2013, Paris - Roubaix: 254Km

[hrotha]

Winning Gent - Wevelgem as a kid was the stupidest thing he could do - this forum will always see him as a failure unless he wins a monument

Only as long as he insists on focusing on the monuments. He could be winning semiclassics, one-week races and GT stages left and right, but he doesn't want to acknowledge his strengths and his weaknesses.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Only as long as he insists on focusing on the monuments. He could be winning semiclassics, one-week races and GT stages left and right, but he doesn't want to acknowledge his strengths and his weaknesses.

I agree, and that means he needs to leave Sky. His team clearly sees him as a cobbled rider and domestique - the former doesn't suit him.

 

[maltiv]

It's sky's own fault that they don't see that EBH isn't a cobbles-guy but rather some one for AGR or even L-B-L, despite his 80kg

Arvesen said after the race, that EBH should be a good candidate for P-R, since he was 2nd in worlds. I mean, what the ****. Maybe being 2nd in worlds is a better indication for doing well in ****ing AGR, which is on the same finish in which he was 2nd. Instead he's probably not even starting...

EBH is 73 kg's by the way, certainly not too heavy for AGR. But man, the guy has better results on goddamn MTF's than cobbled classics. Seriously, I think he would've been better off specializing on anything else - whether it be climbing, hills, TT or only sprints...

Winning G-W at 21 was the worst thing that ever happened to him. Because he won a race which included 1 cobbled climb, everyone including himself suddenly thought he was a cobbled specialist...ignoring the fact that he NEVER did well on the cobbles as a u23 rider, whilst he dominated everything else

 

[maltiv]

Winning Gent - Wevelgem as a kid was the stupidest thing he could do - this forum will always see him as a failure unless he wins a monument

Of course he is a failure, when such a talent wastes his entire career doing the wrong races. It's almost as stupid as Chavanel's focus on TDF GC. Maybe EBH finally will realize his mistake at 32

 

[velosiped]

Arvesen said after the race, that EBH should be a good candidate for P-R, since he was 2nd in worlds. I mean, what the ****. Maybe being 2nd in worlds is a better indication for doing well in ****ing AGR, which is on the same finish in which he was 2nd. Instead he's probably not even starting...

EBH is 73 kg's by the way, certainly not too heavy for AGR. But man, the guy has better results on goddamn MTF's than cobbled classics. Seriously, I think he would've been better off specializing on anything else - whether it be climbing, hills, TT or only sprints...

Winning G-W at 21 was the worst thing that ever happened to him. Because he won a race which included 1 cobbled climb, everyone including himself suddenly thought he was a cobbled specialist...ignoring the fact that he NEVER did well on the cobbles as a u23 rider, whilst he dominated everything else

I agree; can't see any especially cobbles talents in him.
Maybe better loose a couple of pounds and start looking at AGR, LBL and San Sebastian.

 

[maltiv]

I agree; can't see any especially cobbles talents in him.
Maybe better loose a couple of pounds and start looking at AGR, LBL and San Sebastian.

That'd be ideal, yes, but it won't happen. After the race today he said that "one day I will be on the podium of this race". It's almost as if he thinks he's still 20 years old. He's been focusing on cobbled classics for 4 years and still sucks. That won't change...

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Of course he is a failure, when such a talent wastes his entire career doing the wrong races. It's almost as stupid as Chavanel's focus on TDF GC. Maybe EBH finally will realize his mistake at 32

I agree he's a failure on cobbles, but he has too many good results in other races to be counted as a general failure. If he is - the pro peloton contains hundreds of failures.

 

[Bushman]

One thing I learned for sure after today's race is the incredible amount of silly arguments trying to disregard Cancellaras performance are being made.

 

[maltiv]

I agree he's a failure on cobbles, but he has too many good results in other races to be counted as a general failure. If he is - the pro peloton contains hundreds of failures.

It's not a failure if you have mediocre talent and end up as a mediocre rider.

It's a failure when you're insanely talented and end up being mediocre...

 

[dabar85]

Excellent race. Cancellara was certainly not on his best but he won. Stybar impressive but only while wheelsucking, when he lost contact not enough strength to get back to leading two. I hope next year we finally have both boonen and canc in the race, together with this youngsters it could be even better

 

[the asian]

Poor classics campaign by Degenkolb , culminating with a 28th place finish here. Much was expected of him.

