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

[hektoren]

Cancellara would possibly have won had Boonen been there, because he would have been able to do some work to bridge up to the front group. Same with Hushovd, who also could've won with someone like Boonen there. His absence changed the whole race and it's impossible to know what would've happened with him there, I just know that the top 10 would've been completely different.

And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!
As long as Van Summeren was in the lead, there's no way Hushovd would've been inclined to pull, thus it still would've been up to Cancellara to bridge the gap, possibly with Thor and Tommeke in tow, playing to their sprinting abilities in a finale. I don't really see what difference Boonen could've made, and how it would have changed the dynamics of the end-game.

 

[Andre.J]

does he need that? where were you in the monuments and E3? in top form, he doesnt even need to atack. he can just go TT mode in the last few KM. he isnt the main favourite after all. he does not need to work before that so he will be fresher. he can win this. (more evidence: 2007 tour.)


not only that, but why not do lombardia this year?

Because he would get crushed by Gilbert.

 

[Christian]

I don't really see what difference Boonen could've made, and how it would have changed the dynamics of the end-game.

From what Boonen said (see the quote I posted earlier) it seems he would have helped Cancellara bridge the gap, thus creating a whole new race situation.

 

[maltiv]

And if my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle!
As long as Van Summeren was in the lead, there's no way Hushovd would've been inclined to pull, thus it still would've been up to Cancellara to bridge the gap, possibly with Thor and Tommeke in tow, playing to their sprinting abilities in a finale. I don't really see what difference Boonen could've made, and how it would have changed the dynamics of the end-game.

Because Tommeke would've worked together with Cancellara, no doubt.He's anything but a wheelsucker.

 

[Irish2009]

A great race and a great if somewhat surprising winner. A brilliant ride by Van Summeran. Cancellara was strongest but isolated again. My unsung heros of the day were Elminger, who was never off the front in the breakaway all day, Chavanel who after 2 bad crashes was just about to rejoin the main peloton when the big guns attacked, pity Chavanel & Boonen had such bad luck as they would have made a big difference. If Cancellara wants to win the monuments he needs a few strong team mates to cover the breaks and do some pulls when needed, until then the other teams will be happy to isolate him and sit on his wheel.

 

[beer_thirty]

I think Thor did have the legs today. He was the only rider who could follow Cancellaras attacks. Except the last one where he (f***** up and) wasn't really paying attention and Cancellara got a few meters. If he had countered then it would mean bringing Ballan, Flecha and the rest closer to Van Summeren, which he couldn't do. And I think that if he was riding for victory he might have had Cancs wheel there.

Fair enough point there; one might argue that you ought not be caught napping in the finale of the biggest race of your season, but then again, it's PR and anything can happen at the end of a hard race, even to the world champion.

But I'll say in this particular scenario then, if Cancellara catches and beats JVS, not staying in that wheel looks even worse, yes??

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

From what Boonen said (see the quote I posted earlier) it seems he would have helped Cancellara bridge the gap, thus creating a whole new race situation.

then you would probably get
1 cancellara
2 boonen
3 hushovd
4 ballan
5 boom
6 flecha
7 leukemans

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Where did he finish? (I forgot)

lead group behind Evans and Kolobnev after wasting way toomuch power way too early...
The Canc should know what to do with his amazing power

EDIT: oh and does anybody know what happened with Volderke?

 

[luckyboy]

lead group behind Evans and Kolobnev after wasting way toomuch power way too early...
The Canc should know what to do with his amazing power

EDIT: oh and does anybody know what happened with Volderke?

If you're asking where he finished, 17'42" down with only 3 riders behind him.
Don't know what happened to him though.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Koen de Kort, who was part of the breakaway group for a while, had to puke 10 times during the race and couldn't eat or drink anything in the final 60km

Amazing that he still managed to finish the race

 

[Anonymous]

Boonen's comment on the race:


http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-paris_roubaix_boonen_j_ai_manque_a_cancellara-14318.html

I think he has a point - the two of them could have teamed up to get the group back earlier, and afterwards they would have had plenty of time to try and drop one another. Really too bad he wasn't there! I feel like it was a duel Cancellara vs. Garmin but with Boonen there would have been a whole other dimension

Its been 2 fu*king years since Boonen won a classic. I think he might want to shut the fu*k up and do something with his legs instead of his mouth before he puts himself as the decisive factor in anything. Its one thing for people to speculate about what could have happened, but the rider himself living dreams of greatness through shoulda' woulda' coulda' is a man looking for an excuse.

Fact is that Garmin won. If you don't like it, deal with it. They played the cards that were there, not the cards that shoulda' woulda' coulda' been there, and they won the race. Deal.With.It.

