Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Elite Road Race 2013

Gobbles goes clear on the Cauberg in 2012

The world championship road race stands out among all other one-day races as the one where the winner is awarded both a curse and a jersey to carry for the next 12 months. It also inspires way too many riders to wear white bibs, which is an alarming trend in itself and one which I hope Brian Cookston, the new UCI President, prioritizes over the doping problem – let’s face facts: white shorts on rainy days does more damage to Cycling’s image than any doping scandal ever could.

Be that as it may, I often find myself wondering if its easier to win a Grand Tour or a one-day race. Certainly, winning a Grand Tour requires focus, discipline, and performance across a wide range of terrain and over a long period of time, but it also offers the opportunity to recover from a bad moment and to take advantage of the days where the terrain or discipline suits the qualities of the rider. A one-day race, on the other hand, is shorter but also less controllable. All in, no net; a moment’s inattention could be disastrous and in an instant your chances could disappear up the road.

The World Championships are also the only race which has brought Mary V to tears after narrowly losing the title. The Dutch don’t cry easily, especially not the ones who bleed pure V.

The Worlds are always a live wire of a race; the national teams mean the riders are riding for and against their usual teammates. Team unity is always a question, and loyalties are hard to predict. All for one and one for all, until a mate goes up the road and suddenly things start looking blurry. Throw in a circuit race, a big climb you ride 17 times, a steep ramp about V km from finish, and you’ve got yourself a race Nostradamus would have a chore predicting.

The Men set out in what is predicted to be horrendous weather on Sunday, September 29. Check the start list, rattle the bones, and put your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero. Good luck.

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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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View Comments

Dr C says:

Sep 28 2013 at 12:50 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Faboo
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. Caruso
5. Nibali
ErikdR says:

Sep 28 2013 at 1:07 am

Go cloggies!

VSP PICKS:

1. Alejandro Valverde
2. Robert Gesink
3. Peter Sagan
4. Daniel Martin
5. Warren Barguil
JohnB says:

Sep 28 2013 at 2:08 am

My head hurts trying to pick this VSP. It's even had me looking at betting websites for some inspiration. Youth to triumph, 150/1 outsider but a 60kg 6 footer.

VSP PICKS:

1. Warren Barguil
2. Peter Sagan
3. Fabian Cancellara
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Dan Martin
The Grande Fondue says:

Sep 28 2013 at 3:16 am

Valverde to get another second.

VSP PICKS:

1. Nibali
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Joaquim Rodrigez
4. Cancellara
5. Porte
chrismurphy92 says:

Sep 28 2013 at 4:15 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Cancellara
2. Sagan
3. Nibali
4. Rodrigez
5. Valverde
bunji says:

Sep 28 2013 at 4:22 am

VSP PICKS:

1. valverde
2. uran
3. nibali
4. evans
5. rodriguez
the Engine says:

Sep 28 2013 at 4:23 am

I've seen Cavendouche race a couple of times this year and he's going like a train - he can climb a hill when he has to - or rather descend like a maniac. Someone has to get him to the line and Froome knows that he can look at his stem all day but if it finishes in a bunch (as it will) he's fucked so he'll look after Cavendouche with the rest of his former Sky pals seeing as the rest of OPQS will be riding for somone else. The weather will be apocalyptic which will suit anyone from the UK apart from Pippi Longstocking who will either fall off or get dropped or both.

Sagan will lose by half a bike length and I might have swapped him with the Dog if I didn't think that Froome will rise to the occasion.

Nibbles and Faboo will looked pissed off and thump their handlebars in the background of the finishing line slo-mo.

Horner will blow up.

VSP PICKS:

1. Cavendouche
2. Froome Dog
3. Peter Sagandouche
4. Nibbles
5. Faboo
norm says:

Sep 28 2013 at 4:39 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Rui Costa
2. Faboo
3. Eddy Boss
4. Froome
5. Sagan
ballengator says:

Sep 28 2013 at 5:05 am

Tough decision. Sagan and Cancellara both targeted this race. Betting that Sagan learned from the spring races on how to take Faboo.

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Cancellara
3. Valverde
4. Nibali
5. Gilbert
Jay says:

Sep 28 2013 at 5:09 am

"Herding cats" yet again...

VSP PICKS:

1. Cancellara
2. Nibali
3. Horner
4. Van Garderen
5. Sagan