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

boomboom-84 says:

Mar 18 2014 at 6:33 pm

Many thanks to the sponsors for the great prizes on offer!!

VSP PICKS:

1. Peter Sagan
2. John Degenkolb
3. Tom Boonen
4. Michael Matthews
5. JJ Rojas
jarbite says:

Mar 18 2014 at 6:42 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Cav
3. Cancellara
4. Degenkolb
5. Kwiatkowski
unversio says:

Mar 18 2014 at 6:50 pm

@wiscot

Ok, I think I speak for the majority of Velominati here, but we would agonize, sweat, fret and anguish over the VSP if there was a repaired inner tube as the grand prize. The actual prizes on offer are stunning and will only raise the stakes to unbearable levels. Many thanks to the sponsors for their generosity.

Had to consign to my picks just hours ago. Time is now spent out in the service course we are constructing -- just painted a featured wall Giro d'Italia PINK. Photos to come one day this year.
frank says:

Mar 18 2014 at 7:06 pm

@Roadslave525

The start of the season. Both the sun and the cherry blossoms are out, and - even though it is still cold enough for Flandrien best - there are people in shorts and flip flops in London's parks. All in all, it's a time for dreaming... A time for optimists. The whole season stretches ahead, as yet unseen, like a shallow reef against which all my hopes will be slowly dashed to pieces.

Fuck me, we miss you and your poetry around here. Just beautiful.

And I cut out the part where you hail all your countrymen and colonialists. A sad ending to a strong start. You can thank me now for not quoting that bit.
Brianold55 says:

Mar 18 2014 at 7:10 pm

Fab prizes! So, quick spin of the chocolate wheel and...

VSP PICKS:

1. Sagan
2. Spartacus
3. Gerrans
4. Cavendish
5. Nibali
Bianchi Denti says:

Mar 18 2014 at 7:10 pm

Fuck it. Why not?!

VSP PICKS:

1. Pelucchi
2. Degenkolb
3. Moser
4. MIchael Matthews
5. Colbrelli
frank says:

Mar 18 2014 at 7:10 pm

@xponti, @Mike_P, @wiscot, @boomboom-84, @JCM et el

Great ghosts of Merckx (and he isn't even dead) what a prize pool.

Rather than organizing them for the TDF and having those awesome prizes potentially go to someone who doesn't really hang around here, we figured we'd get organized (just a tad) and get the good prizes together for the whole caboodle.

We still have some exciting stuff in store for the other big events, but we figured we'd put the ~$10k in prizes up for the loyalists this time.

So thanks to you, not us.
frank says:

Mar 18 2014 at 7:19 pm

@wiscot

Third place gets TWO Velominati caps? So they do exist . . . or will by the end of the season. Stop your shameless teasing FFS!

Its the same cap from different angles, genius. Also, for clarification, its just one pair for shoes, not two. But lets make a deal: if you win, I'll give you two caps.
Kyle V. says:

Mar 18 2014 at 7:22 pm

VSP PICKS:

1. Peter Sagan
2. Andre Greipel
3. Greg Van Avermaet
4. Ramunas NAVARDAUSKAS
5. Michal KWIATKOWSKI
Beers says:

Mar 18 2014 at 7:27 pm

Good luck to all, thanks Keepers for giving us the opportunity, and thanks to the sponsors for their fantastic kit!

VSP PICKS:

1. cavendish
2. gerrans
3. sagan
4. cancellara
5. degenkolb