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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stooge says:

Jul 5 2017 at 11:26 pm

@Mikael Liddy

@wiscot, @Buck Rogers, @stooge let’s just get one thing clear. While Aru’s bike, kit & accessory choices are all correct ingredients for looking fantastic, none of that makes up for the horrific manner in which he actually drives the bike along.

He makes Froome’s stem staring, spider humping a lightbulb, pedalling action look attractive!

0

You'll get no argument from me. Double that when descending. Triple it if it's wet.
Teocalli says:

Jul 6 2017 at 12:51 am

@Pali65

Funny enough Slovak TV bought the rights for airing whole stages and Slovaks are so pissed off that no one wants to watch Tour de “Fraud” anymore… Conspiracies about “French wanted a French Green jersey winner, but they had to eliminate Sagan first, DD owner part of the TdF organizers team, etc…” are all around.

As I see this, the long series of Cav sending fellow sprinters to the deck was finally punished as expected. Only a pity that Peter got the bill. He wanted 7 consecutive Maillot vert trophy and that feat is apparently over.

0

Is there actually - " the long series of Cav sending fellow sprinters to the deck ". I'm not counting but my impression is that he's the one hat seems to mostly end up on the deck.
RobSandy says:

Jul 6 2017 at 2:49 am

@Mikael Liddy

@wiscot, @Buck Rogers, @stooge let’s just get one thing clear. While Aru’s bike, kit & accessory choices are all correct ingredients for looking fantastic, none of that makes up for the horrific manner in which he actually drives the bike along.

He makes Froome’s stem staring, spider humping a lightbulb, pedalling action look attractive!

0

I think Dan Martin also looks pretty horrific when he's laying down the V. The only one of the contenders I'd actually enjoy watching is Bardet - hope he does well.
RobSandy says:

Jul 6 2017 at 2:52 am

Where'd I get the +1 badge from? I think I preferred my VSP leader's Rainbows...
chris says:

Jul 6 2017 at 3:13 am

@RobSandy

I think Dan Martin also looks pretty horrific when he’s laying down the V.

Isn't that because he's borrowed Shane McGowan's teeth?
chris says:

Jul 6 2017 at 3:23 am

@stooge

@Pali65

There are all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories getting around about Sagans DQ...

There is no Anglo French collusion to discredit Sagan or contrive to place a Frenchman in Green after years of hurt caused by English domination of yellow. None whatsoever. And there was no digital manipulation of the finish line photos.
Teocalli says:

Jul 6 2017 at 3:51 am

@RobSandy

Where’d I get the +1 badge from? I think I preferred my VSP leader’s Rainbows…

0

Your role in Pirates of the Caribbean in another thread.
Teocalli says:

Jul 6 2017 at 3:52 am

@chris

@stooge

@Pali65

There are all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories getting around about Sagans DQ…

There is no Anglo French collusion to discredit Sagan or contrive to place a Frenchman in Green after years of hurt caused by English domination of yellow. None whatsoever. And there was no digital manipulation of the finish line photos.

0

Brilliant!
RobSandy says:

Jul 6 2017 at 4:14 am

@Teocalli

@RobSandy

Where’d I get the +1 badge from? I think I preferred my VSP leader’s Rainbows…

0

Your role in Pirates of the Caribbean in another thread.

0

Arrrr!

@sthilzy started it anyway.
wiscot says:

Jul 6 2017 at 5:45 am

@stooge

@Mikael Liddy

@wiscot, @Buck Rogers, @stooge let’s just get one thing clear. While Aru’s bike, kit & accessory choices are all correct ingredients for looking fantastic, none of that makes up for the horrific manner in which he actually drives the bike along.

He makes Froome’s stem staring, spider humping a lightbulb, pedalling action look attractive!

0

You’ll get no argument from me. Double that when descending. Triple it if it’s wet.

0

Nah, nah, nah. I'd still rather watch Aru any day. Being Italian rather than Kenyan/English, there's a bit more passion to the boy.