Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2014
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″/]
@Teocalli
True enough, indeed he said some time ago that his appetite for the sort of training required for Grand Tours was waning somewhat. This whole episode does sort of fit with his strategy, although maybe it came a year or so earlier than he intended.
He has shown more interest in the classics lately though, so he’ll need a team to support him in that, unless he switches completely back to the track. He did say after the national TT the other week that it would be the last time he’d ride it, and it was nice to go out with a win, so maybe that is his plan.
What an amazing stage. Sat glued to our TV exhorting Haussler to stick to the front group. Down once, back up and got back on only to floor it in a roundabout and lose 13 minutes in the last 18k. Massive respect and chapeau to all the riders. 47k average in those conditions says so much about the riders, shite conditions didn’t slow them down, amazing.
@Mike_P
I’ve stated before, Froome’s not my fave rider. However, a couple of points to make. In just about ANY other sport, given his Dauphine injuries, he’d be on the DL for months. We’re all armchair Directeur sportifs here and yell out “Rule 5, Rule #5!” but CF has shown massive mental and physical strength. You see these guys of the bike and they are frail. Light, thin, freaky fit, but they just don’t have the bulk that would help in a crash or three. CF just reached the end of the line yesterday and had he continued, it would have required the attentions of a Sky team car and likely teammates to do what? Finish 25 minutes down? No, he made the right call for his team and teammates: that car was needed – especially on a stage like yesterday, to help the guys who were racing, jnot just riding to the finish.
Is the tour diminished by his absence? Yes. Will it be less thrilling with an undeserving winner (I’m looking at you Oscar Pereiro), no.
@wiscot
I haven’t said the car wasn’t needed. I haven’t invoked Rule #5 at all. I’m saying he looked shocked at where he’d ended up so early in the race. That’s a very different state for him. Regarding my minion comment, that’s called humour.
Bang. I’m loving this race, it’s now in the hands of the guys (Nibali, Contador, J Rod) who are gonna blow the doors off the rest of the race. Tonight’s stage is 200 odd ks on the flat, and I’m flashing back to Saxo destroying the peloton after Valverde crashed on a similar stage from last year’s (or the year before?) tour
@frank
Agreed! I’m really pulling for the American kids, and TJ let me down with those comments. Andrew however, I’m happy as can be to see up in the GC after yesterday
@Teocalli
I saw that too. The guy must have been half out it after that crash. It looked like he didn’t know which part of his body to hold. When they got a new bike for him, he almost looked at it like he thought it was going to bite his good hand off.
The guy had to be sitting in the car just devastated, confused and in dismay. How long did he sit in the back seat in the warm comfort of that Jaguar with his helmet still atop his dome?
I was completely rooting against Team Sky and Froome, but to see the top contender withdraw is disappointing. A victory seems somewhat diminished when the defending champion isn’t there to compete against…..
@frank
Frank – Do you need me to mail you some Chill Pills? I’d have gotten (more) worked up, but 2 hours of futbol in 35*C yesterday took a bit of wind out o’ me sails.
That stage was incredible. I fuckin’ loved the decals on the Shark’s wheels spinning as he cruised over the cobbles. So damn awesome.
And yeah, not at all happy with lads saying they shouldn’t ride that in those conditions. They cut two secteurs. And if you are worried about crashing, slow down and deal with the time losses. Definitely a great addition to a blossoming 101st edition!
Just a point on this Wiggo thing.
1. He has had no real form since winning TdF in 2012, British time trial champ and winning Tour of California (with all due respect) are not going to get Bertie and Nibbles shitting themselves.
2. Wiggo is great when he gives a shit, average when he doesn’t. Riding for Froome? I think I know which mood that would have put him in.
3. Wiggo would have excelled in stage 5 because of his good showing in Paris Roubaix? Think back to last years Giro, he wasn’t exactly flying over wet tarmac.
Still the right choice for me not to take him, mainly because of point 2. There is no way he would have emptied himself for Froomey.
That’s my bit said.
Anyway, isn’t this a muvva-lickin’ great photo?
@VeloSix
Umm, didn’t he go to grab it with his left hand, then realized, “Holy fuck, my wrist is killing me, I’m not pulling on the door frame with it”?
It was a really crazy day for us. The VMH and Pedalwans understand my passion but don’t necessarily share it. I was keen for them to have a good day too. We got to Wallers just in time for the caravan which was a good hook for the kiddies who stocked up on candy, useless booty and dotty caps…
To the sector…The reality of live spectating involves extensive effort for a short and intense reward. We saw nothing of the whole stage, just a snapshot of the race 5k from the finish. No idea of the big picture but Merckx, the faces!
