109th Paris-Roubaix. The Hell of the North.

[beer_thirty]

F-ing awesome ride by Summie, it was so beautiful

Hushovd got was coming for him, didn't want to work because of Summie-as if that was the reason , and he paid the price. No win at his obsession. Respect for the Canc for not riding into his own destruction

+1000000000

If Thor would have had the legs, does anyone really think he would not have loved to have been 2nd, complete the Garmin 1-2 finish, and 'show' everyone he could have won today?? Riding for Van Summeren, BS. He never would have won today no matter what the situation. He just hasn't had it all spring and did as much as he could have done today, and no more.

 

[icefire]

+1000000000

If Thor would have had the legs, does anyone really think he would not have loved to have been 2nd, complete the Garmin 1-2 finish, and 'show' everyone he could have won today?? Riding for Van Summeren, BS. He never would have won today no matter what the situation. He just hasn't had it all spring and did as much as he could have done today, and no more.

Naaaaah, Hushovd has been riding for the team and he is now as happy as... Boonen with Devolder taking Flanders

 

[hrotha]

+1000000000

If Thor would have had the legs, does anyone really think he would not have loved to have been 2nd, complete the Garmin 1-2 finish, and 'show' everyone he could have won today?? Riding for Van Summeren, BS. He never would have won today no matter what the situation. He just hasn't had it all spring and did as much as he could have done today, and no more.

I thought he had the legs alright, he just wasn't happy with the Vansummeren card and couldn't be bothered to follow Cancellara in the end. Then again, he lost that sprint to Eisel, but that's not incompatible with the "to hell with this, *I* was supposed to win" theory.

 

[beer_thirty]

Naaaaah, Hushovd has been riding for the team and he is now as happy as... Boonen with Devolder taking Flanders

As happy as you are say, for a buddy who is dating a super hottie while you are still single??

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I do think the tv-motors had a too big influence on the final of Roubaix. That was seriously a big downside for me..

I don't like it when races get influences by tvmotos. It's really strange that so little has been written about this so far.
They certainly had a huge impact in the final when they effectively stopped Cancellara's acceleration, just when he was pulling away from the others....
Scandalous.

Also, Boom effectively rode Paris Roubaix on his cyclocross-bike

 

[spalco]

As happy as you are say, for a buddy who is dating a super hottie while you are still single??

More like "happy for a buddy who is dating your ex-girlfriend who dumped you".

 

[beer_thirty]

...couldn't be bothered to follow Cancellara in the end. Then again, he lost that sprint to Eisel, but that's not incompatible with the "to hell with this, *I* was supposed to win" theory.

There is no earthly way this could be true in the one race a year he must dream about every night. But, in the very unlikely event it was true, then if I was his boss I would say he doesn't deserve the jersey he has on his back, or the salary he makes. Period.

No one is 'supposed' to win Paris-Roubaix. You either f***ing win it or you don't.

 

[screaming fist]

Funny how people try to read so much into anything some riders do during a race. It's perfectly fine to dislike a rider, no need to prove they are idiots/bad persons/lesser cyclists by pretending to know what they said or what their motivation or their form was in some situation.

We all have riders we root for and riders we can't stand. If not, it wouldn't be so exciting. But that's no reason to have big arguments on the internet where we embarrass ourselves.

 

[beer_thirty]

I do think the tv-motors had a too big influence on the final of Roubaix. That was seriously a big downside for me..

I could not agree more; this really has to be looked at seriously. No way the motors should have the kind of impact on this race they seem to (and other races as well....). I realize TV is what makes it for people forking over the $$$ for the broadcast, but to get in the way of attacks, nearly bring people down, provide a draft for attacks, etc, is not acceptable. It's not the 70's any more for f***s sake.

 

[hrotha]

There is no earthly way this could be true in the one race a year he must dream about every night. But, in the very unlikely event it was true, then if I was his boss I would say he doesn't deserve the jersey he has on his back, or the salary he makes. Period.

No one is 'supposed' to win Paris-Roubaix. You either f***ing win it or you don't.

I meant "supposed to win" as in "*I* was the team leader, they had to ride for me, Vansummeren and Vaughters/Van Petegem have taken it from me, it's my preciousssss"

 

[Cobblestones]

It's quite possible that Cancellara is not one of the more intelligent pro riders (both IRL and race-wise), I don't know much about him personally, so I don't know, but it's possible. But I actually think that hurt his chances. Any one of them might have taken at least some turns in the wind chasing the break-away (they can't all have a teammate at the front) but the way the race turned out nobody was even nearly as intersted at chasing them down as he was which weakened his hand in the poker game.

He should have taken Flecha along to bridge.

 

[beer_thirty]

..embarrass ourselves.

It's impossible to embarass ourselves here! It's the internet, where we are all completely anonymous!

 

[The Hitch]

Some girls expect totally different rocks when they get asked though.

