Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de Suisse
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.
VSP PICKS:
1. F Shleck
2. Ryder Hesjedal
3. Monsieur Chavanel
4. Little Prince
5. Kloden
VSP PICKS:
1. The Cav
2. Franck Schlecki
3. Ben Swift
4. King Cancellara
5. Thor
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. TJ Van Gardenen
3. Horner
4. A. Schleck
5. Christian Vande Velde
@Dr C
God DAMN, man. With those picks you are SURE to maintain the Lanterne Rouge! :)
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. TJ Van Gardenen
3. Horner
4. A. Schleck
5. Christian Vande Velde
@Buck Rogers
As a Newbie, I thought it might be a touch rude to pick the correct riders first time out – I have a nice collection of Welly Boots, Wooden Spoons, Dunce’s Hats and DME awards on my mantlepice at home, so a Red Lantern wouldn’t cause me the least displeasure – in fact, the Only Way Is Up is my favourite theme, so what better way to start
Whilst I have grabbed the limelight, no doubt only temporarily, could someone of you educated sounding punters please give me some technical advice (I’m now trembling in case I have transgressed some hidden rule about ventilating one’s shortfalls in public / Rule #5 etc) – but how does one do that thing where you ride with your forearms resting on the handlebars, looking nonchalantly from left and right? Is velcro allowed, or is there some friction mystery thing going on, like the thing where you stick a spoon to your nose in the pub?
I tried it last week and fell off – no don’t laugh, I hurt my hand….
@Buck Rogers
btw steep hill seems to think that Horner has pulled out. But if he’s in then i will make the change cos i think he’s up there where as i want to put CVV in but i just think he’s past it and Garmin can’t seem to buy a win for love nor money atm. Kruijswijk is in there cos i thought Svitzoff (SP?) would die in the Dauphine but he hasn’t so hey
VSP PICKS:
1. F Schleck
2. TJ Van Garderen
3. A Schleck
4. Cunego
5. Kruijswijk
Thanks for the info about Horner, I’ll double check that. Le Petit Prince, eh? I considered throwing him in but felt a bit about him the way you do about CVV. Should be a great race and pretty open as well.
et, voilà .
VSP PICKS:
1. Schleck the Elder
2. Schleck the Younger
3. Il Piccolo Principe
4. Klöden
5. The Weight of a Nation
Come on Chav
VSP PICKS:
1. Fränk
2. Klöden
3. Hesje
4. Sylvain!
5. Andy
@Dr C
practice, basically i nearly fell first time i had tried it, for some reason i found it easier when trying to unwrap an energy bar using both hands. Dunno y but it might be worth giving it a go, also check ur saddle is level as if it’s tilted forward it’ll pitch all your weight forward and just hurt, the rules are there for more than just looking awesome, which it does
@Buck Rogers
also thought it was odd that BMC have no real GC men on board, just look to be going for the stage snipers
Switching out Horner as even though he is listed on the start list, there is reporting that he is skipping the race (Thanks, Sam!) on velonews and elsewhere. Still sticking with someone from Radioshack, not b/c I like the Team but b/c I think they will race it hard. Considered Leipheimer but I think Klode’ will be the man.
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. TJ Van Gardenen
3. Kloden
4. A. Schleck
5. Christian Vande Velde
Home country boost for Fabian regardless of the route.
VSP PICKS:
1. Stijn Devolder
2. Ryder H
3. Leipheimer
4. Andre Greipel
5. Fabian Cancelara
VSP PICKS:
1. Frank Schleck
2. Ryder Hesjedal
3. Levi Leipheimer
4. Sylvain Chavanel
5. Peter Sagan
Some favorites with a couple of new horses thrown in.
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. Kloden
3. Sagan
4. A. Schleck
5. Tejay Van Garderen
Meh, here goes nothing.
VSP PICKS:
1. Fronk
2. Andy
3. Kloden
4. Ryder
5. Cavendish
VSP PICKS:
1. Andy Klöden
2. Buglesong
3. O. Hesjedal
4. F. Schleck
5. Bulky Mollema
Not going to miss this one…but do need some time to mull it over. Along with my cableset conundrum. Ah, decisions, decisions!
@Dr C
We like to call those the “Belgian aerobars.” Aside from practicing in a safe place, it works a lot better if your bike fits well in regard to frame size, saddle placement and bar reach/drop in the first place. Also, there is no shame in asking for learned advice around here.
Unibet sure is giving good odds to Chris Horner, even though he isn’t on the start list according to CN. I’d like to hedge my bets and just put “Schleck” in the top spot? Is that allowed? Would the brothers please identify who the team captain is before the start? I’m thinking Frank, I mean Fränk.
My wild card is Danielson. Unibet does not even consider him a contender. But, if he can’t get it together by now then I think I’m done hoping for him.
Looking at my list, I just don’t see how Garvelo and Leotard-Dreck can dominate the GC like that, but, oh well.