Boom came through like a fkn train! Then Fuglsang towing Nibbles. Then in twos and ones and little bunches. You saw the order…Everyone is covered in shit. I remember Tony Martin trying to blink some crap out of his eyes. The diminishing mental states were plain to see: those who had some interest in time or result were still driving, hurting. Some in the groups looked to be fighting for the wheels. Lone riders had the thousand mile stare. Way back I remember Kittel, Greipel, Gerro, Ted King, seemed accepting of their suffering but well and truly ready for the end. Its such a blur. Too much going on to take in for my small brain. Hard to tell the shivering from the rattling…I heard some riders hadn’t recce’d the cobbles, let alone wet cobbles. They will be forever altered.
After watching the replays, massive kudos to Astana – Nibbles was very good but Westra and Fuglsang were monsters! Renshaw had a massive day. Maybe he’s a classics man and not a sprinter? Sagan was mad at himself but says he lost the Astana wheels when the gap was opened by someone else.
Bottom line is that the GC guys lost or made time because of their bike riding – not through flats or mechs or cobbled crashes. I’m not hearing any whinging from Bertie, Talansky, Porte, Kwiatowski – who all lost time. Respect.
Froome seems a no fuss kind of bloke. No excessive crowing or winging about results. I think he was suffering more than he let on. Tough break for him but it was never the cobbles.
47 kph average puts things in perspective, BIG time. I don’t really solo ride to set PRs, but I know on my 2-3 hour loops I’m doing well if I average upper 20s. 47 kph for hours, in those conditions, over cobbles, makes even a pretty decent cyclist like myself realize that the PROs are in a different goddamn universe.
Did anyone else notice that Nibali was in the drops almost all day yesterday? Most guys seem to ride the pave either on the tops or on the hoods, but Nibali was down in the drops–attacking the roads all day.
@Ron
The last crash, must have been quite a tumble. And when I was watching it unfold, I think Froomy did want to press on, but seemed to know if he was to do so, would be on the ground many more times before making it to Arenberg.
@KW
Whilst in no way do I claim any parity, but I found when riding the best equivalent I could find locally to Strade Bianche for the L’eroica Brit equivalent,that riding on the drops was far more comfortable that the hoods or tops. For me it meant that my arm was more flexed at the elbow on the drops and better absorb the rough terrain without slowing and picking my way through it.
@Mike_P
Mike, I wasn’t picking a fight, honest! I totally got your Minion joke. I agree, CF was basically out of it mentally and physically and that for all our cries invoking Rule #5 on this site, we really have no idea what these guys put themselves through for a living and our entertainment.
For my belated VSP picks, I’m gonna go with the proven winners:
1. A. Schleck
2. Sastre
3. Pererio
4. Armstrong
5. Rassumussen
Fuck’in Sparty! Just when I thought I was starting to warm up to him he pulls this shit out:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-turns-against-cobbles-in-the-tour-de-france
Sad fuckin day when Cuntador and Nibbles are more manly on a pave’ stage in the rain than Sparty. He needs to take a page from Merckx’s fuckin book:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/merckx-i-would-have-loved-to-race-in-this-tour-de-france
@Shaun Kelly
+1
@wiscot
Here, here! On a 3 week race throw everything at the teams and may the best (and luckiest) rider enjoy his toast on the Champs-Élysées… it will be all the sweeter. Tours should be about the best rider, not the specialist.
And my picks are now proper fucked. Seems I will have to swap the Spider for Nibbles at the next rest day.
the Jensie, post race interview… Awesome!
That dude is the shit! He is my hero!
@Buck Rogers I’m a fan boy of Spartacus and while it seemed he was a bit tentative yesterday it looked to me to be exactly the situation he was quoted on, why work to bring up 3 others to have them use you. It is a very different race 5 days into the Tour vs PR. Also I bet if you were looking at 2 more weeks with the carnage you’d feel differently after the stage than from the day before, he was talking about weedy little mountain guys and the long view.
Having said that I always wonder when individuals complain about a stage that, when it comes down to it the whole peloton has to do, it s not like every one is riding different courses, so STFU and just do it. As Fabs did. Merckxs was such a great alrounder and probably never cared or complained for the weak sisters on his team so of course he would make Faboo look soft but hey the man did get 5th…
P.S. Can you come over to Dutchess Co. in the next few weeks for my epic 10 hills in 80k ride, we will finish on 21%!
@VeloSix ++1
and hes a guy that would be fun to hang with or have at your back, just saying, a rare combination these days.
@Buck Rogers
How many groups did Thomas and Porte jump? Just a shame they didn’t go for it one section earlier but they seemed to get through people OK on that last section.
@Ron
This. Absolutely this.
My personal standout performance awards go to Fuglsang, Westra, Thomas, and of course Boom. What a fantastic race within a fantastic race. Sad to see the Spider withdraw how he did. He looked in a world of hurt.
@eightzero
Those are about as good as my picks! and my guys are actually riding!
Another reason to cheer Boom’s win: Belkin are pulling out of sponsorship. A fine win on a tough day can’t have hindered the new sponsor search one little bit.
