Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Olympic Road Race 2016

The 2012 Olympic Road Race was epic.

In contrast to the Men’s race in 2012, the Women’s event was epic; torrential rains, an elite breakaway, a nail-biting sprint finish, and a finish line interview with Lizzie Armitstead that changed the face of Women’s road racing for ever.

Marianne Vos crushed fools that day, with four of those fools coming along on the erand. Through epic Rule #9 conditions, the break held off the chasing bunch, leaving it to a two-up sprint between her and Armistead. Fast forward four years, and Lizzie is at the top of the sport with Vos coming back from injury. But the course suits them both, and Vos has starting winning a bit again. It could be a repeat, or an underdog goes clear. Either way, the racing is sure to be phenomenal. Buckle your seatbelts, people.

Check the start list, maybe check the 10 Riders to Watch list, and get your picks in by the time the clock goes to zero, and good luck.

[vsp_results id=”71282″/]

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

Cats Whiskers Wheels says:

Aug 4 2016 at 9:32 pm

Big fan of Ashleigh Moolman, great climber and person. Maybe wishful thinking she will get away on the final climb and hold them off but If she does PaddyPower owe me £1500… which for you reading in the USA is about $3 and change now our dipshit population voted like a big barrel of cretins.
Bart says:

Aug 4 2016 at 10:43 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Van Der Breggen
2. Vos
3. Armitstead
4. Neff
5. Longho Borghini
Al__S says:

Aug 4 2016 at 11:25 pm
VSP PICKS:
1. Vos
2. Moolman
3. Longo Borghini
4. Guarnier
5. Where is she?
Buck Rogers says:

Aug 5 2016 at 12:11 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Armitstead (if she can find it)
2. Van der Breggan
3. Vos
4. Guarnier
5. Longo Borghini
the Engine says:

Aug 5 2016 at 12:28 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Anna van der Breggan
2. Queen Lizzy
3. Vos Boss
4. Megan Gaunier
5. Emma Johansson
Teocalli says:

Aug 5 2016 at 12:40 am

Have to think here. I have a suspicion the peleton will be "anyone but Lizzie" in their approach.
Steve Trice says:

Aug 5 2016 at 12:57 am

@Teocalli

Have to think here. I have a suspicion the peleton will be “anyone but Lizzie” in their approach.

I'm of the same mind. Furthermore this shit storm she's created is bound to have affected her preparation (we know how sensitive she is; see missed dope test no. 3 for details!). I decided yesterday not to even pick her for this round of the VSP as I can envisage a situation where she decides not to start after all.
Steve Trice says:

Aug 5 2016 at 1:01 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Guarnier
2. Vos
3. Ferrand Prevot
4. Evelyn Stevens
5. Longo Borghini
oligali says:

Aug 5 2016 at 1:29 am
VSP PICKS:
1. vos
2. worrack
3. johansson
4. van breggan
5. armitstead
Teocalli says:

Aug 5 2016 at 1:33 am
So I'm going with the Peloton marking out Lizzie and Lizzie marking out Ferrand Prevot - net the Peloton marking out both. Way to much thinking going on there! Should I have taken into account a possible Trump effect?

VSP PICKS:
1. Guarnier
2. van der Breggen
3. Niewiadoma
4. Vos
5. Borghini