Categories: Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France, Stage 20

Reach for your recovery drink of choice, grab a little massage if you can, load up on carbs tonight, and get ready for the ultimate showdown for final Tour glory tomorrow to be contested in 41 kilometers contra la montre. I’m talking about the fans, not the riders, obviously. Because these last two days have nearly killed us.

This is anyone’s time trial. At 41km, it’s just long enough for Cadel to pull one out, and it’s just short and hilly enough for Andy to retain enough of his lead. Sure, Evans will certainly beat the Grimplette, but by how much? In last year’s final ITT, Andy almost pulled out the upset, until the wind kicked up and the youngster’s sit up and beg TT position had him more sail that sailor. It’s hilly enough to give the climbers a chance of staying in it, and the long descent to the finish will play to the fastmen against the clock.

Will his new Maillot Juane play Redbull to Andy and give him wings? Or will the scent of Yellow drag the Cadelamonster to his prize? Both Andy and Cadel know what it’s like to stand on the second step of the podium. Neither wants to stand there again. And both riders are different men than they were the last time it happened. Both have been hardened by the bitter taste of defeat that lingers long on the tongue.

I, for one, can hardly take it any more. Vive le Tour.

You know the drill, get your picks in by 5am Pacific tomorrow morning. Good luck.

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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harminator says:

Jul 23 2011 at 8:54 am

@frank

I've never heard the Aussie national anthem. Is it played by beating rocks on dingo heads?

Here it is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE0dQNxA3xo
Ron says:

Jul 23 2011 at 8:58 am

sgt just blew up the overall VSP with those 30 points! Big shake up in the VSP due to Le Tour.

I'm slipping away, better work on my TTing skills...
Abdu Whereareyou says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:06 am

@harminator
Surely it's Khe Sanh?

For any Aussies reading this who were watching SBS, can anyone tell me if Tomo had a boner while he was talking to Matt White? Man that guy was overexcited..
Ron says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:17 am

Who is this chap? Showing up at Alpe d'Huez in white bibs?! Unless my eyes are so bleary from all the racing, that is not in fact Thor (in an Italy jersey!).
harminator says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:17 am

@Abdu Whereareyou

@harminator
Surely it's Khe Sanh?
For any Aussies reading this who were watching SBS, can anyone tell me if Tomo had a boner while he was talking to Matt White? Man that guy was overexcited..

Mate, Don't mention the war! This internet thing is international.

And Tomo won't have to renew his viagra script for years!
eightzero says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:20 am

Remember the Death of the Grand Tour? Yeah, well, Cuddles can do it all. Frandy can climb, they have a great team...they can't TT or get their asses down a mountain. Yes, this is hard, hard stuff. Dangerous even. But you just got the feeling that Cuddles was licking his chops in the start house, and Frandy were both just looking over their shoulders. Like they did all race, one move on the Galibier notwithstanding.

But hay, Cuddles sure made that BMC Time Machine look good today, hunh? That image should supplant his difficulty yesterday. I sure would like to see what broke.
eightzero says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:24 am

@frank

I'm gonna say it one more time: the Tour is for the best rider on all terrain. You can have one weakness if you're good enough at another discipline. But you can't have two.
Andy, FrÃ¤nk: if you want to win the Tour ever, you're going to have to learn to descend and/or TT. All it takes is practice.
Alpin says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:36 am
Alpin says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:37 am

2 HOURS AGO NEAR GRENOBLE;;;

FIRST PHOTOS ARE COMING SOON ;;;

WAIT FOR IT §§§ !!!
Alpin says:

Jul 23 2011 at 9:45 am

EVANS

SCHLECKs

VOECKLER

CUNEGO

CONTADOR