Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France 2013

Robert Millar leads Greg LeMan on the road to l’Alpe d’Huez in 1984

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″/]

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

TomC says:

Jul 8 2013 at 3:16 pm

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Froome
2. Contador
3. Hesjedal
4. Valverde
5. Evans
Chris says:

Jul 8 2013 at 3:18 pm

@Buck Rogers

@Deakus

@Skip

@Deakus

Fools!...rest day swaps are:

1. Useless on day 1....cost vs likely chance success.

2. Useless on day 2....the cost is prohibitive!

Yes, but when your picks have imploded like Teejay or Pinot, I figure it's better to take a chance on new picks than just accept zero points on those. It's all for fun, after all, so why not roll the dice again?

Well if you are already done for then ethyl not..as..you say. So far only TJ has let me down. I am still hoping vroomy gets worked over and pushed back to third, I think Good Cadel is starting to show some form and Bertie is quietly riding himself towards the alpes looking for a killer chance when vroom splutters and blows up....the one I had not planned for was valverde!

It would be interesting to see of all the GT VSP winners how many did rest day swaps, esp last year when the penalities were increased.

I am not a believer of swapping out (dance with the person that you came with) and never have but I have never been known to make sense and I have never won a GT VSP. So there you have it!

My no swap policy is going out the window. Money, or serious prizes,spoils everything.

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Froome
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Nairo Quintana
4. Valverde
5. Dan Martin
leadout says:

Jul 8 2013 at 3:48 pm

Just one swap as red Ryder and his 6th rib aren't playing so well. Hang tough Red..great race now that the Death Star has shown a weakness, "evacuate, in our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances...." (Said with the proper English tone)...

"use the Force" gents to bring the Death Star down..

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Froomeeee
2. Cuntador
3. Cuddles
4. Alejandro valverdict
5. Rui-Costa
iceman says:

Jul 8 2013 at 4:03 pm

Ah well, here goes I guess. But really, I can't call it, which I'm glad about. It's making for much better viewing than last year that's for sure.

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Chris Froome
2. Alberto Contador
3. Alejandro Valverde
4. Bauke Mollema
5. Joaquiem Rodriguez
Bianchi Denti says:

Jul 8 2013 at 4:17 pm

@Deakus

Fools!...rest day swaps are:

1. Useless on day 1....cost vs likely chance success.

2. Useless on day 2....the cost is prohibitive!

I agree that it's risky, but we are trying to win a bike frame! I willing to risk losing 5 to win 5.

Porte out, and Quintana in. I'm happy with the rest, even with the added risk that Nairo will be forced to give way to his so-called superior (which would be a humiliating kick in the crotch).

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Froome
2. Contador
3. Quintana
4. Valverde
5. Joaquim Rodriguez
sprider says:

Jul 8 2013 at 4:51 pm

Swap, we don't need to swap, we don't need to show you no stinking swaps...hahaha.

i will stick with the ones I brung as always...
Rob says:

Jul 8 2013 at 5:48 pm

Ok, loosing points to win bike...

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Contador
2. Froome
3. QUINTANA ROJAS
4. VALVERDE
5. Rodriguez
el gato says:

Jul 8 2013 at 6:19 pm

TJ out Valverde in.

Quintana is ridiculous and has to move up. Contador has been there. J-Rod has been there on the climbs lurking in the background and despite his lack of team support i feel like he's gonna make a big move on one of these climbs.

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Alberto Contador
2. Christopher Froome
3. Alejandro Valverde
4. Joaquim Rodriguez
5. Nairo Quintana
LA Dave says:

Jul 8 2013 at 6:29 pm

Well, Porte's visit from the man with the hammer on Stage 9 means he's my only first rest day swap. Bauke Mollema has been impressive and he slides into the four seat. Not feeling all that great about Purito, but hopefully he has some good days in the Alps and can make up the 40 seconds he currently needs to break into 5th place.

Fun racing so far, Froome has been great and really put in an amazing ride to control all of the madness on Sunday. He rode like Le Patron of the peloton that day with not a teammate in sight.

Loving Quintana as well, and hoping that Valdirty hits a wall in the Alps so Nairo can ride for himself. If not my VSP is screwed.

Thanks as always to the Keepers for putting on the VSP. Great work.

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. The Froome Wagon
2. Contadork
3. Nairo Escarabajo
4. Mollemollemollemollema
5. Purito
LA Dave says:

Jul 8 2013 at 6:31 pm

@Buck Rogers

As for Valverde, I smell Spanish steak cooking (I HATE that fucking guy!)

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