 

[Christian]

Fact is that Garmin won. If you don't like it, deal with it. They played the cards that were there, not the cards that shoulda' woulda' coulda' been there, and they won the race. Deal.With.It.

Are you talking to me or to Boonen? Cause I'm dealing with it

 

[Anonymous]

Are you talking to me or to Boonen? Cause I'm dealing with it

Boonen mostly, but also those who are slagging Garmin for winning a freaking race.

 

[El Pistolero]

Its been 2 fu*king years since Boonen won a classic. I think he might want to shut the fu*k up and do something with his legs instead of his mouth before he puts himself as the decisive factor in anything. Its one thing for people to speculate about what could have happened, but the rider himself living dreams of greatness through shoulda' woulda' coulda' is a man looking for an excuse.

Fact is that Garmin won. If you don't like it, deal with it. They played the cards that were there, not the cards that shoulda' woulda' coulda' been there, and they won the race. Deal.With.It.

Boonen said that Vansummeren did not race like that and was the deserving winner and that he was glad for him. Luckily I saw the video interview on the news instead of reading just one part of it.

Yeah, Hushovd, Haussler, Flecha, etc never won a single Monument.

 

[hrotha]

Why would you bring Haussler up? He wasn't bothering anyone, he was minding his own business, getting dropped and stuff.

 

[Christian]

Boonen said that Vansummeren did not race like that and was the deserving winner and that he was glad for him.

To be fair it does not say that in the article I quoted:

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-paris_roubaix_boonen_j_ai_manque_a_cancellara-14318.html

Maybe they just took part of the interview or it was a different interview altogether

 

[El Pistolero]

Why would you bring Haussler up? He wasn't bothering anyone, he was minding his own business, getting dropped and stuff.

If Boonen needs to shut up because he hasn't won a classic since 2009 than what do Haussler, Flecha, Hushovd, etc have to do?

Just silly.

 

[El Pistolero]

To be fair it does not say that in the article I quoted:

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-paris_roubaix_boonen_j_ai_manque_a_cancellara-14318.html

Maybe they just took part of the interview or it was a different interview altogether

No, I just saw it on the Belgian news. It were pretty much the exact same words with a part left out on the end.

 

[hrotha]

If Boonen needs to shut up because he hasn't won a classic since 2009 than what do Haussler, Flecha, Hushovd, etc have to do?

Just silly.

Well, I don't know about Hushovd, but I have yet to hear Flecha or Haussler claim they'd surely have been on the front of a race, making the calls and being decisive. But for Boonen, that's routine.

 

[Anonymous]

Boonen said that Vansummeren did not race like that and was the deserving winner and that he was glad for him. Selective quoting can be a b*tch, but it make you look like an idiot. Luckily I saw the video interview on the news instead of reading just one part of it.

Yeah, Hushovd, Haussler, Flecha, etc never won a single Monument.

It doesn't change a thing I said, and your post makes you look like the ____ everyone knows you are, so I guess the planets are all aligned after all...

 

[Anonymous]

If Boonen needs to shut up because he hasn't won a classic since 2009 than what do Haussler, Flecha, Hushovd, etc have to do?

Just silly.

Haussler, Flech, Hushovd didn't say anything about how the race would have been different if they were there (Hushovd and Flecha were BTW), so keep up the trollkraft man, its the only shtick you got going.

 

[The Hitch]

Its been 2 fu*king years since Boonen won a classic. I think he might want to shut the fu*k up and do something with his legs instead of his mouth before he puts himself as the decisive factor in anything.

Well to be fair he won GW this year, and if your counting only monuments, well theres only 2 of those (stretching 3 if you count MSR) for Boonen, and like 50 guys going for them, so he can be excused for going 2 years without a victory, especially since he got a few 2nd places in that time.

 

[Anonymous]

No, I just saw it on the Belgian news. It were pretty much the exact same words with a part left out on the end.

Oh, YOU saw it on Belgian news...well, I guess its certainly fact then. Maybe I need to get a Belgian news feed then and learn to speak Dutch?

 

[El Pistolero]

It doesn't change a thing I said, and your post makes you look like the d0uchewhistle everyone knows you are, so I guess the planets are all aligned after all...

The race would have been different if Boonen was there. If someone asks him a question and he answers then there's no reason to throw your tampon on him at an online forum.

 

[Anonymous]

Well to be fair he won GW this year, and if your counting only monuments, well theres only 2 of those (stretching 3 if you count MSR) for Boonen, and like 50 guys going for them, so he can be excused for going 2 years without a victory, especially since he got a few 2nd places in that time.

Not if he is going to place himself as the decisive puzzle piece of the race. Last time I checked GW was not a monument, and I stick by my statement. Lots of people get 2nd, and everyone has to look up the races on Wikipedia to remember who they were.