Paris-Tours - Tommy V, merde alors, I did not win.
Paris-Tours, it’s almost the end of the road for the V-VSP. The great smoggy race in China has been switched to the Middle-East? I’m not sure that is an improvement but as usual, we were not consulted. Race where the money is.
Every year I bring up Richard Virenque winning this race. I disliked his racing style but his Paris-Tours win showed such an abundance of panache he should be dining out forever on that. The climber winning a sprinters race in a day long break with Jack Durand. Durand ran out of gas with 50 km left and Richard did not sit up, he cranked it. His desperate win, just in front of the chasing hoards, almost undid all his bullshit bravado and most unforgivable of all, his finish line victory salutes. He was riding for Domo-Farm Frites in 2001 when he won Paris-Tours, on a nice Merckx bike, on a Belgian team. It’s fitting he should give such a beautiful performance.
OK, this is the penultimate event for VSP 2015. Is the overall lost for you? Bragging rights for the off-season would be swell, just winning this final men’s VSP. Are you close to grasping a V-kit, a set of CR wheels or a Belgian frame? Good luck because picking the top five in this race requires staring at the sun. Here is the start list. A Delgado here will be noted by management.
After the Women’s Chrono des Nations on 18 October the mighty VSP generator will be powered down and steam cleaned of all residual beer. The generator is then air dried and purged with lab grade argon and sealed, its little silicon heart faintly beating, waiting for La Primavera.
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@frank
No Chrono des Nations this year? It's on the calendar.
@LeoTea
Ah fucksticks. Scratch all that then, indeed it is!
@frank
Let's call that a Teruel, for celebrating a lap early, eh?
Ha!
@frank So. I have to do another lap? Harsh.
@Steampunk
Brilliant. I was just looking at their procycling stats. Young and strong team. Good tip. Are there any transfers out? Will definitely keep them on the radar.
@Minnesota Expat
No transfers that I know of. I suspect the team will be a year older and quietly stronger. They're not as rich as ETixx, but I like the Belgian development approach, I like the kit, and I like the bikes. Greipel and Gallopin are always dangerous, but I'd bet on Benoot, Wellens, etc., coming good over the spring classics. I'd take the over on four podiums at the major European races before the end of April. The kids are going to be good.
@frank
...further proof than no one reads the article.
@Gianni
Indeed. Including the Keepers. Spoiler alert: I only read my own articles. And I only read those some of the time. I come here for the posts.
Well I'll be damned. Victory in Paris-Tours doesn't make up for my otherwise terrible VSP 2015 but I'm thankful to end the season with a win. I had a good feeling about young Sig. Trentin and I'm happy for him.
Congratulations to the VSP 2015 podium (the lucky bastards) and thanks to the Keepers and sponsors for the fun.
Congrats to the VSP winners and thanks to Jaegher and Cafe Roubaix for the awesome prizes. Fan Duel and the other NFL fantasy gambling site can kiss my ass. (Isn't it funny how they call it fantasy and not gambling but there's real hard cash money involved, not monopoly money?). I'll be hitting the books over the winter to improve my chances next year.