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

[VeloHuman]

Looking forward to this soooooo much. If Sepp is indeed in the last few km with Cancellara, I hope he has rethought his tactics!!

Rethinking one's tactics can only do so much against Fabian Cancellara.

 

[Afrank]

You know, one of the things I most like about Vanmarcke is how he doesn't wheelsuck Cance and others. He does his fair share of work even if it decreases his chance of winning. That's the proper way to race IMO.

 

[tomorrow]

You know, one of the things I most like about Vanmarcke is how he doesn't wheelsuck Cance and others. He does his fair share of work even if it decreases his chance of winning. That's the proper way to race IMO.

to race, yes, to win not, i bet boonen would have no problem to wheelsuck if he was able to, and then win

 

[Dazed and Confused]

According to this, Stijn Devolder is troubled too much by last week's bruises and won't start. Boy van Poppel will ride PR instead. This might well mean Cancellara will be on his own a lot earlier in the race. Will it really decrease his chances of winning, though?

A strong team is always good in PR should something happen say before Arenberg. But if Cancellara is in top form he will be a key factor at the business end regardless of Devo imo. Disregarding bad luck as well of course.

 

[DirtyWorks]

According to this, Stijn Devolder is troubled too much by last week's bruises and won't start. Boy van Poppel will ride PR instead. This might well mean Cancellara will be on his own a lot earlier in the race. Will it really decrease his chances of winning, though?

Ohhhh. No Devolder.

Boy Van Poppel can get it done in the first 2/3rds. He's a 'crosser and son of a former pro cyclist.

 

[DirtyWorks]

You know, one of the things I most like about Vanmarcke is how he doesn't wheelsuck Cance and others. He does his fair share of work even if it decreases his chance of winning. That's the proper way to race IMO.

My pick for the top of the podium is Vanmarcke, but his attacking style is a bit too aggressive sometimes. Without a doubt, a great rider to watch that makes the races he's in far more interesting.

 

[alspacka]

Wheel sucking Cance on a flat cobbled road is the only way one can win Robuaix.

I don't see much stronger rider on flat than Cance ( maybe Tony but he doesnt ride cobbled races )

Tony Martin to win PR 2017

In a couple of years, once he's had his fill of TT titles he'll become a classics beast.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Tony Martin to win PR 2017

In a couple of years, once he's had his fill of TT titles he'll become a classics beast.

I really hope he will enter this race later in his career instead of all that pointless chasing weekly races with a TT.

I noted Malori will start in P-R this year. Good for him. Hopefully he won't be too smashed up and acquires a taste for the cobbles. Could be another great rider for this.

 

[Kwibus]

is Sep VanMarcke going to "wheelsuck" his way to his 1st Roubaix win ?

is he considered a "wheelsuck" ?

Seriously? Wow

 

[Bushman]

Tony Martin to win PR 2017

In a couple of years, once he's had his fill of TT titles he'll become a classics beast.

Winning classics is not just about power or endurance, Cancellara showed from a young age that he had the ability to compete in the classics, Martin has never shown that. It is a bit like saying that Cavendish could turn himself into a great classics rider if he focused on it, just because some sprinters like Hushovd or Degenkolb fx are/were able to compete in the classics. Cancellara and Martin are two different riders with two different skillsets.

 

[wirral]

Devolder out?

 

[VanBsr]

Devolder out?

Yes http://www.trekfactoryracing.com/news/devolder-out-paris-roubaix

 

[Sciatic]

I always find having the timetable and pave secteurs in front of me helps follow the action, since I usually listen to a non-English broadcast. In case no one has posted the link yet:
http://www.letour.fr/paris-roubaix/2014/fr/course.html

I especially need it before the coffee kicks in when I'm getting up a 5:00am to watch!

 

[Jspear]

Yes http://www.trekfactoryracing.com/news/devolder-out-paris-roubaix

Man that's a bummer for Cancellara. It would have been nice to see him with some company from his team in the later K's of the race.

 

[Jspear]

Here's Wiggins dream situation....

"If you could just drop out of a helicopter with 40k to go on [Fabian] Cancellara’s wheel and then see if you could hold it when he goes, that’s an ideal scenario," Wiggins said in Kortrijk on Friday. "But there’s 220k before that of little French guys coming underneath you, chopping you, calling you a ****er and all this. That’s the reality of it. I’ve got to get through all of that to get to that position to be able to potentially stay with those guys if they go."

His interviews are most interesting.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-paris-roubaix-is-bigger-than-the-tour-de-france

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Man that's a bummer for Cancellara. It would have been nice to see him with some company from his team in the later K's of the race.

