The mighty VSP generator has been switched on once again. The mil-spec hydraulic fluid has been changed since the Giro. A new power take-off belt has also been installed. And the punch card reader has been refurbished.
Broome and Berti are already riding the Critérium du Dauphiné. The top contenders prefer the Dauphiné for the decent recovery allowed between it and the Tour. The Tour de Suisse provides a chance for everyone else to prove they are worthy to make their Tour team or they are lieutenants who actually would like to win this Swiss tour before they have to work for their Tour de France team leader, who will falter and then they will assume the leadership, the understudy, as it were. No, did I say Cadel’s name? I did not.
Fabian Cancellara is in, he is a past winner of the Tour de Suisse, like Francesco Moser is a past winner of the Giro. Two Passitas if there ever were, winning mountainous stage races of their home countries. Vlad Karpets won the Tour de Suisse in 2007! What does this mean? It means picking the winner of this race could put you in a spot of bother is what it means. Some are riding to gain fitness, some are not riding too hard to keep fitness and some are racing to win because they have no chance of winning the Big One just weeks later. Clarity on this issue is only achievable from the correct reading of chicken bones stirred with monkey paw, or a life of purity.
This race begins on Saturday so don’t mess around. The provisional start list is here. This is a stage race but not a grand tour so the winner’s prize is not as grand, but the bragging rights are.
[vsp_results id=”23918″/]
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
Difficult race to predict, aren't they all ? Put in Gilbert in the hope he actually does well in something while still in Le maillot arc-en-ciel. Sagan for some stage wins, Dan Martin 'cos I like him and I hope Garmin do well.
VSP PICKS:
1. Spartacus
2. Quanta Da Costa
3. Giblets
4. Dan The Man Martin
5. Pincher Sagan
Hands down my favorite one week stage race!
VSP PICKS:
1. spilak
2. van garderen
3. Martin, Dan
4. Scarponi
5. Amador
VSP PICKS:
1. van Garderen
2. Roman Kreuziger
3. Faboo
4. Ryder Hesjedal
5. Sagan
Interesting this...you'd wanna have form, but still be about a month or so from peaking.
VSP PICKS:
1. TJ
2. The Roman Cross
3. Martin (the Irish one)
4. Rui Costa
5. Kangaert
VSP PICKS:
1. Tejay van Garderen
2. Roman Kreuziger
3. Steven Kruijswijk
4. Fabian Cancellara
5. Cameron Meyer
VSP PICKS:
1. Tejay van Garderen
2. Roman Kreuzinger
3. Dan Martin
4. Fabian Cancellara
5. Igor Anton
VSP PICKS:
1. TJ
2. Kreuziger
3. Rui Costa
4. Ryder
5. Spartacus
VSP PICKS:
1. Faboo
2. TJ
3. Boonen
4. Pinot
5. Hesjedal
VSP PICKS:
1. Dan Martin
2. Igor Anton
3. Janez Brajkovic
4. Johann Tschopp
5. Rui Costa