@Teocalli
Yeah, Merckx would have torn a few riders a new one on a stage like yesterdays. He wouldn’t have bitched, he’d have relished it! But then again, that’s what made him the greatest.
My VSP pretty much got in the car with Froome yesterday. I can only console myself with the awesomeness of the stage and the photos coming out of it.
If you aren’t already aware of the Grubers check out their tumblr and flickr accounts for gems like this:
Wiggo’s son. A clue for next year? Makes some sense if he’s got PR aspirations.
@frank I’m with Merckx, he was on the cyclingpodcast yesterday and said the cobbles belong, a GT winner should be able to handle them, along with a little luck of course.
Just got home from a night mtb ride and UK BBC4 are showing the 1976 Paris-Roubaix – A Sunday in Hell. Looks like a late night then.
@Teocalli Bollocks. I really to sleep not stay up all night watching it. I’ve got in on record but I’ve missed the first eight minutes. Does 4 have a +1?
I just thought G’s comments yesterday were brilliant….after talking through to the Froome stuff…and the Richie stuff…he just said “It was a really good day, I loved it!”
Spartacus step aside!
@Teocalli
Porte had that cocky glint in his eye and a smile on his face today. Good to see him back on form. I hope it pays off for him.
And also fucking great seeing The Gorilla hit a stage. Thats a monkey off his back I’m sure.
@Chris
Have you not heard of cyclingtorrents.nl ? Get with the bloody program man!
Just an observation here. I was watching a certain 4 letter sports network (it was zero dark thirty and I was on the trainer, pre-tour coverage) and noticed the following commercials in heavy rotation: fast food, shit beer, crap small cars and doritos. Then on the tour coverage in heavy rotation (this is in the US mind you): hair gel, insurance, vitamins and Michelob ultra. What sociological observations can one make?
@VeloSix
I can’t understand this sentiment, the defending champ was in the race, he has been beaten, simple as that, maybe the course was the winner but to finish first , first you have to finish, anyone who completes the race has beaten Chris Froome.
@piwakawaka
Agreed. Nibbles quite clearly did that, but so did Contador. He survived it, stayed upright, swallowed the time loss and resolved to make it up in the mountains. Good damage limitation. If he ends up winning then chapeau to him.
@Ccos
That succeeds in being hilarious, revealing and a sad indictment of society, all at the same time. Nice one.
@Geraint
And, all the other GC guy’s as well, I never considered the Schleks contenders, I think it’s all just racing and it’s damn fine to see it as opposed to a week of nothing, roll on stage 10.
@piwakawaka I agree, and I did get your point about it being everyone who finished. Stage 2 was a breath of fresh air in itself, as that got the GC guys paying attention, but followed up with Stage V has made for a great week of racing rather than a dull week of waiting.
@Geraint
A-Merckx to that Geraint. Prudhomme and co have put together a dynamite start to the Tour…
@piwakawaka
I was only coming from the point of view that a) it’s a shame for anyone to go out that way but mostly b) if he was still in and also lost a bunch of time then the whole dynamics of the race would have so much juice in it with an additional dimension.
@VeloJello
+1
This was just on the radio and somehow seemed apt with the mountains coming…..
@VeloJello
+1 on that count. The guy has revealed himself to be an evil genius. Contender for the V-Award without having been on a bike.
@Ccos
That people who are watching sports channels in the small hours are probably low income, less health-savvy younger males, and possibly stoned.
Unless it is a direct sponsorship e.g. Monday Night Football brought to you by… or something high-profile, general advertising is related to the audience not the content.
This is something I often bring up in arguments about women’s cycling. Unless and until it can deliver a different target group then sponsors and advertisers will get more return on investment from men’s cycling, and that’s what they care about.
@Chris
Prudhomme was on BBC Radio last Saturday morning, ahead of the Grand Depart, saying that after London in 2007 and with Wiggo causing such huge public interest in the 2012 Tour and Olympics, he and ASO had already made a decision that they needed to come back to the UK within 3 years, either to Edinburgh or Yorkshire. How do we get it back again?!?!
@Teocalli Slow day?
@ChrisO
…or the organizers should target different advertisers, i.e. ones which are interested in accessing and growing the existing audience, which some of the teams seem to be making an effort at (Lululemon yoga gear, for example). If the sport better embraced the image of fit, strong, intelligent (the number of post-graduate degrees wallops the men’s peloton) women and set out to make the most of that to a female audience, rather than often falling back on selling sexy to a male audience, it might do better in a market which requires differentiation rather than emulation.
The Women’s Tour in the UK seemed a good example of the sport being torn between these extremes, with a lot apparently being done for a female, especially a young female, audience, while one of the male organizers couldn’t resist commenting at the opening of a stage on how much better looking the female peloton was than the male, which to me came off as basically just a desperate attempt to give men a lowest-common-denominator reason to watch.
Long, flat stages. Always excellent reasons to go wildly off topic in a thread.