Velominati Super Prestige: Liége-Bastogne-Liége 2014
The 100th running of Liége-Bastogne-Liége takes place this Sunday. Danny-boy Martin will be marked heavily as the defending champion. Malmerde, and Phil Gil have shown they are peaking too. Froomy has thrown his hat into the ring, as he did last year but after last years 26th place, maybe it’s training. 263 kms, past winners include a long list of known dopers, again, the pot belge mix paid off to keep riders cranking through those last climbs. Cancellara talked of slimming down more in to add this Monument to his palmarés but this might be the farthest from his grasp. This is a very tough race course. You need to be a fondisti, someone with staying power, a Phil Gil or a fully doped Moreno Argentin to finish this race off successfully. Last year Red Ryder went ballistic, blew up the field and opened a way for his teammate, Danny-boy. Let’s hope for some equally exciting fireworks this Sunday.
Here is an imperfect startlist.
The points from the LBL VSP count towards the overall prizes. So check the start list, review the VSP Scoring Guidelines and get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at 00:00 hours PDT on Sunday the 27th. If you think we mapped one of your picks wrong, use the dispute system and we’ll review it. Also remember to be precise enough in your description so we know which rider you mean; in other words, if you enter “Martin”, we will use our discretion (read: wild guess) to decide if you mean Tony or Dan – and that choice will not be negotiable once the the countdown clock goes to zero, so be sure to give yourself enough time.
Don’t forget we’ve got three major prizes for the season-long VSP:
First place overall wins a Veloforma Strada iR Velominati Edition frame in addition to the customary VSP winner’s VVorkshop Apron
Second place overall wins a set of hand built CR Wheelworks Arenberg wheelset in a custom Velominati paint scheme laced to orange Chris King hubs. (CR Wheelworks is Café Roubaix’s new wheel goods brand.)
Third place is you’re fired or overall wins a full Velominati V-Kit with accompanying custom orange Bont Vaypor+ road shoes.
All Hail Cosmo!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkLa_W7g5js[/youtube]
[vsp_results id=”29669″/]
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. J-Rod from the Rokkit Skwad
3. Phast Phil
4. Danny Boy
5. The Man With the Bands
VSP PICKS:
1. Phil Gil
2. Malmerde
3. Kwiatkowski
4. Rui Costa
5. His Nibs
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gilbert
3. D Martin
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gilbert
3. Mollema
4. Nibali
5. Froome
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. J-Rod from the Rokkit Skwad
3. Phast Phil
4. Danny Boy
5. The Roman Cross
VSP PICKS:
1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Philippe Gilbert
3. Alejandro Valverde
4. Jelle vanendert
5. Dan Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Holy God it’s Dan Martin
2. Moreno
3. Mollema
4. Nibali
5. Kwiatkowsli
Back to Plan A, hopefully this is the race MK has been saving himself for…
VSP PICKS:
1. Kwiatkowski
2. Mollema
3. Valverde
4. Moreno
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. kwiatkowski
2. Moreno
3. Dan Martin
4. Froome
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Phil Gil
2. MalMerde
3. Rui Costa
4. Vroome
5. Kreuziger
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. PhilGil
3. Gerrans
4. Dan Martin
5. Nibali
According to the screen I am looking at no-one else has posted yet. I think this unlikely. Which is a shame, as it would boost my chances of a podium finish considerably.
Off to wash my mouth out for picking Piti to podium.
VSP PICKS:
1. Danny Boy Martin
2. Valv.Piti
3. Phil Gil
4. Jelly And Dessert
5. Danny Boy Moreno
Martin’s knee will hurt on the longer ride so he’ll be looking to fry up some Canadian Bacon.
Got a feeling Bakelants will be the pick of the Omega riders, but while I don’t think Nibbles can drop the pack I hope I’m wrong and have to put him the 5 just in case.
VSP PICKS:
1. S. Gerrans
2. A. Valverde
3. R. Hesjedal
4. R. Kreuziger
5. V. Nibali
According to the screen I am looking at no-one else has posted yet. I think this unlikely. Which is a shame, as it would boost my chances of a podium finish considerably.
