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. Gilbert
2. Rodriguez
3. Sanchez
4. Gerrans
5. Valverde
not gonna Delgado this one!
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Gerrans
3. Cunego
4. Gilbert
5. Vanendert
not much thought behind these picks.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Valverde
3. F Schleck
4. Purito
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. F. Schelck
3. Valverde
4. Hesjedal
5. Voeckler
@Pedale.Forchetta
No, I did!
I don’t Giblets has it this season. Not enough to step on the top step anyway.
VSP PICKS:
1. J. Rod
2. Can he go?
3. Giblets
4. Sandwhich
5. Jelle “V”
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Valverde
3. The Little Prince
4. Purito
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. J Rod
2. Giblets
3. Valverde
4. Sammy Sanchez
5. Cunego
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Voeckler
3. Sanchez
4. Schleck the elder
5. Cunego
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Rodriguez
3. Cunego
4. Samuel Sanchez
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. J-Rod
3. Valverde
4. Cunego
5. S. Sanchez
La Doyenne!
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Ryder on the Storm
3. Gilbackwards
4. Swivelneck Elder
5. Valverde
Here we go for another week, I really need dome points as I’m sliding down that ladder and the apron gets further away!
VSP PICKS:
1. Simon Gerrans
2. Big Phil Gilbert
3. Dan Martin
4. Frank Schleck
5. Wout Poels
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Rodriguez
3. Cunego
4. Sanchez
5. Voeckler
Here we go!
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Valverde
3. Schleck the Elder
4. Phil
5. Jelle V
VSP PICKS:
1. Valv
2. Gilly
3. Roddy
4. Gerro
5. Cunny
VSP PICKS:
1. P. Gilbert
2. J. Rodriguez
3. Samuel Sanchez
4. Simon Gerrens
5. T. Voeckler
VSP PICKS:
1. Tom Vo-Clair
2. Vanendert
3. J-Rod
4. Philleeeeppepe
5. Uran Uran Uran Uran
Changed again! Just read that Nibbles is riding for a contract extension and a chance to lead Liquigas at the Giro.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Joaquin Rodriguez
3. Vanendert
4. Gilbert
5. Sammy Sanchez
VSP PICKS:
1. Mollema
2. Nibali
3. Gilbert
4. Vanendert
5. Cunego
VSP PICKS:
1. P. Gilbert
2. D. Cunego
3. J Rodriguez
4. S Sanchez
5. R. Uran
VSP PICKS:
1. Sylvain Chavanel
2. Albasini
3. Gilbert
4. Hesjedal
5. Voeckler
Sad I missed La Flèche Wallonne super prestige but you can’t look back, just keep moving forward.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Vanendert
3. J Rod
4. Grimpelder
5. Albasini
Good luck!
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. S. Sanchez
3. J. Vanendert
4. Nibali
5. Albasini
Hard to leave some riders out. I’m attempting a Voeckler breakaway myself or be damned to mid pack for the remainder of the VSP.
VSP PICKS:
1. Voeckler
2. Gilbert
3. Rodriguez
4. Nibali
5. F Schleck
An other tough one…go RYDER!
VSP PICKS:
1. Tommy V
2. PhilGil
3. The Weight of My Nation
4. J Rod
5. Nibbles
I should just pick names out of a hat for all the good actually thinking about my choices is doing me!
VSP PICKS:
1. Phillipe Gilbert
2. Vincenzo Nibali
3. Sylvain Chavanel
4. Jelle Vanendert
5. Lars Boom
J-Rod x2.
VSP PICKS:
1. Joaquim Rodriguez
2. Phillipe Gilbert
3. Valverde
4. Frank Schleck
5. Anton
Trying this from the mobile site tonight from Fruita, CO.
VSP PICKS:
1. Hesjedal
2. Gilbert
3. Nibali
4. Rodriguez
5. Voeckler
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. J Rod
3. Gerrans
4. Sanchez
5. Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Rodriguez
3. F. Schleck
4. Nibali
5. Valverde
Luik Luik, ohhh baby, now we gotta go.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Nibali
3. Schleck, Frank
4. Volkler
5. J-Rod
VSP PICKS:
1. Phil Gil
2. J. Rod
3. D. Cunego
4. Valverde
5. Sammy Sanchez
vsp picks
VSP PICKS:
1. gilbert
2. s. sanchez
3. chavenel
4. Nibs
5. Ryder
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Gilbert
3. Vandendert
4. Cunego
5. Nibali
VSP PICKS:
1. Fast Phil
2. J-Rod
3. Damiano Cunego
4. Sammi Sanchez
5. Alejandro Valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Sylvain Chavanel
3. Grimpelder
4. Jelle V
5. J Rod
I’d get all cocky about repeating if it felt like I knew what my picks were worth.nOt feeling it, so here goes(I just think a buncha “no names” gonna blow it apart and surprise us).
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Heshedal(goes out to scaler)
3. Albasini
4. Cunego
5. Horner
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Valverde
3. J Rod
4. Sammy Sanchez
5. Night Ryder
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Vanendert (J)
3. Rodriguez
4. Gasparotto
5. Gerrans
Comment
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Voeckler
3. Jelle Vanendert
4. Elder Schleck
5. Sammy Sanchez
VSP PICKS:
1. Philippe Gilbert
2. Joaquim Rodriguez
3. Damiano Cunego
4. Samuel Sanchez
5. Alejandro Valverde
@gaswepass
Dude, every time I do picks and run across his name, I wanna pick him. For the top 5 anyway. Not sure why, but I think next year we’re gonna see a lot of him on the steps. How could you not be a great cyclist with a name like Ryder? Or a great climber with a name like Summit?
VSP PICKS:
1. J. Rod
2. Can he go?
3. Giblets
4. Sandwhich
5. Jelle “V”
forgot about him… gilbert in…
VSP PICKS:
1. Rodriguez
2. Heshedal(goes out to scaler)
3. gilbert
4. Cunego
5. Horner
VSP PICKS:
1. J-Rod
2. Gilbert
3. Cunego
4. F. Schleck
5. Valverde
I was going to put Sagan in for the win but he is conveniently not riding. Whew, so now I have to hope Phil is good. Can J-Rod go back to back? I’m betting not. Schlecks, I have no faith in them. Gerro, maybe on the podium. Voeckler was hanging tough in Flanders, maybe I’m just a dreamer. I struck Valverde from the list because he is a tosser.
VSP PICKS:
1. gilbert
2. ryder hesjedal
3. voeckler
4. dan martin
5. j-rod
VSP PICKS:
1. gilbert
2. j rodriguez
3. cunego
4. f schleck
5. valverde
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Nibali
3. Frank Schleck
4. Cunego
5. Rodriquez
Dammit. Stavelot’s only a three hour drive from here. Nice cobbled hill sector up through the center of town, similar to the approach to Kapelmuur (before it turns right up the hill. Lots of Leffe Brun available.
But school work will have me chained to the desk. Although the overall view is better.
Here’s the town circle, about midway up the hill. Taken about two hours before the Stage 2, 2010 TdF train came through (in a soaking rain). Actually, by the time they came through, it wasn’t a train, but a series of shell-shocked, bloodied riders.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Rodriguez
3. Cunego
4. Valverde
5. F. Schleck