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!
[vsp_results id=”104413″/]

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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Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:12 am

According to Cycling News Sagan docked 30 seconds:

18:06:08 CEST

Here is the revised top 10 on the stage after Sagan's demotion.

1 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ 04:53:54
2 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin 00:00:00
3 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 00:00:00
4 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 00:00:00
5 Adrien Petit (Fra) Direct Energie 00:00:00
6 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal 00:00:00
7 Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb 00:00:00
8 Manuele Mori (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:00
9 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 00:00:00
10 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step Floors 00:00:00
chris says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:14 am

@ChrisO

Cav was actually in front of Sagan so no way he didn’t know he was there. It wasn’t Sagan’s space.

But the other thing to look at in that finish is Demare. He comes three metres to his left in the last 10-20 and nearly takes Bouhanni out as well, who just manages to check and avoid Demare’s rear wheel.

But of course they aren’t going to DQ the first French sprint winner in more than 10 years.

Funny that French TV hasn’t shown the usual overhead shots.

0

It must be a first for Brouhaha not to have cause a sprint finish controversy?
Teocalli says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:28 am

@Buck Rogers

@chris

Disqualification, relegation or a haircut and a ban on trucker caps?

0

All three???

0

or Four????
ChrisO says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:29 am

@chris

@ChrisO

Cav was actually in front of Sagan so no way he didn’t know he was there. It wasn’t Sagan’s space.

But the other thing to look at in that finish is Demare. He comes three metres to his left in the last 10-20 and nearly takes Bouhanni out as well, who just manages to check and avoid Demare’s rear wheel.

But of course they aren’t going to DQ the first French sprint winner in more than 10 years.

Funny that French TV hasn’t shown the usual overhead shots.

0

It must be a first for Brouhaha not to have cause a sprint finish controversy?

0

Rest assured, he nearly took out Greipel but that was prior to the Sagan incident. Greipel's rear wheel flailing all over the shop as he struggles to get back on his line.
Buck Rogers says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:41 am

Demare says that Sagan is being penalised 80 points. Not sure if that is official or not?
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:55 am

In a GIF that I unfrotunately am unable to post but can be viewed here:

Daniel Vassbund

@Smoothedan

It appears that Cav's handlebars hit Sagans forearm and push it and the elbow forward.
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 9:57 am

@Buck Rogers

Demare says that Sagan is being penalised 80 points. Not sure if that is official or not?

0

My understanding is that Sagan is penalized 30 seconds so he forgoes the 30 points from today's stage. In addition he is penalized 50 points for a total of 80 points penalty.
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 10:14 am

Twitterati now reporting Sagan has been expelled from the TDF for dangerous riding.
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 10:15 am

Link: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/peter-sagan-disqualified-from-tour-de-france/
Rick says:

Jul 4 2017 at 10:16 am

@Rick

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/peter-sagan-disqualified-from-tour-de-france/