Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Nice 2012
It’s right around this time of year when the little voice in my head that spurs me on in cold, wet, Rule #9 conditions starts getting overpowered by all my other personalities who at this stage are gathering stones and crowbars and getting ready to enforce their will on him regarding their preference for riding in nice, warm, sunny conditions. I feel bad for the little guy, too, since he helps me a lot in a climate like the Pacific Northwest; but truth be told, my fingers still haven’t regained their feeling from last week’s ride and I admit it would be nice to arrive home after a ride triumphant and warm instead of frozen and soaked like a wet rat.
It appears I’m not the only one ready for some warmer weather, and Paris-Nice traditionally holds a place of honor as “The Race to the Sun” for its timing is such that the race often starts in the French interior with rain (and possibly snow), and arrives on the sunny Cote d’Azur in Nice in balmy conditions.
With that we start our first stage race of the season, along with an opportunity to expose more bugs and logical faults in the VSP software. But never mind that; the same basic rules apply as do with one-day races, expect the stakes are a bit higher with 10 points for first place, 8 for second, 7 for third, 5 for fourth, and 3 for fifth plus two bonus points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing. Should the race be exciting enough to merit its inclusion, The Keepers may elect to include a bonus round on the VSP for one of the stages along the way. Watch this space for news in that arena.
Check the start list and watch the countdown timer as picks close at 5am Pacific on Sunday; 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. Seeing as this is the first stage race, 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.
Good luck.
Lets see what BMC can do!
@Dr C
That Movistar rider at the front doesn’t even care, looks so calm.
Wiggins kicks!
@snoov
Not much of a kick.
Westra looks really fresh.
Lost some weight, but he used to be more of a ITT rider.
Wiggins 1
Westra 2 @ 6 seconds
Leipheimer 3 @ 10 seconds
Valverde 4
I don’t even know the rest.
I don’t think Valverde will win Paris-Nice now.
Woah, just watched the finish in Flemish…and now there are 15kms to go in the Tirreno. What a morning!
http://www.letour.fr/2012/PNC/LIVE/us/500/classement/index.html
New standing through 30th at the moment.
Westra moves all the way up to second, Van Garderen slips to 6th by two seconds.
Cav is just unbelievable.
I’m pretty much out the back this season.
Dammit. I knew I should’ve changed out Tommy V for Eggtimer while I had the chance.
Oh wow, exciting finish in Italy…Again, what a morning. A mtn. finish in France, then ten minutes later a sprint finish in Italy. Awesomeness!
Really cool to have to see teams like Sky so skillfully split up their squads for two big races.
Michael Matthews crashed out in the Tirreno, he is now on his way to the hospital.
Blel Kadri has crashed in P-N and is in the hospital as well…
Lieuwe Westra! Nice! Vacansolei is off to a strong start this year.
Is it just me or did Cav lose a ton of weight in the last few weeks?
@frank
No doubt. It hasn’t gone unnoticed by many in the peloton, either.
@frank
I was thinking about that the other night while watching the NBC Sports coverage of Parisnice. They did one of those “in focus” things on Sky, and when Cav came on, he talked about the fact that he actually really likes to climb, and likes to train to climb. I wonder if he’s getting a little sick of being spit out the back on every mountain stage?
@The Oracle
I’m sure after finishing after the time cut at last years Tour an improvement in climbing will only help him keep a hold off the Green Jersey should he gain it.
@The Oracle
Ditto on that!
@frank
He shaved his hipster beard too.
@frank
Although according to the reports if he hadn’t sat up to showboat over the line he would also have taken the leader’s jersey.
What’s Dutch for “You are Erik Zabel and I Claim My Five Pounds”
@The Oracle
I have it from a reliable source (who’s in Italy training himself) that Cav was flat flying up the Poggio last week.
Anyone have a video link for today’s Tirreno finish?
@scaler911
Makes sense, given what it says here: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/532017/cavendish-aims-for-san-remo-win-as-world-champ.html
@The Oracle
I’m seriously putting Cav as my #1 pick for MSR. He wants it bad, and when he’s that keen on something, I wouldn’t bet against him. I’m going Cav, Friere, Boonen, Cancellara, + 1 other for VSP.
Suffice to say, Cav doesn’t seem to be suffering the Rainbow Jersey Curse. Well done to him.
@snoov
@wiscot
Imagine being guys like Farrar…
@marko
Or Thor for that matter – looking at Fabian and Tommeke in the last few weeks can’t have been terribly conforting either. I’m predicting a bust of a season for Thor.
