Velominati Super Prestige: Luik-Bastenaken-Luik 2012
I thought I’d take this opportunity to move en danseuse on Rule #89 and to refer to Liege-Bastogne-Liege by its less-common Flemish name. It also draws into sharp relief that fact that while Dutch may be every bit as expressive and subtle as French, it certainly sounds less sexy.
Some races seem to foster a romanticism that other races of equal difficulty simply can’t match. Sometimes it is due to the parcours of the event, but many times it has to do with its history and the tales of superhuman effort that capivate our imaginations and builds on itself. The last few editions of this event have left something to be desired in terms of its legend, with the event falling to riders with less-than-pristine records. But that probably only means we’re due for another epic, so buckle in. Perhaps snow is in the forecast, or perhaps the hearts of the early break foil the computers dictating the pace to the field and it stays away. Or perhaps we wind up with a nail-biting sprint finish between the big names. One thing is for sure; the final of this race is perhaps the most difficult of any race on the calendar, with a combination of kilometers and climbs taking its pound of flesh from any who venture towards the line.
La Doyenne is a monument, and as such the winner of this event will win the customary symbol pack and earn the right to comment for the remainder of the season with the LBL Winner’s comment badge. Check the start list, watch the countdown timer, and try not to Delgado this beautiful race. Bon chance.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbackwards
2. Grimpelder
3. Joaquin Rodriguez
4. Nibbles
5. Gerrans
This time because I put it up first I can be sure that I didn’t just follow the herd.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. J Rod
3. F Schleck
4. Vanendert
5. Cunego
VSP PICKS:
1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Jelle Vanendert
3. Joaquin Rodriguez
4. Samuel Sanchez
5. Roman Kreuziger
Last year was pretty epic Frank… epic fail that is.
LBL – La Doyenne.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Gerrans
3. F. Schleck
4. J. Rodriguez
5. J. Vanendert
Gilbert getting back, can’t actually see someone beat him on this kind of race or it must be a breakaway.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Albasini
3. Fränk Schleck
4. Mollema
5. Kreuziger
Don’t laugh at my pics. I’m vulnerable, and might cry.
VSP PICKS:
1. Chris Friggin’ Horner
2. Simon Gerrans
3. Frank Schleck
4. Gilbert
5. Sanchez
VSP PICKS:
1. Phillipe Gilbert
2. Joaquin Rodriguez
3. Simon Gerrans
4. Vanendert
5. Chris Horner
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbrt
2. Rodriguez
3. Vandenart
4. Nibali
5. Voeckler
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Chavanel
3. Voeckler
4. Boom
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Nibali
3. Frank Schleck
4. Cunego
5. Chavenel
Van Den Broeck to measure up on the 98th Liège-Bastogne-Liège \\ 257.5 km
Attacking on Côte de la Haute-Levée !!
VSP PICKS:
1. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (24 Bel)
2. Alejandro Valverde (9 Spa)
3. Michael Albasini (8 Swi)
4. Roman Kreuziger (21 Cze)
5. Damiano Cunego (12 Ita)
VSP PICKS:
1. Damiano Cunego
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Frank Schleck
4. Gilbert
5. Voeckler
How many people will pick Peter Sagan ? ( this is like a sub game..I say 12).
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sanchez
3. Valverde
4. Vockler
5. Westra
VSP PICKS:
1. Giblets
2. Il Piccolo Principe
3. J Rod
4. Schleck Le Vieux
5. Schleck Le Jeune
Is Cadel really starting?
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Samuel Sanchez
3. Chavanel
4. Voeckler
5. Langeveld
Version 1.0. Most likely going to be some changes…. keep thinking that Gerrans or Gasparatto might be able to follow wheels and be a factor at the finish if things don’t get sorted out before the Saint-Nicholas…. Either of those might be better than a few of my choices.
Looks like rain is in the forecast? Here’s hoping the heavens open up on Sunday and make things nasty.
VSP PICKS:
1. Philbert
2. JRod
3. A. Schleck
4. Nibali
5. Sammy Sanchez
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Albasini
3. Nibali
4. Gerrans
5. Horner
VSP PICKS:
1. Valverde
2. Gilbert
3. F. Schleck
4. Vanendert
5. Sanchez
VSP PICKS:
1. A Schleck
2. F Schleck
3. Gilbert
4. Rodriguez
5. Vinokourov
VSP PICKS:
1. Purito
2. Gilbert
3. Voeckler
4. Valverde
5. Vandenert
VSP PICKS:
1. V. Nibali
2. P. Gilbert
3. D. Cunego
4. J. Rodriguez
5. A. Schleck
@Tartan1749
Everything I’ve seen says he’s pulled out.
