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!
btw: I also agree on best thoughts/wishes for all those who are suffering through cancer. I will give LA the thumbs up on his good efforts in fighting that.
I have a few friends with it as well, and before a race, I put their names on the top of my bars and when I feel the pain, I can’t breath, & feel like quitting I look at their names and realize my suffering is nothing. So I press on and in my own very little way ride for them as a token of sacrifice.
My sister-in-law just died of cancer two weeks ago. In and out of hospitials and nursing homes for 2+ years. Horrible way to go.
@Souleur
In a similar fashion – I think about my dentist when I ride my carbon Ibis. He was a super nice dude, we’d talk about mountain biking – he rode also. Then he gets wacked with ALS and dies within two years.
At the time, I was debating with myself on buying a new road bike – too much money, yet another bike, being family guy, etc. After hearing of his passing, I said screw it – life is short, I’m lucky enough to still be able to ride – and bought the Ibis.
As you get older, you realize your turn could be next, do things now while you can.
I’m surprised so many people are backing armstrong for the top. My reasoning being for not putting him in at all; he can no longer time trial; i’m unconvinced he can match top notch uphill acceleration; he’s looked vulnerable over the last two years. 99-05, with one or two notable exceptions, LA never looked like people could beat him. Now, he’s got beat by a completely unconvincing time trialist in Grimpeur 1.0! I think with lance it’ll be either a top 10 finish (but only just) or he’ll crack and quit early.
Going back to KoM picks, mine is now Veino
Polka dots: Matt Lloyd
Green jersey: Eddy B-H
Both (very) long shots, but obvious choices taken in priority so no point in going with them.
As for GC:
1. Bertie
2. A Grimpeur
3. Gesink
4. F Grimpeur
5. Trash Talking Texan
But, frankly, this is very unlikely to eventuate. I picked England for top 4 in that other global competition, so I’m pretty sure I’m pretty crap at this kind of thing.
1. Contador – really the only thing that can beat him is the pave and then we get to substitute.
2. A. Schleck
3. Armstrong
4. Evans
5. Rogers
Mountains: Lloyd
Sprints: Farrar (tipped against Cavendish on principle)
Am worried about good cadel/bad cadel and my picks are based on misguided patriotism. Check out the photo of Cadel that he tweeted last week.
http://twitpic.com/1zgzhh
Those are fucking big arms for a GC guy to carry over the Tourmalet. But his Giro stage win in the mud showed some serious Rule #5 credentials – he will be a force.
eh Frankie, think I snagged 2 pts in the TdSuisse but am not recorded in the overall? This will be important when I shoot up the standings later this year.
Has anyone seen all the tweets from tour riders over the last few days regarding the cobbles? They are predicting all hell will break loose!
@Marcus: “Contador – really the only thing that can beat him is the pave and then we get to substitute.” Has anyone seen all the tweets from tour riders over the last few days regarding the cobbles? They are predicting all hell will break loose!
Yeah, something is off with the rules for VSP here. You can pick Contador #1 for obvious reasons, but then the VSP rules allow you to avoid the risks of picking someone, Contador, who’s never raced on cobbles and doesn’t have a team experienced and powerful enough to insure his safety on cobbles or in cross winds. Worse, when he goes down, you can then change your whole freakin’ line-up, based on new information that others don’t have as the race unfolds. Picking either a doper, someone injured, or someone who can’t ride a bike starts looking like something to bring into consideration. You might want to slot the least likely rider to make it in at #5.
Was wondering the same thing, when I inserted Fuglsang for Kirchen.
@andy
I think you might be onto something. Nobody really pressed in the TdS, except maybe Gesink who can’t TT (Rabobank is where bad TTers go to die?). Armstrong looked decent in comparison. At the same time, he has the knack of not getting dropped. It will be interesting how the media spin the story if he falls out of contention.
@Souleur
Sanchez! Forgot about him! Excellent KoM choice.
