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.
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Great job Gilbert and of course in the Big Ring as well. This race and results really have me pumped to go out for a Rule #5 Ride this beautiful Sunday morning.
Awesome race - congrats to Gilbert, well deserved!
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!
@xyxax
I pride myself in being a good domestique...
Cheers to GIlbert, xyxax and san tonio. With Lombardy looming san tonio is building a lead. I don't know what Gilbert was doing all year long but maybe next year he will rage away in the rainbow stripes.
@Gianni I think Phil was biding his time all year long, a repeat of the Ardennes wins or more WorldTour points wouldn't have been as special as rocking the rainbow jersey all next year, and around his arms and neck the rest of his career. it was a season of 'peaking in x months'
@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.
YES!!!!!! So stoked that Gilbert won Worlds... STOKED!
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!!!
@JFT
Now we just have to convince him to race Paris-Rubaix again!!! Guy has either podiumed or won pretty much every other major one day race out there, to include stage wins in each of the grand tours.