Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Elite Road Race 2013
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.
[vsp_results id=”27411″/]
Damn, suddenly realised Stybar is going to win, but forgot about him…..too late
@Sautere Thanks. I mean Peter. Unless his mum is racing too…
Oops Delgado’d
Look at what I would have won
Gilbert
Nibali
Froome
Pinot
Porte
@meursault
You would have tipped Pinot, on a fast descent in heavy rain… might as well stick Cavendish in as well !
@ChrisO I have a long and distinguished history of getting zero, or low points! I am hoping Pinot is over, or getting over his descending problems now, can still see him winning that tdf stage in 2012.
@meursault
He had certainly improved in La Vuelta…although i am not sure of picking him in a foul weather day race..
Live wire. Frank, was that a classic AC/DC reference I spotted there?
White bibs! Had a bit of a family reunion last weekend and when three grown cousins heard I was an avid road cyclist they all said, “Oh my god, please tell us you aren’t one of those guys who wears Lycra all over town?”
I laughed and made nice but it crossed my mind to say, “Wait, you are 45 years old and text more than a goddamn tween and I’m the one making party fouls by ducking into a store for a beer after a ride? Fuck you three.”
As a person who prefers using a home or office phone (and I do enjoy the upside of mobiles, so calm down) I’m really shocked not by kids, but by adults who’ve spent the majority of their lives not having a smartphone and now act disrespectful and distracted at all times because of them. I actually sat on a panel discussion this past Wednesday and the dude next to me, an expert there to speak and being watched by the crowd, was playing with his phone, checking emails, etc. Completely fucking insane to me. We now accept all sorts of horrible behavior, such as texting while driving, or while at an event to offer focused, considered comments.
Heard on RAI:
“Cadel Evans, mondiale finito.” (crashed)
Porte and Good Cadel have climbed off. Cadel was caught up in a horrible crash on the last lap but not sure what did for the Crocodile…
@xyxax
Bad Cadel!
@Steampunk
Throw in a hot plate and what you got there is a $2500/month Manhattan apartment.
@Deakus
Martin, Horner, Wiggens, Teejay…the anglophones dropping like so many flies.
@xyxax
The whole British Team are back in the bus……even G has bailed i can’t believe it!
@xyxax
Live coverage anywhere? Searching on Cycling Fans and not finding one here in the USA.
@xyxax
Including the entire GB team
Damn you demon alcohol! Wine, then beer, everything is fine-o, beer then wino, youz gonna delgado!
Fabs will win. That was going to be my pick.
@Buck Rogers Try this, not sure if it will work for you state side though:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/24306085
@Gianni Hmmmmmm demon alcohol wine, beer, fine-o beer wine.
@Buck Rogers
Try the UCI channel on youtube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9_YbtPUgXY.
May be geoblocked in some places, but it’s sweet in NZ. And it’s raining outside, adding to the atmosphere. On the other hand, it is 2:55am, so tomorrow will be shit at work…
Go GVA and Stybar!!!
@V-inden
Thanks. Finally found an Italian feed that is working.
Holy Shades of 1989, Batman. What a day, what a race!!! True Champion will come out of this one!!!
@Buck Rogers This one is working for me in the U.S. – http://castalba.tv/channel/14463
@ballengator
Right. This one is working great. Froome is currently whinging right now live on the feed.
Just heard the on course commentator mention Saggy, he is still there near boss hogg, tvrommentators are not mentioning him because his transponder is not working….
The Italian feed is actually showing the race. The BBC feed just seems to be talking and interviews.
Great quote from Chris “Mr Prologue” Boardman on the BBC commenting on Visconti’s rear cassette
“He’s got a huge sprocket on the back there… probably a 24 or 25 tooth to help him tackle this climb“
Shit! Down goes Nibali! Viscounti has to go all in now.
Nibali is down and doesn’t look excited to catch back on…
Fuck! I just can’t tell which way this is going to go… Spartacus, Sagan and Gilbert must be in the mix, Rui Costa, Bakalents and Degenkolb could be dark horse and I’d love to see Boss Hog do it! As long as it’s not fucking Piti!
Nibbles might make it back.
Nice fake brake adjustment from the Italian car to tow Nibali back up to the pack…classic.
Off to Daughter #1’s futbol match. Should be an exciting finish! Go Sparty and Sagan!!!
They better get rid of Degenkolb…. I think my top three are still there.
leaving it too the last minute aren’t they.
@RedRanger
Can I still get my picks in?
I think all of my picks are still there. Pretty sure that even if I get the top 5 I won’t get them in the right order. Regretting not picking Stybar though, just remembered how he annihilated the peloton on the final climb at the Enneco tour
Is Dan Martin still there?
Purito makes his push.
Faboo missed the move!
@LA Dave
the entire Irish and British teams dropped out from what I heard
Uran is down hard! Awful!
This is setting up perfectly for Valverde…ugh.
Costa is gaining!!!
Not a single source is mentioning Sagan. Is he still in this?
He’s going to get him!!
I feel “meh” about the results
Huh: so I guess it was a climber’s course in the end. Spain really screwed the pooch on that finale, though, no?
Great race. JRod and Nibbles deserve big props for that last lap. Nibali dragged Costa all the way back up and gave him the shot. JRod just didn’t have enough left. Rui played his hand perfectly.
I had Costa in first.
Great race! What a finish, though Malmerde must feel sick he didn’t jump on Costa. 0 for 5. hahahahahah.
@Weldertron
He was doing his normal (be invisible in the bunch). Looked good going up the last climb, then J Rod, Nibbles et al went hard, and dropped the bunch.