Velominati Super Prestige: Trofeo Alfredo Binda 2016
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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Going with my heart here, just can’t get myself to bet against the chick with two thumbs.
Which means she’s now jinxed. Sorry, Liz.
Prevot is in there as the likely winner, but at least I’ll get some bonus points?
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hope I do better than yesterday
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@frank
Prevot ? Feeling better ?
I delgadoed this one and can blame no one but myself. I’m an idiot…
I’m watching a live stream that has a camera at the finish line.
http://cyclingsportpromotion.com/video/la-storia-del-trofeo-alfredo-binda/
Looks like there’s a break of 2 riders, the bunch about 30 sec behind and then some stragglers.
I think they’re coming on the next lap
all together
The lack of coverage for women’s races is criminal. Thank heavens for keen amateurs who post updates / stream their own commentary on Twitter. Although they’re just commentating on the fixed camera at the finish line, and Twitter anyway.
Poor show, broadcasters!
From Twitter. Great. What the fuc# do I know.
1. Armistead
2. Guarnier
3. Neff
4. Johansson
5. Amialiusik
@xyxax
And where is Blaak? Were three podiums with two firsts enough for one year? Did she stop for an espresso and gelato?
@Minnesota Expat
Weird about Blaak; I went back to previous TB races and she never placed high so laid off.
God forbid we’s actually see results outside of twitter feeds. The “live” coverage by UCI was a joke.
Encouraged that my 3-4-5 picks finished 4-5-6, in that order. Time to up the drug dosage.
OK, she was 5th in 2013.
@xyxax
Yeah, I saw that, but I place a higher value on current fitness and recent performance. I’d like to compare race profiles, vertical meters, but that’s hard to find for the women’s races. And I figured that there was something going on with Armistead, something besides migraines.
@mulebeatsdrums
+1 this.
@Minnesota Expat
Sorry I didn’t mean to imply shallow analysis on your part. Wasn’t thinking properly.
@TheVid
Ta. What’s even more disgraceful is that they have moto cameras that they throw together a highlight reel with, but they broadcast the pictures live. I guess it’s the cost of a single editor and director versus a full OB team.
Highlights with Sarah Connolly’s commentary here: https://soundcloud.com/prowomenscycling/2016-trofeo-binda-commentary
@xyxax
No worries. I didn’t take it that way at all. Past performance in a race or on a course is my first consideration, then current wins and fitness. But I was impressed with Blaaks recent wins, now I’m just annoyed with her (insert frowning red faced emoji here) !
Lizzie seems to be such a complete rider, attack from the chasing group to the lone leader, coach her through the last 3 km’s, and offer up a one on one sprint for the win, and smoke it home, very classy.
Ouch. Someone needs to spread the word to the women’s podium folks. No hat, just shades. Head band. X-Games-esq ball cap. Wow…
@Ron
You’re really quite the woman Ron.
@Ron
That Schibli hat is beyond awful. I’d accept it as a parody of the ubiquitous baseball cap but I fear it’s not. It’s like the monstrosity Bling Matthews was wearing at the weekend. Thankfully Etixx know how to present themselves on a podium which, in hindsight, make Gaviria’s crash all the more unfortunate. I think he would have been good for a podium spot and would therefore have put at least one proper cycling cap on view.
@wiscot
No, no no no no no, Gaviria is no doubt a future star, but it’s called bike racing, not bike winning, he has a lot to learn yet. Great to see him contesting the finale of such a long race, on his debut.
@xyxax
WTF!? You see who won the women’s GW?! None other than Chantel Blaak. So now she has four podiums in 2016 with three first place finishes. And she decides to take day off and finishes 12th at TFB, totally trashing my TFB VSP picks? Grrrrrrrrr…..
@Minnesota Expat
Grrrrr…Why didn’t we know there was a women’s Gent? It is so fucking hard to find out information on Women’s Cycling, it is a disgrace.
@Minnesota Expat
Paint it, paint it, paint it …Blaak.
It’s clearly gotten personal and she checks the website before signing in on the day.
@frank
Yes. That too.
@frank
Yes. Absolutely. But, watch for what you wish. You (The Keepers) already run 15 men’s and 8 women’s races. And I’m imaging it’s still mostly a labor of love. On the other hand, it would make a LOT of sense to have concurrent male/female races in the VSP.
At the end of the day, it would be a lot easier if there was some kind of steephill.tv site for women’s racing; a site listing all races, courses, maps, profiles, teams, riders and links to news. Could that be a business opportunity? Hmmmm…