Velominati Super Prestige: Tour de Suisse
The inaugural Velominati Super Prestige makes an unscheduled stop this week at the Tour de Suisse. Originally left off the VSP roster, it was decided among the Keepers that the ‘fourth Grand Tour’ is indeed worthy of inclusion in our humble tipping competition. As one of the final hit-outs for many Tour de France contenders, the Swiss race shows who might be ready to step up in July, who’s needing to pull their finger out, and who might be targeting this race as a worthy addition to their palmares. With a couple of TT’s, stages that could go to the sprinters or a daring breakaway, and some of the most picturesque mountain passes in Europe, it has something for everyone, and anyone could win.
Can Motorcus find an ‘extra gear’ and back up his 09 victory? Will the EgoTesticle show signs of his old self on the bike, or just behave like his old self off it? And are the Brothers Grimpeur finally going to do something, anything?
Let us know your thoughts, and make your picks to pick up a sweet Obey The Rules bumper sticker, in the posts section on this page. For a full rundown on the competition scoring etc, visit our VSP Schedule, Rules and Results page.
Good luck!
1. Roman Kreuzinger
2. Brother Grimpeur the Younger
3. Banged and Felled
4. Pharmstrong
5. Spartacus
(I just want VDV to beat Lance… please can it happen)
1. Cancellara. He’ll defend on home turf.
2. F. Grimpeur. They gotta start doing something but two Saxo’s on the podium? We’ll see.
3. Pharmstrong. He seems to be getting comfy on that third podium spot.
4. CVV. He’s got to finally do something other than get injured. He’s cool.
5. Olivier Joaquin Rodriguez. The little fella has had a solid season thus far, Katouwa has proven itself a strong team, and the Russian Rug Salesman is taking time off.
@Marko
Isn’t Menchov at the Dauphiné?
@Steampunk
Menchov? Who said anything about Menchov? (Marko sheepishly lurks away)
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Robert Gesink
3. Roman Kreuziger
4. Christian Vande Velde
5. Kim Kirchen
No rationale here whatsoever…
@Marko
He seems to be having a pretty good Dauphiné if that’s any consolation…
well I am new to the Super Prestige, but I love this stuff, so can I just play along?
1. Cancellara will defend even though he says ‘not’
2. Younger Brother Grimpeur ready’s for july
3. Mick Rogers is on
4. Levi-Eggtimer gets a final payback before july
5. LL ‘cool J’ Sanchez….well, just because
1. Armstrong
2. L.L. Sanchez
3. Leipheimer
4. A. Schleck
5. Rogers
Motorcus will not dare use his machine to get over the last mountain with the GC crowd on Stage 5.
err, Stage 6.
@david
I’m sorry we’re losing one of the coolest names in the peloton here. “Spartacus” has a pretty good engine. He can climb for a day or two. And it seems he has the least to hold back in terms of preparation for the Tour. He’s not a GC contender.
1. Fabian CANCELLARA
2. Luis Leon SANCHEZ
3. Roman KREUZIGER
4. Joaquin RODRIGUEZ
5. Tony MARTIN
1. A. Schleck
2. Cancellara
3. Armstrong
4. Michael Rogers
5. Cristian VDV
@Roberto Marques
And the man in Pink draws his picks. Heed this people, this dude knows his shit.
@Marko that was only beginner’s luck…let’s see how we all perform in this Le Tour preparation!
Tony Martin – Suisse is a good race for a future champion to win
LL Cool Sanchez – Because he can never seem to win
Mick Rogers – Going well, playing a supporting role to Martin and looking good for July (but as usual will flatter to deceive in The Big Race)
Gilbert the Great – because it’s not that hard a parcours, but too hard for Motorcus
Joaquin Rodriguez – just because
Worryingly loaded with English-speakers. Might have to dump DZ for Gilbert
Schleck (A)
Rogers
Kloden
Cancellara
Kreuziger
Trying to figure out the theories behind all the picks is fun in itself! Anticipating how the race might unfold to confirm or disconfirm them is making me giddy already. Fucking exciting this Super Prestige thing is. Several of us giving no shrift whatsoever to the youngsters, Martin, Gesink, and Kreuziger. Some of us, Me, Soleur, and Marques, have all veterans on the list. I can’t wait!
@ben, @Souleur, @david, @crossy
Welcome to the VSP, guys! Great to have some more contestants. Now we’re going to have to really get our shit together if we’re going to do anything!!
On that note:
This is not a very hard route this year, but Spartacus (I refuse to believe the motor rumors) is too fat to climb even these mountains. Christ, I have no idea what I’m doing here.
1. F. Grimpeur – Rode well in Luxemburg, the country with almost the coolest flag in Europe (with the winner being the flag they copied, the Netherlands)
2. Kreuziger – Dude is a sick climber but we don’t have enough hills.
3. Pharmstrong – He insists on pissing me off by staying on the leaderboards. I suspect he’ll continue to do so.
4. Lloyd – He’s got potential.
5. Gesink – If he can stay upright, he can do pretty well.
Man, I miss Ullrich.
