The Tour de Suisse is the last warm-up race prior to the Tour, and the last chance to test your form. As far as Tour rivalries go, we typically see one rival choose the Dauphiné and one la Suisse; it’s unpleasant to ruffle your feathers too much with a pre-Tour head-to-head, you see.
While the Dauphiné has the benefit of previewing some of the Tour’s stages in a race situation, the Tour de Suisse has the benefit of including the only thing more sinister than cobbled bergs: a cobbled mountain pass. This road also holds the distinction of being the only one where I feel more sympathy for the road layers than I do the riders.
Aside from rivals and masochism, the key factors determining which race to ride have to do with the timing of the peak: this race features a full week later in the calendar than does the Dauphiné, and based on the Tour’s parcours and rhythm of the rider’s season, this race may have better timing. But in any case, as with the Critérium, the effort is a dangerous gamble: ride too hard and you could fire off the Guns enter the Tour with little more than starter pistols. Balance, balance.
So, as the Dauphiné winds down, it’s time to start thinking about Suisse, our last VSP before le Tour. Get your picks in by 5am Pacific on Saturday morning. Same drill as usual: Being a week-long stage race, the points on offer are 7 for first, 5 for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth, with the usual allotment of bonus points for getting the rider right but the place wrong. Also, there are no rest days, so no rest day swaps, but we will have our usual approach for riders who drop out. Piti Principle applies as always. Also review the guide, being careful to note that the rules have changed a bit this year, and we may not have completely updated the guide yet, so if there’s a question, ask.
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From today on I have live television coverage. Any idea how hard it is to find a stream if you normally just turn on the TV?
Just think what it would look like if Cunego was holding it up. I didnt realize he was so little.
I'm so not worried about my VSP any more. This is my first time ever watching most of these races and that's what makes it fun for me.
First post with the preview function. Kind of liked the old system, forced you to self-edit, or beware of flubs.
Today's racing was awesomeness!
I know he's far better than I'll ever be, but Leipheimer just doesn't look PRO. I don't know what it is, but he just doesn't look that great on a bike. The photo of him & Horner crossing the line at the ToC made me cringe. Too skinny, dorky looking white dudes.
Steampunk - ha, just caught that. I'm planning on going on a ride in a half hour, as soon as I finish sweeping the house!
Minion, Frank, Oli - Campagnolo cablesets ordered. Two sets, figure I'll do my LOOK and my Casati at once. $51 from a UK dealer for white housings. As soon as I ordered I realized the sets with black housings were $31. Ouch, being a Velominatus hurts my wallet some days.
RedRanger - the Lil' Prince is indeed little; I'm taller than him! Got him by a good two cms.
Yeah, while the VSP is awesome in itself and I am doing all I can to win the apron, playing along really does make the races more exciting and better to follow.
One of my riding pals interviewed Sagan last week at the Philly race. He said he was able to put together one sentence from a five minute conversation. I guess his Slovak and Italian are much better than his English.
Damn, that was one of the scariest descents I've seen - defo one to get clear of the field for
Awesome Cunego, but maybe Fugleschlonger might be the man yet
Can't believe how brave/ nuts the guys on the back of the camera bikes are - certifiable - love it - won't be able to sleep tonight without rolling out of bed
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Thanks, JiPM. Folk unsettled and more property damage, but nowhere near the carnage of the big one.
Have I just had my knuckles rapped....
@G'phant
Wow, I completely missed this one. Yikes. That's the third one, yeah? Scary as shit.
@all
No changes to the GC or the VSP standings today. Thor, violating us with his white bibs, finally took a win. His first of the year, was it?
I'm just glad it wasn't raining.
Billions and Billions is going to be so fun to watch in the coming years. Something about him is old skool.