Velominati Super Prestige: Women’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

We kick off the first races of the 2012 VSP with a double-header as we open the picks for the VVomen’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Aside from an early hiccup, the new software has been running as expected, though I should have known better than to declare something as “tested”; as the first few picks went in sideways, there was more confusion and hysterics than in a kiddie pool when an unaccounted-for deuce floats by.

The VVomen’s racing calendar appears to be a bit more open than the Men’s, and that likely means we’ll see more of the same names competing for the win on Saturday as we will at de Ronde in a month’s time. A cursory glance over the start list reveals that my sure-bet countrywoman Marianne Vos is still chilling the guns after a wicked ‘Cross season and won’t be racing. Back to the drawing board, then. Here’s a super secret tip: in Dutch and Flemish, “women” is spelled with a “V” – vrouwen. Let that be your guide.

With that we continue the 2012 VSP; up for grabs is the personalized Velominati Shop Apron to the contestent who wins the season-long competition. Check the Main VSP page for scoring guidelines and rules. Picks close at 5am Pacific on Saturday, so watch the countdown clock to make sure you get your picks in on time.

Good luck.

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.

View Comments

  • @Steampunk

    Pumped for a weekend of racing. Also just landed a whole whack of new parts for the bike. Will go for a ride, stop for an espresso to catch the end of the men's race, and then strip the bike...
    VSP PICKS:
    1. Swedish Johansson
    2. Suzanne de Goede
    3. Kirsten Wild
    4. Loes Gunnewijk
    5. Swedish Fahlin

    That sounds like a cool as Saturday! I've been waiting for a new RD for my rain bike for three full weeks now - and it's raining right now. Argh. Never had any troubles order from UK dealers, until now.

    Hey - what time do you reckon the men's race will be finishing up? Starts at 11:30, slated to finish around 16:30...so that should be about 12:30 EST, right?

  • @Ron
    More like 10:30 EST for the men's finish.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. BLAAK Chantal
    2. LONGO BORGHINI Elisa
    3. DE VOCHT Liesbeth
    4. Loes Gunnewijk
    5. van looy

  • VSP PICKS:

    1. Emma Johanson
    2. Andrea Bosman
    3. Megan Guarnier
    4. Regina Bruins
    5. Grace Verbeke

  • Completely uneducated guessing... oh to have Vos back in the mix, then it would at least be easy to pick the winner!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Wild
    2. Rhodes
    3. Armistead
    4. Kupfernagel
    5. Borghini

  • I'm guessing this is as much of a shot in the dark for me as it is for most everyone else.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Lizzie Armistead
    2. De Johng
    3. Wild
    4. Borghini
    5. Chantal Blaak

  • I have a scientific system.

    2 proven prior winners. Suzanne de Goede and Kirsten Wild. I saw a picture of Katie Colclough on a podium with VVVVVVos. Joline Gossens is on Lotto and might be from Ghent. She definately shares a name with a scientist/academic in Ghent. As for Kelly Druyts, she looks fast in pictures and according to my amazing skill speaking Flemish, she has a Belgisch Kampioenschap of some kind.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Suzanne de Goede
    2. Kirsten Wild
    3. Jolene Gossens
    4. Kelly Druyts
    5. Joline Gossens

  • Bringing to bear my encyclopedic knowledge of women's racing, advanced stochastic statistical analysis, and unparalleled intuition...

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Hanka-Chief
    2. Lucky Gilmour
    3. Lizzy A
    4. Lizzy De V
    5. Trixi

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