@wiscot
If by bust you mean another failure in Roubaix then yes, I can see your logic. However, if he picks it up and wins a few rouleur stages in the tour success for him will be measured that way.
And Cav’s w.c. kit is the best in years. The helmet, black shoes, white socks, black shorts. Money.
@Marko
He’s looking fantastic. As Farrar went for it I thought “too early mate”, I guess he’s just unlucky to be a Pro at the same time as Cav.
Wiggins, well he’s a steady rider but I’m not expecting him to attack at any time which is a bit disappointing. Near the end today he kicked for a few metres and it would have been awesome if he’d taken it all the way to the line. Has he got it in him for later in the season?
@wiscot
Don’t forget Gilbert. He publically stated that MSR is one of his main goals this year. I’m def going with Tomeke, Sparty, Gilbert, Cav and one other. Should cover most bases.
@frank
When I saw that photo online earlier today, all I could think was that poor Farrar has worn that expression soooooooo many times behind Cav that it is started to be permanently stuck on his face.
@Buck Rogers
The big question will be whether the classics guys can drop Cav.
@The Oracle
Videos, take your pick:
http://www.cyclingfans.com/tirreno-adriatico/videos
@wiscot
Thor was having a bit of stomach problems this week according to an article I read.
@snoov
Wiggo didn’t really need to attack until Westra got away, but he did go too late then. I feel like he should do fantastic this year.
@Marko
The only issue here are his too-long socks.
@Marko
Gee, I have no idea why a Velominatus would be immediately drawn to the look of Cav’s kit this year…
@Marko
He must read the site.
@frank
It seems they are longer for the sole purpose to include rainbow bands at the top
@DerHoggz
Merci! Or, I suppose it should be, Grazie!
Dang, say what you want about that guy, but he can flat out bring it.
@Tartan1749
And I think he has his name on them too! For me, Valverde wears his socks just right. Short. Not low-cut, not long, just right. Wish I had the ability to post pix . . .
Thw way that he just rode right around ‘Transitions’ was very impressive. Even more so given the length of the stage.
Given a little luck he could well take MSR in the hoops!
@Buck Rogers
I guess that’s an issue all other sprinters are wrestling with these days: do I go early and hope I can hold it and that Cav might hesitate or get blocked, or do I take his wheel and try and come off it? Both options seem to be unfeasible these days. Cav seems to be a master of the timing.
I have to say, he’s maturing rapidly (I also have to say I never really bought into the “immature” Cav stuff: sure, he talked he talk, but he won the stages/races and ALWAYS thanked his teammates.) It’s also great to see a rider who really respects and honors the WC bands. The “irregular” win salutes seem to be gone too.
Tom Simpson still casts a long shadow over British cycling and I believe Cav wants to go down as THE greatest British rider ever.
@RedRanger
Nice reference… clocked that: the enemy’s gate is down.
@wiscot
Good call on Simpson but also have to think about R Millar when you are speaking about the great British riders, in my opinion.
@Buck Rogers
I hear you, but I was talking about THE best – bar none. Don’t get me wrong, as a Scot, I have a very big place in my heart for Millar, but always dream about what he might have achieved if he had been decently managed. Odd character for sure (have you read Searching for Robert Millar?) but a huge talent. Had he been on the equivalent of an HTC or Garmin – teams that might have accommodated his idiosyncracies a bit better – then he could have achieved so much more. Kinda like another Scot – Graeme Obree. Ironically both rode for the disastrous Le Groupement team.
Sooooo… I’ve got Wiggo at #1, and Valverde at #2 (my other three picks are hopelessly buried in the crosswinds of stage 2). What say you all about the chances that this could be the final result?
@The Oracle
No idea. I had Tony M winning, and Phinney at #3, but right now I have Twiggo, Levi and Alejandro in my top 5 so I think I’m still good for some VSP points. The next two stages are pretty nasty though and that last TT is pretty short. Right now I’m thinking Valverde as Twiggo and Levi aren’t super-aggressive and V likes to attack and wants to show he’s back. My money’s on the Spaniard.
Does anyone have a link to some final kms of video that shows an overhead shot? I want to see Cavendish (& Oscar!) weave through everyone for that finish!
I saw it live but now watching RAI, Eurosport, Sporza, they cut it right after the finish. I want to see the Ultimo Kilometro from overhead again.
Thanks, duderinos!
@roadslave525
haha, I wasnt sure any one would get the reference, but I put it out there anyway.