Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de Suisse

A big man playing where little men frolic. Photo: Sirotti

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.

May Merckx be with you all.

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.

Next Guest Article: Anatomy of a Photo: The Rise and Fall of the Badger »

Previous « Guest Article: The Apple of Cyclops' Eye

View Comments

sgt says:

Jun 16 2011 at 4:28 pm

@Marcus
Brutal! (True, but brutal all the same.)
RedRanger says:

Jun 16 2011 at 5:09 pm

@Marcus
@sgt
Cycling is such an international sport(one thing I really like about it) I don't get how people can get caught up in national boundaries, even when it comes to equipment. I never even consider nationality when I am rooting for a rider or looks and a sweet ass bike. Thats just my take on it though.
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 16 2011 at 5:44 pm

@frank
Got it. Thanks.
sgt says:

Jun 16 2011 at 8:03 pm

@RedRanger
Yep.
Karolinka says:

Jun 17 2011 at 12:52 am

@minion
@RedRanger
@sgt

Marketing bloopers; where it was made unless there's something specific with factory somewhere; 'stale' - that's the kind of stuff i was talking about that means next to nothing to me when it comes to putting stuff on my bike, and my current choice of SRAM.

10 was de riguer, I sure as hell can't afford anything BUT cables or to run out and buy the next hottest thing... SRAM Force levers/DR's were my choice because they were a great fit /feel for ME; i can shift in the drops outta saddle mid 35mph (i'm tired, u do the math)pack sprint and it hits every time.

everything else they make could be shit for all i care, dznt affect what i have. if since i shopped it, xyz happened in the company and they've lost creativity/marketing ability, whatever. when i break what i've got, then being behind the tech curve may be a deal breaker. now, i'm lovin' what i got!
RedRanger says:

Jun 17 2011 at 7:50 am

The Spanish feed is up. Looks like Andy is trying to bride a gap at the moment.
Buck Rogers says:

Jun 17 2011 at 7:53 am

Now were talking!!! A Schleck firing one across the bow before the tour.
RedRanger says:

Jun 17 2011 at 8:07 am

Andy in green on Sunday? not bad considering. good one on De Gendt.
RedRanger says:

Jun 17 2011 at 8:18 am

The Spanish commentators are going on about how Cunego should be getting an extra second for the gap he put on Levi at the end.
Ron says:

Jun 17 2011 at 9:22 am

I like my Tunisian-made LOOK. I do not like SRAM Force. I do like Campagnolo Centaur 2009/2007 gruppos. I do like 1991 Campa Record. I do like 2005 Shimano 105.

I don't care where things are from; I do care that when I have the $ for some sweet as gear and get it and it works well for me. That's awesomeness.

*I do also care about my enviro-footprint with my cycling habit. I don't own a car and consume petrol, which is a plus, but I do get stuff shipped from the UK all the time and I know bicycle manufacturing isn't so nice on Mother Earth. I like to think I'm doing okay, but still, I could get better for sure.