Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de France
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!
@frank
I’m not disputing it belongs in the Lexicon, but I’m having a very hard time getting behind this one…
@frank
I should be penalised 2 points for my pharmy->HardmanForRidingWithABrokenElbowAndTellingNoone Cadel
Grimpeur Jr. on his riding today: “If I’d attacked one more time, I would have dropped myself.” Spending a little too much time around Jens, perhaps?
@Guy
Go to it Guy! Don’t go crazy early on, let the youth go on ahead. I wish you had the kit to refer to Rule #5 when push really comes to shove. Send a proper report of the sufferin’ when it’s over. Ride tempo.
@Nathan Edwards
That’s it. I have to get a better system put together.
@all
On the next round (i.e. Vuelta), how would you feel about entering your picks into a form, and then doing your switches through a form as well? We would keep it very simple; Name/Email/Picks and you wouldn’t have to re-enter that info if you’re already commenting or logged in.
Would that be workable for you, or is part of the appeal on the VSP that you just enter them here as a post?
@frank
Good suggestion – though one would expect participants to also announce their picks and changes so that the can be the subject of the usual “critiques”. (Perhaps ther should be a variation of the Piti Principle for anyone who tries to sneak some changes under the radar. Hmmm. Doing something and hoping no-one notices. I wonder who we could name such a principle after…)
@Geof
Geof, your geniousnessisouity never fails to amaze me. I am envisioning possibly a separate VSP tracker or some such thing; complete with mobile phone apps that would also put our comments during the race in a feed.
Alternatively there would be some wizardry that put the picks into the post feed and also into the VSP tracker. I’m taking from this that it’s fun to see eachothers picks. That’s what I love too. Ok, so we have to keep that. What other thoughts do we have? Aside from being Dutch and climbing well for my size, I’m a great coder.
Sky is the limit.
@frank
I think you meant “Sky has reached its limit”, didn;t you?
Let me know if you need a domestique – I’m a PRO at only one thing – web development.
I know it’s almost impossible to keep this position, since we have a long ITT and Andy really sucks on it, but man, it’s good to be on top!
Gotta say: I’m loving Ryder Hesjedal’s tour. That guy’s a stud!
@frank
Time for some code hokeypokerey :P
@frank
What about a “most aggressive” prize, awarded to the person whose picks show the most – I don’t know, chutzpah? early promise? – even if not ultimately successful? (Maybe only applicable to stages, not the overall.)
Thought about a cut-off point – below a specified percentage of the winning total you get eliminated – but unless the percentage was, like, 98%, most of us in the grupetto would be eliminated almost immediately.
You could get really PRO and set up a Twitter feed so everyone could follow all picks and changes and comments instantaneously. But no-one wants to be accused of copying the Texan. (Besides which, I can’t keep comments to 132 characters….)
Finally, what about bonus points? Perhaps a bonus point on some stages for the person who spots (and provides evidence of) the most egregious breach of The Rules by a rider in the peloton that stage. (Probably only open to Rule Holists. But only Rule Holists would be intersted anyway …)
The Hapsburg was never going to win the TdF but it was hard to watch him lose all that time. His tears at the end may have been a flagrant – and very public – violation of Rule #5 but I think there are mitigating circumstances. (Shit, I nearly cried for him myself, it was kinda like watching a cross between Beaches and Hell on Wheels.)
Wiggins is really beginning to shit me. The man is a legend on the track and if he’d stayed there he would be beyond criticism. But he hasn’t so he’s not. He was dreaming if he thought he could be competitive in 3 week races, especially the one 3 week race everyone wants to win. (Maybe he could win the Vuelta.) His too cool for school in post race interviews (ITV) grate in much the same way that broken glass in my Assos chamois creme would grate.
@all
Bit of a quiet stage today; no changes in the VSP.
@Geof
I’ve been toying some similar ideas myself. Love the idea of picking Rule Violators and having a prize go to it. Ben’s photo from a few days back is a prime example.
@ben
Thanks for the offer; I might just take you up on that!
@Daniel
Everything’s possible! It would be crazy if our two contestants from Brazil would win the first two GT VSPs!