@david
They are fun. I’m completely nervous now that I’ve committed my choices to the archive. I’ll loose at least a little sleep tonight.
The Giro was a blast – lots of strategery with whether or not to make changes on rest days, etc. Glad you joined in for this round. With a good performance from here on out, anyone could still win the shop apron at the end of the year.
1. Kreuziger. (Arrogant little prick, but can definitely ride and will be very keen to make a point vis-a-vis Vincenzo.)
2. Tony Martin. (Enormous motor, which will be required to be at the service of CavityDouche (that’s a little teeth gag there for ya) come July, but which will hopefully get let off the leash a bit in Switzerland. And, as he showed on Ventoux last year, he knows how to disappear a long way into that pain cave.)
3. LL Cool Sanchez. (No particular reason. Frankly I dunno what I’m doing. But he’s class. And it’s time he showed it.)
4. Spartacus. (He’ll defend. And he’s cool. And not motorised. And it’s not too hilly. And he’s cool. And not motorised.)
5. Little Franky Grimpeur. (He’ll be balls out for the little bro come July, so Bjarn will let him have a crack here.)
I’d like to have found a spot for Twistin Banged and Felled, but I just don’t think he’ll be targeting it – his focus will be to come right from his injuries (again) for July. ET (Texas) will be focussed further down the track. ET (California) just ain’t got it no more. Gesink needs more hills (and traction control). Gilbert is total class – but after the start to the season he’s had, and the consistency he’s shown throughout it, does he have the type of form needed for a stage race like this? I’d love to say “Hell, yeah”, but I don;t think he does.
Finally, since when is the Tour de Suisse the fourth GT? I’m sure I heard Andrew Messick say the Vuelta was 4th (3rd being Giro and 2nd being ToC) ….
@Geof
Yep: ToC is officially the second biggest race in the world. Because, like, that’s what the TV said everyday it was on. Which must have made the Giro no. 1, because it was running at the same time and was way better. Man: I guess that means that Americans still don’t like the French…
Feel the same way about Kreuziger. Exactly my rationale for putting him on the podium.
I have gone to the cave and seen nothing on the walls so…
1. Andy S.
2. Tony M.
3. Fabian C.
4. Robert G.
5. Frank S.
The guy from Texas is going to get his butt dropped.
@Rob If you’ve gone into the cave and have seen nothing on the walls, then that means you’re insensible.
1: Dodger; He knows he will never win Le Tour, so will put it all on the line for another ‘big’ win.
2: GaySink; just so I could say that.
3: The Eggtimer; He was shit at ToC, he’ll be shit at TdF, and he’ll bore everyone into submission here, taking time in the cronos, and hanging on like a turd on a blanket in the hills.
4: F Schluck; coming into a little bit of form, but still saving it for July. Or maybe just not good enough… calling Dr Fuentes, training plan please.
5: Bruseghin; Can TT, that’s about all he’ll need to do
Argh I feel completely out of form for this….definitely fat.
Martin
Kreuziger
Gilbert
Pharmstrong
Grimpeur the Younger.
Tough decisions….
I’m in.
1.) Schleck senior – he must hate being shown up by his younger brother all the time. I know I am when my brother whips me up the pennines on a 5 speed straight block.
2.) Spartacus – I’m sure his big engine will be running. The hills shouldn’t bother him he can just motor his way up.
3.) Tony Martin – I like Tony Martin. I want to see him get on a podium.
4.) Kreuziger – I like this guy too, but I don’t know why.
5.) CVV – providing he doesn’t fall off within 500m of the start and break, say, his right hip.
@andy
Kudos.
@frank
Thanks – Velominati somehow escaped me for the last year, until my VeloLouisville.com co-conspirator turned me onto it. How fantastic! A cycling website that doesn’t look like hammered shit AND has excellent content AND a fantasy league. For a cyclist/web developer/fantasy sport hound like myself, I was smitten. Chapeau.
Regarding my picks, I maintain that Faboo can do it again this year. There are only 2 mountain stages this year as opposed to 4 last year (by steephill’s reckoning). The queen stage to Crans-Montana does scare me a little, but Faboo’s is dreamy and when I look into his eyes I feel safe.
@ben Nice picks but good luck with that eye “thing”! I too was turned on to the big V not so long ago and am now pathetically being accused by my better 4/5ths that I am spending way too much time here. Luckily she does not add up web time with ride time so I can still get out as much as I want – Welcome.
@david Its a rare day when I am not… and with this jersey still on my back (why is beyond me!) I feel frozen in the head lights, so to speak, when it comes to my picks
I just figured that it isn’t hilly enough for the pure climbers like the Brothers Grimpeur, but also too hilly for the likes of Cancellara. Also the TdF contenders aren’t peaking yet and so it is a good chance for a second-tier rider who can climb and TT (last day will be important), who will be required to work for the team in France.
The only cheeky intervention is that because some of the stages are lumpy with a hill towards the end, there is the opportunity for, say a one-day rider who can climb a little, to make good in a breakaway and be able to hold on over the bigger stages.
