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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View Comments
@sthilzy I'm thinking missing out on a beer is the straw that broke the camel's back...
Faboo shakes his legs ~300m to go after surge and his head does not look anywhere else except straight at the finish line. Class finish!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm5l6juQIcA
@Ron
Agreed. GvA is my new favourite rider. The guy just will not give up! The wins will come eventually.
[ thoughts coming across the line ] "Hey... it's all about having fun! Enjoy!!"
@Mikael Liddy
Ha, that is an A-class joke. I like that!
A fuckin' gutter for Sep, but yes, the deprivation from lacking the Italio-Suisse's creativity in opening the suds, that was the real crusher.
@Bianchi Denti
I like that positive attitude. Right, this is very true. At this level, these guys are all so good at everydarnthing. It really is the tiniest differences, like maturity. You learn from why you lost, then you smash it again next year.
Greg has the chance to do great things if he can harness these defeats for future goals.
Officially 98 abandoned from 200 starters. Are we sure this wasn't heavyweight boxing?
Spectacular finish. I was jumping and screaming like a school girl. And of course had to go work some excitement out on the bike. Every bump in the road I dreamt of the cobbles and the men that gave it their all today. Chapeau to those who rode today and thoughts go out to those injured. Here is to a speedy recovery.
"I'm really looking forward to a Primus"
Experience won out, that was a complete performance, a classic display of time and space by a great athlete, it doesn't matter what the sport the truly great almost seem to be able to bend time to their will and create the perfect finish while those around them wonder what the f*ck just happened.