The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige continues the with Tour de France edition, on Saturday July 3rd in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, just kilometers from the start of the Giro d’Italia in Amsterdam (Dutchland is a small country). This will be the second Grand Tour of the series, and at this stage the Grand Tour rules and regulations are fairly well-defined, so take a moment to review them on the VSP Page.
The Tour is, of course, a major event. My personal preference lies with the Giro, but there is no denying the magnitude of the Tour and the appeal it holds. For three weeks, the world pays attention to our sport, and – provided the Tour doesn’t coincide with the World Cup football matches – this is the biggest sporting event during this time of the year. (An interesting observation: the last time these events coincided, the winner was eventually stripped of his title.)
Having run the VSP Giro edition where we tested the ruleset for Grand Tours, we’ve managed to set up a scoring system that seems fair and helps to close down the competition to afford newcomers the ability to catch up with some good picks; the Giro proved that lineup switches and the associated penalties kept the point gains pretty small while allowing strategy to play an interesting role. There is a full overview of the rules and standing at the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page, but here is the ten-second overview:
Every contestant is to choose their top five General Classification picks of the race. The final podium of le Grande Boucle is worth 15 points to the winner, 10 points for second, 5 points for third, 3 points for fourth, and 2 point for fifth. Given the effect crashes can have on a tour, we’ve set up some guidelines around making changes to your lineup during the race: you’re allowed to change your lineup if any rider in your pick list drops out for any reason without any penalty; rest days will allow contestants to make changes to their lineup, however those changes will come at a point penalty. (Visit the VSP Schedule, Rules, & Results page for a complete breakdown of these points.)
Every day, the leader in the points standings will have the honor of wearing the Yellow Jersey when posting on the site; the overall winner will wear the Yellow Jersey for the remainder of the season and will also earn an “Obey the Rules” bumper sticker. All reader’s points qualify towards the final prize of the free Velominati Shop Apron. As always, if you are inclined to enter, simply post your predictions for the top five placings.
New to the Tour de France edition is the addition of naming the winner of the Green and Polka-dot jerseys for the Tour. There will be no points awarded towards these two jerseys, but the leader of the competition of these jerseys will have the honor of commenting with a Green or Polka-dot jersey badge throughout the competition and the winner will earn the right to comment with that badge until next year’s Tour. The contestant who picks both the final Green and Polka jersey winners correctly will win a Velominati Logo bumper sticker. Tie-breakers will go to the first contestant who posts their entire lineup (all 5 GC picks plus Green and Polka-dot jersey winners). Given that this sub-competition has no points, pick substitutions will only be granted under the DNF regulations of the VSP; no rest-day substitutions are allowed.
Sub-competitions will be conducted while the Tour is underway for specific stages. These stages will be chosen a few days prior to the stage being held and will be selected based on the current race conditions with the aim of choosing the most decisive and exciting stages of the race, so check back often to make sure you don’t miss out. Sub-competitions will be held in separate editions.
Good luck!
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View Comments
@Steampunk
Yea but we both know it don't mean shit and can be blown apart by some unforeseen somethingorother.
@ all: between work...riding....and...work...you guys and these threads are hard to keep up with. I feel like Cavendouche w/a broomwagon looming getting dropped by you guys and the good discussion!
back...til the next climb
@john: agreed on denny, will see how he pans out, but i am saying its pan flat with no peak
@brett: I was wondering who would go Vino, i agree, he may be so angry under it all that the Giro will give him the legs and climbs to do well
@Geof: Good thought on big bro Frankie, i thought about that as well, where andy goes, frank will be also. good luck in that.
@Marcus, @Steampunk
Right you are. Updated. By the way, this is a dishearteningly unscientific process I have here for tracking this stuff (says the software developer sheepishly). It's in your own best interest to double check your scores and don't be bashful about telling me of my mistakes.
@roadslave: "Count Dracula just won't understand why AC can't keep his wheel ["I ride hard all day, you stick to my wheel.... where have you gone again? Fuck, Keep up and stop bouncing around, you little spanish prig. Rule 5"" Heh. Nice. Probably very true.