 

[will10]

Winning Gent - Wevelgem as a kid was the stupidest thing he could do - this forum will always see him as a failure unless he wins a monument

Hagen fans always point to that Gent Wevelgem edition. It was one of the strangest semi-classics you'll see. Big group goes away early and then favourite after favourite punctured or had a mechanical and dropped out of the lead group. There were practically no classics specialists left in that front group. When Hagen got away with Kuschynski, the best riders behind were Hincapie and Burghardt....who also rode for High Road and they marked everything. All Hagen had to do then was win the sprint-á-deux against Kuschynski, who is about as quick in a sprint as Stijn Vandenbergh.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Hagen fans always point to that Gent Wevelgem edition. It was one of the strangest semi-classics you'll see. Big group goes away early and then favourite after favourite punctured or had a mechanical and dropped out of the lead group. There were practically no classics specialists left in that front group. When Hagen got away with Kuschynski, the best riders behind were Hincapie and Burghardt....who also rode for High Road and they marked everything. All Hagen had to do then was win the sprint-á-deux against Kuschynski, who is about as quick in a sprint as Stijn Vandenbergh.

Excactly, and suddenly he was the next big thing. His Giro stage win the same year was much more impressive in my eyes.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

What?
Meter/Second is not a very accurate measure of speed (allowing for only integer meters and seconds).

D'oh: I meant metre per hour, of course, which is what is claimed by giving km/h to three decimal places.

Of course we can. Any race has a start line and a finish line. There is a known distance between both that, these days, is discernible probably down to the decimeter. In every race that I know of, the course that one takes from start to finish is rather well delineated. That that delineation varies widely from sport to sport - compare the 100m dash to a typical America's Cup course, or the Lauberhorn Downhill to La Mans Grand Prix - but they all are measured tracks, start to finish.

If you take the timing of the race as being exact to the nanosecond (patently it is not, but for the sake of argument) then the average speed to the nearest metre per second would be 44,190 metres per hour only if the distance of the race is between 254.49470 km and 254.50045 km.

Do you really believe that when they publicise the race length as 254.5km they are asserting that it is definitely not more that 45 cm farther than that? Or that it is not more than 5.3 metres less?

winning speed thusly tends to be the most valid measure when the course changes. Obviously there are other considerations, but I dont see your point in disregarding the average speed of Boonen, Cancellera, or of anyone else.

I did no such thing, I simply challenged the legitimacy of claiming that degree of accuracy.

 

[hayzer114]

Another great win by Cancellara, definately one of the all time greats. I was just thinking earlier to myself. Cancellara is an excellent time trialist, former world champion on numerous occasions etc. Nowadays Tony Martin has taken over as the man to beat against the clock along with Taylor Phinney.Over the last number of years Martin has focused obviously on TT,s in stage races which have led to overall victories also plus a number of road stages also. Could he be a contender in the likes of Paris-Roubaix and Flanders. To me he seems ready made for Roubaix. Big powerful man who can generate huge power over long distances. Ok he is with Omega-Pharma-Quickstep who have Boonen, Chavanel, Terpstra et all. Just a taught I had. Ne opinions??

 

[wiggos sideburn]

Another great win by Cancellara, definately one of the all time greats. I was just thinking earlier to myself. Cancellara is an excellent time trialist, former world champion on numerous occasions etc. Nowadays Tony Martin has taken over as the man to beat against the clock along with Taylor Phinney.Over the last number of years Martin has focused obviously on TT,s in stage races which have led to overall victories also plus a number of road stages also. Could he be a contender in the likes of Paris-Roubaix and Flanders. To me he seems ready made for Roubaix. Big powerful man who can generate huge power over long distances. Ok he is with Omega-Pharma-Quickstep who have Boonen, Chavanel, Terpstra et all. Just a taught I had. Ne opinions??

Can see where your coming from but I think Martin still sees himself as a possible team leader in grand tours and don't think he would spend much time thinking about these races. I see Phinney more tailor made for Roubaix than Martin as well

 

[screaming fist]

I answered it in the other thread where you asked that as well: Tony Martin is awful on cobbles, he'll never be a contender for Paris Roubaix.

 

[wiggos sideburn]

I answered it in the other thread where you asked that as well: Tony Martin is awful on cobbles, he'll never be a contender for Paris Roubaix.

I didn't even know he had been in cobbled races before would of thought his body type suits it

 

[screaming fist]

He himself says he's not suited to cobbles, I can look for a source tomorrow if you like. Heck, even Bavarianrider says so and admits it was Tony who crashed out Fränk Schleck of the Tour on that Roubaix stage.

 

[Wergeland]

Chavanel punctured and he is more of a threat than frickin Ballan, Pozzato and Hushovd

Hushovd had 2 punctures and one bike change due to his gear failing.

 

[trevim]

Geraint Thomas:
“In the Tours you can have good threshold in the climbs and the time trials and you know you’re going to be there or thereabouts. Here, position, crashes and luck all come into play. We’ve been working for this since November and it’s just frustrating the way it’s happened.”

Thank god I would add. Riding cobblestones looking at powermeters will be fashion next spring

 

[RHRH19861986]

I noticed, in the post race comments (not only here, but in Roubaix, it´s extreme) of the riders who didn´t finish Top10 or did worse than expected, many riders and managers claim that rider XY had a mechanical in the worst possible or one of the deciding moments. A flat tyre, defect wheel, whatever.

