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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And Bad Cadel goes Pop before Cav.
@Mikael Liddy
I’m 60% sure that I’m 100% eligible. It’s just that Brett’s about a foot taller than me, so would never get to ride the Veloforma if I win it.
But I think it’s a moot point anyway. Saxoff appear to still be feeling frisky, so my points will be fucked by the end of this stage. They obviously have no idea what is really at stake here!
Get Roche away from the front of the peloton!
@RedRanger
I believe it’s the British Prime Minister David Cameron in disguise (according to cartoonist Steve Bell pf the Guardian.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2013/jul/15/steve-bells-if-cameron-salmond-love
@Mike_P
Maybe his computer doesn’t have readings for really low blood sugar? Power, Yes. Wattage, yes? Cadence, yes? Wee icon that says the man with the hammer is on your wheel, apparently not.
@Mike_P
Hinault should have thrown his weak ass off the podium for that bullshit excuse. “Ohhh, it wasn’t technically me” What a fuck?
@wiscot
Brilliant!
Obviously this idiot didn’t fall hard enough…
DAMN!!! I have to leave for Vermont now and will have questionable, possibly no, internet until Monday!!! Fuck my life!
Go J-Rod. Papa needs a new set of wheels!!!
Arrivederci, VSP! Hope to get a pleasant surprise on Monday!
@Tobin Fantastic work by the lad in the blue shirt.
Did anyone see a drunk running fan get shoved out of the way by one of the moto cameramen at 5.7km to go? Exit stage right. Rapidly.
Froome is such a piece of shit. If, IF he is clean, then he is the greatest cyclist ever. EVER. But where is his freakish Vo2 like LeMond, his years coming through as a top junior like Cadel, or a pedigree as a Classics rider who miraculously became a GT rider like Pharmy? Nope, none of that, just a touch of some bug that held him back. Fuck off, this just reeks of bullshit.
And now Strickland is claiming he started the call for caps on the podium…FFS
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cycling/tour-de-france-2013-a-cycling-scandal-to-cap-them-all–why-are-the-worlds-best-riders-refusing-to-wear-the-classic-headgear-8718136.html
@Chris Yep, fantastic work by the cameraman. The crowding seemed more nuts than ever yeterday.
According to cyclingnews, Jack Bauer has withdrawn after crashing into a barbed wire fence…face first!
Why on earth do Saxoff think that can get 5 minutes off a rider who has outclimbed their leader for the last 18 stages? This move is just stupid.
@brett
Berto needs to keep that second place and stop the BS. Could end up with another tdf title if/when Froome is DQ’d. That would be F’d up – lose one title for doping and get one back after someone is ousted!
@Bianchi Denti Saxo wants to screw you and I for picking Rolland…thats why!
@Tobin
Ha! Well I’ve already fucked them, since I brilliantly swapped Rolland out of my stage VSP for Geniez (why!?) because he looked toasted yeasterday. Suck on that Saxo!
Yup, Bauer crashes off the Madelene
@ped Yow that’s going to hurt. Welcome to Hooger Land
@Bianchi Denti
Fuck me. Those changes almost worked. Geniez was 4th! Weird.
Top 5 stays as is. Just 2 more days…
@brett
The physiologist who analysed the power data that Sky gave l’Equipe says “he has a V02 max (this has never been measured in the laboratory by his team) close to the limits of known physiological science.” That could indicate “freakish”, or be smart guy code for “extraterrestrial”. I find it hard to believe that Sky has never measured Froome’s VO2 max. Isn’t this a basic measure for endurance athletes?
I think he’s clean, he’s a freak, but he’s turning into a dick.
@Bianchi Denti
No, apparently Vaughters said they don’t do VO2 tests at Garmin either. It doesn’t mean that much to them.
@Bianchi Denti
Yeah, but that guy also said Lance was clean too…
http://stevetilford.com/2013/07/18/froome-power-released/
If Froome is such a freak, why wasn’t he a freak as a junior, or even neo-pro? And all his bullshit “ooh, I didn’t expect to win that satge… or this one… or this one”; fuck off, if you’re that much better than everyone else you would be expecting to always win.
Anyone hear of this story from yesterday:
basically Voigt in no man’s land waiting to be caught, tries to give a bidon to a kid, kid gets pushed out of the way by some Dude, Voigt sees it, turns around, goes back down the hill a bit and shames the Dude to give bidon back to the kid – crowd goes wild!
http://video.lequipe.fr/video/2cf051f2b00s.html
I don’t like him, he’s a doper, prove he’s clean, no I don’t like that proof, he rides bad, he’s a dick, he smells, he doesn’t like kittens…. burn the witch.
Christ it’s SO fucking boring.
@ChrisO
A-Merckx. Can we get some kind of fucking moratorium on discussion around who is or isn’t doping for, say, 10 years? I get enough of it at work (with all the folk who’s only knowledge if cycling is a: the TdF and b: COTHO). I’d hope that we (VM) hold ourselves to a higher standard, whether we privately think anyone is doping or not.
@ChrisO @brett At some point the dust should be allowed to settle. Keeping this sort of “stank” going is not good for getting on — or with cycling. I am guessing that you choose to believe the legendary rides from the rich history of cycling and decide to distrust any legendary efforts happening at the moment.
