Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Olympic Road Race 2012

Grewal, legally doped to the gills, takes the win ahead of Canadian Steve Bauer.

You can all wave “goodbye” to your Post GT Depression Syndrome, because the Men’s Olympic Road Race is only three days yonder. I don’t typically give two shits about this particular event; while contested by national teams, unlike the Worlds it appears as just another one-day race on a calendar filled with events that carry much more historical and nostalgic significance. What’s worse, it seems the brilliance has faded from the flame of Olympic Spirit – after all, what is an international sports rivalry without the associated political Boggie Dance of Political Superiority? Merckx, I miss the Cold War.

But this time is different. Contested in London over a route that may or may not favor the squat little speed demon Mark Cavendish, the Cycling world has been abuzz about whether his presence on Team Sky alongside Pippi Longstockings implies his impending doom or his certain success – because everyone knows those are the only two possibilities. Be that as it may, the route boasts to be lumpy enough for breakaways or small field sprints, which makes this particular Velominatus, for once, really excited to see what happens. Oh, and as a special request to the riders, if we could keep everyone off the juice this time round, that would be peaches and creame.

With that, check the start list and pretend like that is going to help you make your predictions. Then look at the route and do the same before making a wild guess and hoping you come up good. One-Day VSP rules apply; get your picks in by the time the countdown timer goes to zero and pray for daylight.

Good luck.

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

  • What a spectacular gooseegg for me.  Done yelling at TV now.  Time for a tea party with my daughter.

  • @RedRanger

    Beakers handle bar setup for today's race. Merckx that hurts my eyes. seriously wtf?

    Yeah, thanks for posting this pic, as they rolled by I was like: holy mother of crap.....yikes.  I wanted to see them up close. Those are disgusting to me.

  • I got nothing except the satisfaction of not seeing a 250km race come down to 400m sprint with a win for Cav.

  • awesome!!!!!!!

    the old man nailed it!!!!

    now who the crap thunk this would happen??

     

  • What in the world was Uran doing at the end? It's like he decided to stop and listen to a bird or something. That'll keep him up tonight I reckon.

  • Watching Faboo breaking down, THE saddest sight ...sobbing into the shoulder of a colleague....tearing up over here

  • @earnest!

    What in the world was Uran doing at the end? It's like he decided to stop and listen to a bird or something. That'll keep him up tonight I reckon.

    Smart riding by a veteran to attack when Uran Uran was looking back for the chase. With 300m to go you should be looking up the road, not back. Brilliant riding by Veino.

  • @Marcus

    Just couldn't find a spot for Moldavia's number 1 rider.

    Is this going to be Vino's last race? Would love to see him win. Know I will see him in a break.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Goss
    2. Sagan
    3. EBH
    4. Boonen
    5. Chavanel

    I write that about myfavourite rider - yet I don't pick him. What a tool I am. All hail Vino!

  • Looks like Cav got the rough end of the pineapple out of the TdF/Olympics deal with his British Cycling overlords.

  • Uran is going to have nightmares about that rookie error.

    Never been much of a Vino fan since his vampire tactics but that was a cool moment.

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