To be honest, I think 40 or 50 percent of these statements are pure lies.

The TV cameras of course only show few incidents, because they follow the head of the race, but nevertheless, these high numbers of mechanical incidents seem exaggerated, though Roubaix is certainly the race with the highest numbers of this kind in the year.

You seldomly hear "rider XY was just not good enough".

 

[Blakeslee]

What an exciting finish. Cancellara was clearly not having his best day, it was impressive watching him gut it out and figure out a way to win. Seeing him collapsed on the ground in exhaustion and barely able to walk to the podium perfectly showed the herculean effort he made to pull off the win.

That being said he also got extremely lucky. If the two Quick Step riders hadn't been taken out in back to back crashes with spectators, they were going to be in a dominant position with a lot of options going into the finale. They would have had a chance to one two Cancellara and attempt to get one of them away solo. If that failed and it came down to a sprint they would have the advantage of numbers with one leading out the other, and with Stybar's cyclocross experience it is likely he would have easily taken the sprint.

Even with the two Quick Step riders crashing out, this was Vanmarcke's race to lose when the two of them came into the velodrome together. He clearly seemed to get a little intimidated and overwhelmed by Cancellara and the enormity of the moment. All he had to do was hold the back position and make Cancellara lead out and the race probably would have been his. Great effort from a young rider to make it into the velodrome with Cancellara, unfortunately that he couldn't finish it off.

 

[luckyboy]

Remember when there were rumours QuickStep wanted Vanmarcke after his Garmin contract ended last year?

I know he didn't want to be stuck under a pile of leaders but i magine that team if he had gone there Woww it'd be like Mapei again.

 

[Echoes]

You know why Paris-Roubaix is the most epic and dramatic race in the calendar. That is why :

(Edit: or has anyone mentioned it before because I haven't read all of this thread?)

Als Tom [Stamsnijder] in Parijs- Roubaix over de finish komt zijn er 43 minuten en 59 seconden verstreken sinds Fabian Cancellara zijn dubbelslag heeft geslagen. Tom komt buiten de tijd binnen. Dat komt niet omdat hij het vermogen miste om de koers uit te rijden zoals hij het zelf voor ogen had. Nee, als hij zijn wiel over de meet op de wielerbaan drukt is dat het gevolg van absolute gedrevenheid om de finish te halen, koste wat het kost. "Ik heb de eerste 100 kilometer hard gewerkt voor de ploeg. Ik moest een kopgroep terughalen van 13 man waar wij niet bij zaten. Na een kilometer of 75 hadden we die terug waarna ik John (Degenkolb) heb bij gestaan." Het gaat mis als Tom in de buik van het peloton even op adem komt. "Er ontstond een grote valpartij waardoor iedereen die daar achter zat niet meer terug kon komen. Het hele veld was uiteen geslagen en op dat moment heb ik maar besloten om er een goede training van te maken, met maar één doel voor ogen, de finish halen. Ik zat in een mooie groep van 10 man maar met nog 25 kilometer te gaan reed ik lek. Er was geen auto in de buurt en ik kon uiteindelijk maar één ding doen, doorrijden. Uiteindelijk heb ik 13 kilometer door gereden op een lekke achterband. Op einde van Carfour de l'Arbre Kreeg ik pas een nieuw wiel. Daarmee kon ik in ieder geval nog comfortabel naar de finish rijden." Ondanks alle ellende is Tom niet ontevreden over de dag; "ik ben zeker tevreden over de eerste 100 kilometer, daarna lekker getraind. Weet je, de wil en frustratie over de laatste weken waren groter..." En het achterwiel? "Daar was helemaal niets van over!"

When Tom Stamsnijder crossed the finish line, it has already been 43'59" since Cancellara made his double. Tom came outside time limits. That's not because he lacked the ability to finish it as he wanted to. That's because of his intention to finish the race , at all cost. "In the first 100km I worked hard for the team. I had to catch a 13-man group back in which we didn't have any rider. After roughly 75km we catch them and then I had to support John (Degenkolb)." It went wrong when Tom was recuperating in the midst of the peloton. "There was a big crash whereby everybody who were behind couldn't come back anymore. The whole field fell apart and I had but one goal, reaching the finish. With 25km to go I was in a 10-man group and punctured. There were no cars in the area and there was only one thing I could do, keep on riding. Eventually I rode 13km on a flat rear wheel. I received a new wheel only at the end of the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Thereby I could still comfortably ride to the finish." Despite all the trouble Tom isn't disappointed about the day, " I'm certainly glad with my first 100km, then good training. You know the will and the frustration about the last weeks were bigger..." And the rear wheel? "Nothing remains of it!"

Reminds me of Pablo Urtasun a few years ago. Adds to the legend of Paris-Roubaix. He deserves to be classified !!