlecky Love

Since it appears that the descents are where the action is in this year’s Tour de France, we thought we’d forgo our usual Mountain-Top Finish for the Stage VSP and instead go for what I’m guessing might be a real cracker of a stage into Le Grand Bornand. In 2009, the Schleck Tandem hadn’t yet discovered their collective drag chutes and did a stage-winning riding with Bertie pointlessly attacking to drop his own teammate on the run up the final climb.

This year features a bumpy profile which includes two of what I personally have found to be the hardest climbs in the Alps: the Glandon and the Madeleine. They’re going up the easier side of the Glandon (which shares the road with the Col de la Croix de Fer from this side) and then down to the steep side of the Madeleine. Then its over the camel’s back to the Col de la Croix Fry before diving into the valley for the finish.

In my review of that stage in ’09, I was airing my Dirty Schlecky Love on the laundry line, but there is little risk of that happening again this time around, unless Le Petite Schleck finds his patrones between now and then. And lets not forget that Contador is descending like a witch on a broomstick and putting Froome on the ropes in the process. Not to mention, Nairo’s horrible lines on the way down could mean we see a major shuffle on the GC.

Be that as it may, the stage itself will surely go to a breakaway and that’s what we’re here for. So get your picks in by midnight Friday for a chance to win a pair of Bont shoes; the winner will be assisted in selecting the size and will also be helped through the molding process. VSP Points go towards the overall VSP, not the Le Tour VSP. Finally, as this is a Stage VSP, points only go to getting the places right, no bonus points for getting the right rider in the wrong place. Good luck.

[vsp_results id=”24469″/]

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

TBONE says:

Jul 18 2013 at 9:38 am

@frank

@TBONE

Nice bike setup, apart from that pile of stack. Like the blue bars with white saddle. Very Pantani.

I'd slam that stem, but for every year I inch towards senility I add a 1mm spacer. Stupid back issues. I've since gone to black tape, secured with my V cuff links.
Duende says:

Jul 18 2013 at 9:41 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Tom Danielson
2. Pierre Rolland
3. Alejandro Valverde
4. Jakob Fuglsang
5. Joaquim Rodriguez
TBONE says:

Jul 18 2013 at 9:47 am

All you haters suck my balls

-Hesjedal
brett says:

Jul 18 2013 at 9:52 am

Provisional Race Results

1. RIBLON Christophe

2. VAN GARDEREN Tejay

3. MOSER Moreno

4. QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander

5. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin

Provisional VSP Results

1. trenchfoot (3 points)

2. GogglesPizano (3 points)

3. SimonH (3 points)

4. Tobin (3 points)

5. JCM (2 points)

6. Bianchi Denti (2 points)

7. roger (2 points)

8. Two Ball Billy (2 points)

9. minion (2 points)

10. simonsaunders (2 points)

...

75. bigfudge (0 points)
RedRanger says:

Jul 18 2013 at 9:53 am

@brett this is for tomorrows stage mate
PeakInTwoYears says:

Jul 18 2013 at 10:02 am

@TBONE

All you haters suck my balls

-Hesjedal

I wish him joy of his sponsorship, but is that really a very Canadian thing to say?
Buck Rogers says:

Jul 18 2013 at 10:04 am

@brett

Provisional Race Results

1. RIBLON Christophe

2. VAN GARDEREN Tejay

3. MOSER Moreno

4. QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander

5. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin

Provisional VSP Results

1. trenchfoot (3 points)

2. GogglesPizano (3 points)

3. SimonH (3 points)

4. Tobin (3 points)

5. JCM (2 points)

6. Bianchi Denti (2 points)

7. roger (2 points)

8. Two Ball Billy (2 points)

9. minion (2 points)

10. simonsaunders (2 points)

...

75. bigfudge (0 points)

@RedRanger

@brett this is for tomorrows stage mate

I hear that The Keepers keep him around for the humour aspect of it all.
brett says:

Jul 18 2013 at 10:23 am

Really? Well that's just silly...
napolinige says:

Jul 18 2013 at 10:24 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Evans
2. Voeckler
3. Nieve
4. Rodriquez
5. Froome
brett says:

Jul 18 2013 at 10:27 am

I've been on planes for 24 hours and am now in America, so things are really fucked up...