Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix 2014
It has been a brutal week for us Keepers, having decided not to hold a Keepers Tour this year. Watching the action from half a world away has been almost too much for us to bear, and I know most of the participants from last year must be feeling similarly. On Sunday, we would be escorted by our friends and guides, William and Alex of Pavé Cycling Classics, shooting from one location to another to watch the race, eating Genevieve’s homemade sandwiches and pounding Malteni like its going out of style.
We may not be there this year, but that doesn’t change the question on everyone’s mind: can Fabian do the double a record three times? Personally, I hope not – I want the double to stay special. Until 2003, the previous winner of the double was de Vlaeminck who had managed it in 1977 at which point it had only been done six times previously. But since Van Petegem pulled it off in ’03, Boonen and Cancellara have done it twice each – that’s 4 doubles in the last 10 years.
Come Sunday morning, I’ll be gunning for Boonen. He’s been behind his form just a tad, but he forced the selection on the Koppenberg last Sunday, so he has the power. Maybe a day of killing it in de Ronde was last touch he needed and he’ll be peaking for Sunday. Fabian of course will be strong, but Sep and Greg had strong showings last week and Vanmarke is now proving to be Flecha’s replacement – hopefully he’ll have more luck taking a big win Sunday.
The points from the Paris-Roubaix VSP count towards the overall prizes plus the winner of this event also gets to post for the rest of the year in the cobblestone badge. So 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 13th. 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.
Don’t forget we’ve got 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.
Good luck, have fun with it, and don’t lose your Rule #43 spirit.
[vsp_results id=”29528″/]
Just in time.
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Sep Vanmarcke
3. Niki Terpstra
4. Alexander Kristoff
5. Tom Boonen
Can’t see past spartacus for this.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Stybar
3. Terpstra
4. Phinney
5. Wiggins
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Stybar
3. Thomas
4. Vanmarcke
5. Gaudin D
And the magic 8 ball says…
VSP PICKS:
1. vanmarke
2. van avermaet
3. sagan
4. cancellara
5. van denverg
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Tom Boonen
3. Greg Van Avermaet
4. Fabian Cancellara
5. Zdenek Stybar
Spelling correction… These picks feel off, but it’s Paris-Roubaix so there is no such thing as a sure thing. Can’t imagine trying to make it as a gambler.
VSP PICKS:
1. vanmarke
2. van avermaet
3. sagan
4. cancellara
5. vandenbergh
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellera
2. Tom Booned
3. Peter Sagan
4. Sep Vanmarcke
5. Taylor Phinney
Edited for stupid typo
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellera
2. Tom Boonen
3. Peter Sagan
4. Sep Vanmarcke
5. Taylor Phinney
Not sure about phonesphones
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. van Avermaet
3. Stybar
4. van Marke
5. Vansummeren
There are three guys I’d like to see win, but both Cancellara and Boonen have already done it, so it’s Sep’s turn!
VSP PICKS:
1. Vanmarke
2. Cancellara
3. Boonen
4. Stybar
5. Phinney
There are three guys I’d like to see win, but both Cancellara and Boonen have already done it, so it’s Sep’s turn!
vsp picks
VSP PICKS:
1. fabian cancellera
2. sagan
3. taylor phinney
4. vanmarke
5. stybar
Shoot, I got an error message the first time I submitted, so I tried again. Please remove #212.
Wow, the 112th time this shall be raced. That’s pretty good lineage.
Okay, who thought Sebastien Turgot would go second two years back? I’m curious which racer will get on the podium and he surprises everyone – fans, spouse, DS.
Maybe I can climb out of the gutter this week . Do me proud Sep
VSP PICKS:
1. Vanmarke
2. Cancellara
3. Boonen
4. Phiney
5. StybarI
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellera
2. Van Avermaet
3. Stybar
4. Vanmarke
5. Terpstra
Go get ’em Fabian
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. vanMarke
3. vanAvermaet
4. Sagan
5. Stybar
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Vanmarcke
3. Terpstra
4. Kristoff
5. Boonen
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Sep Vanmarcke
3. Tom Boonen
4. Alex Dowsett
5. Greg Van Avermaet
I may regret some of these picks later…
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Vanmarcke
4. Van Avermaet
5. Phinney
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Vanmarcke
3. Vanarmaet, Greg
4. Devolder
5. Phinney, Puppy
@dyalander
Phinney? Not yet. I probably should go with Kristoff.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Van Avermaet
3. Kristoff
4. Boasson Hagen
5. Cancellara
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Sep Vanmarcke
3. Tom Boonen
4. Alexander Kristoff
5. Zdenek Stybar
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. Vanmarcke
3. Stybar
4. Boonen
5. van Avermaet
I like the sentiment of “hope” the spectators don’t play a big part tomorrow, as they did last year, or as they did last week. But fuck it. I don’t want hope.
