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

  • The Sky Boys (ok, Team GB) are going to do another effort like they did at the worlds. Knowing that if they can get Cav to the last 5kms, they will have a likely winner, the will bury themselves for him. Remember, the Olympics are huge in the UK (even though they are basically the London Games, no matter what Lord Snooty and Boris the Blonde Bombshell say) and in four year's time, Cav's sprint will likely be diminished and the course might not be so favorable.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cavendish
    2. Greipel
    3. Sagan
    4. Goss
    5. Boonen

  • Froome will get his reward for doing his job in France.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Froome
    2. Boasson Hagen
    3. Greipel
    4. Terpstra
    5. Gilbert

  • @wiscot
    That's what I was thinking, and your picks are the same as mine, great minds and all that. Well that's what we'll be saying if we get it right although I got my picks in earlier and will therefore get the top spot.

  • @TBONE

    I was tempted to pick Ryder 5 times but decided to give a few others the benefit of the doubt. I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Ryder Hesjedal
    2. Fabian Cancellara
    3. Philippe Gilbert
    4. Mark Cavendish
    5. Peter Sagan

    P.S. everyone should count their blessings Kabush has stuck to XC.

  • I'd like to pick a flyer, but this is a team race, and I think Cav is gonna have the best team to chase down a break, so...

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cav
    2. Sagan
    3. Boonen
    4. Cancellara
    5. Greipel

  • @Papageno

    Froome will get his reward for doing his job in France.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Froome
    2. Boasson Hagen
    3. Greipel
    4. Terpstra
    5. Gilbert

    Like your picks here, I nearly went down a similar road, the old rouleur V sprinter dilemna or is it dilemma?

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