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.

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View Comments

eightzero says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:11 am

I should be picking all cav all the time. But Sagan just seems to be a better choice. Watch the stage 20 finish and see him close on cav in the last 200m. Had he been set up right, maybe a different result.

And the women's VSP is up when? I'm told all participating 205 countries aresending female athletes, and Olympic first.

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Boonen
3. Goss
4. Greipel
5. Bosen Hagen
Marcus says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:18 am

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
imakecircles says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:21 am

VSP PICKS:

1. cav
2. greipel
3. sagan
4. goss
5. farrar
imakecircles says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:24 am

cav in a sprint.
The Oracle says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:25 am

I'm a newly-minted Wiggo fan, but I'm still hoping Spartacus blows him away in the TT.

VSP PICKS:

1. The Manx Missile
2. Hansel & Greipel
3. Billions and Billions
4. Goss
5. Boonen
motor city says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:44 am

While on the subject of the olympics i'm going to repost this audio slideshow with Tommy Godwin who rode in the 1948 London Games. Some beautiful old photos and a great story of what it was like to be a rider in those days that might interest some of you: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/audioslideshow/2012/jan/02/1948-london-olympics-cycling-audio-slideshow
VeloVita says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:56 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Cavendish
2. Goss
3. Sagan
4. Boonen
5. EBH
pakrat says:

Jul 25 2012 at 11:59 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Cavendish
2. Gilbert
3. Sagan
4. Nibali
5. Chava
San Tonio says:

Jul 25 2012 at 12:02 pm

Tough decision should I be patriotic and pick Americans to win or some British guys who have been on a hot streak lately.

Looking at the start list it could end up being a real crap shot.

Maybe I'll just go with the Olympic Tourminator to Gump his way across the finish line
Steampunk says:

Jul 25 2012 at 12:10 pm

Nibali, Gilbert, Sagan, & Chavanel get away, which scares the shit out of the main bunch, but British firepower reins them back in for a bunch sprint.

Interesting afterword on the Tour's final stage. A couple of years ago, Cav told the media that he deliberately sprinted up the right hand side of the finish"”the bumpy side"”just to show how much faster he was than all the other sprinters in the bunch. No words this year, but have another look at the finish (@ 1:44):

http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/6024

VSP PICKS:

1. M. Cavendish
2. A. Greipel
3. J. Degenkolb
4. M. Goss
5. E. Viviani