Velominati Super Prestige: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2012
The Keepers and Rigid rolled into a region in France called Flandres which, without doing any further research into the matter, we assume is the coloquial French term for this region of the world. If its anything like the other regions in Europe, these places have roots that extend way past any modern country’s border and situate themselves in a history long past.
They do, however, speak French with all the stubbornness that we have come to love from the French. None of us in the group speak French very well, and no one we’ve found in Lille speaks English very well. Which means we’re all communicating with arms and legs more so than with words. We’re on our way to Kemmel, which means we’ll be able to speak a bit of Flemish again.
With Keepers Tour: Cobbled Classics 2012 about to begin in earnest, we’re busy organizing ourselves and making final preparations, so we’ll have to forgo the usual insightful, hard-hitting, race insight we usually produce for the VSPs. What’s that you say? We’re usually full of shit? Ah, right. You’ll have to forgive us the usual shit, then, and take today’s flavor.
Watch the countdown timer, get your VSP picks in by Sunday morning at 5am Pacific. Winner of this VSP event will earn the right to comment all year with the Leeuw van Vlaanderen commenting badge. We will also forgo the usual Symbol Pack prize awarded to a Monument and award the winner a copy of the local newspaper the day after the race.
VSP PICKS:
1. 121 SAGAN Peter
2. 161 CANCELLARA Fabian
3. 157 VAN SUMMEREN Johan
4. 21 BOONEN Tom
5. 143 BRESCHEL Matti
Outside chance
VSP PICKS:
1. Boss hog
2. Boonen
3. Van summeren
4. Van Amermaet
5. Vanmarcke
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Fab Fabian
3. Chavanel
4. Sagan
5. Vanmarcke
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Vanmarcke
3. Boonen
4. Sagan
5. Boasson Hagen
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Sagan
4. Hincapie
5. Van Summeran
Can’t wait.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. EBH
4. Sagan
5. Vanmarke
Do we know where to look for the V-Banner tomorrow? Where are you guys watching from?
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Sagan
3. Spartacus
4. Van Avermaet
5. Chavanel
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Sagan
3. Boonen
4. Freire
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Pozzato
4. Sagan
5. Boasson Hagen
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. Chava
3. Tornado Tom
4. Sagan
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Pozzato
4. Chavanel
5. Devolder
Yerp.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Sagan
3. Cancellara
4. Gilbert
5. Boasson Hagen
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Sep Vanmarcke
3. Cancellara
4. Pfaffs about with sunnies
5. breschel
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Canc
3. Boss Hog
4. Sagan
5. Vanmarcke
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Sagan
3. Cancellara
4. Chavanel
5. Pozzato
Did anyone not put Cancellara and Boonen in their top 5?
@nico
If they didn’t, be interesting to ask why the hell not.
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Sagan
4. Chavenel
5. Vanmarcke
VSP PICKS:
1. Tommeke
2. Billions
3. Faboo
4. Boss Hog
5. Gilbert
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Tom Boonen
3. Peter Sagan
4. Philippe Gilbert
5. Allesandro Ballan
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Chavanel
4. Devolder
5. Vanmarcke
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Boassen-Hagen
4. Sagan
5. Hushovd
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Chavanel
4. Farrar
5. Flecha
VSP PICKS:
1. sagen
2. boonen
3. Sparticus
4. Boss Hogg
5. Ballan
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Gilbert
3. Fabu
4. Chava
5. sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Sagan
4. Boason Hagen
5. Eisel
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Gillbert
4. Chavanel
5. tuft
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. Boonen
3. Sagen
4. EBH
5. Vanmarcke
Would love to see Big George figure
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Chavanel
4. Ballan
5. Devolder
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Cancellara
3. Hincapie
4. Tjallingii
5. Van Amermaet
Last switch, not sure if this is late or not.
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Tom Boonen
3. Fabian Cancellara
4. Sylvain Chavanel
5. Sep Vanmarke
There you go. You’ll than me later for getting it right.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Don’t care
3. Daylight
4. Cartman
5. Timmeehhhh!!!
Looks like the Eurosport coverage is gonna stop for an hour just before the Ouse Kwaremont. I’ll be very disappointed if I don’t get to see the Keepers Tour Vlag.
I’m watching on sporza. I can’t understand Flemish, but no commercials & no breaks.
@Ron
Thanks but for some reason my laptop won’t let me watch sporza and I’m out of town. Did you see the flag?
@Ron
Here in Oz, live online streaming on http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/ and on TV. Just started studio commentary.
Love the footpath hauling!
@sthilzy
I tried that one too but I’m in the wrong region. 35 mins till it comes back on, think I’ll have a shower.
Cancellara is out. damn bad luck
Faboo down and quite possibly out!
@RedRanger
I get it, April fools!
Noooo Faboo, they reckon he’ll be out for the rest of the classics. Doesn’t look good.
Unfortunately not, sounds like a bad collarbone break.
Rumor of a broken hip. Devastating if true.
@xyxax
I guess I listed him right (but wrong place)- cancelled. Hope he recovers quick.
Shit! Langeveld.
Think I just saw the V flag on the climb. Nice.
@gaswepass
now they say collarbone. I will desist.
@sthilzy
I’m watching on Sporza too. Can’t get the SBS, wrong region.
Hope they’re wrong about Faboo’s hip – that could put him out for a long, long time.