Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2012, Stage 16
Which bold rider has this stage circled in their tour bible? Wednesday July 18th, Stage 16, 197 km. The day after a the final rest day. A climbing day with two HC climbs followed by two Category 1 climbs and a serious descent toward the finish. The Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde: you better be a fearless climber and a good descender, but a better climber. This is not a stage for Sagan or Fränkie Schleck (sorry Frank). If Wiggo was going to have a bad day, this would be a special one to have it on. And this follows a rest day? Could the weather finally make a difference? Will the mad tacker return? Will climbers just try to survive this stage to perform on the fearsome Stage 17? More questions than answers in the Velominati Super-Bunker.
All VSP bettors better give an extra shake of the monkey bones before casting them down. Study them well. There is much at stake: Fizik R3s for the winner, 2 pair of DeFeet socks for first loser. The rules are the same as for the first single stage VSP. Points are awarded for correct place only. Delgado might have enjoyed this stage but don’t be like him.
No clue, but first?!
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Froome
3. Wiggins
4. Van Garderen
5. Van Den Broeck
No clue, but first?!
Happy to sacrifice points in the name of fandom. Wiggo has Un Jour Sans & the Froome dog is finally let off the leash. Unfortunately he can’t keep up with the descending skills of the front two.
Good thing my new shoes were one of the few bits of clothing undamaged in my crash earlier this year…
VSP PICKS:
1. The Bum Chin
2. Nibbles
3. Froome
4. JVDB
5. Rolland
Extra prediction: Froome in yellow!
VSP PICKS:
1. Froome
2. Nibali
3. Van der Broeck
4. Pinot
5. Wiggins
VSP PICKS:
1. KESSIAKOFF
2. ROLLAND
3. FROOME
4. WIGGINS
5. EVANS
I’m tipping Tommy to go for the spots, tounge out. And Team Sky to crack enough to make it all interesting. I agree that Froome is looking a bit stuffed. He will probably hold his powder for the Vuelta after his wife instructs him to tell the modfather to go fuck himself.
Shame Bertie isn’t here, that would be guaranteed fireworks, and he would crack Wiggo like a walnut at Christmas.
VSP PICKS:
1. Tommy V
2. Cadelephant
3. Nibbles
4. Van Den Broke
5. Albasini
Can’t wait
VSP PICKS:
1. Nabali
2. Evans
3. Van Garderen
4. Wiggo
5. Rolland
Lots of attachs, with those out of the money seeking their chance for glory and/or redemption. (I’m looking at you, Piti.) But unfortunately Nibbles and Cuddles and VDB know time is short and are more desparate than most, so no break sticks and the leaders all summit the Peyersoude together at the front. On the descent, Nibbles smokes ’em, and Cuddles is not far behind. Further up the hill, VDB rides the descent of his life, as does Steve Krrujjjjjiiiiswich who somehow managed to insinuate himself into the big boys’ group on the way up. As for Wiggo, his sideburns prove too much drag and slow him down (though he will later claim that people who say that are wanker cunts and he was just playing safe knowing the race was won). But he lets Froome have a crack himself to protect the #2 spot, because Sean Yeats is too pissed to realise what’s happened until it’s too late.
for those hot fans of Lewis Caroll, “Bandersnatch” is Froome – from The Jabberwock. (“Beware the Jub-Jub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch.” I have a head cold. Best I could come up with. Apologies.)
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VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbly Shark
2. Tacky Cuddles
3. Van Done Broke
4. Bandersnatch
5. Kruiiiijjjjwwsich
Lots of attachs, with those out of the money seeking their chance for glory and/or redemption. (I’m looking at you, Piti.) But unfortunately Nibbles and Cuddles and VDB know time is short and are more desparate than most, so no break sticks and the leaders all summit the Peyersoude together at the front. On the descent, Nibbles smokes ’em, and Cuddles is not far behind. Further up the hill, VDB rides the descent of his life, as does Steve Krrujjjjjiiiiswich who somehow managed to insinuate himself into the big boys’ group on the way up. As for Wiggo, his sideburns prove too much drag and slow him down (though he will later claim that people who say that are wanker cunts and he was just playing safe knowing the race was won). But he lets Froome have a crack himself to protect the #2 spot, because Sean Yeats is too pissed to realise what’s happened until it’s too late.
for those hot fans of Lewis Caroll, “Bandersnatch” is Froome – from The Jabberwock. (“Beware the Jub-Jub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch.” I have a head cold. Best I could come up with. Apologies.)
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@G’phant I meant, of course, ‘for those *not* fans of Lewis Carroll’. Both times. No-one should admit to being a *hot* fan of Lewis Carroll.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbly Shark
2. Tacky Cuddles
3. Van Done Broke
4. Bandersnatch
5. Kruiiiijjjjwwsich
VSP PICKS:
1. Nabali
2. Froome
3. JVDB
4. Wiggo
5. Cuddles
A small piece of redemption for Cuddles. But Wiggo still has the cheese.
VSP PICKS:
1. Evans
2. Nibali
3. JVDB
4. Froome
5. Wiggins
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Evans
3. Wiggins
4. Van Den Broeck
5. Rolland
This has Nibbles writen all over it!!!
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. JvdB
3. Cuddles
4. Tommy V
5. TeeJay.
187, 29, 178, 199, and 146. Lucky numbers.
