2014 Paris-Roubaix, 257 Km's, Sunday April 13th (1.UWT)

[Afrank]

The Queen of the Classics, the Hell of the North, L'enfer du Nord, whatever name you know it by, get ready for a Sunday in Hell. It's time to face the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix. Only the hardest of the hard will survive. Can Cancellara repeat? Can Vanmarcke finally take his revenge for last year? Or will we see a new comer lift the cobble atop the podium?

Previous Winners
2013 | CANCELLARA Fabian
2012 | BOONEN Tom
2011 | VANSUMMEREN Johan
2010 | CANCELLARA Fabian
2009 | BOONEN Tom
2008 | BOONEN Tom
2007 | O'GRADY Stuart
2006 | CANCELLARA Fabian
2005 | BOONEN Tom
2004 | BACKSTEDT Magnus

2013 Top 10
1. CANCELLARA Fabian RadioShack - Leopard 100 275 5:45:33
2. VANMARCKE Sep Blanco Pro Cycling Team 80 200 ,,
3. TERPSTRA Niki Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 70 150 0:31
4. VAN AVERMAET Greg BMC Racing Team 60 120 ,,
5. GAUDIN Damien Team Europcar 50 100 ,,
6. STYBAR Zdenek Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 40 90 0:39
7. LANGEVELD Sebastian Orica GreenEDGE 30 80 ,,
8. FLECHA Juan Antonio Vacansoleil - DCM 20 70 ,,
9. KRISTOFF Alexander Team Katusha 10 60 0:50
10. TURGOT Sébastien Team Europcar 4 50 ,,

Startlist: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Paris_Roubaix_2014-Startlist

Start time: Sunday April 13 10:15 CET ( 1:15:00 AM PDT);
Earliest live video: 13:15 CET (4:15:00 AM PDT);
Approximate finish 16:50 CET (7:50:00 AM PDT);

Contenders (based completely on my own opinion)
*****Cancellara, Vanmarcke
****GVA, Kristoff, Terpstra
*** Stybar, Boonen, Degenkolb, Paolini, Vandenbergh, Sagan
**Demare, langeveld, Phinney, Van Keirsbulck
*Hushovd, Pozzato, EBH, Chavanel, Gaudin, Turgot, Leukemans

Darkhorses: Devolder, Jerome, Offredo, Le Bon, Boom, probably others.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Let the madness commence:

Really would like to see Vanmarcke destroy everybody, but the combination of Cancellara and the wounded animal called the Steppers will make this a brutal encounter.

And what about Brown Power? Fizzled out already? Surely not.

 

[the sceptic]

what is the over/under on KM before Sir Wiggo throws in the towel?

 

[Flamin]

Really looking forward to this, but on the other hand you know it's the end of the best period of the year again. To make things worse, I can't watch this live

Anyway, I expect OPQS to hit back real hard. For sure they will be stronger than in Ronde, meanwhile Cancellara will be quickly isolated again. So my money is on one of the Steppers this time.

 

[DirtyWorks]

what is the over/under on KM before Sir Wiggo throws in the towel?

I give it half-way in total KM's ridden.

Anyone have a summary of sector changes for this year?

Per the other P-R thread, I'm predicting a BMC rider on the top of the podium. Belkin 2nd. OPQS 3rd. Cancellara coming in top-10 with a train of riders whose only job was marking Cancellara.

I'm hoping for lower-budget teams so be on the sharp end of the race again like Flanders.

 

[podunavac]

I would really like to see GVA lifting the cobblestone. He's ridden De Ronde without calculations, fair and square, and that might have costed him.
But it looks to me it will be decided between Cancellara, Vanmarcke and the Steppers (Boonen, particularly).
Also, one more certainty besides the mentioned contenders, imo, is Sagans absence in the finale.
Should be really exciting race. It's on OPQS to make it. They can't afford another year without a trophy.

 

[BigMac]

Obvious Gaudin win is obvious. It'll be a battle for second place.

 

[Parrulo]

There better be some rain!!!

12 years it's too freaking long

 

[Jspear]

There better be some rain!!!

12 years it's too freaking long

Rain stay way! It might be entertaining to watch, but I doubt the riders want it. Crashes are more likely in the rain as well....I want to see all the riders staying safe. Go Spartacus go!

 

[shalgo]

One thing is certain: it will be the first year since 2003 when Flecha is not in the top 13.

 

[jaylew]

He will be missed

 

[Volderke]

what is the over/under on KM before Sir Wiggo throws in the towel?

I was positively surprised by his RVV. He crashed just before Haaghoek and I thought he would abandon, but seems like he finished the race more-or-less without any further problems.

 

[Lexman]

There better be some rain!!!

12 years it's too freaking long

No rain, max 17 degrees BUT wind from the north, around 3 beaufort.