@Nof Landrien and @AllI knew Wiggins would be a no show for this Tour. While I’m not a huge LA fan I think the way things have worked out for Wiggins, Sastre, and Cadel Evans add great weight to just what an accomplishment winning seven Tours in a row is. So many things can conspire against you over the course of three weeks that can undo the greatest preparation in a moment. He may be a twitter but I doubt Lance’s achievement will ever be equaled.
@frank
COTHO breaching Rule #37
Look very closely (I noticed the violation on the coverage and this was the only photo I could find of him in 12.3 seconds of searching).
Surely there is a bonus for a COTHO Rule violation?
@Marcus
Well spotted. Was that on the pave? If so, perhaps justifiable (i.e. to stop them rattling forward on his nose)?
@Geof
Nope – stage 9. Whilst I admire COTHO’s riding, his style has always been questionable.
And Geof, suggest you may need to re-refer to Rules #1 and #3 before using the term “perhaps justifiable”?
@Marcus
Hehe. (Was so focussed on trying to find a helmet to wear in the office so that I could put my glasses on the outside of the straps and show my colleagues how much more PRO I am than Big Tex that I forgot myself. But I acknowledge that that is not justifiable. Not even perhaps.)
I don’t think this falls under “THE RULES” but I gather that picking at your arse constantly during a race is not considered good form:
http://cdn-community2.livestrong.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/13/2/3d8aacf3-015d-4ae1-82f6-db7c3e29052c.Full.jpg
Methinks that saddle sore was a bad one. I noticed him fidgeting a fair amount…
@ben
Hasn’t he always done that? Seems to me I remember him always picking at his ass just in that spot. Odd. Maybe a recurring saddle sore? Or is it more akin to the perpetual office nose-picker?
@frank
You’d think, what with him “getting” off the bike so much in this race, that he’d have plenty of opportunity to get the scratching out of the way off the bike…
(Actually I do feel for him. And I was glad to see him fighting back next stage.)
Pharmstrong’s 7 TdF wins deserve to be bracketed with the Barry Bonds’ record of MLB home runs. That is, they should serve as a reminder of just how fucked up things really got and not as some indication of greatness. Anyway, every single one of those Pharmstrong Tour wins – except perhaps the one where Ulrich got the mix right while wearing celeste and doing cartwheels off the road – were boring.
Having appeared like he had actually engaged his brain before opening his mouth during pretty much every interview so far this Tour, The Hapsburg seems to have lost it a bit. From CN: “on the rest day, I couldn’t go training because we were staying up in the mountains and we could only ride downhill.” Two words. Team. Car.
Hey Frank, is it too late to change my picks from Eddy, Eddy, Eddy, Eddy, Eddy to Jens, Jens, Jens, Jens, Jens?
Fuck me. Renshaw is a fucking menace. Headbutting Dean. Yeah well, that’s leadouts. Dean looked like he was on the same line (on the road) – maybe leant. I’m not sure. But whatever. Not cool, not what you want to see, but whatever.
Riding Farrar into the wall (looked over shoulder, changed line by a few metres) was fucking dangerous, and a fucking underhanded way to ensure your sprinter won. Should Garmin just ride Cav off the road 5km out and be done with it? Are all tactics considered fair? What a bullshit performance. The worst thing is, Cav is the best sprinter in the race. He more than likely would have won anyway. Why lower themselves to that shit when he can (and does) win fair and square?
@Nof Landrien
Not that I’m a huge Pharmstrong fan, but remember this from 2003?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtZhG2kWVLY
Not boring.
Also, the comparison with Bonds is both questionable and telling. You forget that Bonds was on his way to a hall of fame career well before he started juicing. Tougher to tell with Lance, but even if he won 1 tour clean after cancer (and who am I to say that he didn’t do that 7 times), he’d be a Rule #5 legend. Either way, you don’t hit that many home runs or win that many TdFs on drugs alone. It’s easy to jump straight to the counterfactual: without doping, they wouldn’t have done anything. Hate them for doping and I’m okay with it. But acknowledge the spectacle for what it was. If you ever got the chance to see Bonds hit live or you can remember “the look,” you know what I’m talking about.
renshaw kicked off the tour. good reaction from the commissaires. He’s just had his fucking idiot moment.
