Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2013

This is the real Ronde
This is the real Ronde

Imagine a world without the little things we take for granted; a house without a roof, a pub with no beer, a Keepers Tour without any clothes. The last one is a reality for me at the moment, five days in and still no trace of where the hell between Wellington and Paris my bag (filled with V-Kit, shoes, helmet, everything) is. The other thing that has me perturbed again this trip is that there is no Muur de Grammont/Kapelmuur in the Ronde. To me, the race feels naked without it.

That won’t stop us from riding it next weekend though, and although there will be no crowds, no pros, there will still be the magical spirit of the great battles past on these hallowed stones. We’ll try and emulate The Lion and climb it in the big ring (or the 50t) while the man himself watches on, probably laughing inside, or indeed outwardly, as we succumb to the gradient and stab frantically at the left-hand shifter. Then we’ll realise just how ordinary we are and how special this hill is.

Even though the Muur is absent again this year, the 2013 Ronde is shaping up as one of the best in recent history. The battle between Faboo and Sags is well touted, but will they mark each other out of it and let an opportunist take their chance? My money’s on that scenario playing out, but if you have any sense you’ll see my VSP scores reflect a total lack of tipping nous so far this season and reject anything I predict as hogwash.

Check out the start list, grab a cold Malteni or other fine Belgian ale, slather your frites in mayo and keep your eye out for the V-Flag on the Oude Kwaremont this Sunday. Goed geluk!

[vsp_results id=”22888″/]

 

 

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276 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Ronde van Vlaanderen 2013”

  1. I hope for Fabian’s sake, Galloping Tony has the legs and timing to get in the main break in the later stages, so he doesn’t have to do his annual hopless, though bloody amazing chase down to make the Velo-final

    Just off to buy some Trappist Beer, and have the frites and mayo sitting in the fridge waiting for the great, ignore-the-family session on Easter Sunday….

    Even bought myself some new shoes to wear whilst I watch it

    Yummmm

    VSP PICKS:

    1. G
    2. Chavanel (the good one)
    3. Sagan
    4. Faboo
    5. Gallopin

  2. For what it is worth, I think Sagan is a much more difficult obstacle for Faboo to beat than Tomeke….

  3. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan, Peter
    2. Cancellara, Fabian
    3. Chavanel, Sylvain
    4. Van Avermaet, Greg
    5. Boonen, Tom

  4. I think Sagan will win the sprint out of a three man group and have another controversial victory salute. It kills me not to put Tommeke in here but I think he’s saving up for Roubaix so he can finally get Roger De Vlaeminck to shut up.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Chavanel
    3. Cancellara
    4. Haussler
    5. Van Avermaet

  5. VSP PICKS:

    1. Thomas, G
    2. Boonen, T
    3. Sagan, P
    4. Phinney, T
    5. Chavanel, S

  6. VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. sagan
    3. Johan Vansummeren
    4. Van Avermaet
    5. Geraint Thomas

  8. @Buck Rogers

    Oh, I don’t know: I find few things in contemporary cycling more exciting and impressive than Spartacus making that dig and dropping the world’s strongest cyclists…

  10. @Dr C

    I hope for Fabian’s sake, Galloping Tony has the legs and timing to get in the main break in the later stages, so he doesn’t have to do his annual hopless, though bloody amazing chase down to make the Velo-final

    Just off to buy some Trappist Beer, and have the frites and mayo sitting in the fridge waiting for the great, ignore-the-family session on Easter Sunday….

    Even bought myself some new shoes to wear whilst I watch it

    Yummmm

    VSP PICKS:

    1. G
    2. Chavanel (the good one)
    3. Sagan
    4. Faboo
    5. Gallopin

    Wow, congrats. Kindly keep us updated on these shoes, as I fancy them, as well. According to my local dealer, they are among the few models I’d actually get my fleet in.

  11. I hope you guys on the KT already are picking up a copy of Het Nieuwsblad just for the photo on the RVV insert.  Save one for me!

    From Biciclista Tumblr

  18. Thinking that Tomeke fine tuning condition for a P-R blitz next week. Going with the flow, even though I’m slipping down the table fast. It would take a lucky pick of a surprise winner to leap back up again and that’s a pin into the start list.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Thomas
    4. Chavanel
    5. Van Avermaet

  19. VSP PICKS:

    1. Peter Sagan
    2. Fabian Cancellara
    3. Sylvain Chavanel
    4. Geraint Thomas
    5. Greg Van Avermaet

  20. I shall bet against the favorites for the big win! This will not work. But then, neither do most of Jens’s attacks… except when they do.

