Velominati Super Prestige: Milano Sanremo 2014

Merckx takes his first of seven MSRs.

Het Volk (it will always be Het Volk to me) and now the Strade Bianche may well mark the sentimental beginning to the season, but those are specialized, pre-season races that appeal mostly to riders who are preparing for bigger objectives later in the year, such as the Cobbled or Ardennes Classics. Same goes for Tirreno Adriatico and Paris-Nice; there are preparatory events – none of the marquee names have these events in their programme as primary objectives.

The season doesn’t really start until Milano Sanremo, the first Monument and the first race of the year that any Pro would proudly define their career by winning, and so that’s where we start the fifth installment of the Velominati Super Prestige. Last year saw our biggest turnout yet, with sponsors kicking in some serious prizes for the Tour de France VSP. This year we’ve built on that momentum to offer three major prizes for the season-long VSP:

First place overall wins a Veloforma Strada iR Velominati Edition frame in addition to the customary VSP winner’s VVorkshop Apron
Second place overall wins a set of hand built CR Wheelworks Arenberg wheelset in a custom Velominati paint scheme laced to orange Chris King hubs. (CR Wheelworks is Café Roubaix’s new wheel goods brand.)
Third place overall wins a full Velominati V-Kit with accompanying custom orange Bont Vaypor+ road shoes.

So, without further ado, check the start list, review the VSP Scoring Guidelines and get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on Sunday the 24th. If you think we mapped one of your picks wrong, use the dispute system and we’ll review it. Also remember to be precise enough in your description so we know which rider you mean; in other words, if you enter “Martin”, we will use our discretion (read: wild guess) to decide if you mean Tony or Dan – and that choice will not be negotiable once the the countdown clock goes to zero, so be sure to give yourself enough time.

Good luck, and don’t let these awesome prizes ruin your Rule #43 spirit.

[vsp_results id=”29200″/]

[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/VSP Prizes/”/]

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.

Next The Dig »

Previous « The Janus of Suffering

View Comments

Uri says:

Mar 19 2014 at 8:00 pm

@Steampunk

VSP PICKS:

1. Peter Sagan
2. Mark Cavendish
3. John Degenkolb
4. Andre Greipel
5. Spartacus
Owen says:

Mar 19 2014 at 8:16 pm

Respectfully changing my picks in light of some really terrible news. Don't fault him at all for withdrawing.

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Faboo
3. Manx Missile
4. Degenkolb
5. Kwiatkowski
BoogieStudio22 says:

Mar 19 2014 at 8:20 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Peter Sagan
3. Simon Gerrans
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen
5. Taylor Phinney
PT says:

Mar 19 2014 at 8:31 pm

Am updating my picks as Costa, R. is not riding.

VSP PICKS:

1. Gilbert
2. Hushovd
3. Haussler
4. Cancellara
5. Gerrans
frank says:

Mar 19 2014 at 8:46 pm

@Xponti

Had to change out Boonan. Thoughts with the Family through a difficult time

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Sparticus
3. Gerrans
4. Nibbles
5. Cav

You are just one of many people calling this out, and fucking plus one to all of you.

What a classy fucking dude. He is doing the obviously right thing but he also knows that his hopes for this race and his cobbled objectives rely on this race to perform and build racing miles.

Here is a man who holds the possibility of long-lasting records in his hands, and he gives it up for his family. Rule #11 violation notwithstanding, that is class. He can test positive for cocaine at parties as many times as he wants, this is what defines a character, not that other shit.

Boonen is my favorite active cyclist, period. He's up there with RDV and Museeuw for the overall 2nd place in Hardmandom as far as I'm concerned.
Ray Wright says:

Mar 19 2014 at 8:47 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Cavendish
3. Greipel
4. Cancellara
5. Taylor Phinney
Benny says:

Mar 19 2014 at 10:02 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Degenklob
2. Mr Pinchy
3. Bling
4. Moser
5. Ciolek
Simon says:

Mar 19 2014 at 10:04 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Degenkolb
2. Sagan
3. Gilbert
4. Cav
5. Haussler
G'phant says:

Mar 19 2014 at 10:10 pm

This is more of a placeholder, to avoid the humiliation of a Delgado. Which is not to say these picks will not prove humiliating (particularly if there is further gratuitous tweaking of the course as a result of landslides and/or RCS caprice). Just not as humiliating as not even making the starting line. Probably.

Condolences to Tommeke and partner.

VSP PICKS:

1. Cavisbackandcan
2. Kittel
3. Heiny Hairstyle
4. Kittel
5. Degenkolb
G'phant says:

Mar 19 2014 at 10:11 pm

Gah - Greipel in for Kittel's hitherto unheard of sibling...

VSP PICKS:

1. Cavisbackandcan
2. Kittel
3. Heiny Hairstyle
4. Greipel
5. Degenkolb