Just noticed your subscript on the title photo. I have ridden and raced a number of saddles over the years and finally, ths last fall, after getting my ’92 Merckx I chucked all my saddles and moved the Rolls from the older Merckx onto my new Merckx and have been in bliss ever since. Sure it’s heavier, but I still race on it and love it. Nothing compares to the older Rolls (although I have not tried the new re-issue Rolls that’s now available).
Getting my picks in early so I don’t miss out this time.
VSP PICKS:
1. PhilGil
2. Nibbles
3. J-Rod
4. Schleck Senior
5. Kreuzinger
VSP PICKS:
1. P Gilbert
2. J Vanendert
3. V Nibali
4. R Uran
5. F Schleck
VSP PICKS:
1. Hoogerland
2. Gilbert
3. Voigt
4. Hesjedal
5. Devolder
VSP PICKS:
1. P. Gilbert
2. A. Valverde
3. J. Van Den Broeck
4. E. Gasparotto
5. C. Horner
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Gilbert
3. F. Schleck
4. Cunego
5. Vanendert
@calves
I like the way you’re thinking!
@Vin’cenza
Just a matter of course, and not that it matters, but if you keep putting in race numbers, it will always flumux the auto-mapping logic, meaning we’ll have to manually map them. If its all the same, leave the numbers/nationalities off and it makes it a little easier on us. Not a big deal, though, if you like adding that stuff.
Frankie-boy finally gets it right and takes home the prize, to match his brother’s. He goes on the last climb with Cunego who gets outdistanced in the last little bit. The quickly-closing-in field comes in with Sagan timing it correctly, but missing the move, and Valvbert dueling for 4th and 5th.
@Buck Rogers
I had a bunch of them in the past; I also loved the Regal. I am very happy on my Fizik Arione, but I’m always temped to move to a Rolls again. Maybe I’ll put one on the TSX.
VSP PICKS:
1. Grimpelder
2. Cunego
3. Sagan
4. Valverde
5. Gilbert
@frank
Current ranking is bonus info, but would rather make the system work — and thanx for pointing it out.
\\ Although (Frank) the seasonal ranking info gave me the idea to visually show the intersection of riders moving up — and races that were omitted from their schedule. Edward Tufte inspired design of quantitative information. I will give you a look if I start and complete this race map idea.
VSP PICKS:
1. Van Den Broeck
2. Valverde
3. Albasini
4. Kreuziger
5. Cunego
@paolo
@frank
Frank, see paolo’s post and Doyle deck the start list. Pretty sure that Billions and Billions is not riding. Forgive me if you already knew this and we’re going for the joking factor!
@frank
You might want to check a startlist there, bro.
Damn autocorrect! Have to get around to taking your advice about how to shut it off. Should be double check, not Doyle deck, in the above post, as well as “were” instead of we’re.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbackwards
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Valverde
4. Grimpelder
5. Nibbles
VSP PICKS:
1. Albasini
2. Gilbert
3. Rodriguez
4. Valverde
5. Nibali
@Buck Rogers
I thought “Doyle Deck” was some exclusive lingo that I wasn’t hip enough to understand.
@The Oracle
Ha! Maybe that will be the newest lexicon entry even though i have no bloody idea what it means either!
Phil Gil to find his form again…
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Cunego
3. Sagan
4. Voeckler
5. Freire
What about Sanchez, Gerrans, Voeckler, Chavanel, Kreuziger and Nibbles…fack!
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. J-Rod
3. Piti
4. Grimpelder
5. Cunego
.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Vanendert
3. Gerrans
4. Rodriguez
5. F Schleck
VSP PICKS:
1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Damiano Cunego
4. Samuel Sanchez
5. Frank Schleck
VSP PICKS:
1. PhilGil
2. Gerro
3. J Ro
4. Albasini
5. Clarke
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Albasini
3. Cunego
4. Rodriguez
5. Nibali
This is my Jonny Hoggerland style attack to try to pull away from the middle of the bunch, but I fear I may simply be swallowed by the peloton before the line…..
VSP PICKS:
1. Cunego
2. Rodrieguez
3. A. Schleck
4. Gilbert
5. Van Avermaet
I want to pick Voeckler, but he never gets away in races this big.
VSP PICKS:
1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Philippe Gilbert
3. Sammy Sanchez
4. Joaquin Rodriguez
5. Chris Horner
Can’t wait for this!
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. j-Rod
3. albasini
4. Nibbles
5. TommyV