Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France Stage 8

Contador stamps his authority on the first hilltop finish of the 2009 Tour.

The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige makes it’s first VSP Sub-Competition with Stage 8 of the Tour de France. The competition will allow contestants the opportunity to win bonus points in the VSP Tour de France by choosing the top three finishers of the stage for a chance to win 3 points for first place, 2 for second, and 1 for third.

We are expecting fireworks on the bumpy stage from Station des Rousses to Morzine-Avoriaz so it’s going to be a tough one to call, given that a breakaway can go up the road while the GC contenders watch eachother and wait for the last hill. That said, some GC hopes are farther behind (or not far enough a head of) Alberto Contador to be able to afford to wait until the last hill; will the stage show a Pantaniesque ride from a rider like Sastre or Armstrong?

Make your picks by the time tomorrow’s stage starts, regular VSP Rules apply. 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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View Comments

Roberto Marques says:

Jul 11 2010 at 4:25 am

1. Contador
2. Vino
3. Armstrong
Tim says:

Jul 11 2010 at 8:28 am

So glad to read that the asshole from Austin has cracked and shown his pedestrial (for riders of that caliber) talents. He had one good showing in a mountain stage all spring, and he's only been mediocre in the time trials. And people thought he had a chance to win?
Omar says:

Jul 11 2010 at 9:19 am

I honestly did think he had a chance to win, especially after his podium finish last year. This year he's been very unlucky. I've looked up to Lance since I was a kid, so in all likelihood, I probably have a personal bias.

It was nice, though, to see Schleck drop Cunt-Odor like that. I wonder if he'll be able to out-kick him again in the Pyrenees? And good on Cadelephant hangin' in there today.
frank says:

Jul 11 2010 at 9:39 am

@all
HOW BOUT MY BOY ANDY! YEAH! Droppin' the Cunny! Yea-aaah!!
Geof says:

Jul 11 2010 at 3:27 pm

@frank
That one was for the bro. Outstanding stage and great result for Grimpeur Junior. (Carping cricism: what was with that victory salute? Never thought Pistolero could be out-gauched, but too much more of Grimpeur's "C'mon baby, do the Locomotion" hand-waving and I may have to revise that view.)
Tim says:

Jul 11 2010 at 3:59 pm

Why did Radioshack decide to hold back Brazkovic and let Eggtimer go up the road with Fingerbang? Do they want to be successful with Fuckhead or completely unsuccessful?

Good grief I hope Lance goes to jail.
Kermitpunk says:

Jul 11 2010 at 4:34 pm

Y'know: from a sporting standpoint, I actually felt rather badly for Lance today. I've never been a fan of his"”rider or personality"”but for the most part he's handled himself reasonably given the pressure and scrutiny surrounding him. Some bad luck on Stage 3 with the puncture, but he showed a lot of grinta in trying to get back in the race. I'm sure the demons were already creeping in and losing a whole minute to Contador was tantamount to surrendering the race. And then today. You can call it bad luck that he crashed, not once, not twice, but three times, but I suspect he would even confess that he just doesn't have it anymore. I mean: I don't even remember him getting caught up in trouble in previous Tours"”certainly not like this.

Much of it was his own doing, I know, but it was either winning in Paris or failure. He knew going in there was a handful of young legs that could simply out-climb him and if he stayed in contention, it would be through skill and hard work. I'm sure the work ethic is there"”and I hope he finishes the Tour"”but wiliness isn't going to get the job done.

At the same time, in losing, he's gone up mightily in my estimation. The dust-caked rider who slogged across the cobbles last week was a real warrior and an impressive one. It's a shame that that won't be a part of his legacy.
Geof says:

Jul 11 2010 at 5:04 pm

@Kermitpunk
A+1
ben says:

Jul 11 2010 at 5:28 pm

Yay do I get a point or something for Gesink? J-ROD from the ROKKIT SKWAD almost got away with it, too, if it wasn't for those damned kids...

Janez had to be gnashing his teeth as he was breathing through his nose with his mouth closed pacing Armnotasstrong...
Kermitpunk says:

Jul 11 2010 at 5:30 pm

@Geof
Thanks. I kinda expected to feel as though the great villain had been vanquished, but it really didn't go down that way for me. We got plenty of shots of Lance suffering and all I saw was one tough customer who belonged on a bike. Stayed on too long? Maybe. But he could sure teach a number of members of the peloton a thing or two about Rule #5.