This is an exciting time of year. The Giro is in the books, the Tour is firmly in everyone’s sights, and those of us with the vaguest idea of how the big race will unfold are prognosticating the loudest as we use races that are proven to reveal fuck-all about what will happen at the Tour to predict what will happen at the Tour.
With the Dauphiné underway we look to the start of the Tour de Suisse to peer deeper into the murk to see who is riding well. As far as I’m concerned, I might as well lay out all the rider’s names in a random pattern and blow snot-rockets at the floor to make my picks this year because I honestly haven’t the foggiest idea who will take it; the biggest race of the year is spinning up to be the biggest enigma of the year.
All this babbling serves to demonstrate another important point, and the reason why the Dauphiné wasn’t in the VSP: these stage races are little more than preparation races for the big names, and a chance for the smaller one’s to take center stage. So why did the Tour de Suisse get a VSP while the Dauphiné didn’t? For starters, the latter feels less like a dress rehearsal for the Tour, but mostly its because there is a mountain pass that has cobbles all the way up it in Switzerland (though I’m not sure if they’re riding it this year). How cool is that? I can get on board with any country who values labor costs little enough to pave an entire mountain road one cobble at a time. Yes, we’re that scientific here in the Velominati Boardroom.
When this race is over, we’ll have even less of a clue as to who will win in July (well, everyone except @Marcus, who needs neither evidence nor results in order to be sure Cuddles will win) and we’ll be able to distract ourselves with the various National Championships which will take place in the week leading up the Tour’s start and guessing wether Bruyneel has the nerve to cut either or both Schlecks from his Tour team.
So, dust off your monkey’s bones and 12-sided die, time to make your predictions for the 2012 Tour de Suisse. Check the Tour de Suisse site for the latest route and roster info and remember that since this is a stage race, (not a Grand Tour), points on offer are 10 for first place, 8 for second, 7 for third, 5 for fourth, and 3 for fifth – all based on the final General Classification; plus two bonus points per rider in the top five regardless of the rider’s placing. Get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to zero, and pray for an intervention. Make sure you check the mappings of your picks before the race ends so you get the points you deserve, and use the dispute mechanism to alert us of any issues. Note that the dispute mechanism is the official means by which to raise concerns about your picks; questions about your mappings or disputes raised in the posts will be largely ignored.
Good luck.
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god bless the TT! restoring order to an overall that was simply FUBAR.
and rock the cogal tomorrow gents!
crap. didn't realize cancellara was 29 minutes back. oh well. 2 non-contenders in my 5.
Jeez, didn't see the race going like this...
RE: Albasini - wait, I thought the guy was a pretty good sprinter. Now he wins a climbing stage? Am I thinking of someone else or is he both?
Jeez, I gotta study up. Must know all the riders at the PRO level and their skillz.
Kreuziger, I have foreseen your destiny. Fourth!
@versio
you mean sixth and out of the VSP.
More heartbreak for Roy. Great ride by him, and a lovely move to drop Montaguti. One of these days, he's going to cross the line ahead of the rest. I'm hoping it comes next month on the big stage.
Brave ride by Schleck, too, given all the drama surrounding the team. But not enough against a decidedly second-rate field. I don't see him being within a stone's throw against the likes of Evans and Wiggins.
@San Tonio
I knew some one would want to correct this. You win!
The Velominati VSP... Gesink, Cunego, Kreuziger, Valverde and Leipheimer.
So we continue our less than 50% success rate.
Practising what I preach, I was the only person to have Costa in any position, and one of only two to have Ituralde.
Two people had Schleck in second, and Leipheimer was a popular choice in third with 15 picks, while Gesink had five votes for fourth.
@ChrisO
I took Nieve in the Giro as my dark horse. He looked very good there and again this week. A bit more solid in the TT, and he looks like a good podium pick. Nice rider.
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