VSP PICKS:
1. Fränk Schleck
2. Fabian Cancellara
3. Tommy D
4. Ryder Hesjedal
5. Andy Schleck
@Ron
You do actually need to enter some names to get started. Posting to say you haven’t forgotten to post your entries is akin to talking about the ride you should have gone on…
VSP PICKS:
1. Kloden
2. F. Schleck
3. Leipheimer
4. Tejay Van Garderen
5. Hesjedal
I am in Chad for a few days, at the ass-end of the worldwideweb, so I can’t consult my numerologist like usual.
allez…
VSP PICKS:
1. Klöden
2. Franc Sheckel
3. Eggtimer
4. Andy Schleck
5. Funky Cold Mollema
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. A. Kloden
3. Tejay Van Garderen
4. A. Schleck
5. L. Leipheimer
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. Kloden
3. Ryder
4. Gorka
5. Frank
Thanks for the tip – shall practice on the turbo (I presume that is what it is for, cos riding indoors seems otherwise rather pointless)
By the way, (new to VSP obviously), do I get any bonus points if Cav takes out half the peleton again this year?
VSP PICKS:
1. Peter Sagan
2. Matti Breschl
3. Maxime Monfort
4. Ben Noval
5. Ryder Hesjedal
@Nathan Edwards
What he said. this is a tough one, becuase you’ve got to consider who’s riding for form and who’s riding to win. Here goes.
VSP PICKS:
1. Levi
2. F Grimp
3. TJ
4. Greipel
5. Swifty
Dr C:
Won’t happen, according to Cav himself. He tweeted this about an hour ago:
@Steampunk
I really do LOVE what Cav brings to the sport. At least he is not too PC or anything. Refreshing these days.
I’m not sure, but Schleck will be in the top-5 at least and Mollema will surprise people.
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. Klöden
3. Hesjedal
4. Bauke Mollema
5. Kreuziger
@Buck Rogers
It’s likely to guarantee me a swift expulsion from this site, but I’m coming around on Cav. Maybe he’s more subdued this year (or the Tour hasn’t started yet), but I find him more palatable. Michael Barry also had some thoughtful and positive things to say about him in Le Métier. The two roomed together when Barry was riding with HTC.
VSP PICKS:
1. Kloden
2. Shleck Le Jeune
3. Levi
4. Shleck Le Vieux
5. Fuglsang
Am I crazy for thinking Faboo can pull off a win?
In my very uneducated opinion, Yes. They have not built the course perfectly for Faboo this year like they did back in 2009 to make sure he won it.
VSP PICKS:
1. Grimpeur the elder
2. Kloden
3. Damiano can he go
4. Schleklett
5. Ryder
Here we go.
VSP PICKS:
1. Ryder on the Storm
2. le Grand Grimpeur
3. Shaved-and-all
4. Fuckslang
5. Klodenizzle
VSP PICKS:
1. Frank
2. Kloden
3. Ryder
4. Gorka
5. Anfy
VSP PICKS:
1. Frank
2. Kloden
3. Ryder
4. Gorka
5. Andy
@Dr C
The Belgian time trial is the preferred position for field testing. My advice: Rotate from the pelvis without shifting your weight forward until your forearms rest lightly on your bars. Now accelerate. Then keep accelerating. Eventually you will either a) get used to the position and find your balance, b) get tired and become unstable, or c) get used accelerating constantly a la Faboo.
VSP:
1. Ryder Hesjedal
2. Chavanelf
3. Le Grand Grimpeur
4. Her Kloden
5. Le Petit Grimpeur
I am resurrected!
…and apparently I can’t read. Oops.
VSP PICKS:
1. Ryder Hesjedal
2. Chavanelf
3. Le Grand Grimpeur
4. Her Kloden
5. Le Petit Grimpeur
VSP PICKS:
1. Kloden
2. Schleck F.
3. Di Luca
4. Cunego
5. Chavenal
VSP PICKS:
1. F the Schleck
2. Kloden
3. Chavenal
4. Cunego
5. le Petit Grimpeur
In for a penny, in for a pound.
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. Danielson
3. Gutierrez
4. A. Schleck
5. Albasini
Should be a great race!
VSP PICKS:
1. Kloden
2. Levi
3. Scheleck, F
4. Chavenal
5. Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. F Schleck
2. Leipheimer
3. Cunego
4. Di Luca
5. Albanisi
Ooops Albasini
VSP PICKS:
1. F Schleck
2. Leipheimer
3. Cunego
4. Di Luca
5. Albasini
VSP PICKS:
1. Kloden
2. Andy Schleck
3. Ryder Hesjedal
4. Di Luca
5. Peter Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. F. Schleck
2. Kloden
3. Leipheimer
4. A. Schleck
5. Chavanel
@Ron
There is no conundrum with cables. Campagnolo cables are the best there is. They’re made to work with your shifters.Set, forget and know they work.