@david ” Worse, when he goes down, you can then change your whole freakin’ line-up, based on new information that others don’t have as the race unfolds. Picking either a doper, someone injured, or someone who can’t ride a bike starts looking like something to bring into consideration.”
Refer to the Piti Principle. Picking, say, Petacchi for GC would clearly be taking the piss and render one’s revised pick subject to penalty. But picking Bertie for GC is different. If he survives the cobbles with only a few minutes’ deficit he will remain odds-on. The fact that he also may crash and pull out, entitling you to substitute, is a possibility – but the Piti Principle will still apply to the substitution.
Hincapie will slay all!
@josh
Because he looks like you?
Because he puts Nutbrown in his bidon?
or
Because of his shoecovers?
@david Subconsciously I think I picked the Pharmanator because I am hoping he blows up (“doper, someone injured “, how about OLD) sort of like the female terminator in the 8th movie (or what ever its too late to Google, who cares anyway, this is a cycling post not a movie trivia test, go get a beer if you do). Horner last was just pissyness cause I don’t think Basso will do it and Vino can’t do hills for days etc.
So I guess I am guilty of this tactic but there is no rule against it so David sack up and stop whining – Rule #5!! Remember this is a race and your on the start line so don’t frig it up with a girlie sit down strike.
You bet I’m throwin down the cycling glove I’ve got a world champ jersey to protect!! Hey wait a minute – You picked him too and Leaphopper in 5th, what the %#*!@
Eggtimer won’t do shit
David, in all seriousness I hope your mother the best and if Armstrong wins it will be cool for the yellow band folks.
@Rob
I wonder what the average number of yellow band folks is in any given group ride. I was on one last night and it must have been close to half.
@Marko Your a bad ass and I agree – how did I do in post #61?? Trash talk or sportsmanly?
@Rob
A little of both actually. Quite adept at getting your point across in a trashy yet substantive way. Made me chuckle. BTW, has eggtimer raced anything other than ToC this year? I really haven’t been paying attention.
Ps. Are you drinking and posting again?
@Rob Heh. That’ll teach you to be careful before telling me to harden the fuck up. I was making picks on the basis of that rule all along, not whining about it. My post is just an observation.
Congrats on picking Horner. I love the guy. You never know. On my second ever group ride I got to ride with Horner in his Lotto kit. He was hanging out at the back of the pack, just trying to get a feel for the ride I think. I got to sit on his wheel. I was nervous. And he was sitting on mine. I’m like, I start seriously cycling and here I am riding with Chris Horner. How cool is that? Then I got flat right in front of him. The week after that, he got on the front and drove the pack at around 50 km/h for what seemed like miles, dropping more than half of the pack including my rookie butt.
@david “How cool is that?”
Extremely.
Rob, frank, others, thanks for the good wishes for my mother. Yes, it’s a hard time. On the other hand, as the primary person taking care of her and her affairs, everyone around me is telling me to ride, ride, ride, to keep myself healthy and sane. I’m going to a two-ride a day schedule and may possibly peak in only one month rather than two. I may yet get some racing in at the end of the year.
@david
“The week after that, he got on the front and drove the pack at around 50 km/h for what seemed like miles”
For me it would have been about a block and a half.
Way cool story
@Marko Can’t help there but I wonder how many there are out there now?
@Marko
“Ps. Are you drinking and posting again?”
Drinking beer is not drinking. Drinking vodka is. I catagorically deni Iam drinking!!!
@Souleur
Glad to see someone else with little faith in Menchov. Where has he been all year? He lives with the gimp in that box(Pulp Fiction ref.) and Rabobank pulls him out occasionally to race him. DS drumming on his head with his fingers, “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!”
