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.

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View Comments

Dr C says:

Jun 13 2011 at 2:22 am

@Dr C
Missed all but the last 15km of the ride yesterday, what's wrong the Schleck the Younger?
Is he still huffing and spitting over his mechanical in the TT?

When was he dropped? I'm starting to worry he may turn up a week late for the tour, but then maybe Fronk is going to be Team Leader this year? Hats of to Fuckslang too, that guy fairly flogs the donkeys for the brothers - he's my man of the season so far - has he actually been allowed on the podium this year anywhere?

Also chapeau to the mechanic in the prologue for sticking his fingers in the blender when Andy's chain came off - I presume those guys end up with fingerless hands after a few tours - nice work!
snoov says:

Jun 13 2011 at 3:54 am

Do I get to change my picks seeing as Kreuziger didn't enter? I swear I read an article about the favourites and he was mentioned in it - it wasn't the right article to read, I just wanted to join in :)
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Jun 13 2011 at 6:32 am

Just read about earthquakes in Christchurch again this morning. How are our Kiwis? Families and all ok?
Nathan Edwards says:

Jun 13 2011 at 6:34 am

@Dr C
See the Piti Principle
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Jun 13 2011 at 6:39 am

@snoov
I'll tell you my secret for picking riders: wait until after Buck Rogers, ScubaSteve, Steampunk, and Marcus put up their picks. Pick your five from those guys.

Oh, and show up on time. I Delgado'd the Giro. Then no-showed the Dauphine. My season's ruined. Now I'm playing for a bumper sticker. And maybe a colorful jersey icon. And bragging rights. And some self-esteem. And a reason to live.
Marko says:

Jun 13 2011 at 6:55 am

Soler just went to town.
Marko says:

Jun 13 2011 at 6:58 am

@Marko
Yesterday I should say. Jeebus, I'm outta the loop with house building and baby growing. I just watched yesterday's stage thinking it was live.
RedRanger says:

Jun 13 2011 at 7:16 am

@Marko
you must really be out of sorts. I almost didn't recognize you.
Jeff in PetroMetro says:

Jun 13 2011 at 7:38 am

@Marko
As part of your new nesting tendencies, did you have your tattoo lazer removed?
xyxax says:

Jun 13 2011 at 7:54 am

Grimplette has spent a long time at the front of a breakaway like a dedicated lieutenant, with Fuglsang in the same group.