This is harder than the Giro, there are far more options.
New to the game here along with my cohort Ben.
1. Andy Schleck
2. Mick Rogers
3. DZ Nuts
4. P. Gilbert
5. Peter Sagen
I will save you from another homoerotic plea as my friend Ben has failed to do. I think Cancellara is truly just making an appearance.
@Dale
HA! Good lord, you two are trouble, I can tell.
Nice picks. I’m starting to think Mick Dundee is the right pick. Christ, this is hard to call, always. What about King Jens? Why has no one pick him?
@ben
Stop it! You’re making us blush!
@ben
Ahhhhhh, good to meet another person who understands Spartacus like I do. But in ToC both he and A. Grimpeur were totally smoking like the proverbial hippies motor-bike so I’m betting against my boy Fabian, I might be going to hell for it…actually I am anyway but I’m feeling regretful already but here goes.
1. Tony Martin-a Fabian understudy, strong climber and strong TT’er
2. F. Grimpeur-looses too much time in TT to win
3. Spartacus-even without good form he will wail on some pussies
4. Peter Sagan-just on a hunch
5. Cameron Meyer-fuck it. Insane, yeah.
I’ve written off all of Lance and his boys. As I will in the TdF. It’s over.
@frank
why do you think no-one has picked Jens? Hmmm?
@Jarvis
Why do I suddenly feel like I need to re-check the start list?
@frank
I picked Cancellara more with my heart than with my head. Couldn’t justify doing the same for Jens. The fact that he’s older than Methuselah doesn’t help. I’m hoping he stays healthy, is part of every breakaway in the Tour and then pulls like the Jens of old. His last TdF? Who should I root for then?
Now that all the Velominati heavy weights have their picks out on the table, and won’t change them unless they just want to declare to everyone what big pussies they are, let me ask this. Is it not obvious how this race will go? God I’m excited to find out. There will be a GC selection on the last climb of Stage 6. The pace will be fast enough that the gap on everyone else will be decisive. The winner will come from this selection and be the one from this selection who has the best time trial on the last stage? True or False?
After that, there are many variables. But, Kruezinger, Martin, F. Schleck, Gesink, etc., are just not going to beat Armstrong, Leipheimer, Sanchez, Rogers, Kloden on that time trial.
@ david: I sure hope the big boys are within a minute or so by stage 6…then let them bleed out their eyeballs, I can’t wait…
I heard someone mention something about a large international competition called the “World Cup”. What the fuck is that?
1. Rogers
kreuziger
Frank
oops premature submission above
1. Rogers – fast becoming a one week specialist.
2. Kreuziger – hate this piece of Eurotrash because he sometimes wears a bandana and his name does not begin with Marco and finish with Pantani.
3. COTHO – the guy has not had a real win since his comeback and will be looking for one but will fall short because I fucking hope he does.
4. Frank “Jermaine” Schleck – not sure why. Just feel sorry for him because he isn’t even the best rider in his family.
5. Kloden – very close to the personification of that first degree oxymoron, “a likeable German”. But I think that just might be because I don’t hear him talk much.
Martin > Rogers. Rogers has his ToC and Martin is looking to make the top step after last year.
Kolobnev, Sagan and Haussler for a stage win.
@dale, @john – Is it my fault Faboo looks like one of the New Kids? (whaaaaat?)
Roulston !! Come on Roly …
@Freditor
Wouldn’t that be something. The cheering in NZ would be so loud the Swiss would be able to hear it over the sound of their motors …
@david
The UCI World Cup was a season-long competition that focused on tallying points for riders based on their performance in one-day races. It followed the Pernod Super Prestige (which is where the VSP gets it’s name) and was followed by the destined-to-fail UCI ProTour.
I can only assume that this person has suffered some sort of trauma to which their mind can only respond by pretending it’s some time between 1989 and 2005.
@frank
All in all, it could be a very good month of July for Spain. On two continents.
@frank I’ll try to convince him there is no World Cup. But, he’s quite delusional, prone to sissy-fits whenever you touch him, and can never reliably get the “ball in the hole”, so to speak. (No, it’s not Cadel Evans.)
@david
About to say: cyclists are exactly unprone to sissy-fits. Nothing sadder than a couple of anorexic rouleurs throwing haymakers at each other on the side of the road after a crash. As a former footballer, I fell more in the Jens Voigt camp of things, and hated those guys who flopped around as though they’d been shot. As with any sport, though, there are some guys you can’t help but respect for being the hardmen of their discipline.
If this doesn’t scream “HTFU,” I don’t know what does. As I recall, Gazza was a minnow the rest of this match…
gfx.dagbladet.no/…/ vinniegazza_1158315554.jpg
Cancellara certainly lived up to his reputation as a superb bike handler. Sixth quickest over the top of the hill and batters them all down the other side, there were some impressive lean-angles there.
Looks like my wildcard selection of Gilbert is a bust.
Did VDV bang and fall? Or did he ride late in the inclement weather? Bit of a poor showing there.