Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s La Fleche Wallonne 2016

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.

View Comments

  • @Teocalli

    @Ron

    Ahem…

    In case it’s not on your calendar, today is Dutch American Friendship day. What is that? Well it goes back to 1782 when John Adams was the US President and when he paid a formal visit to The Hague. Our first embassy in the Netherlands opened on this day and it’s been apple pie and stroopwafels ever since.

    I recently discovered the proper way to treat/eat a Stroopwafel is to use it as a lid for your coffee (or tea) to warm and soften it before eating. We were gutted to crack the lid to our Stroopwafel jar recently so replacement on the list when we go to Eroica Limburg.

    This is the truth!

    Got a box of stoopwafels on my desk right now.

  • The Fleche has moved me up to 10th overall. I have learned that the best way to keep a steady tick of points in the VSP is to make sure you NEVER DELGADO.

    And also to pick Valverde sometimes even when you hate his guts. I'm not proud of myself but I want some new wheels...

  • @dyalander

    @chuckp

    I’m guessing, like me you just put “Martin” in as your selection. As there were two Martins racing it probably mapped Guillame instead of Dan.

    I also just put Martin thinking Dan was the only Martin in the race, but checking my picks just now, it seems to have mapped Tony Martin! Ok, hands up, I should have just typed three more letters and this problem would have been avoided, but can I have my point please. It will increase my massive haul for this race by 100%!

  • @RobSandy

    The Fleche has moved me up to 10th overall. I have learned that the best way to keep a steady tick of points in the VSP is to make sure you NEVER DELGADO.

    And also to pick Valverde sometimes even when you hate his guts. I’m not proud of myself but I want some new wheels…

    Exactly!  (well, at least about picking Malmerde--I have no delusions of grandeur that I'll be on the podium at the end of the year but he was such a shoo-in for the win I could not NOT pick him--but, at least in a sporting sense, I HATE that guy's fuck'in guts as well)

  • @DVMR

    @dyalander

    @chuckp

    I’m guessing, like me you just put “Martin” in as your selection. As there were two Martins racing it probably mapped Guillame instead of Dan.

    I also just put Martin thinking Dan was the only Martin in the race, but checking my picks just now, it seems to have mapped Tony Martin! Ok, hands up, I should have just typed three more letters and this problem would have been avoided, but can I have my point please. It will increase my massive haul for this race by 100%!

    But really ... Anyone who picked just Martin meant Dan Martin. He's the only Martin with a chance in a race like Fleche. I want my f**ing point, dammit!

  • @dyalander

    @chuckp

    I’m guessing, like me you just put “Martin” in as your selection. As there were two Martins racing it probably mapped Guillame instead of Dan.

    Yeah, I got caught out by that in a previous VSP. When the last name is Martin you have to be specific on whether it's Dan or Tony. Same goes for the Yates boys or the Sagans if they're both racing.

  • @Harminator

    Sooo….do you think Paris-Roubaix sucked all the V out of western Europe?

    The subsequent races have most certainly been lacking in panache, based on previous editions, this isn't an issue I see changing this weekend either.

  • @Teocalli

    Thanks for posting and love the interview with the Badger. As much of an SOB as he could be at times, I like the part where he gives a shout out to the other riders who finished that day, saying no-one ever talks about them. From what I've read on Hinault, when it was a race HE wanted to win, it was all about him, but if not, he was a very keen and generous teammate. The b&w pic they use at the beginning of the piece shows Sean Kelly who abandoned. That's how tough it was!

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