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

[GoodTimes]

Congrats to Terpstra on a good win. He's a classy rider, and it's good to see him win a big one.

Huge group with about 10k to go. Needed more selection on the tough cobbles to make it more of a race.

 

[alspacka]

I smugly refer you doubters to page 4 of this thread:

I know mocking Wiggins is the done thing, with some justification, but I think he might surprise a few people here.
He hasn't got much experience on cobbles, but he's had some ok rides, PR 2009, Tour 2010, as a skinny GC rider.
He's been training for it and put on weight, still TTing well. And we know when he trains hard with a goal in mind he's a quality rider.
He may be riding primarily for EBH or Thomas, but I'm backing him for top 10.

Seriously.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Perhaps more than Degenkolb didn't know Terpstra was ahead. Maybe that's why they didn't chase harder.

The whole group would have to have been without radios.

Strangest finish ever.

 

[movingtarget]

Poor GVA crashed when he was looking pretty good. Terpstra was too strong and well done by Wiggins after being written off completely by the experts.

 

[Netserk]

Weak Paris roubaix. I feel like a heroin addict who just realized the dope he bought was a fake.

Yet the race last year was one of the best ever

 

[hrotha]

I feel dirty, I was rooting for Wigans at one point.

Kinda meh PR.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

also don't forget the head wind they had for like the last 100 km. it was very strong

 

[Walkman]

Great race until the last few km's. Awesome Wiggins. Awful winner. Awful last 5-6 km. Good race overall.

Why?

The guy earned it.

All the others were awful competitors. Everyone fear Canc so none wants to make a move and when Canc doesn't do anything, neither do they?

Niki attacked and won and it was a well deserved victory in my opinion.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Awful winner Terpstra did a great ride, did a lot of work in closing down the front 5, and fully deserves a big win

 

[Unkown]

Pretty anti-climatic Paris-Roubaix overall. Had some good parts, but definitely not as good as last year or Flanders last week.

Cancellara and Vanmarcke messed up I think. They may not have been able to, but they really should have done more and put in some more attacks to try to drag a more select group out.

Their mistake was letting the second group come back when it was just Sep, Cance, Sagan, Degenkolb, and Stybar. Once the second group came back the Steppers had numbers to attack.

 

[hfer07]

Niki the man - just hit them hard at the right time when it mattered- Too many big names looking at one another and there was no willing to do anything at all, so he deserved it. Degenkolb will be the next year's favorite- mark my words

 

[DirtyWorks]

I smugly refer you doubters to page 4 of this thread:

Absolutely under-rated him. Good ride.

 

[Klubban]

What a race by Geraint Thomas! 7th place after all that work. Jesus, he is strong.

 

[Hugo87]

What for asking what I missed?

Wasn't for you.

Great race until the last few km's. Awesome Wiggins. Awful winner. Awful last 5-6 km. Good race overall.

Exactly my feelings about this race, the final was poorly raced and nobody wanted to risk their chance to sprint for podium.

Still props to Niki for well timely attack, biggest win of his career.

Cance and Vanmarcke were a little bit disappointing for me, Wiggins,Sagan,Boonen and Thomas did a great ride.

 

[simoni]

No-one dominant physically today so it comes down to tactics. Terpstra and his team took their chance, hats off to them. The second group were clearly all cooked or not willing to sacrifice a chance of second. That's cycling.

 

[Ney the Viking]

Very strong cross-winds all day, and fastest ever finishing time, I think a lot of people just didnt have anything left at all.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Everyone fear Canc so none wants to make a move and when Canc doesn't do anything, neither do they?

Seems likely to me, or OPQS bought the race. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Why?

The guy earned it.

All the others were awful competitors. Everyone fear Canc so none wants to make a move and when Canc doesn't do anything, neither do they?

Niki attacked and won and it was a well deserved victory in my opinion.

Definitely a deserved victory, but its obvious that Terpstra wasnt the strongest today. He won because of his team.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

If Stybar had won like that, I think the reaction here would be quite different.

 

[Sykhrzon]

What a race by Geraint Thomas! 7th place after all that work. Jesus, he is strong.

GT did great, but stop making all these profiles, ianstannard. Please mods, ban him. Ban his IP.

 

[Fight.The.Power]

Why?

The guy earned it.

All the others were awful competitors. Everyone fear Canc so none wants to make a move and when Canc doesn't do anything, neither do they?

Niki attacked and won and it was a well deserved victory in my opinion.

I don't think Panda Claws means Terpstra personally. But no-one wants to see the winner finish 20 seconds ahead of everyone else.

 

[deValtos]

Amazing PR right up until 5km to go ... the last bit just felt so underwhelming.

Having Terpstra win just felt a bit 'meh' too.

 

[masking_agent]

OPQS as a team must be so relieved. Good race. Wished for a bit more action, but Fabian is overly marked.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Cancellara:

head wind - killed his ideas of final attack

 

[Linkinito]

Man of the race was Boonen for me though. Attacked and stayed in front for 40 km and still ends in the final 11.

Finish was a bummer though, Terpstra going, no one chases behind because "meh, don't want to get countered".