I dont get what this is a responce to.

 

[Christian]

I do think the tv-motors had a too big influence on the final of Roubaix. That was seriously a big downside for me..

I don't like it when races get influences by tvmotos. It's really strange that so little has been written about this so far.
They certainly had a huge impact in the final when they effectively stopped Cancellara's acceleration, just when he was pulling away from the others....
Scandalous.

Those pilots and cameramen are artists on bikes, they deliver great shots hanging from a bike going 40 km/h or so on cobbles. They have a really dangerous job and they do it well. I am sure if they weren't there we would be complaining about the horrible coverage and missing all the action.

It's too bad that things like that happen but I think we shouldn't just bash them like that, it's a really difficult task on these narrow roads and 95% of the time they do an amazing job

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Oh come on, artist on bikes? if they were, then they should know to KEEP THEIR DISTANCE

it's not that hard, it goes right in most races, why can't they never do it right in Roubaix... for crying out loud.

TV motors should not at any rate impact the direct result of the race. In my opinion, they did influence the result.

 

[beer_thirty]

I meant "supposed to win" as in "*I* was the team leader, they had to ride for me, Vansummeren and Vaughters/Van Petegem have taken it from me, it's my preciousssss"

For sure, I know what you meant here. My response wasn't directed at you in terms of this part of your quote... I get what your intent was and didn't mean to sound combative about it. I was only suggesting that, the only way to make honey out of horse-crap in the one race a year you really want to win that is not going your way, is to fight til the end and get your *** on the podium. Show 'em if it would have gone another way, you would have won.

Sorry if it looked like I was going after you personally; definitely not my intent. ,

 

[roundabout]

They do an amazing job, that is true. It just seemed to me that they were closer than usual today.

 

[The Hitch]

Cancellara lost the cobbled monuments at E3 Prijs.

 

[beer_thirty]

it's not that hard, it goes right in most races, why can't they never do it right in Roubaix... for crying out loud.

Maybe thgey need Stéphane Peterhansel types doing the riding, and a bike suited more for Paris-Dakar than a motorcycle tour. The bikes they are riding seem like they can't get out of their own damn way...

I had to laugh out loud though at the footage from the 70's from 'A Sunday in Hell' The parade of bikes going around the corner was priceless; definitely looked like plenty of club riders just following along performing no official function whatsoever.

 

[c&cfan]

Cancellara lost the cobbled monuments at E3 Prijs.

this is true, but put an usefull teammate with him and he would've won both. funny, isnt it?

still.. the way he lost.. damn! he is one of my C's, but after this, he became immortal to me. i never saw of heard of something similar in the classics. he, at 30 years, has the power to destroy ALL of the favourites in those classics (flat, cobbles) being "the man to beat". i never saw anything like that...

gilbert isnt even the marked man and cant win. bonnen never won in a similar sitiuation. neither did bettini or valv. dominating all of his rivals?? amazing!

every single TEAM was against him. still, 2nd 3rd and 2nd!

official bet: canc to win the world's rr.

like i said, he should had go to a smaller team, being always the team leader.

3 to for stages in the tour, 2 monuments (the 2 most important and fascinating ones) and Itt at the worlds.

i dont think that there is a rider globally better than him.

question, who is the best climber, gilbert or canc?

 

[deValtos]

Is there somewhere to watch the last 50K or so ? I can only find quick highlight videos. Thanks.

 

[ultimobici]

I dont get what this is a responce to.

Apparently Van Summeren proposed after his win. Instead of a diamond (rock) she got a cobblestone (rock)

 

[Christian]

official bet: canc to win the world's rr.

I hope he skips the ITT for the RR. Would be epic to see a battle between him and Breschel

 

[ansimi]

I really enjoyed the race. It was worth getting up crazy early to see how it unfolded. Cancellara is so amazingly strong but this is road racing not a time trial and the strongest guy doesn't always win. He really needs to do a bit of recruiting to get somebody on his team who can help.

Wonderfully deserving winner! I wonder if he was thinking about proposing for the last couple kilometres? I don't think all Garmins tactics were great but they really used their depth by having people in the different groups. And their team was visible all over the race which is important.

I was happy to see 3 Canadians finish and David Veilleux was wonderful in the break. It's his first season racing in Europe and his future is looking bright.

I hope it rains next year.

 

[maltiv]

Cancellara lost the cobbled monuments at E3 Prijs.

Probably true. Never a good idea to be the one and only favorite, particularly when you don't have a strong team.

You don't have to change much for Cancellera to have won all 3 monuments...In M-SR he was stopped by Goss who never has been that good before, in RVV he was stopped by Nuyens who never has been that good before and in P-R he was stopped by Van Summeren who has never been that good before. Surprisingly he is not riding the ardennes classics for a possible revenge. He is so good at the moment that I actually think he could've won one of them by attacking on the flat where no one who will be there in the ardennes can follow him.