Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France 2017

Favorites ascending. Photo: Gruber Images.

As many of you know, I write a monthly column for Cyclist Magazine where I answer Dear Abby-esque questions, and the most recent query pertained to whether I consider the Tour the best race of the year, or whether it’s an over-publicized circus. The question made me realize something about myself: I have a weariness around the Tour de France not unlike a romantic whose heart has been broken one too many times.

The fact is, as much as I prefer a race like Paris-Roubaix or the Giro d’Italia to the mid-summer shit show that is the Tour de France, nothing gets my anticipation going quite the way the Tour does, which is undeniably the pinnacle of the season; all the classifications and stages are prestigious enough that racers of all sorts are all arriving at the start in peak form. There is a promise of hard racing from day one, but the first week consists mostly of me worrying about the big favorites crashing out. As soon as we get through that mess, my heart is usually broken on the first day in the mountains, when the favorite takes a decisive lead and the rest of the race is most about stages than the GC.

At least, these are the dreads of a man who lived through the Indurain and Armstrong eras of racing.

Nevertheless, the Tour always manages to seduce me, and this year is no different. Maybe this year, she won’t be such a cruel lover. And, maybe this year, I won’t make horrible picks in the VSP. Just maybe, just maybe. You know the drill; get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero, and you get some swap options on the rest day. Good luck!
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frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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Randy C says:

Jul 4 2017 at 4:11 am

BTW: I meant to post that on the other thread with the backstage pass…
RobSandy says:

Jul 4 2017 at 4:35 am

@Randy C

0

But this stage 1 TT was just plain stupid stage in the rain. Watching the stage early I had to think WTF as Bohini hit the turns, seemed like all of them littered with road paint, at a crawl. This Orica cat here shoots for a top five and blammo… outa the race. Any guesses what Valverde may have been thinking when he hit it ? And now blammo… outa the race and likely the season. Porte wants to save his hide so in essence, he gives up 30 sec’s to do so. It was just a crummy way to start this year’s TdF.

I could imagine having wanted to simply jump on a road bike with big squishy 28’s and cruising around the course.

0

Not sure what your beef is! It's not like they planned it to be wet, just a typical, short Grand Tour prologue.

A chance for one of the strong testers to wear yellow and for small time gaps to open up between then main contenders to encourage them to race.

In challenging conditions, its the riders who master them best who get the rewards, see Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas. The others had better be prepared to attack to take the time back.
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 5:16 am

@RobSandy

@Randy C

0

But this stage 1 TT was just plain stupid stage in the rain. Watching the stage early I had to think WTF as Bohini hit the turns, seemed like all of them littered with road paint, at a crawl. This Orica cat here shoots for a top five and blammo… outa the race. Any guesses what Valverde may have been thinking when he hit it ? And now blammo… outa the race and likely the season. Porte wants to save his hide so in essence, he gives up 30 sec’s to do so. It was just a crummy way to start this year’s TdF.

I could imagine having wanted to simply jump on a road bike with big squishy 28’s and cruising around the course.

0

Not sure what your beef is! It’s not like they planned it to be wet, just a typical, short Grand Tour prologue.

A chance for one of the strong testers to wear yellow and for small time gaps to open up between then main contenders to encourage them to race.

In challenging conditions, its the riders who master them best who get the rewards, see Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas. The others had better be prepared to attack to take the time back.

0

I agree, the race is about being the best bike rider. That includes riding in difficult conditions. Chapeau to Team Sky riders and their vortex manipulators. My VSP pick gave away the race in stage one by being cautious.
Buck Rogers says:

Jul 4 2017 at 7:10 am

@RobSandy

@Randy C

0

But this stage 1 TT was just plain stupid stage in the rain. Watching the stage early I had to think WTF as Bohini hit the turns, seemed like all of them littered with road paint, at a crawl. This Orica cat here shoots for a top five and blammo… outa the race. Any guesses what Valverde may have been thinking when he hit it ? And now blammo… outa the race and likely the season. Porte wants to save his hide so in essence, he gives up 30 sec’s to do so. It was just a crummy way to start this year’s TdF.

I could imagine having wanted to simply jump on a road bike with big squishy 28’s and cruising around the course.

0

Not sure what your beef is! It’s not like they planned it to be wet, just a typical, short Grand Tour prologue.

A chance for one of the strong testers to wear yellow and for small time gaps to open up between then main contenders to encourage them to race.

In challenging conditions, its the riders who master them best who get the rewards, see Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas. The others had better be prepared to attack to take the time back.

0

I agree as well. When you race the bike, you race in all conditions and the conditions are usually the same for everyone, even in a TT. The only ones who crashed hard were the ones knowingly pushing the limits to try to take a few extra seconds. You have to race with the head as well as the legs to be a good racer.

And what the fuck was Malmerde doing anyways? He was supposed to support Quintana at this tour, which he stated that he whole-heartedly would, and yet he goes out 110% on a fuckingly known wet and crazy course and just tries to kill it for himself? He should have doubly been careful knowing that he was a supporter for Quintana's GC ambitions. What an ass but totally keeping with his lack of character.
RobSandy says:

Jul 4 2017 at 7:40 am

@Buck Rogers

And what the fuck was Malmerde doing anyways? He was supposed to support Quintana at this tour, which he stated that he whole-heartedly would, and yet he goes out 110% on a fuckingly known wet and crazy course and just tries to kill it for himself? He should have doubly been careful knowing that he was a supporter for Quintana’s GC ambitions. What an ass but totally keeping with his lack of character.

0

To do him some credit (which I'm sure you wont agree with) he was riding hard to try and do the Movistar double-threat of having Valverde and Quintana both as GC contenders.

But everyone else rode that corner and 1 rider crashed there. That's not dangerous conditions, that's someone overcooking it.

What are the organisers going to say? "Sorry lads, bit wet out, everyone take it easy". We don't want that.
Buck Rogers says:

Jul 4 2017 at 8:21 am

Fuck! Sagan just took Cav out badly! Curious as to how badly they punish him?
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 8:22 am

@Buck Rogers

Yes, I am a big Sagan fan but that was unacceptable.
Buck Rogers says:

Jul 4 2017 at 8:24 am

@Rick

@Buck Rogers

Yes, I am a big Sagan fan but that was unacceptable.

0

Yup. I have always loved Sagan but that was really bad. Relegated to last on the stage for sure, I wonder if anything other punishment?
RobSandy says:

Jul 4 2017 at 8:26 am

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@Buck Rogers

Yes, I am a big Sagan fan but that was unacceptable.

0

Yup. I have always loved Sagan but that was really bad. Relegated to last on the stage for sure, I wonder if anything other punishment?

0

Shit, they are describing it on live text. Sounds like Cav has done a collarbone, tour over?

What about G? Anyone else get taken out in either crash?

The more racing I do, the more pro bunch sprints shit me up.
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 8:29 am

@RobSandy

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@Buck Rogers

Yes, I am a big Sagan fan but that was unacceptable.

0

Yup. I have always loved Sagan but that was really bad. Relegated to last on the stage for sure, I wonder if anything other punishment?

0

Shit, they are describing it on live text. Sounds like Cav has done a collarbone, tour over?

What about G? Anyone else get taken out in either crash?

The more racing I do, the more pro bunch sprints shit me up.

0

Thomas and Froome looked fine across the line.