So, to mix it up a bit:
Frankie Schleck
Basso
Wiggo
Evans
Lancey
...Bertie loses lots of time behind cobbles crashes and can't keep out of trouble, then crashes, never to regain form and then withdraws. Gets sick of being hunted down as well. Basso almost does the double, with great team support. Wiggo manages to hold off a really grumpy Evans and uses the ITT to get the seconds needed to get on the podium.
Sastre is too old to win....
Vino not good enough without...er....help
@steampunk On AC crashing. What roadslave said covers it. And, as Armstrong has said, there will be carnage. I doubt AC will crash out, although there's a chance of it. Vino ought to be able to keep him safe. But, I think to do it, Astana is going to back off, take the time loss, and then try to win the time back later. And, if they do that, they don't have to defend the yellow jersey in the Alps and beyond. Taking a time loss in the first week may be a good strategy for the team as a whole.
1. Lance Armstrong - This is his last Tour de France. He's got decent form and a pretty damned good team - which he will eat alive and they will not make the top 10.
2. Alberto Contador - While not being able to destroy Skeletor Janez at the Dauphine put me off a little bit, he did shell the rest of a pretty good group of climbers, and this is his A race. Vino will distract the others by winning the cobbled stage and gnawing his way through the mountains.
3. Ivan Basso - Cobbles be damned, Basso is back. The Giro proved it. Week three he'll come to life. Liqiugas is plenty strong, even without Pelidopey. Kreuziger will keep things interesting, but not in a Vino kinda way.
4. A. Grimpeur the YOUNGER - This is his whole deal, Lucille. And while the Saxo organization is crumbling, don't think that the team will jump ship to another contender (Fuglsang?) - they are still going to get paid if Schleck makes the podium. (PS - can I change A. Grimpeur to the non-specific "a Grimpeur"? 'cause I think Frankenclimber might have a shot)
5. KREUZIGERRRRR - "Contract Year" says Pave'. 13th and 9th in previous TdF's, and he's only 24.
maillot à pois rouges: J-ROD from the ROCKET SQUAD.
Katusha is there to ATTACK. Most of the other "pure climbers" (Gesink comes to mind) will be fighting for a GC leader - but not J-ROD. (Pick from the Heart: Sastre. Realizing his time is up and fighting a bad back, he fights and wins the polka-dots, retires. )
maillot vert: THOR THOR THOR HOOOOO-SHOVD.
CTT is built around him this year. Cav's off his form, his train is busted, and he can't reach over the mountains like THOR can. (Pick from the Heart: Farrar. On the rise, his lead-out is getting strong, but he's stated publically that the Green Jersey isn't for him. Love to see him do it, though)
Alright. Time to get on this; I've put it off for long enough. There's no sense in making predictions because I simply won't put AC on the list out of principle, and aside from that, with the cobbles, it's so wide open I have no idea what to make of it. Voting with my heart here:
1. Basso - because it's about time we have someone do the double, and he knows the Tour
2. A. Grimpeur - As much as I love him, I am afraid he may be a bit of a Poulidor.
3. Pharmstrong - He's got the juice to make the podium, and the grinta. And, with everyone talking about cancer, I'd feel like too much of an ass to leave him off the list entirely
4. Sastre - Just off the podium, again
5. F. Grimeur - Has a nasty habit of fading in the last week and breaking my heart, but I just can't bring myself to leave him off the list
Points: Thunder Clap - because he's the only sprinter I like who is still in the race
Spots: Kreuziger - Supporting Basso will have him on the front a lot in the mountains, and he's not strong enough yet for the GC
As for Banged and Felled, it's the kiss of death that, of all things, Stage Three is the one that he tends to fall in, and that that happens to be the stage when they go over the stones. Ouuuuuuchhh.
Twiggo will never stand on the podium and will likely not grace the top 10 in any grand tour. Last year was luck, this year will see his true colors. Sorry lads.
@Roadslave...."I ride hard all day, you stick to my wheel.... where have you gone again? Fuck, Keep up and stop bouncing around, you little spanish prig. Rule 5"
Genius!
@John..."what race do we put you in this year? The Giro? no...we got away with that last year...hmmmmm, maybe the Tour, no one will be expecting you, inept drug testing, yes the Tour!"
Double Genius...that's why he's in.
@frank
Aw piss! Can I change my picks? And just double Frank's? These are bold, bold, bold! Basso for the double! Showing some love for Carlito! Love it! Diabolical, but I love it!