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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joe says:

Jul 23 2011 at 4:34 am

@Ron. Spot on. Let's ease off on the Landis Tea and enjoy the spectacle!
I'm building up a lugged guerciotti with new athena for a mate today. Tv on, ipa open and a little ride planned later.
Keep it smiles!
Blah says:

Jul 23 2011 at 4:37 am

@joe

I'm building up a lugged guerciotti with new athena for a mate today.

Made me smile. Sounds fun.
xyxax says:

Jul 23 2011 at 4:40 am

I was chatting with Stephen Hawking the other day over coffee and just happened to drop our little debate into the old convo

Internet opinions: a dime a dozen
Oli: priceless
joe says:

Jul 23 2011 at 4:45 am

Yikes. My (likely deluded) picks seem to have disappeared! Try again...

VSP PICKS:

1. cool refreshing millar.
2. faboo the fab
3. panzer wagen
4. ebh
5. cuddles
Blah says:

Jul 23 2011 at 4:46 am

@xyxax

I was chatting with Stephen Hawking the other day over coffee and just happened to drop our little debate into the old convo

Internet opinions: a dime a dozen
Oli: priceless

Yeh I was thinking Oli's counter attack was full of panache too.
Ron says:

Jul 23 2011 at 4:52 am

joe, sounds awesome! Take some photos of the build up, love to see them. Maybe you could post them in the "Bikes" section, even if it is a mates' bike and not yours.

I've have to do some work, going to have to watch the ticker and then watch it later today. Can't wait for the racin'!
Mikeweb says:

Jul 23 2011 at 5:32 am

@Alpin
Awesome pictures! Well. looks like I missed this SP. Porte just now tops Faboo's time.
Chris says:

Jul 23 2011 at 5:42 am

@Leroy

@mouse
...apart from Andy and Alberto, none of the main GC guys have really stood out...

Bertie has hardly been standout, granted yesterday was great but to be fair he either left the whole thing (a stage or two) too late or he was cooked and while stage glory was in on his radar it was a last roll at pulling something out of this tour. Eitherway, Bertie's heroics were never going to have a major impact on the overall.
Chris says:

Jul 23 2011 at 5:48 am

@Leroy

@Marcus
...drivel... ...I'll tell you what, I'm in San Diego... we have gorgeous weather & women and even better roads. You get your sorry ass out here and we can settle this on the asphalt like some real men... ...drivel...

Calling people out on the net, priceless, but San Diego, not very Rule 9, is it?
scaler911 says:

Jul 23 2011 at 6:09 am

@xyxax

I was chatting with Stephen Hawking the other day over coffee and just happened to drop our little debate into the old convo

Internet opinions: a dime a dozen
Oli: priceless

+1.