This needs no introduction. The Spring Classics are truly upon us. The course has been modified yet again, it is tougher? The riders make the race and the 2014 Ronde van Vlaanderen is loaded with racers who could win or make the Velominati VSP placings. Just to pick the winner will not be nearly as easy as it has been recently. There are small clouds hanging over Boonen and Cancellara, neither have had a dominant run up to this race, nor has Sagan. Boonen’s team is extremely strong, other teams would kill to have Quick Step’s plan B and plan C.
As always, the Ronde and Roubaix sort out who is the strongest. The final burn up Oude Kwaremont and the Paterburg will hopefully kill any chance for a sprint finish, but if it comes down to a sprint, it shall be awesome. As always, we shall be praying for rain on the Koppenberg and maybe a quick view of a friend drinking a Malteni on the Kwaremont. Here is a provisional start list. So do your Belgian beer shopping, make sure your counter-top frite deep fryer won’t burn down your home and then and only then, contemplate your VSP picks. If you Delgado this you may be cut off for the rest of 2014, because you suck.
The points from the Men’s RVV count towards the overall prizes plus the winner of this event also gets to post for the rest of the year in the Lion of Flanders badge. So review the VSP Scoring Guidelines and get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero at midnight PDT on Sunday the 30th. If you think we mapped one of your picks wrong, use the dispute system and we’ll review it. Also remember to be precise enough in your description so we know which rider you mean; in other words, if you enter “Martin”, we will use our discretion (read: wild guess) to decide if you mean Tony or Dan – and that choice will not be negotiable once the the countdown clock goes to zero, so be sure to give yourself enough time.
Don’t forget we’ve got three major prizes for the season-long VSP:
Good luck, have fun with it, and don’t lose your Rule #43 spirit.
[vsp_results id=”29425″/]
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But maybe now others will start believing Kristoff is the real deal.
@frank
Fabs, slam the top off, chug a beeve after winning that race. He is pure badass. How Quick Step messed that up, it's hard to believe. And Van Avermat could have won it if he hadn't ridden 30kms by himself. Still, Fabian has some nerves of steel.
I feel for Johan--one of my favourite riders: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/sporten/v-wielrennen/RondeVanVlaanderen/MV_140406_RVV_Vansummeren_reax
@freddy The woman that was stuck is in critical condition. Heavy anguish on Johan's face during that interview.
@Gianni
Brains and braun wins over braun and no brains - what a race - that has to be one of the best ever - gotto get my slot back in that tree on the Kwaaremont for 2015!
That was fucking brutal. No let up and no real indication of the winner until the death. Epic.
Good to see the Malteni flag out there even if there wasn't a V-Flag.
Ugh. At least I did well in the women's race.
@Dr C
Hell yeah!
@Mikael Liddy Sep looks shattered he can't get his bottle open. Or for third place?