Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

Tarmac in bad state - Isn't that why we're here?

The 2012 Velominati Super Prestige kicks off in proper form this season with the debut of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad as part of the series. I’m tempted to stubbornly refer to this race as Het Volk, but I’ll toe the line and refer to the race by its bewildering new(ish) name.

This is a tricky race to predict because the big races in April are a funny distance away; they are close enough that riders wanting to do well there should be in good enough form to be competitive now, but far enough off that a win here could indicate a rider hitting their peak too soon.

In fact, the latter seems to be the case: riders who show brilliance here rarely shine in April when the Monuments of Vlaanderen and Roubaix are contested. De Vlaeminck, Museeuw, Van Petegem, Vandenbroucke – all champions of the Cobbled Classics and all men who never succeeded to win Het Volk/Het Nieuwsblad in the same year as either of the big cobbled classics; in fact, a cursory study of past results lists reveals only Merckx and Ballerini as being able to pull this particular double.

This timing makes Het Nieuwsblad a particularly difficult race to predict; in addition to the wily nature of any cobbled classic, the big names may not quite have the eye of the tiger while riders with an outside chance at victory in April may be focusing their early season on glory in this minor classic which covers many of the sacred roads as de Ronde.

With that we kick off the first event of the 2012 VSP; up for grabs is the personalized Velominati Shop Apron to the contestent who wins the season-long competition. Check the Main VSP page for scoring guidelines and rules. As a sidebar, we’ve also made lots of changes to the VSP engine; despite my usual nonchalant approach to production-testing, I’ve actually done my best to test the system this time around. There are, however, too many scenarios to be sure I covered them all, so I strongly encourage you to enter your picks early, knowing that you can make changes all the way up until the VSP closes. If you notice something behaving strangely, please let us know and we’ll have time to resolve the issue or let you know precisely why you’re crazy.

Picks close at 5am Pacific time on Saturday, and since last year’s VSP taught us that our readership sucks at time zone calculations (I’m looking at you, Bretto), we’ve introduced a countdown clock which should make even the most bone-headed of contestants aware of how much time they’ve got left to enter their losing picks (now I’m looking at you, Ron).

Good luck, and stand by for the VVomen’s Het Nieuwsblad VSP, scheduled to go live tomorrow.

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

  • VSP PICKS:

    1. Tom Boonen
    2. Greg Van Avermat
    3. Heinrich Hausler
    4. Juan Antonio Flecha
    5. Stijn Devolder

  • @Calmante

    Guess no one got the TWIKI reference for Buck Rogers... Oh well.

    I got it, but I've already shown too much nerd this week with my comic book reference. I don't frakking need to show my sci-fi geek as well.

  • VSP PICKS:

    1. She's Legal In Amsterdam
    2. Phil Gilabert
    3. Flecha
    4. Boom
    5. Sauceler

  • @Buck Rogers-Hair splitting not necessary, I was saying (although not explicitly) that his form is looking good and he'll take this on his way to bagging a Monument (Paris-Roubaix) because Gilbert will probably take Flanders.

  • No idea whatsover... this is just a wish list. Left Thor off, as he'll be aiming for P-R, so will be 6 weeks from peaking (just like me)

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Flecha
    2. Boom
    3. Leukemans
    4. Phinney
    5. Tommeke Boonen

  • @ramenvelo

    Boonen has never won this race but he was looking real good in Qatar and in San Luis. I say this year he takes another Monument. Sep is going to sneak into the top 5.

    I hope he takes another monument, but that surely means he won't win Saturday!

  • @Buck Rogers

    @ramenvelo

    Boonen has never won this race but he was looking real good in Qatar and in San Luis. I say this year he takes another Monument.

    To split hairs, and hopefully not sound like too much of an ass, it's not a Monument (there are only the five of those) it's a semi-classic.

    I think he's saying he'll win a monument - independently from this event.

  • and a top ten finish for Clinton Avery!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Gilbert
    2. Shpilevsky
    3. Cooke
    4. Haussler
    5. van Avermaet

  • The big boys are here for some training & will keep the powder dry, there's a few around that'll be looking for a win on the board early to help along negotiations later in the year...

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Ale Ballet
    2. Sauceler
    3. The Arrow
    4. Dynamite
    5. Ciolek

  • Boonen to keep burning his form too early in the season and Burghardt as my roughie.

    C'mon Heinrich!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Flecha
    3. Aussie Heinrich
    4. Boom
    5. Burghardt

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