This means cavencanhesprintwithoutaleadoutmandish will have to prove himself as an opportunist. I’m not yet convinced he can do it
@Joshua
Yep. Put rocket fuel in a Mini Minor and it’s still a Mini Minor. You have to have the talent to take full advantage of what they may or may not have taken. And Lance DID win the worlds at a ludicrously young age. Oozed class on the bike.
Regarding Lance:
I remember watching a documentary about him many many years ago and something was mentioned about his body being perfectly built for cycling. From what I remember, the documentary said something about his femurs being marginally longer than average allowing and his heart being a bit larger than average as well, not to mention speculation about how his body buffers lactic acid better than anyone else, contributing to his extremely high cadence, and benefiting his outrageous attacks in the mountains. Could all be bullshit, who knows.
I would be disappointed if Lance did dope. But if the spread of doping is as bad as is rumored to be, then it’s logical to assume that his rivals were doping as well, and that he won on a level playing field. Until something definitive comes out, all we can do is speculate, and let our personal feelings towards him dictate our opinions, regardless of any pseudo-facts we may have.
My theory: Lance having two testicles was too much for the world to handle because of the consequent overproduction of Rule #5 concentrate. So in an effort to give his rivals a fighting chance, he got cancer and lost one of them, resulting in a weight loss of about 100 pounds (contributing to climbing ability), and 50% less Rule #5 concentrate production. Still, though, his Uni-Testicle Production Factory produces between 25 to 45% more Rule #5 Concentrate than any other human being alive and the absence of the other testicle makes him 8% more aero.
The weight savings of losing one nut (100 pounds) and the aerodynamic advantage made him unstoppable during his 7 years of Tour Dominance.
@andy
Balls. Billy Goat Renshaw was a hero earlier in the tour. Probably deserves his punishment, but that’s really a big F you to HTC and the Manx Misfire. Who leads him out now?
Also, has anyone here ever been in a chippy lead-out like that? I’m really curious as to what gets said when a hardman is losing his marble and headbutting you in the side of the neck at 60kph.
@Omar
A masterpiece. I’m printing that and hanging it in the workshop beneath this picture:
@Joshua
Yeah, not boring. That whole Tour was not boring. It was epic. Totally rad.
@all
No change in the standings today, despite Alejet taking Green.
Hushovd on how he lost the lead:
And Pettacchi on 2003:
Two great quotes by two great champions. Loves ’em, the both of ’em.
Garmin will probably inadvertently do a pretty good job of that.
I must say I’m surprised they threw him out… (not seen the footage yet, waiting for the highlights)
I remember back in the early days of my education into the TdF that someone… McEwan I think, did something similar and didn’t get chucked out, DQed from the sprint and docked points but not thrown out. I guess McEwan is/was a big enough name that if he got thrown out it would detract from the spectacle.
@frank
Thor joining a few breakaways in the next few stages to pick up sprints, methinks?
@Nathan Edwards
I haven’t seen it either; it must have been bad. This is the first time I can remember this happening, getting thrown out. From what I’ve gathered, I think they were close to the barriers or there was some movement towards the barriers by Renshaw. McEwen/O’Grady were in the middle of the bunch, and I think they pretty much stayed on their lines as they beat at each other. But I haven’t seen the footage. Besides, that was two Aussies, rather than a Assie and a Kiwi.
@Cyclops
Ouch.
@Kermitpunk
I think it’s his only chance! He’s said himself he’s out-gunned and scared. There have been a lot of crashes in the bunch gallops this season, I can see why people might be easing off, especially the older guys who know a thing or two about self-preservation at this point. I wouldn’t be surprised if Boonen stops doing the sprints, too, after his luck this year.
Is it just me, or does it seem like people are really taking risks, doesn’t it? Sell-your-mother-for-the-win risks, like Cat4-5 crit racing-risks, not pro racing risks. I remember (vividly) one crash I was in once was in the middle of a crit where the whole bunch just went sprinting off for some reason and some idiot thought he’d win the race from 30 laps out by diving through a non-existence gap.
The crashes this year remind me of that. Of course, the stakes are higher, too, but…is it worth going into the barriers?
@frank @Nathan Edwards
its two infractions; the first is the headbutts, then prince harry pretty much pins tyler to the boards. I got the feeling from an interview with one of the commissaires that if it had been just one he’d have been relegated, but the fact there were two forced their hand to the DQ.