I want that lady from last week with the red leather jacket who took out Popovych and the guy from last year who took out Stybar on “Most Wanted” posters.
Imagine ruining a dude’s 364 day training block because you didn’t feel like tying the belt on your leather jacket? Unacceptable, lady. Unacceptable.
VSP PICKS:
1. Vanmarcke
2. Cancellara
3. Terpstra
4. Vanavermaet
5. Turgot
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Van Avermaet
3. Terpstra
4. Vanmarcke
5. Potato
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellera
2. Van Avermaet
3. Vanmarke
4. Terpstra
5. Kistoff
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Van Marke
3. Kristoff
4. Boonen
5. Van Avermaet
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Kristoff
3. Van Avermaet
4. Sep Vanmarke
5. Stybar
Here goes nothing.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Phinney
4. Sagan
5. Stybar
Typo correction
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellera
2. Vanmarke
3. Boonen
4. Stybar
5. Phinney
VSP PICKS:
1. f cancellara
2. G Van Avermaet
3. S Vandenbergh
4. T Boonen
5. E B H
VSP PICKS:
1. Taboo
2. Vanmarcke
3. Tornado Tom
4. Van Avermaet
5. Stybar
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. Vanmarcke
3. Tornado Tom
4. Van Avermaet
5. Stybar
Spartacus and Tommeke into the velodrome after Tom just barely survives Fab’s blazing attack, which puts enough road between them and Kristoff’s group to allow a very narrow win for Boonen.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Kristoff
4. Van Avermaet
5. Terpstra
cannot wait until 4:15 am PST…
VSP PICKS:
1. BooBoo Boonen
2. Cancellartacus
3. There’s something about Sagan
4. Steeebar
5. Vanthemanmarcke
Amended picks… Can’t wait bring it on!!
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Alexander Kristoff
3. Zdenek Stybar
4. Sep Vanmarcke
5. Greg Van Avermaet
Cancellara is clearly the strongest, most in-form and deserves to do the double, but… I think this is another Van Summeren year where it’s the Peleton v Fabian and a feint turns into the real thing.
VSP PICKS:
1. Stybar
2. Phinney
3. Kristoff
4. Cancellara
5. Vanmarcke
Roubaix is my redemption race. Come on, lads! I need the points!
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Tom Boonen
3. Sep Vanmarcke
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen
5. Greg Van Avermaet
@therealpeel
In my short time of following pro-cycling closely, this is the problem (or perhaps good thing?) about the classics and the grand tours. You can’t go wrong with the top 2-3 riders, but there are another 10-15 that could finish on the podium, if not win.
Here’s hoping!
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Stybar
3. Krystoff
4. Boonen
5. Vanmarke
Sep says he his stronger than last year. Fabs seems a bit less strong so I’m going for the big switch. Tommeke just doesn’t have the power to crush right now which is too bad as he looks fab. Which is confusing. Van Avermat has blown his reserves. Here goes nothing.
VSP PICKS:
1. vanmarcke sep
2. boonen
3. cancellara
4. terpstra
5. vandenbergh
Have two racers finished 1-2 two years in a row? I wonder. Who is our historian for the race. Please come forward. The odds of the same 1-2 seem unlikely.
Thus…
VSP PICKS:
1. Stybar
2. Edvald Boassan Hagen
3. Cancellara
4. Sep VanMarcke
5. Van Avermaet
VSP PICKS:
1. Stybar
2. Kristoff
3. Cancellara
4. Sep VanMarcke
5. Van Avermaet
VSP PICKS:
1. Stybar
2. Phinney
3. Cancellara
4. Sep VanMarcke
5. Van Avermaet
VSP PICKS:
1. booooooonennnnnn
2. stybar
3. cancellara
4. van summersover
5. wiggins
I suddenly feel strongly that Sagan will win. can’t wait to find out.
Damn. Delgado’d. Even though, on my iPad, the timer says I have 20 hours to go. Serves me right for not thinking about whether that makes sense whenI looks earlier in the day.
FWIW, I say Fabs, Vanmarke, Billions, Tommeke and GVA. In that order.