Prediction Game 2021 Women's Edition

[BlueRoads]

Well if we had let her pick the races, then I'm sure she would have had a huge lead due to us not knowing any of the riders.

Ah no, I'm just way more knowledgeable than her.
(Stop the count.)

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Ah no, I'm just way more knowledgeable than her.
(Stop the count.)

I have considered transfering your points to the owner of your local Basque bookshop, because I think you may be getting your intel from there

 

[RedheadDane]

I have considered transfering your points to the owner of your local Basque bookshop, because I think you may be getting your intel from there

I'm also pretty sure threatening to kidnap people is a clear DSQing offence!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I'm doing well in the team and U23 overall rankings though

I also have a 6th and a 4th from my attempts to win when others don't score by picking leftfield, so I'm good at picking those who are close but no cigar. The one complete miss I have is the one time I went for the more obvious call, which was Lorena in Gent-Wevelgem when she didn't make the selection.

 

[RedheadDane]

Bump!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Yes, it's time for us to pick a winner (or rather someone who comes close or simply crumbles under the pressure we put upon them) of the 7th Amstel Gold Race for women.

I read in a Danish interview that Emma Norsgaard has specifically asked to ride this race, because she wants to develop into more of a puncheur, but she isn't on the roster shown on the team's website or anywhere else. But then again the last time a Norsgaard appeared on a startlist he wasn't actually in the race, so who the heck knows?
Obviously she wouldn't be able to win this either, but it's stil interesting with the youth competition in mind.

Van Vleuten looks like the hot favourite, although she hasn't managed to win the race before.
After Wednesday's action I'm jumping on the justice for Demi bandwagon and am therefore picking Vollering. SD Worx has the numbers, and van der Breggen's condition is unknown after her sickness this week. It is her birthday tomorrow though, so that could make her eager to win.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I am also picking Demi, but that's just because I'm a fan. This race definitely suits her most of the three Ardennes races, and she rocketed to fame due to her performances in this trifecta, so...

 

[BlueRoads]

preAmstel: van den Broek-Blaak

 

[Samu Cuenca]

@Põhja Konn, remember to reveal your prediction to us.

All of us have to remember that this is one of the races, where the women finishes before the men, and it should happen before noon local time. The same goes for FW and LBL, but they might finish slightly later. Tomorrow we'll probably get to enjoy an incredible 45 minutes of AGR if we're lucky.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Amstel: Elisa Longo Borghini

 

[Samu Cuenca]

BlueRoads proved today that she knows absolutely nothing about women's cycling, by picking someone who didn't even feature in the front group
Põhja Konn and RedheadDane's choices could have scored them points, but they decided the didn't bother, while Libertine and I got slightly robbed by both the cameras and reality.

Current standings:
Põhja Konn 10
BlueRoads 8
RedheadDane 7
Samu Cuenca 6(+2)
Libertine Seguros 4(+2)

Niamh Fisher-Black won the six point for the youth competition in front of Maria Novolodskaya and Anna Shackley. It means that the Russian now only trails Norsgaard by two points at the top of the leaderboard. Vos obviously extended her lead in the individual ranking, and the same goes for SD Worx in the team category.


Now have a few days to consider, whether or not we believe that the "Queen of de Muur" can live up to her name on Wednesday.

 

[Põhja Konn]

FW: Demi Vollering

 

[BlueRoads]

I'm going with Vollering, too, although I'm still hoping for Anna.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I have gone with a few leftfield picks, but I would just feel dirty picking anybody but Anna van der Breggen for La Flèche Wallonne. Like, who am I to doubt the universal rules of women's cycling? It would be like predicting Niewiadoma to race defensively on a final climb or Longo Borghini to win a field sprint. With her having been sick, she also becomes slightly leftfield because her form hasn't been that great, but still, even if her undefeatable streak on the Mur has to come to an end one day, I feel that picking somebody not called Anna van der Breggen is a risk I am not willing to take, because I will look mighty stupid if the inevitable does happen and Anna wins. And if she does fail, how can you be considered stupid for picking somebody on a six year undefeated streak?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I'm not sure I dare to bet against van der Breggen either. On the other hand I think she will either win or finish outside the podium, whereas Vollering may achieve a podium spot no matter what. I might end up with egg on my face if I don't pick van der Breggen though. Tactically it would be the best to go with Vollering, cause then I wouldn't lose any points to our current leaders.

In the end I have decided to go with Vos instead, so I can't be accused of sucking wheels.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Van der Breggen made it seven, which both leaves me at the bottom of the table and skyrockets RhD into the lead.

Current standings:
RedheadDane 11(+4)
Põhja Konn 10
Libertine Seguros 8(+4)
BlueRoads 8
Samu Cuenca 6

 

[BlueRoads]

Oh no, I'm dropping! Weren't you supposed to stop the count two races ago?

(I'm happy Anna won, though.)

 

[RedheadDane]

Yay! I'm good at this!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Oh no, I'm dropping! Weren't you supposed to stop the count two races ago?

(I'm happy Anna won, though.)

I have actually stopped counting your points, but fortunately for you it hasn't had any effect yet

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yay! I'm good at this!

Well, you're leading with 11 points out of a possible 32, so in reality it's more that you're slightly less terrible at this than the rest of us.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Well, you're leading with 11 points out of a possible 32, so in reality it's more that you're slightly less terrible at this than the rest of us.

Well, we might have done better if I had implemented the current rules from the start, because there's a difference between picking a possible winner and picking a podium finisher. Not that I think it would have benefited me much.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well, you're leading with 11 points out of a possible 32, so in reality it's more that you're slightly less terrible at this than the rest of us.

I. Am. Good. At. This!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

It's (L-)B-L time tomorrow. Will the winner once again be someone whose name rhymes with "Dizzy Bike Tan"?
Probably not, considering that the most likely option isn't defending the title.

I'm not sure van der Breggen will be strong enough to win this race yet and van Vleuten seems to be fading a bit, but I'm still not sure who my pick is going to be. so stay tuned for that.


I have been studying the calendar and we're currently set to have a two month break after Sunday until La Course. So I was wondering if it would make sense to add a race in between. Possible options could be the Vuelta a Burgos (May 20th-23rd), which has been upgraded to WT status for this season, and the Thüringen Ladies Tour (May 25th-30th). Please let me know what you think about it. you may of course also suggest other races, if you like them better.

 

[BlueRoads]

Doesn't Grace Brown start?

 

[yaco]

Doesn't Grace Brown start?

No - It was planned from the beginning of the year.