@Geof Fine Geof. You are a master of the Rules and the VSP rules. No surprise. But I don’t think you’ve addressed my issue with them. The rule takes the risk out of picking Contador. When I first read the rule it seemed sensible. Dudes go down in freak accidents; let the players pick again. This is all together different. I think what Marcus mentioned is right. Radio Shack, Saxo, maybe Garmin too are going to try to hurt AC badly in the first week on the cobbles and in the wind. Quick Step may join in for stage wins. People are going to go down left and right. And, good Lord, let us all pray for rain too. But now you can just say like Marcus. Well, if AC goes down, I’ll just pick again? The strategy in dealing with the first week and how it may play out ultimately is far less interesting and weighty with the rule allowing new picks in this kind of case. That’s all. I’m not whinning. As I said, I made my picks in full light of the rule.
You’ve got the wrong Josh, Marko… that’s the Kiwi Josh who I work with, who has a sickening man-crush on George.
@david I hear you. But I think the Piti Principle should prevent people taking the piss. The footnote to the VSP rules says “Abuse of these rules will be managed through the “Piti Principle”: if we feel you are attempting to exploit loopholes or otherwise take advantage of the Changing of the Picks rules, we will penalize you by deducting points from your total score. Much like the UCI doping suspensions, the amount of points deducted will be based on how egregious the abuse was”. So taking advantage of Bertie’s broken collarbone by completely swapping out your entire line-up would, I’d say, involve some serious penalisation. And swapping out Bertie because he’s been totally creamed on the cobbles (without being injured) because one of your other picks went down would also be deeply suspect. To avoid infringing the Principle, surely you’d need to swap out only those who are injured, except to the extent you could justify other changes by cogent reference to the changing expected dynamics of the race as a result of those injuries – i.e. NOT as a result of shitty (but non-DNF) performances by your other picks. So trying to get your picks right from the start is important. You are right that the ability to replace takes some of the risk out of picking Bertie (i.e. the risk that he DNF’s because he breaks something on the cobbles). But I don;t think it takes the risk out of picking him if he just ends up placing poorly because he couldn’t hang with the others on the bumps. (Interesting question though – would he, at that point, abandon, or decide to chase stages and KOM?)
BTW, my best wishes to you and your mother. And full respect to your (very HTFU) two-rides-a-day-to-peak-in-one-month approach to maintaining your health and sanity.
Let me try to put some perspective on picking Armstrong. As I said above, it’s probably crazy. Four climbing stages followed immediately by a fairly long time trial in the third week. Sheeit, Armstrong lacked his ruthless attacking prowess even in 04 and 05. (He probably was on a less risky EPO regime.) And, even he himself says he just doesn’t have the TT ability anymore. Then, again, don’t forget the Alpe d’Huez in 2001. He may just be playing a game. Why on earth should he be picked to win in 2010? I picked him assuming everyone else would pick Contador–the only sane choice to win–on the small chance I could gain against everyone else in the VSP standings. I’m a late comer with only 1 point so far. That strategy failed. Three or four picked him also, including Rob, who is high up in the VSP standings.
But, Armstrong is the romantic pick. I think more than a few of us have the sense that desire, will, passion, and heart are powerful, and if they are, no one more than LA will benefit from them. Perhaps all one needs to say is Luz Ardiden, 2003. Armstrong is fucking fierce. God I love him for it. You didn’t see it last year because he was, under Bruyneel, a team player in support of AC. Even then he beat down the pompous and deluded Wiggins for the podium.
And, it’s not clear who the 3rd week will favor. The young or the old? The young have the physical advantages when it comes to damn hard challenges. The old have the psychological advantages. The older are just mentally tougher. Is the challenge long and hard enough that mental hardness will trump over physical power and adaptability. That is the question. I don’t think A. Schleck is up to it. I’m going with the old, tough bastards, LA and Basso, for the third week. But, that maybe just because I’m old. Too exciting this Tour. God damnit.
@Geof: “So taking advantage of Bertie’s broken collarbone by completely swapping out your entire line-up would, I’d say, involve some serious penalisation. And swapping out Bertie because he’s been totally creamed on the cobbles (without being injured) because one of your other picks went down would also be deeply suspect.”