@G’rilla
Perfect.
@brett
You should try buying one like I did. You know, instead of being a whiney twat.
@Buck Rogers
They’ve been feeding inside the zones for the entire Tour, its about time they gave him a ding for it. Its been pissing me off that they’ve been getting away with it. This time he was so fucking blatant about it, raising his arm up and everything, that its just off the fucking charts arrogant to think they can squeak by on a technicality.
@scaler911
Mine is 6.35 kilos. That’s under 14 pounds for a 61cm with pedals, name badge, bidon cages, 7 feet of seat post, three yards of stem, and no spacers.
@scaler911
Seriously. I’m over it. Its taking all the fun out of watching. Going back to just watching the race at face value has made it SOOOOO much more fun for me…It’s his problem if he’s doping, not mine.
@Chris
And in other news of fandom/awesomeness. Sorry, I don’t know who to credit.
@frank now you have me curious how much mine weighs. not sure what the leg hair penalty will be tho…
@Bianchi Denti
I would have thought that this would apply in some unquantified manner to every rider in the professional peloton. I figured it’s why they were picked to become pros and why I play correspondence chess. Whether or not they excel as juniors, the numbers are there and they’re measured and prepared for further exertion on the bike. No matter how much I ride or how much I train properly, I suspect that my VO2 max is very, very average and that’s a limiter. (Not to turn this into a doping comment, but it irks me that lower level pros complain about lost wages to dirty riders; frankly, their numbers were typically never good enough to get into that top echelon in the first place).
If/When I get to see the Tour, there is no way I am going to spend the short amount of time that the riders are going past making a complete ass of myself wearing some silly ass costume, jumping in front of riders, or waving to what may or may not be the camera that is being used for the feed at that time. It’s not Let’s Make a Deal or The Price is Right, it’s a fucking bike race that you had to spend effort to get out to see. And totally sick of the Borat’s wannabes. The lamest one was the guy I saw yesterday who was wearing boxers under the thong.
I think they need cars leading the riders that have old style steam engine cattle catchers that adjust to the width of the road.
@seemunkee
Yep. But these are OK in my book:
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@scaler911
@ChrisO
@scaler911
@unversio
@frank
Jesus, if you don’t like doping talk, then you’re following the wrong fucking sport. Keep burying your head in the sand, it might go away. Yeah right.
As for the racing being exciting, yeah there’s been some good stages and great performances from the non-contenders, but the GC was over after Ax3 Domaines. If Froome (the greatest athlete ever in the history of the world that you all seem to believe he is) wasn’t there, imagine what a truly great race for the overall it could have been.
@brett
I’m just tired of having it be the topic of discussion every day. And I feel about Froome tha same as I do (did) about Wiggo (and in years past Big Mig): meh. Just not that exciting to watch. Porte is fun because of his unrelenting perseverance. Clenbutador has had moments like when he kept attacking Monday. But that’s just me……….
@VirenqueForever
Another reason why Jens is awesome! Which I spoke French so I could understand completely him telling the story.
@scaler911
How often are P1/P2 saying, “And Porte is back” or “Porte is back on the front” or “Porte is towing Froome again“??
@PeakInTwoYears
Phil reminds me of my grandfather in his later years. It would take him a couple of trys before he would get any of our names right.
@brett
Not to mention that whole kitten-killing thing.
@seemunkee
Or they could just scoop up anybody in the way.
@Bianchi Denti
That was the clincher…
I think we are all on the same page here… I’m sick of the Tour being a joke, as you all are, but rather than acknowledging that Froome is a dirty cheat, some of us try and believe what we are seeing is credible. Because we’ve seen it all before, and don’t want to get burned again.
Committed to focus on more bikinis at the Tour de France for the remainder. And next year!
@frank
I’m not sure if that’s a valid reading.It’s just a strange way you’re holding a scale.
@Tobin Noticed the military personnel that pushed a clown off the road immediately as he began jogging in front of the 2 riders that were coming up. Swift justice!
@brett
I wouldn’t say that. We don’t have the facts to decide if its credible or not, and we have no control over the information that would allow us to make a credible decision.
So then it comes down to deciding one which viewpoint will balance with my sense of fairness. For me, I think its more unfair to call a clean rider a doper than it is to call a doper a clean rider.
If/when it turns out he was a liar, its on him. I’d rather have him turn out to be a douche bag than that I accused a hard working, clean rider of cheating. I hate it when I’m accused of cheating or dishonesty because I’ve spent my life trying to always do the right thing, even when its not popular, cool, or fun; I don’t want to do that same thing to others if I can avoid it, especially knowing how hard this sport is.
I’ve been around this sport a long time, I know what’s happening, I know what they’ve been up to over the years. I’m not an idiot, and anyone who wants to doubt is well within their right and is well-justified in their thinking. Personally, I can have my heart broken many more times before I’ll turn my back on the sport; I’m like a beaten puppy, I’ll just keep coming back because all I have in my heart for this Sport is love.
@TommyTubolare
I’m not holding that scale. It would make my arms bulk up too much, lifting that kind of weight. And it sat there in the same setting for a long time, I have no reason to doubt it, though I’d rather have seen the scale hanging from the ceiling.
@chrismurphy92
He must have a habit of doing that! He told the same story in his Hardly Serious column in Bicycling.