Since Wiggins saidto be in the company of Cancellara would be great - perhaps Sir Brad could dom for Spartacus until the last kms

 

[podunavac]

It's a little strange to read that Wiggo intents to be Eddy's lieutenant.
I mean, Boasson Hagen hasn't achieved anything significant so far in P-R and isn't considered to be a factor this year either, so being his lieutenant can't be qualified like notable performance in prospect.

 

[Jelantik]

I'm a little baffled by the amount of news about Wiggins and PR. And the fact that some people thinks he can win PR based on his track background and his ability to sustain long effort. I saw many great rider who have tried PR many times and has not yet win it. If it's that easy (with just wiggins credentials) maybe many people should make a news (yeah, yeah, he won tdf). I'm just saying that it's a little disrespect (maybe not the right word) for other riders who actually specialist in cobble, are way has chances to make a podium and no one is even bother to write a lot about them. Wiggins with 0 accomplishment on top 10, got more air wave than those guys.

And the fact that wiggins hasn't done more pre race classic like most classic specialist (except Flanders + Scheldeprijs), while Cancellara, Boonen, Sagan and most of top specialist spent their time getting the necessary sharpness through racing on some classics race for this monument classic, how on earth people are seeing him as the dark horse with only few weeks of altitude training + 2 classic races and one ruta de sol on his leg? Am I missing something?

 

[Jspear]

I'm a little baffled by the amount of news about Wiggins and PR. And the fact that some people thinks he can win PR based on his track background and his ability to sustain long effort. I saw many great rider who have tried PR many times and has not yet win it. If it's that easy (with just wiggins credentials) maybe many people should make a news (yeah, yeah, he won tdf). I'm just saying that it's a little disrespect (maybe not the right word) for other riders who actually specialist in cobble, are way has chances to make a podium and no one is even bother to write a lot about them. Wiggins with 0 accomplishment on top 10, got more air wave than those guys.

And the fact that wiggins hasn't done more pre race classic like most classic specialist (except Flanders + Scheldeprijs), while Cancellara, Boonen, Sagan and most of top specialist spent their time getting the necessary sharpness through racing on some classics race for this monument classic, how on earth people are seeing him as the dark horse with only few weeks of altitude training + 2 classic races and one ruta de sol on his leg? Am I missing something?

Nope you ain't missin' nothin' Personally I think either the media is stupid or they're just real anxious to spit out news stories. I don't think any serious person on this forum really thinks that Wiggins will make an impression on Sunday.

 

[Sciatic]

". . .But there’s 220k before that of little French guys coming underneath you, chopping you, calling you a ****er and all this. That’s the reality of it.

Um, that quote from Wiggins is going to do wonders in getting him support from the French crowds on Sunday . . . I'm sure they'll just get politely out of his way if he goes to ride in the gutters on the pave sections

Also, has he taken a look at Gaudin lately

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Wiggins bike throw before the Arenberg Forest.

 

[EnacheV]

I think he talks (Wiggins) about the cobble stones (little french guys under you), not about human persons.

Eddy Merckx has noted: "It's a shame to say it, but Paris-Roubaix is losing more and more of its value because the great riders aren't there. I've always said that to win without risk is to win without glory."

First TdF winner since a lot of time starting is enough to make a few news headlines.

For UK news portals/main english language portals ofc they link it more to UK riders, like for example guardian getting clicks with a headline linking to Froome (article is very good though and Froome part is at the very end)

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/10...hell-north-paris-roubaix-cobbles-cycling-race

I'm sure spanish/italians/belgian/dutch news outlets don't care so much about Wiggins.

 

[Morbius]

The extra publicity is working in UK. The BBC has live 'radio' coverage on their digital channel 5Live Sports Extra from 1pm local time. Perfect for me as I will be in my car.

 

[SKSemtex]

I think he talks (Wiggins) about the cobble stones (little french guys under you), not about human persons.

Eddy Merckx has noted: "It's a shame to say it, but Paris-Roubaix is losing more and more of its value because the great riders aren't there. I've always said that to win without risk is to win without glory."

First TdF winner since a lot of time starting is enough to make a few news headlines.

For UK news portals/main english language portals ofc they link it more to UK riders, like for example guardian getting clicks with a headline linking to Froome (article is very good though and Froome part is at the very end)

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/10...hell-north-paris-roubaix-cobbles-cycling-race

I'm sure spanish/italians/belgian/dutch news outlets don't care so much about Wiggins.

This. I am not his best fan, but ( now I use the Slovak quote although I am not sure if it is correct in English) at least he is willing to bring his own skin to this market.

I wish we could have the oportunity to see other "the only and true Tour champions " fighting this hell.

 

[Tom T.]

Wiggins simply isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. He'll get left behind at Arenberg.