Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2014

Marcel’s tan lines are crisp

Attention all Velominati. The Tour VSP is going on line and it should be a good one. Sure, between Froomy and Bertie a person could hedge their bets but Moviestar is all in for Valverde, BMC for TeeJay, Astana for the Shark and Garmin is finally committing to a team leader in Talansky. Some other teams (ahem…Trek Factory Racing for one) have resigned themselves to hunting stage wins. The Tour swings through the Yorkshire Dales, everyone but the riders can enjoy some excellent ales. As the Tour continues to Lille, Norther France and Belgium, the quality pints continue. Yes, it’s hot and the VSP generator has beer on its mind.

The route, the sprints, the climbing and even the final time trial should make this a decent Tour. Here is a start list. Everyone will have a vial in their jersey pocket, but don’t worry, it’s legal.

It is still not too late to win the overall 2014 VSP and we have made it worth your while.

First place overall wins a Veloforma Strada iR Velominati Edition frame in addition to the customary VSP winner’s VVorkshop Apron
Second place overall wins a set of hand built CR Wheelworks Arenberg wheelset in a custom Velominati paint scheme laced to orange Chris King hubs. (CR Wheelworks is Café Roubaix’s new wheel goods brand.)
Third place overall wins a full Velominati V-Kit with accompanying custom orange Bont Vaypor+ road shoes.

Refer to the VSP page for details concerning scoring and rest day swaps. If you want to call yourself Pedro Delgado, you will only have yourself to blame. The VSP banner on the homepage has the countdown clock, refresh your browser and don’t be late. Good luck and good picking.

[vsp_results id=”30275″/]

Gianni

Gianni has left the building.

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View Comments

frank says:

Jul 14 2014 at 12:51 pm

@andrew

From the Twitters, Cuntador was trying to pass Van den Broeck on the descent, hit a pothole and went over the handlebars... fractured tibia. And a DS says the bikes on the Tinkoff-Saxo team car got tangled with those on Belkin's team car on the way to the crash site somehow.

And this from Nibali:

I feel sorry for Alberto Contador. He crashed just in front of me and I was scared that I'd go down as well. I don't know why he crashed. I just saw that it was a heavy fall.

We stopped pedaling for a while. I spoke with Richie Porte, I also spoke with my team car, but Tony Martin was 4.30 ahead, so we had to ride again.
Teocalli says:

Jul 14 2014 at 1:07 pm

@tessar

@Teocalli

Contador snaps frame and loses over 4 mins on the peleton and chasing to get back. Wonder how "stock" that frame was? Time to start weighing bikes in the mountain stages and preventing swaps other than for genuine mechanicals (to be inspected post race) - or at least also weighing swaps with all frames being registered? Equivalent of Formula 1 park ferme.

They already do that. All bikes are randomly weighed, including spares. That's why Faustino MuÃ±oz - and by now, I guess, every team leader's mechanic - carried around spreadsheets with the number of links of chain and grams of weight on every one of Contador's bikes.

The sarcastic bit didn't come over. I was referring to last year when they announced a weight check and mysteriously a few of the climbers changed bikes just before the finish.
dyalander says:

Jul 14 2014 at 4:49 pm

@andrew

From the Twitters, Cuntador was trying to pass Van den Broeck on the descent, hit a pothole and went over the handlebars... fractured tibia. And a DS says the bikes on the Tinkoff-Saxo team car got tangled with those on Belkin's team car on the way to the crash site somehow.

I heard Van Den Broeck was singing his name to the tune of Thunderstruck as he rode off into the mist "Jur'gen... VAN DEN BROEK!"
wiscot says:

Jul 14 2014 at 5:17 pm

I want one of Tony Martin's Panzerwagen caps! That has just set a new standard that relegated all ballcaps to the bin. C'mon Nibbles, you know you need to wear a real cap.
Daccordi Rider says:

Jul 14 2014 at 5:36 pm

Gutted for Bertie and the rest of our viewing pleasure. Can Richie take the fight to Nibbles? I hope so and want him to do well, but it's almost impossible for an Aussie to cheer for Sky. It's like an Aussie is captain of the English cricket team, you're pleased for him but still want to see the team beaten, very conflicting. And who would deny Nibbles his place in the sun, races are always a bit more animated when he shows up.
VeloJello says:

Jul 15 2014 at 1:56 am

I'm basically pissing in the wind here...

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Thibaut Pinot
2. Vince Nibbles
3. Richard Porte
4. DJ Van Garden
5. Kwiatkowski
the Engine says:

Jul 15 2014 at 4:50 am

Am in the middle of sodding nowhere so this update may be harder than an actual stage in the TdF

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Froomey
2. C*ntador
3. Nibbles
4. Malmerde
5. Talansky
oldensteel says:

Jul 15 2014 at 10:01 am

With Contador out, I think Costa and Horner will work together for 4th and 5th respectively. I don't see them overtaking the BMC sqauad though

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Nibali
2. Porte
3. Van Gaarderen
4. Rui Costa
5. Horner
oldensteel says:

Jul 15 2014 at 10:02 am

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Nibali
2. Porte
3. Van Gaarderen
4. Rui Costa
5. Horner
Minnesota Expat says:

Jul 15 2014 at 12:56 pm

Might as well make big changes, the cost is high, but when your #1 & 2 are finished, what are you going to do?

VSP PICKS (1st Rest Day Swaps):

1. Vincenzo Nibali
2. Alejandro Valverde
3. Ritchie Porte
4. Tejay Van Garderen
5. Rui Costa