Throughout the latter stages of the Virtual Directeur Sportif I mentioned that the final standings would be announced a week after Lombardia, just in case one of the pending doping cases was resolved. Sure, we laugh now, but it seemed fair and just at the time. Anyway, that deadline has passed, so without further ado...
The 2010 Podium Cafe Virtual Directeur Sportif Second Runner-Up is...
Dan Beringhele!
Dan is a first time player and first year member of the Cafe. But that didn't stop him from stacking ORB, Inc. with several roster choices worthy of a sharp-eyed observer, as he spent his big bucks on the #1 and #2 scorers, Gilbert and Nibali, as well as making an MVP-level bargain grab on two-pointer deluxe Igor Anton. For his trouble Dan gets a non-jersey item from the PdC Kitbag. OK, next...
The 2010 Podium Cafe Virtual Directeur Sportif First Runner-Up is...
Albertina!
Cafe barflies have known this ubiquitous member of our scene for years now, whose real name is Xixili Vandenkoppenberghe Inturriagaextebarria. Or at least it should be. Anyway, for once Albertina's longtime devotion to Belgian classics gents and anyone in an orange kit didn't cloud her judgment, or rather didn't cloud it enough. The Txapela wearing Txirrindulariak of Txindoki sported not only the critical Gilbert-Nibali-Anton trio, but some other top values like 1-pt'er Peter Sagan. Personally I credit her mutliple ascents of the Muur for her good VDS karma. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, Albertina gets another item from the kitbag, jersey or otherwise. Finally...
The 2010 Podium Cafe Virtual Directeur Sportif Champion is...
tgartner!
This one we have known for a few weeks. Sleeping Maiden Velo has been large and in charge since the end of the Vuelta. To further underscore the point that all grand tours count in the VDS equally, the Maidens rode the production of Nibali, J-Rod and Luis Leon Sanchez to an insurmountable lead. Some of tgartner's MVPs include Rodriquez -- a possible league MVP for racking up 2000 points for his cost of 14 -- Michele Scarponi, an 8-pointer who cashed in for 1200+, and Chris Horner, the MVP of the 4-pointers. There's a bit of mystery behind the origin of the Sleeping Maiden Velo nickname, and a googling of the phrase came up with a cyclist in DC who likes Iron Maiden and sleeping. So tgartner, do fess up. Oh, and prizes: the winner takes home two pieces from the kitbag, presumably a jersey and something else. We can work it out.
Winners, contact me offline at the usual address: podiumcafe@yahoo.com. Also, I owe the winner of the Vuelta stage game a set of arm-warmers. All mailings will happen at once, hopefully this weekend. Congrats and see you next year!