Off to wash my mouth out for picking Piti to podium.
VSP PICKS:
1. Kwiatkowski
2. Valverde
3. Dan Martin
4. Philippe Gilbert
5. Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Bauke Mollema
4. Michal Kwiatkowski
5. Joaquin Rodriguez
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Dan Martin
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Nibbles
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Daniel Martin
3. Valverde
4. Gerrans
5. Niboli
So many choices…
VSP PICKS:
1. Allhandsondeck Valverde
2. Pandadan Martin
3. Never Kwiatkowski
4. Fasterphil Gilbert
5. Kleinebauke Mollema
All the marbles””or (more likely) none of them…
VSP PICKS:
1. R. Costa
2. A. Valverde
3. A. Kolobnev
4. T. Gallopin
5. R. Bardet
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Martin
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Kreuzinger
..and…here goes…
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Martin
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. P. Gilbert
2. D. Martin
3. A. Valverde
4. C. Froome
5. M. Kwiatkowski
again
revision…
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. PhilGil
3. Dan Martin
4. Nibali
5. Gerrans
VSP PICKS:
1. P. Gilbert
2. B. Mollema
3. D. Martin
4. A. Valverde
5. S. Gerrans
A quadruple Delgado later (Stupid work assignments; stupid deadlines…), here goes again – and without a clue, really.
VSP PICKS:
1. B. Mollema
2. A. Valverde
3. M. Kwiatkowski
4. P. Gilbert
5. D. Martin
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Dan Martin
3. Mollema
4. Froome
5. Bardet
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gilbert
3. Kwiatkowski
4. Rodriguez
5. Nibali
Here goes
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Valverde
3. Gilbert
4. Froome
5. Gerrans
Here goes
Porte has been quiet in his lead-up to the Giro. A bit too quiet if you ask me…
VSP PICKS:
1. Porte
2. Malmerde
3. Dan Martin
4. Gerrans
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gilbert
3. Kwiatkowski
4. Dan Martin
5. Mollema
VSP Picks.
I’d like to see Dan defend his title, his form looks good and his team is focused, the last climb is not long enough for Valverde, Gilbert will lead the chasing group in.
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Valverde
3. Gilbert
4. Kwiatkowski
5. Moreno
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Martin
3. Kwiatkowski
4. Nibali
5. Froome
VSP PICKS:
1. Jelly Vanendert
2. Malmerde
3. Fast Phil Gil
4. Froome Dog
5. Simon Gerro
@ten B
Porte’s been doubled over his toilet bowl with gastroenteritis and won’t be at the Giro… Don’t know if he’s got the racing in his legs for La Doyenne. Then again, you only need to look at my score in the VSP so far to know I’m talking out of my rear…
The panda from last year will be first over the line, only to immediately test positive for clenbuterol. Piti to lead the rest home.
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. GIlbert
3. Dan Martin
4. Costa
5. Kwiatkowski
VSP PICKS:
1. Kwiatkowski
2. Gilbert
3. Martin
4. Valverde
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. A. Valverde
2. P. Gilbert
3. M. Kwiatkowski
4. D. Martin
5. Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Philipe Gilbert
3. Roman Kreuziger
4. Bauke Mollema
5. Michal Kwiatkowski
First time I have ever made a sub leading up to a race.
@andrew Severs me right for not doing my homework! Nibbles in for the Pukinator.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Malmerde
3. Dan Martin
4. Gerrans
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin #pandapower
2. Gerrans
3. Nibbles
4. Froome
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Kwiatkowski
3. Mollema
4. Dan Martin
5. Gilbert
@ten B
Oh Jeez. If he wins, will I have to enter witness protection?!
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. Dan Martin
4. Nibali
5. Kwiatkowski
VSP PICKS:
1. D Martin
2. Valverde
3. Kwiatkowski
4. Gilbert
5. Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Dan Martin
4. Bauke Mollema
5. Michał Kwiatkowski