    Daring? Perhaps. Crazy? Perhaps, but why not? This is supposed to be fun, afterall. And I learned at my daughter’s soccer practice yesterday: Rule #1, not hands, Rule #2, have fun.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Haussler
    2. Terpstra
    3. Van Avermaet
    4. Sagan
    5. Gatto

  24. VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Sagan
    3. Chavanel, Sylvain
    4. Boassan-Hagen
    5. Haussler

  25. Some day I’ll be a VSP genius. Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but some day.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Kristoff
    2. Haussler
    3. Sagan
    4. Cancellara
    5. Demare

  26. VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Sagan
    3. Chavanel Sylvain
    4. Boonen
    5. Pozzato

  27. Waffles & Ale brunch Sunday!!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Faboo
    2. Sagan
    3. Chavanel
    4. Kristoff
    5. Van Avermaet

  28. Aye.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Fabby Doo
    2. Van ‘av ‘er mate
    3. Sylvester Chavers
    4. Juggernaut Roelandts
    5. Sagan Wagon

  29. This is a great quote…
    “I told the organisers it wasn’t a race but a war game. It’s hard to explain what the Koppenberg means to a racing cyclist. Instead of being a race, it’s a lottery. Only the first five or six riders have any chance: the rest fall off or scramble up as best they can. What on earth have we done to send us to hell now?” -Hinault

     

    VSP PICKS:

    1. sagan
    2. faboo
    3. stannard
    4. chav
    5. thomas g

  30. One day there may be a contest for regular folk to win a Keeper’s Tour. A Keeper’s Race.

  32. @Skip

    I hope you guys on the KT already are picking up a copy of Het Nieuwsblad just for the photo on the RVV insert. Save one for me!

    From Biciclista Tumblr

    I know this was taken yesterday but the bike’s authentic – like I said the other week – note – no padding on the hoods – they rode differently in those days.

    Also note the ruddy great bolt on the stem for removing your junk in a crash. I’d forgotten they weren’t recessed until relatively recently when Allen keys became standard man cave issue – although they’d been about since the beginning of the 20th century.

    And do I see a Rule #37 violation or is there a get out for actual goggles?

  33. @the Engine

    @Skip

    I hope you guys on the KT already are picking up a copy of Het Nieuwsblad just for the photo on the RVV insert. Save one for me!

    From Biciclista Tumblr

    I know this was taken yesterday but the bike’s authentic – like I said the other week – note – no padding on the hoods – they rode differently in those days.

    Also note the ruddy great bolt on the stem for removing your junk in a crash. I’d forgotten they weren’t recessed until relatively recently when Allen keys became standard man cave issue – although they’d been about since the beginning of the 20th century.

    And do I see a Rule #37 violation or is there a get out for actual goggles?

    I think any rule violations are negated by the awesome veins on the arms. Can’t imagine those corks are easy to get back in the bottles when racing across the cobbles.

  34. Mostly going with the flow here but given his recent exploits, I have to favor Stannard over Boss Hog on Sky

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Sagan
    3. Stannard
    4. Chavanel
    5. Flecha

  35. @Erik

    Haussler deserves some fun, after all.

    Heinrich shattered after peloton vote him ‘Stupidest hairstyle 2009’.

  36. VSP PICKS:

    1. Thomas
    2. Chavanel S.
    3. Spartacus
    4. Sagan
    5. Terpstra

  37. VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Haussler
    3. Cancellara
    4. Van Avermaet
    5. Stannard

  38. At some point Faboo has to win something I bet on him for.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Spartacus
    2. Stannard
    3. Sagan
    4. Chavanel
    5. Mini Phinney

  39. The brake will stay away for a podium of eternal bridesmades. Sagan to outsprint Cancelara for 6th. They will cry afterwards. I cant wait!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Eisal
    2. Chavanel
    3. Turgot
    4. Tjallingii
    5. Blythe

  41. VSP PICKS:

    1. cancellara
    2. sagan
    3. Boasson Hagen
    4. Stannard
    5. Chavenel

  42. @Mirko

    @Dr C

    I hope for Fabian’s sake, Galloping Tony has the legs and timing to get in the main break in the later stages, so he doesn’t have to do his annual hopless, though bloody amazing chase down to make the Velo-final

    Just off to buy some Trappist Beer, and have the frites and mayo sitting in the fridge waiting for the great, ignore-the-family session on Easter Sunday….

    Even bought myself some new shoes to wear whilst I watch it

    Yummmm

    VSP PICKS:

    1. G
    2. Chavanel (the good one)
    3. Sagan
    4. Faboo
    5. Gallopin

    Wow, congrats. Kindly keep us updated on these shoes, as I fancy them, as well. According to my local dealer, they are among the few models I’d actually get my fleet in.

    Got a pair (in black) last season. Worried a bit about the dial closures but have had no trouble. I’d buy them again.

     

  45. I also believe in the Easter bunny.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Langeveld
    2. Sagan
    3. Cancellara
    4. Chavanel
    5. Thomas

  47. VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Geraint Thomas
    3. Sagan
    4. Chavanel
    5. Gatto

  50. Living on the eastside of the “D” I gotta throw the DeBusschere guy in this week.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Sagan
    2. Cancellara
    3. Sylvan Chavanel
    4. Boonen
    5. DeBusschere

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