Velominati Super Prestige: Mens World Championship Road Race 2012

Camenzind barely had the energy to celebrate in ’98. Photo: Bettini Photo

I’m quite upset about it, actually, all this racing that’s been going on in perfectly good weather. Vlaanderen, dry. Roubaix, dry. We were nearly guaranteed shit weather with the Olympics in London, but even then, only the women got to get all Rule #9 on our asses – and only for one race. Damnit, I want Epic, and if we keep insisting on riders getting off the juice, all the Epic is going to have to come from other places like pouring rain and freezing cold.

Its a good thing, then, that Valkenburg was picked for the Worlds, because that almost guarantees bad weather. Last time it hosted the race the weather was complete crap. Its also just hilly enough that I think any of those sprinters who are pretending like they’re going to finish at the front are huffing too much DuMonde Tech. Boonen might be able to hang with the leaders into the finish, but I’d hardly call him a sprinter anymore, now that it dawned on him that people get hurt and seasons ruined in those big bunch gallops.

My money’s on good weather though, because the weather is forecast to be good here in Seattle and assuming it will be the same halfway around the world in Dutchland seems easier than looking up the local forecast.

You know the drill, picks close at 5am on Sunday in Pacific time, and if you can’t figure out what that means, just put your picks in before the countdown timer goes to zero. Also note that the spam filter is feeling a bit peckish these days and has a tendency to gobble up people’s VSP Picks; don’t be alarmed, your picks are getting into the system nevertheless and The Keepers are monitoring the queue for posts to approve everyone to disagree with.

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

  • @DerHoggz

    @Gianni
    Didn't they say something about Gilbert having some viral thing going on, seems like that is a big excuse and Hushovd used it too.  Still, those guys do unimaginable things.

    Yeah apparently he had a tooth infection around Tirreno-Adriatico time that kinda killed his early spring...the being said he had also made it pretty clear he was targeting the bands this year.

  • @Buck Rogers It's hard to imagine Gilbert not suiting up for a run at Paris-Rubaix 2013... unless of course the Myan's got it right and we're all going to snap our chains on Dec 21st.

    Going out to grab some brew and hoist one back for Philippe's success!

  • @scaler911

    I was just over at Cycling News and wandered into the Forums section. It instantly made me happy that I found VM. With just a few exceptions (like people getting totally out of hand), we can talk about whatever we want here. 

    CN moderates the fuck out of their site, and I'm guessing that if I posted "this" post there, it'd get deleted. 

    Thanks Keepers! 

    Yeah there seems to be a lot of other sites like that. I used to visit Weight weenies, which is probably up there for being the most uptight argumentative group of fuckers on the planet. It's like a bunch of grown men with the self control of 13 year old girls, that frequently has little to nothing to do with riding. 

    Cheers all also. 

  • @JFT

    @Buck Rogers It's hard to imagine Gilbert not suiting up for a run at Paris-Rubaix 2013... unless of course the Myan's got it right and we're all going to snap our chains on Dec 21st.

    Going out to grab some brew and hoist one back for Philippe's success!

    I think that he has sworn off PR until later in his career. I read an interview a year or two ago where he said that it was too dangerous and he wants to wait until later in his career to race it again.  He has raced it, early in his career, but never podiumed it.  Pretty much the only big one day race, and the only monument, where that is the case.  Wish would give it a go, though!

  • Phillippe 'what's eating" Gilbert "grape!"  Yeah, boy! Happy he won, will be good to see him rock the bands in 2013! In the mode of @minion and @scaler911 will add my cheers to the rest of you yahoos, as well.  This is a great group which can talk with great knowledge on topics as varied as cycling gear, history, and hottest sci-fi babes.....good times. Am reminded that we all need to thank the Keepers in general, but also for putting on VSP.  Chapeau!

  • @Dr C

    No better man to wear the bands in 2013, let's hope he can start brutalising all those nasty finishes like he did in 2011 again!
    Chapeau Phillippe!!!

    Hoping he takes kit suggestions from the Good Cadelephant instead of Thor though, otherwise we could be faced with some pretty horrific Rule #15 contravention.

  • Let's not get aheadoff ourselves with 2013; there's a very good chance we'll be seeing Gilbert open his world champion account with a win next weekend...

  • @JFT

    @Buck Rogers  unless of course the Myan's got it right and we're all going to snap our chains on Dec 21st.

    Well, Dick Clark did die this year so no Dick Clark means no New Year 

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