The Classics

[jcza]

 

 

As you know I am not a fan but I hope he makes it interesting. He is a great cyclist after all

 

Great cyclist, Olympic champion, TdF winner and so much more but not Paris-Roubaix winner I'm afraid.

 

Will be the usual suspects fighting it out.

[straatvark]

 

Must remember to pack a ground sheet for my tent

 

Enjoy gummi! Goosebumps standing there in the warsone. Better than a TdF stage in my opinion.

 

 

 

[kosmonooit]

The Wig must just surprise the nay sayers this weekend with a result. Besides the cobbles, PR is just a long haul (no climbs) and he will have a fine team working for him. He is the current Olympic TT champion after all. And he seems a bit more chilled out nowadays (read: good headspace)

[Jaco-fiets]

The Wig must just surprise the nay sayers this weekend with a result. Besides the cobbles, PR is just a long haul (no climbs) and he will have a fine team working for him. He is the current Olympic TT champion after all. And he seems a bit more chilled out nowadays (read: good headspace)

 

Agree with you on the comment that he seems way more chilled these days. Hell, I hope I don't start to like the bugger now......

[tombeej]

Paris-Roubaix teaser

 

[gummibear]

Paris-Roubaix teaser

 

 

Two of my heroes in one clip

 

I don't see Wiggo getting onto that Podium though.

 

Any idea as to what frame he'll be riding for the cobbles.The super stiff Dogma may hurt a bit.

[Jakkals.]

Paris-Roubaix teaser

 

 

dis b'fk

['Dale]

Paris-Roubaix teaser

 

 

Fantabulous!!

[T-Bob]

I know it's a bit cruel to tease one guy but I saw this and couldn't help think of 'dales favourite rider in green*

 

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0280/7830/products/006_HMC_medium.jpg?v=1384169526

 

* Peter S is still a baby face and will smash, kill and stomp through the classics like the greats before him as he gets older. At the moment I reckon he needs to enjoy himself and his team mates should be giving him a good dose of grom bashing rather than expecting every race to be a win.

[T-Bob]

Roubaix get's it's rating this year:

 

he 28 cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix are rated between one and five stars

28 - Troisvilles (97.5km - 2,200 m) +++

27. Viesly (104km - 1,800 m) +++

26 - Quiévy (106.5km - 3,700m) ++++

25 - Saint-Python (111km - 1,500m) ++

24 - Solesmes (119.5km - 800m) ++

23 - Saulzoir (126km - 1,200m) ++

22 - Verchain-Maugré (130.5km - 1,600m) +++

21 - Quérénaing - Famars (135km - 1,200m) ++

20 - Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (140.5km - 1,600m) +++

19 - Haveluy (153km - 2,500m) ++++

18 - Trouée d'Arenberg (161.5km - 2,400m) +++++

17 - Wallers - Hélesmes, aka "Pont Gibus" (167.5km - 1,600m)

16 - Hornaing (174.5km - 3,700m) ++++

15 - Warlaing - Brillon (182km - 2,400m) +++

14 - Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosières (185km - 2,400m) ++++

13 - Beuvry-la-Forêt - Orchies (191.5km - 1,400m) +++

12 - Orchies (196.5km - 1,700m) +++11. Auchy-lez-Orchies - Bersée (202.5km - 2,700m) ++++

10 - Mons-en-Pévèle (208km - 3,000m) +++++

9 - Mérignies - Avelin (214km - 700m) ++

8 - Pont-Thibaut (217.5km - 1,400m) +++

7 - Templeuve - Moulin de Vertain (223.5km - 500 m) ++

6 - Cysoing - Bourghelles (230km - 1,300m) ++++

Bourghelles - Wannehain (232.5km - 1,100m) +++

5 - Camphin-en-Pévèle (237km - 1,800m) ++++

4 - Le Carrefour de l'Arbre (240km - 2,100m) +++++

3 - Gruson (242km - 1,100m) ++

2 - Hem (249km - 1,400m) ++

1 - Roubaix (256km - 300m) +

 

This doesn't sound good for the riders:

 

"The reconnaissance of the course showed that the pave of the Trouée d’Arenberg was covered with a layer of moss and grass that looks likely to increase the difficultly for the riders to negotiate the 2.4km sector."

