Oh brothers and sisters, we find ourselves here again. It was but a few moments ago when the Milan-Sanremo VSP went up. Racers fought the sleet, producing an unforgettable start to the Velominati VSP season. Cancellara, Nibali, Froome and, and Horner were all big points winners for our astute and well informed audience. But now it has come to Paris-Tours, the last big road race of the season, unless you count the Tour of Beijing, which we don’t.
Authon-du-Perche to Tours, 235 km of relatively flat riding; a sprinters route. Or a passista’s route judging from some of the former winners: Tchmil, Tafi, Museeuw. Or if you inject enough epo into him, a climber’s route: Richard Virenque. I say this every year when this race comes up; his win here almost made me like him. I actually liked him a lot for this win but his overall obnoxious quotient kept him firmly in the hate.
So place your bets carefully. This race is quite hard to predict, it could go so many ways. And this is almost the last chance for bragging rights in the 2013 VSP so pray to your gods for guidance and make a move before Sunday. It would be a shame to Delgado the penultimate event of the VSP season.
Start list is here. Here is the very classy Andrea Tafi showing how you win a sprinters race the hard way.
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In a reversal of 2012 Marcato will have one last victory for Vacansoleil and those Bianchis.
So long guys and thanks for all the fish.
The other places will be taken by people you've never heard of.
Probably.
The 2013 Keepers Tour attendees should note that Hugo will be riding - solid chap and I wish him well - he won't win though.
As with the Worlds - no Brits are turning up. Thanks Sky for your commitment to the Classics.
VSP PICKS:
1. Marco Marcato
2. Greg Van Avermaet
3. Mickaël Delage
4. Geoffroy Lequatre
5. Roy Curvers
Why is Marcato such an unpopular choice? Has he had the plague this summer and no one told me like when Judas Gadret had bronchitis and never thought to mention in in the Tour last year thus costing me any chance of winning those V stamped wet wipes or whatever the prize was.
Git.
Sprint Finish.
VSP PICKS:
1. Arnaud Demare
2. Bryan Coquard
3. Gerald Ciolek
4. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg
5. Andrew Fenn
Pish picks, but what the hell. I see Sky can't be arsed sending anyone.
VSP PICKS:
1. Degenkolb
2. Dumoulin
3. Ciolek
4. Farrar
5. Sylvain Chavanel
@mouse
Indeed, the Grand Prix des Nations. Back before there was a World TT championship, there was the Nations. A sad omission from the calendar. Working o a piece on Daniel Gisiger who won the Nations twice and the Baracchi Trophy three times. Before Faboo, there was Danny G.
VSP PICKS:
1. Farrar
2. Dekengolb
3. Avermet
4. Ciolek
5. Meersman
I know I've got more chance of winning the lottery but here goes. Would love to see Haussler get top 5; a good guy who has had a shitty run of luck.
VSP PICKS:
1. John Degenkolb
2. Sylvain Chavanel
3. Johan Van Summeren
4. Graeme Brown
5. Heinrich Haussler
@Harminator
Hmmm. So he has a good chance? Or Horner is doped to the gills? Or maybe he has a chance if he is doped to the gills. Anyway. Fun time to be had by all this weekend. Give me my pirate internet video feed of some random foreign language I barely comprehend.
No time to think about this, son is getting married in 2 hours. hopefully better than a Delgado
VSP PICKS:
1. Farrar
2. Van summeren
3. Voukler
4. Van averermaet
5. Hausler
@seemunkee
Nice job on the multi-tasking though. Hope the wedding goes well.