I like this a whole lot. I hope the Keeper’s Penalty Commission will pay this due regard.
Dan, my condolences to you.
David, all the best to you and your mother. My mum and an ex both had breast cancer, both came through it, I’m sure your mum will too.
Ok, time to tip…
1: Cuntodor. He’s not gonna crash on the cobbles, he’ll smash em in the TTs and the Cols, there’s no way he can lose. Even though I’m not really a fan, I hope he wins the next 6 Tours just to fuck EgoTesticle’s record.
2: An awesome Cadel. The rainbow will cast a spell over him and propel him onto Bertie’s wheel until he’s the last man dropped. 2 minutes back at the end.
3: Fuck, it’s a crapshoot from here. No one stands out, it’s all chaff. Throw a dart at a start list and… Gimp, A.
4: Boring as bat shit Basso.
5: Veino. Even though he’ll be working for Cunty, he’s tough enough to hang on at the summit finishes to limit his losses.
Pharmhand and Eggtimer will be holding hands at the back, figuring out the best excuses to use.
Green: Thor. C-douche can go fuck himself too.
KOM: Kruezinger Burger
Rant-tastic. This is a tough one. Undoubtedly, Basso has been the only rider to show pure class this year, but the Giro is still going to be in his legs and Nibali’s probably blown it by being an uber-dom for Ivan….(is he even riding?)
1: Cuntodor. He’s looked alternatly polished and turd so far this year. If he carries on with the, no I really am human, style of riding this will be optimistic. Veino could be a wildcard, dogged lieutenant or banzai attacker?
2. Basso. Looked pure quality on the giro, can climb (and the tour should be easier) and TT. Liquigas are strong.
3. Menchov. Done fuck all this year….I’m putting him in for a peak in the third week, lost a bit of weight so he can get up the cols and still TT, outside chance. Hopefully he can stay off the vodka gels for long enough in the first four days to keep it relatively upright.
4. Douchestrong. Will suffer in the last week and in the TT but still strong and clearly on good form after the swiss.
5. Syrup of Figg-O. Going to lack support in the mountains but has a massive point to prove. Will be strong in the TT.
The ‘Unit’ Grimpeurs are going to cockblock each other and Grimp Jr won’t be able to pull out enough in the mountains to make up for his inevitable wet blouse TT. I’d argue the Grimp Sr looks stronger this year anyway….
Cadel is too fat to climb and is going to get touched by too many random french photojournalists. I predict a meltdown.
Green: Cavendish (AND I’ll be happy if he wins it!)
Polka: Sanchez, the little devil.
@brett“2: An awesome Cadel. The rainbow will cast a spell over him and propel him onto Bertie’s wheel until he’s the last man dropped. 2 minutes back at the end.”
I love it!
But I don’t see it?
Why does everyone assume that Contador is going to crash on the cobbles?
@Steampunk
Had a friend refer to him the other day as “Ooh, Alberto” after those really bad shampoo commercials from the 1980s. I guess there is something silky smooth about his climbing style…
Because he’s tiny, because he’s scared, and because everyone knows it.
To quote Liggett talking on Motorcus: “These big guys, they know the key to surviving on the cobbles.. you put it in a big gear and keep accelerating… the momentum does the rest.” Despite the obvious flaw in the argument [“keep accelerating”, which would soon have cyclists breaking laws of physics and achieving relativistic speeds (which I reckon Spartacus could actually do, he’s so awesome… but I do have a mancrush on him)], it does mean that AC, with his high cadence, small frame, small cog cycling approach, coupled with the panic that is seeping out of his eyes everytime someone asks him how he’s feeling about the first week means he is dooooomed. Every team is going to be coming up behind him on the approach to pave yelling boo! If there is a crosswind he’ll end up in a ditch, or not catch the break (did you see last year?), and 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”]
Also, I don’t know if you’ve read ‘Tour de Force’ (quite good read on LA’s TdF story upto 2004… if a little biased, and yes, it does dodge the doping issue), there is a fantastic breakdown of the 2003 opening stage where there was a mass pileup and Tyler Hamilton broke his collarbone… worth reading the book just for that section: Basically, everyone knew the road was going to narrow, the cobbles were slippery, so for 20km before that section, the entire peloton got jittery and nervous, with some anxious acceleration… basically ending in a mass pileup before the cobbles even started because everyone was so nervous. That’s going to be AC, that is.