[HappyMartin]

I'm was a bit disappointed in Peter Sagan but who am I to talk.

 

Still I named my cat Peter after him. Might be the only cat in the world called Peter Sagan.

 

Sent him in for castration this morning. The cat not the cyclist obviously. The vet phoned a few hours later to say can't castrate Peter. Turns out he is a female.

 

Anyway I hope it doesn't jinx Sagans chances on Sunday. The fact that the cat I named after him turns out to be female I mean

[jcza]

I'm picking Cancellara to win. Really looking forward to this!!

• The American television channel CBS covered Paris–Roubaix in the 1980s. Theo de Rooij, a Dutchman, had been in a promising position to win the 1985 race but had then crashed, losing his chance of winning. Covered in mud, he offered his thoughts on the race to CBS' John Tesh after the race: “It's a bollocks, this race!” said de Rooij. “You're working like an animal, you don't have time to piss, you wet your pants. You're riding in mud like this, you're slipping ... it’s a pile of ****.” When then asked if he would start the race again, de Rooij replied: “Sure, it's the most beautiful race in the world!”
  
• "A Paris–Roubaix without rain is not a true Paris–Roubaix. Throw in a little snow as well, it's not serious." - Sean Kelly
  
• "Let me tell you, though — there's a huge difference between the Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix. They're not even close to the same. In one, the cobbles are used every day by the cars, and kept up, and stuff like that. The other one — it's completely different ... The best I could do would be to describe it like this — they plowed a dirt road, flew over it with a helicopter, and then just dropped a bunch of rocks out of the helicopter! That's Paris–Roubaix. It's that bad — it's ridiculous." - Chris Horner
  
• "This is a race that suits me when I'm having a good day. On the other hand, if you don't have the legs, this is the worst place you could possibly be." - Jo Planckaert, 2004
  
• "It's a circus, and I don't want to be one of the clowns." - Chris Boardman (speaking before the start on British Eurosport).
  

[tombeej]

Two of my heroes in one clip

 

I don't see Wiggo getting onto that Podium though.

 

Any idea as to what frame he'll be riding for the cobbles.The super stiff Dogma may hurt a bit.

 

Not Wiggo's bike per se, but close enough.... Here's an article on Geraint Thomas' bike setup for the cobbles.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/pro-bike-geraint-thomass-pinarello-dogma-65-1-think2

 

Maybe it also needs some extra padding for crash protection too

[T-Bob]

Always flying under the radar during these glorious 7 days is Scheldeprijs and it's tomorrow (Wednesday).

 

Cav's not in, Kittel is and aiming for 3 in a row, Hofland is, Farrar is, Boonan, Renshaw, Trentin, Kenny Dehaes is leading Lotto with the gorilla MIA, Theos Bos is leading things with Belkin for Hofland with Boom & VanMarke lurking, Thor and GVA for BMC, Sagan and Viviani for 'dales fav, Kristoff and Paolini will be there for Katusha and Sky are sending strong squad ahead of Roubaix... And Sparticus is rolling.

 

I'm guessing it's a recovery ride for most of the big guns pre Roubaix but with wind and run forcast it might not be the usual gallop for the line that it usually is so don't forget the chancers like Wanty, United HealthCare, MTN, TopSport Vlaanderen & Endura to look for a break.

 

It's another classic, on a school day, there goes a day of productivity.

[tombeej]

Racing in dicey weather just 3 days before the biggest 1 day race in the world? Risky business for the Roubaix favourites.

[gummibear]

Pinning on my numbers- and saw that there are 2 different names on my jersey... Hahaha still not too old to see new things..