 

[theyoungest]

I was positively surprised by his RVV. He crashed just before Haaghoek and I thought he would abandon, but seems like he finished the race more-or-less without any further problems.

That was Gabriel Rasch, I think?

Rain stay way! It might be entertaining to watch, but I doubt the riders want it. Crashes are more likely in the rain as well....I want to see all the riders staying safe. Go Spartacus go!

Boom has said ever since he turned to the road that he's waiting for a wet Roubaix. I guess Stybar will be the same.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

That was Gabriel Rasch, I think?


Boom has said ever since he turned to the road that he's waiting for a wet Roubaix. I guess Stybar will be the same.

Both Boom and Stybar seem to think a wet PR is the same as riding a 1 hour cross race in winter or at least that they will be able to directly transfer some skills to their advantage. I'm not buying the idea, well at least not to the point it will be decisive to any degree.

In any case we could use a wet edition just to set the record straight.

 

[ebandit]

watch

what is the over/under on KM before Sir Wiggo throws in the towel?

just you enjoy watching............wiggo will go top ten

but P L E A S E.....................anyone to win but luigi

may stannard/gee be up there too

Mark L

 

[theyoungest]

Both Boom and Stybar seem to think a wet PR is the same as riding a 1 hour cross race in winter or at least that they will be able to directly transfer some skills to their advantage. I'm not buying the idea, well at least not to the point it will be decisive to any degree.

In any case we could use a wet edition just to set the record straight.

Boom used to switch to his cross bike for the pavé, although I guess not anymore now that he's on Bianchi. Of course technical skill makes a difference, even more so on wet roads.

 

[Volderke]

Guess I took Rasch for Wiggins.
Anyway, solid ride by Wiggins in RVV. Not saying he is a favorite, but he should have the flat-cobble-go-hard engine.
Stannard is not participating.

Kudos for the starting post and I generally agree with the * rating.
This will be a nice topic and I can't wait for the race.

 

[VeloHuman]

Guess I took Rasch for Wiggins.
Anyway, solid ride by Wiggins in RVV. Not saying he is a favorite, but he should have the flat-cobble-go-hard engine.
Stannard is not participating.

Kudos for the starting post and I generally agree with the * rating.
This will be a nice topic and I can't wait for the race.

Wiggins basically finished RVV with the long line of what remained of the chasing pack. Not far behind Sagan and Degenkolb. Color me impressed. Ditto, not that he's the favorite, but it's not like he's totally embarrassing himself either. Wouldn't be surprised to see him try to animate P-R.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

That was Gabriel Rasch, I think?


Boom has said ever since he turned to the road that he's waiting for a wet Roubaix. I guess Stybar will be the same.

Yeah, that was indeed Rasch. Good showing by Wiggins nontheless.

 

[EnacheV]

Fixed a big error in OP

****** Sir Brad
*****Cancellara, Vanmarcke
****GVA, Kristoff, Terpstra
*** Stybar, Boonen, Degenkolb, Paolini, Vandenbergh, Sagan
**Demare, langeveld, Phinney, Van Keirsbulck
*Hushovd, Pozzato, EBH, Chavanel, Gaudin, Turgot, Leukemans

 

[Lexman]

Lefevere puts some more pressure on the shoulders of his riders (as if this was necessary)

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/SportWereld/cnt/DMF20140407_01059313

"We have to win a classic/monument"

Boonen the main leader, says Stybar and Terpstra still has to prove they can win a classic.

He also says he didn't let VDB ride in RVV because they knew they would be second in that case and gambled on a return of their men.

Said he even received a phone call in the race from Ochowiecz to let VDB ride with GVA

Apparently something happened in the last 30 km which explains their tactics. The article doesn't mention it, one needs to have digital edition of the newspaper...

 

[Volderke]

For sure in the last 30km the communication with the riders didn't work anymore (something Boonen said in an interview). Maybe they are hinting this.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

And here one of the best short black-and-white films made about what makes PR special:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1QXKjc1nLY

2:30 minutes and needs to be played in HD.

 

[Afrank]

Fixed a big error in OP

****** Sir Brad
*****Cancellara, Vanmarcke
****GVA, Kristoff, Terpstra
*** Stybar, Boonen, Degenkolb, Paolini, Vandenbergh, Sagan
**Demare, langeveld, Phinney, Van Keirsbulck
*Hushovd, Pozzato, EBH, Chavanel, Gaudin, Turgot, Leukemans

Sir Bradley Wiggins is such a giant favorite to win the race I didn't feel right putting a rating to him, as that suggests there's a chance someone else is even close to his levels of physical and mental perfection. I just assumed everyone knew he would win easy, so made up a list of contenders for 2nd place.