Velominati Super Prestige: Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2016

What's got two thumbs and makes grown women weep? This chick!

There are a couple things you need to know about the Women’s Racing Scene. First of all, they’ve been racing the fuck out of Belgium and Italy, and staying well clear of the warmer climes. They are also busy kicking off their first-ever WorldTour. No surprise in who the current leader is; Lizzy Armitstead has gobbled up every race of value so far on the calendar, resplendent in her very Rule Compliant Rainbow jersey and black bibs. What’s not to love about her?

Well, she was forced to wear white bibs with her leaders’ jersey, so there’s that, I suppose. I remember when Tom Boonen was leading the WorldTour when riding in the rainbow bands, he petitioned the UCI to let him wear a hybrid jersey because he felt the bands were more valuable than the stale while WT leaders jersey. I’m not sure if Lizzy is thinking anything similar, but at least the jersey is a beautiful one.

The Trofeo Alfredo Binda kicks off on Sunday, and it is a nasty, hilly little bugger and will be sure to see the usual womens fireworks, which is another way of saying these girls race aggressively as shit. But how do you beat a hardwoman who can climb and sprint? Spoiler alert: you don’t. My money’s on Queen Lizzie.

Remember people, there is a Don Walker on offer. It might even get displayed at the best bike show in North America: NAHBS. And if you are the first loser, you’ll get a set of Café Roubaix CR Wheelworks wheels. Which might also be at NAHBS. Epic. Bragging. Rights.

So start prognosticating on your picks and check the scoring guidelines. Don’t wait too long as these are early VSPs and there have been some glitches in the systems on the MSR event; I don’t want to hear any complaining about Delgado’ing the event because something went catywampus at the last minute.

Check the start list, read the preview, and then pray to whatever you think will help make a difference. Personally, I’m rubbing my lucky Kapelmuur cobble.

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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

Wheelsucka says:

Mar 18 2016 at 8:21 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Van Der Breggen
3. Prevot
4. De Jong
5. Johansson
TheVid says:

Mar 18 2016 at 8:36 am
The forecast looks good...this will be a fantastic race.

VSP PICKS:
1. Armistead
2. Johansson
3. Van Der Breggen
4. Van Vleuten
5. Prevot
VbyV says:

Mar 18 2016 at 8:40 am
Chose Coryn Rivera because I rode with her once.

VSP PICKS:
1. Armisted
2. Van Der Breggen
3. Coryn Rivera
4. Prevot
5. Johansson
gmk69 says:

Mar 18 2016 at 8:55 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Lizzie Armistead
2. Johansson, Emma
3. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
4. Anna Van Der Breggen
5. Trixi Worrack
wiscot says:

Mar 18 2016 at 9:25 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Armistead
2. Ferrand Prevot
3. Van der Breggen
4. Bastianelli
5. Mackaij
Ron says:

Mar 18 2016 at 9:48 am
The Boels jerseys are pretty damn nice. Can dudes wear women's PRO team jerseys when riding? Seems like we're reppin' a growing area of our beloved sport!

VSP PICKS:
1. Armistead
2. Worrack
3. van Dijk
4. Cromwell
5. van Vleuten
mulebeatsdrums says:

Mar 18 2016 at 10:29 am
Between G and Lizzie on the road, and Trotty on the track, it is a good time to be a British cycling fan at the moment

Lizzie to win for me, although she has been ill. It's a shame that Marianne still isn't back on the racing circuit, but I'm sure we'll see her later in the year.

One observation I've had about women's road races: why do they almost always seem to end in a circuit? Granted, this one is way too hilly to be considered a criterium, but seriously, why are the men able to ride almost 300 km of road, yet the women struggle to make up 50 km before they're riding tarmac they've already covered?

VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Van Der Breggen
3. Van Dijk
4. Ferrand Prevot
5. Bronzini
portemat says:

Mar 18 2016 at 10:34 am
Does anyone not think Lizzie will win??

VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Van Der Breggen
3. Ferrand Prevot
4. Amialiusik
5. Moolman-Pasio
MangoDave says:

Mar 18 2016 at 10:38 am
@litvi True, she can't win every time, but I'm not betting against her. Go Lizzie!

VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead
2. Stevens
3. Johansson
4. Prevot
5. Van Der Breggen
justinevan88 says:

Mar 18 2016 at 10:43 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Lizzie Armistead
2. Van Der Breggen
3. Ferrand Prevot
4. Tiffany Cromwell
5. Van Dijk