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.

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View Comments

Tartan1749 says:

Mar 22 2014 at 9:22 am

Here we go!

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Durbridge
3. Fast Phil
4. EBH
5. Swiss locomotive
Buck Rogers says:

Mar 22 2014 at 9:38 am

Alright, throwing in my late picks without even checking the ODDSCHECKER website. I had a ton of fun with this VSP in 2011 and 2012 but found the odds sites in 2013 and got too caught up trying to win and just pretty much went off of Oddschecker, which really took the fun out of it for me. So, playing by heart and what I have been seeing in the races, not by oddschecker for this year. I am sure that I will not place as high overall but I am also pretty sure that I will have a lot more fun with it!

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Cavendish
3. Cancellara
4. Greipel
5. Kwiatowski
gaswepass says:

Mar 22 2014 at 9:39 am

VSP PICKS:

1. cancellara
2. kwiatkowski
3. avaermeaererert
4. sagan
5. cavendished
Steampunk says:

Mar 22 2014 at 9:49 am

What a difference a few years makes. I didn't pick him, but I'd be very happy to see Cav win MSR.
Steampunk says:

Mar 22 2014 at 9:51 am

@Buck Rogers

Good on ya, but my head says that if OPQS have two riders finishing in the top five, one of them is winning this...
frank says:

Mar 22 2014 at 9:51 am

@RedRanger

@Mikael Liddy I won the Vuelta VSP with no rest day changes. Im doing the same thing all of this year. Rule Ving this shit.

Can you explain how choosing riders who are actually in the race is Anti-V, as your position on this matter implies?
kixsand says:

Mar 22 2014 at 10:10 am

I think the Ranger in Red is operating under the assumption that in the case of a tie, the Velominatum that didn't make a submission change will be declared the victor.

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Greipel
3. Faboo
4. Degenkolb
5. Gerrans
Steampunk says:

Mar 22 2014 at 10:17 am

@kixsand

I think the Ranger in Red is operating under the assumption that in the case of a tie, the Velominatum that didn't make a submission change will be declared the victor.

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Greipel
3. Faboo
4. Degenkolb
5. Gerrans

Speaking of which: Gerrans is out.
Jeff Simmons says:

Mar 22 2014 at 10:29 am

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Cancellara
3. Gilbert
4. Dekenkolb
5. Greipel
Buck Rogers says:

Mar 22 2014 at 10:51 am

@Steampunk

@Buck Rogers

Good on ya, but my head says that if OPQS have two riders finishing in the top five, one of them is winning this...

Two thoughts on my picks. One is Sagan takes a flyer a la Sparty a few years ago and wins it just ahead of the bunch sprint won by Cav with Kwiatowski helping in the leadout or perhaps a small breakaway makes it and Sagan edges out the others.

But, who knows??? Should be SUPER no matter what!