If it doesnt’ happen, its game over for everyone else, as he is going to kill everyone in the Pyrenees… having ridden the stage on 22nd, it is suited to him (and not to fat bastards like me, nearly killed me): Marie Blanque is fucking steep, the Soulor is fucking long, and the Tourmalet is both… flats in the middle will be fast… will suit a light grimpeur who can climb at pace: AC and noone else. The old men will be out the back door, me fears.
@Steampunk
Personally I don’t think he’s going to crash on the cobbles due to his own bike handling. He’ll stay upright if his team can keep him near the front of the peloton. But therein lies the rub. I don’t think Astana will be able to keep him in a safe enough place to avoid problems when they arise. This is what radioshack, saxo, bmc, and even garmin are going to exploit. It’s really their only best chance to put serious time into the little silky smooth fella. Saxo has a horse in the race with Faboo. He’s prolly got two stage wins on his mind, the cobbles and the TT. Lord knows he can ride the shit out of both. Radioshack can handle the stones well enough. 27th at Flanders for LA was a strong showing. He rode that race smartly and has the savvy to be in the right place at the right time. Add the God of Thunder to the mix and some fellows from BMC and the next thing you know El Pistolero has his work cut out for him the next 2 and a half weeks. Now, he’s more than capable of making up a 6, 8, 10 minute deficit mano y mano, but again, Saxo and the Shack are going to exploit that shit. If this scenario holds any water at all and Bertie pulls out the win, he’s cemented himself as one of the greatest champions of all time.
@david
Maybe the LA pick isn’t all that crazy. That’s what I like to think anyway. Again, 27th and smart riding at Flanders this year and third at TdS. Also, last year was his first year back. He was 12th at the Giro which doesn’t happen unless you’re riding hard and 3rd at the Tour. Add to that a broken collarbone, a new baby, and “riding” for someone else and it’s hard to believe he was as good as he could have been. His dream team is in place (save Haimar) and all things indicate he is in better shape than last year. Alberto is THE marked man this year. Everyone with a GC man in the hunt is going to try to take him out early and often. If he makes it to the Pyrenees or the TT with anything less than a double digit minute deficit the race is over.
I dunno. I think he could surprise. He’s been riding on cobbles in training all through the spring””riding with Peter Van Petegem, who knows a thing or two about cobbles. Can’t help thinking guys like Vino and Noval will work to keep him up front and out of trouble. Of course, dropping a few minutes would make the Tour more interesting…
The other fellow who hasn’t been mentioned much here is Carlos Sastre, who has apparently recovered from his back problems after the Giro. He was unspectacular there, apart from a pretty impressive climb up the Zoncolan, finishing fifth after starting more or less last. It seems like the Pyrenees offer more than a couple of climbs that would suit him. I don’t see him as a serious GC contender without much team support, but he’s a guy who could literally and figuratively climb up the standings in that final week.
@Steampunk
I agree, he could surprise. Like I said, he won’t undo himself on the cobbles, if guys put time into him there it’ll be the product of tactics. Berts cannot be out-ridden. So he’s not looking to surprise on stage three, he’s looking to maintain. If peeps get surprised by him coming in with the main group they don’t understand Contador.
@Marko
Thanks, Marko: this is what I think I was getting at.
@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!