Dean isn’t entirely innocent, he does intentionally start leaning on renshaw, which caused the headbutts.
First DQ for 13 years apparently too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saPLJQZhQpk
Last 4km via Sporza – worth it for two reasons:
1. Sporza’s awesome Flemish commentary soundtrack… ay-yoi-yoi-yoi-yoi! ney ney ney ney! when the peloton rounds the last corner. Love those guys, though they might as well be speaking Swedish Chef to me.
2. Check out Farrar at 5:30 giving the interview in Flemish! Sounds like Johnny American, but whatever – right after the finish, still winded, I could barely speak my own tongue, much less that stuff.
@Omar
You are wise. Outstanding theory Omar…Rule 5 concentrate. Purity of Essence. POE. Have any of you kids watched Dr. Strangelove? or am I the only old dude here?
Nice work. That is frame-worthy.
@frank “Besides, that was two Aussies, rather than a Assie and a Kiwi.” Stolen my line. Damn.
“I talked with Lance Armstrong too today and he gave me a Livestrong bracelet, without paying,” Schleck said. “He said it fitted my jersey well.”
– A Grimpeur
Rule fail.
Thought it was a little ironic that Renshaw gets DQ’d for his moves which could have caused a crash and yet the stupid fucking French (I think) journo who jumped out in front of McEwen, causing a crash, was suspended for a day. Fucking French.
One thing you gotta admire are the handling skills of these blokes! You imagine trying to drive a bike at 70+kph whilst handing out Liverpool kisses to some bloke leaning on you and then continue on to execute your leadout then close the door on Farrar! Genius.
Wish Graeme Brown was racing – then we would see a real crazy Aussie sprinter.
And Frank don’t get me started on Theo Bos! Fucking Dutch.
@Marcus
To judge by today, if Bos had been riding for HTC-C instead of Robberbank in Turkey there would’ve been a press release within seconds explaining that Impey had in fact leapt off his bike, and that Theo was actually just trying to stop him (but couldn’t because he didn’t have the same upper body strength as Daryl).
Its a forum. You are entitled to hold your views and to express them and I’m entitled to disagree with them. Which I do. I will also admit that my views are probably coloured by race prejudice: if I am honest, I find the idea of a seppo – esp. one who appears to be a COTH – winning the greatest race in the world (maybe) more times that the euro heroes of my youth. (In my defence, it seems that plenty of residents of USA!USA!USA! back Lance because he beats those slimy Euros at their own game.) Whatever, I am happy that the Lance Age is over. The TdF is worth watching again.
But this bit:
was a bit challenging. Surely this is credible as Basso’s “I only thought about doing it”?
I thought DQ’ing Renshaw was a bit OTT. Someone needs to man up and get Cavendish off Renshaw’s wheel earlier if they are going to beat him and that will involve all manner of pushing and shoving.
So, just back from ‘vacation’ with wife and kids by the sea… and catching up on what’s where with TdF. Listened to yesterday’s stage on the radio… when it came through that Renshaw had been disqualified, the Radio presenters (not cyclists or cycling fans) started pissing themselves… quote “he was trying to headbutt someone on a bike? Going 80kmh? Well done! Give him a medal. Oh, Producer saying I can’t say that… errr… obviously needs to be sporting… Kids, don’t try this at home… But come on, they’re wearing helmets… can’t he see that it isn’t going to work anyway?…” Helluva week to be away. Only two paragraphs per day in shitty UK newspapers, that’s it.
@Kermitpunk
You called it! Hushovd away with the points!
@john
POE and OPE!
It’s quite simple really, you just connect a gigantic network of comPUUUUTTTOORS.
@Geof
Indeed. If I had his email address, I would send him a note. Very disappointing. Aside the fact that those bracelets are like a dollar, right? Aren’t they a dollar?
Rule Fail. Love it.
john :@Omar
“I told you never to call me here.”
@Marcus
To quote Austin Powers’s’s’s’s dad, “Two things in this world I can’t stand, people who are intolerant of other people’s cultures, and the DUTCH!”
This kind of Dutch hatred is really just borne out of jealousy. We are such an awesome people – quick of wit, always right, dashingly good-looking. I can see how that might be frustrating for others.
