Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s La Fleche Wallonne 2016

The bunch climbs the Mur de Huy

Don’t these race organizers understand how confusing it is when races are held mid-week? It means we have to have to manage against unrealistic expectations like realizing what day of the week it is and then do the sums on how much lead time we want to give on the VSP.

Which is obviously too much to expect. Of me, anyway. I have a lot of big deals cooking, you see. Its very complicated and important. I could tell you about it but you probably wouldn’t be able to handle it all.

So. That leaves us with about 20 hours for VSP picks entry. Sorry about that. Hopefully you’ve already been prognosticating on the start list and have your game together already. If not, I hope you do well under pressure. Don’t forget there are awesome prizes on offer: Don Walker is giving away a free custom steel frame, Café Roubaix is giving away a carbon wheelset, and we are giving away a free V-Kit.

Good luck!

[vsp_results id=”41707″/]

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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chris says:

Apr 20 2016 at 9:40 am

@John Irvine

Strangely, it appears that VSP was open this morning even after the race had started. I almost got a Henau swap in under the wire, but it closed on me. But that was well into the race, (if not the broadcast.)

In any case, I’m happy to have 3 in the top five, and third exact.

That's the Keeper's stealth test for breaches of the Petit Principle.
LawnCzar says:

Apr 20 2016 at 9:46 am

I make my VSP picks and go bed early to make sure I'm rested for this evening's team ride... first thing I see this morning is that Henao is out. Crap.

(shrug)

That's bike racing.
wiscot says:

Apr 20 2016 at 10:27 am

@chuckp

I know! The tone of my comment would have been much easier to convey if emoticons were allowed!
chuckp says:

Apr 20 2016 at 10:38 am

@wiscot

@chuckp

I know! The tone of my comment would have been much easier to convey if emoticons were allowed!

And I know I shouldn't complain. I got #1 and #5 right plus picked Dan Martin to be in the top 5.
Steampunk says:

Apr 20 2016 at 11:44 am

@chuckp

That was weird, too. Although, I'm perfectly willing to accept that Jungels would probably have finished third if that trio had stayed away. His job was to soften, but it was strange nevertheless.
Minnesota Expat says:

Apr 20 2016 at 12:04 pm

@Teocalli

@Buck Rogers

@Minnesota Expat

Just a reminder to the VSP newbies. From UPS yesterday. This is real.

No. I don’t live in Australia.

HOL—EEEE-FUCK!!!

Jeeezhus, man! Where are the pics of the opened box!!! Don’t leave us hanging like this!!!

I can imaging sitting and staring at that for all of 0.75 Sec before reaching for the Stanley Knife.

I wish, but I'm on the road for work. The VMH did take a peak and it's all wrapped up and bound with orange Jaegher tape. I want a roll of that tape!

Almost as fun, is pulling the trigger on a big component order for the build. Nice big fat tax return landed in the bank account yesterday, time for some shopping tonight!
EdwinJames says:

Apr 20 2016 at 12:15 pm

Odd Christian Eiking (FDJ) came in 124th place at La Fleche Wallone
chuckp says:

Apr 20 2016 at 12:18 pm

@Steampunk

@chuckp

That was weird, too. Although, I’m perfectly willing to accept that Jungels would probably have finished third if that trio had stayed away. His job was to soften, but it was strange nevertheless.

The break was never going to stay away. Red meat for the hounds. They might have gotten caught later had Etixx not chased, but they were going to get caught. Movistar played it right. Izaguirre in the break and just sitting in, and they let other teams take up the chase. Jungels never had a chance. He got spit out the back almost immediately after the peloton swallowed them up. So why Etixx wasted energy is beyond me. It's like Etixx just finds ways to not win.
Olli says:

Apr 20 2016 at 1:22 pm

Oh no, it did "delgado" and now I am too late :-)
Steampunk says:

Apr 20 2016 at 2:54 pm

Purito looked pretty good until he didn't. I presume he just sat up once he realized the gig was up. As exciting as it is to watch them tear up the Mur de Huy, the last couple of years have been a little anti-climactic. Valverde gets to the front and everyone more or less just follows him up. Kudos to Martin for trying to animate, but I miss Gilbert and his fireworks.