VSP PICKS:
1. Kessiakoff
2. Rolland
3. Sorensen
4. Velits
5. Pinot
VSP PICKS:
1. Froome
2. Kessiakoff
3. Nibali
4. Rolland
5. Pinot
I don’t need to make picks for everyone to know I’m the first loser. Just gimme the socks now and lets be done with it, so I don’t curse any riders who want to win the stage.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Van den Broeck
3. Pinot
4. Wiggins
5. Rolland
G
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. VDB
3. Wiggins
4. Froome
5. Kessiakoff
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Evans
3. Froome
4. Van Garderen
5. Wiggins
Frank will beat these four to the top and get eaten up on the descent
VSP PICKS:
1. Evans
2. Nibbles
3. JVDB
4. Wiggins
5. Rolland
It’s going to take some deep thought for me to make my picks. . . and it won’t do me any good. This is a total crap shot.
BABY NEEDS A NEW PAIR OF SHOES!
A simple nod to where we’ve been. Here’s to he hardmen.
VSP PICKS:
1. Landis
2. Gaul
3. Pantani
4. Bahamontes
5. Fignon
Would have gone with Rolland for the win but another stage win will be the price he pays for his antics the other day.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Evans
3. Van den Broeck
4. Van Garderen
5. Froome
Another win for the Kenya / Aussie connection!
VSP PICKS:
1. Froome
2. Wiggins
3. Nibbles
4. Van den Broeck
5. Cadelle
VSP PICKS:
1. Pinot
2. Rolland
3. Nibali
4. Froome
5. Wiggins
Just to prove, in case there were any doubts, that I haven’t a clue…..
VSP PICKS:
1. Peraud
2. Velits
3. Kessiakoff
4. Van den Broeck
5. L L Sanchez
@G’phant
This puzzled me somewhat, so thanks for the clarification. I do like Lewis Carroll, but I’m not exactly “hot.” Lewis Carroll might have been a bit dishy in his day…
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Wiggo
3. Froome
4. Evans
5. Jean Claud Van Den Broeck
You guys miss me while I was away? Of course you did. I ain’t saying what I was doing, but I was camping and riding on some of the most glorious roads in the PNW. AND hot springs, AND, beer. But no real way of keeping up with the TDF due to lack of cell/ wifi coverage. I did manage to harass Frank tho with some bad cell service.
Hows this for a route boys?
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/114199809
Obligatory photo;
But WTF do I know?
VSP PICKS:
1. Saganagain
2. Nibali
3. LL Cool J
4. TJvG
5. Cuddles
VSP PICKS:
1. Fr-uhuru-me
2. Nibbles
3. van den Broeck
4. Wiggo
5. Pinot blanc
@scaler911 dion’t worry, despite missing all of it you’ll probably still have as good an idea as the rest of us!
That there looks like some pretty riding.
Clueless!
VSP PICKS:
1. Sanchez
2. Nibali
3. Pinot
4. Kessiakoff
5. Van den Broeck
What do I know, we don’t have mountains over here, heck, we’re even trying to build one! (www.diebergkomter.nl)
VSP PICKS:
1. Evans
2. Froome
3. jvdb
4. Wiggo
5. Rolland
VSP PICKS:
1. Froome
2. Wiggins
3. Nibali
4. Van den Broeck
5. Voeckler
VSP PICKS:
1. Froomedog
2. Nibbles
3. Cuddles
4. Van Den Broeck
5. Twiggo
Hope Stage 16 doesn’t let us down in terms of GC drama. I think Cadel will keep his powder dry for the next day but and Nibbles will only be able to attack on the descent.
On a killer stage such as this, Rolland and Pinot won’t be allowed to go in the breakways, so the top 10 will climb Peyresourde together. I still can’t see who will win this stage outright, I miss Sammy Sanchez.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Froome
3. Wiggins
4. Cuddles
5. Pinot
VSP PICKS:
1. LL Sanchez
2. Voekler
3. Casar
4. Nibali
5. Schleck
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Cuddles
3. Van Den Broeck
4. Twiggo
5. Froomedog
Sky will have been preparing for this stage for ages.
no change to GC.
VSP PICKS:
1. froome
2. nibbles
3. wiggins
4. tj van g
5. evans
VSP PICKS:
1. Rolland
2. Evans
3. Nibali
4. Pinot
5. Froome
Voeckler snags early KOM points, but gets gobbled up by the top climbers on the descent. Wiggins plays it safe while Froome goes on the attack *ahemdefence*.
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbles
2. Cuddles
3. Froome
4. Rolland
5. Voeckler
Fuck picking the easy ones. It’s a GC procession from here to Paris. Or not…
VSP PICKS:
1. Rui da Costa
2. Dan Martin
3. Pinot
4. Pineau
5. Feillu
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibali
2. Froome
3. Costa
4. Van Garderen
5. Van Den Broeck
@Steampunk
Er, Scaler, you got a view on that?
VSP PICKS:
1. Nibbly Shark
2. Tacky Cuddles
3. Van Done Broke
4. Bandersnatch
5. Kruiiiijjjjwwsich
VSP PICKS:
1. Cadel
2. Nibbles
3. Van Den Broek
4. Wiggo
5. Froome
VSP PICKS:
1. Evans
2. Nibali
3. Froome
4. Pinot
5. Schleck
@scaler911 There’s a gap in your bar tape.
This might be one for the leaders to take wing (man, I miss W sometimes).
VSP PICKS:
1. wiggins
2. froome
3. nibali
4. cadel
5. tejay