One of the most wonderful things about living in a climate with four distinct seasons is that each one comes as a welcome change, and with each season I find a period of time where I find myself thinking this one is my favorite. But regardless of the weather outside my window, I know Fall is here when our attention falls to the last major road races of the season; Paris-Tour and the Giro di Lomardia.
To say I’m not a fan of bunch sprints is a bit of an inaccurate statement. What I’m not a fan of is a forgone conclusion in a bike race, be it a Grand Tour, a sprint, or mountains prize. At the end of the day, I watch a bike race because I love not knowing how it’s going to unfold; I love fireworks and suspense. Given that, I don’t much care who wins the race – a good win is a good win, no matter who runs away with it. (That said, if it goes down to a sprint between a rider I like and one I don’t and the win falls to the douche, I’ll be inconsolable.)
And that’s why Paris-Tours is one of my favorite races of the year. It’s flat enough to give the sprinters a chance, while it’s run into Tours is windy and hilly enough to allow for opportunists to steal the glory. Sprinters, Rouleurs, and Grimpeurs have won here; Gilbert, Dekker, Friere, Virenque. Before that, Van Looy, de Roo, Van Springel, Maertens, Raas, Zoetemelk, Kelly, Anderson all rolled across the line first. Paris-Tours also holds the distinction of being the only Classic the Prophet failed to win.
But this isn’t the sixties, and this isn’t about Merckx. This is about another Belgian. Is Gilbert a forgone conclusion? Perhaps, but his form almost has to be wearing a bit thin. At this point, though, I’d love to see him pull it off, which means he won’t. He’s been racing at the front since de Ronde (if not before that), and has been winning since the Ardennes. Cav, assuming he’s racing, will likely want to show off his new bands at the head of the field; I can’t imagine the motivation to win a classic in the most revered jersey our Sport has.
So, get your picks in by 5am Pacific on Sunday morning; we’re giving a little bit of extra time this time round since I’m a little concerned that people might have forgotten we’re not done with the season yet.
Good luck.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
VSP PICKS:
1. Gossy
2. Robbie
3. Cookie
4. Petacchi-y
5. Grippy
Blind guesses. Yay.
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Cav
3. Thor
4. Voeckler
5. Jens? Jens. Jens!
Completely unrelated note to the wise: Don't go on e-bay when you're REALLY drunk. Thank GOD someone outbid me today on the Merckx frame that I bid on last night while spinning on Grand Marnier. My VMH would have KILLED me had I won the auction and had to pay over $1000 for the frame and fork (in her words, "WHAT? How MUCH? It doesn't even have WHEELS!" But, in all fairness, I still think the frame is worth over a grand :)
VSP PICKS:
1. Cavendouche
2. Goss
3. PhilGil
4. Thor
5. Freire
@Buck Rogers
If it was OK to use an emoticon, mine would be smiling.......
You're all welcome at my place to watch it on Eurosport. Tour of Beijing before that for pre-race drinks.
Cav'll want this one. It's better he starts now before coming into the 2012 season out of shape.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Petacchi
3. Freire
4. Arashiro
5. Gilbert
Just because I think JH should have something else to be remembered for this season.
VSP PICKS:
1. Jonny Hooligan
2. R Feillu
3. Goss
4. Spaticus
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Freire
3. Greipel
4. Steegmans
5. Philbert
Grasping at straws.
VSP PICKS:
1. Edvald
2. Freire
3. Gilbert
4. Sparticus
5. Tommy V
VSP PICKS:
1. Cav
2. Gilbert
3. Thor
4. Petcachi
5. Friar Oscar