Categories: Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Le Tour de France, Stage 14

Plateau de Beille has a reputation. It’s long. It’s hard. It’s steep. It’s high. And, because it’s in the Pyrenees, it’s either really hot or really wet.

Although it has only been featured in the Tour four times (1998, 2002, 2004, 2007), it has quickly been placed high on the list of fabled Tour mountaintop finishes for the simple fact that every time the Tour has had a stage finish at the Plateau, the winner of the stage has gone on to win the Tour: Pantani, Amstrong, and Contador have all won here and gone on to win le Grand Boucle. (Of the past winners, Pantani is the only rider whose photo I’m willing to post on a VSP event.)

For those of us who are superstitious, we will, because of this track record, choose the rider whom we hopes will go on to win the Tour. Those of us who are more reasonable might engage in some prognosticating, while others still will inexplicably pick Mark Cavendish or Philbert.

While we traditionally kick off the first intermediate VSP for a Grand Tour on the first mountaintop finish, this time around we waited for this decisive day. The riders have played their cards close to their chest, but surely they will be laid out on the table tomorrow. Get your picks in by 5am Pacific tomorrow morning for the chance to win 3, 2, or 1 points for the podium spots, and 1 point for 4th and 5th places. Good luck.

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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Chris says:

Jul 18 2011 at 8:10 am

@xyxax

@Cyclops
In my rush (ahem) to get a Primal jersey, Rush was my least favorite on offer. I retract and give you this.

That is so unbelievably wrong... Rule 14 and verging on Rule 19 infractions...
Jonny says:

Jul 18 2011 at 8:40 am

@xyxax

You've started something here. I propose this forthright maillot grise
scaler911 says:

Jul 18 2011 at 9:09 am

@xyxax

Perhaps, like the "Velominatus of the week" jersey, currently held by "Drops you with a smile" Cyclops, we could have a "COTHO of the week" jersey, the form of which could be this or that.

So, you suppose that Rush jersey comes with a hit of blotter and a 'lid' of dirt weed with the packing slip?
scaler911 says:

Jul 18 2011 at 9:14 am

@Slash

Ah, juvenile I know..............
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Jul 18 2011 at 10:44 am

@Steampunk
Sorry my response is so late. I swear I'm not a glutton for punishment. I'm stuck here. If I wore the pants in the family, we'd be gone by now. And, as I am a narcissistic whiner, I wouldn't have anything to complain about if I lived in, say, San Diego, or on Lake Como. I wouldn't be truly happy 'cause my life would be so much more awesomer.
@G'phant
I can't find my month's ago reference to Nanci Griffith, but I'm sure I mentioned I had college boy crush on her back in the 80's. And while I've never been to Cleveland, I believe her completely.

With regard to hills, I did most of my racing and training when I lived in Austin a lifetime ago (the same time I was crushing on Nanci G.). I like hills because they make you stronger precisely because you don't have a choice. You have to climb if you want to ride. When you're a flatlander, you (I) can give into personal weakness and stop laying down the V anytime I want. My only issues here are wind (not much), heat mixed with humidity (life threatening), and traffic (really life threatening). I could gently roll at 24km/h for the rest of my days in Houston, showing my mad skillz as a recovery ride specialist, sit up and beg on a department store mountain bike, and think I'm a cyclist. I have to get in my car and drive at least an hour each way to climb, unless I want to ride over highway overpasses and a ship causeway (which I do, but it's not very aesthetically pleasing). So be thankful, in a masochistic sort of way.
eightzero says:

Jul 18 2011 at 1:13 pm

OK, gents, Tomorrow 7/19 the Shit Goes Down. No more Plateu de Bullshit; the road turns up in the Alpes, and by Merckx is my witness, we are gonna see The V in copious amounts.

This article is particularly interesting. Weather might play a big factor. Hard men will survive, all the rest will be laid to waste. Gilbert? Could Jens make some titanic breakaway? Screw these "favorites" and even Voeklers "no way I can win" horse shit.

Someone will go on The Alpe, and not like Sastre. It will be murderous. Not like Ventoux last year.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/07/news/inside-the-tour-with-john-wilcockson-calm-before-the-alpine-storm_184705
xyxax says:

Jul 18 2011 at 1:45 pm

@Chris
I was hoping I would find a sleeveless.

@Jonny
Your link doesn't work.

@scaler911
A lid cleaned on a double-album cover. Try doing that with an mp3 file.
Jonny says:

Jul 18 2011 at 1:55 pm

@xyxax

Hopefully this T-shirt works
frank says:

Jul 18 2011 at 2:40 pm

@Dr C
You're on the wrong VSP Event - your Rest Day Picks can be swapped over hmyah. (This one is the Sub-Tour Stage VSP.)
xyxax says:

Jul 18 2011 at 7:38 pm

@Jonny
If you can also find me an "I'm with C-nt" shirt in a women's small, my next wedding anniversary gift planning is done.