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

[Afrank]

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.

Agree, they had a great chance there. They should have pushed it more and tried to hold or increase the gap.

 

[movingtarget]

Very gutsy ride also by Sagan. Sep continues to be out sprinted by Cancellara. So much for the great sprint we keep hearing about, not that Cancellara can't sprint, but it's almost becoming predictable.

 

[Sykhrzon]

The mods are absent like the chasers.

 

[Matdum94]

What a bad race from Thomas and Wiggins, Cancellera was mocking him.

 

[Walkman]

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

Care to elaborate?

You mean, like a bribe?

 

[jaylew]

Sagan, Canc, Sep, and Deg (Stybar won't mind so much, I guess) should be kicking themselves for not working together and letting Niki's group catch back on when they had 15-16 secs.

BMC nowhere although admittedly GvA crashed at the wrong time and had to chase back on right as the attacks were really happening.

 

[Klubban]

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

you are wrong here, I'm not ianstannard.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Some good racing along the way.
Boonen, Sagan, Thomas, Sep and Hushovd tried hard, but there are too many passengers with zero ambitions.
Glad Terpstra managed to get away in the final few kms, otherwise it would have been a real downer.

And it wasn't because of lack of pace, this was the fastest PR ever.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

What a bad race from Thomas and Wiggins, Cancellera was mocking him.

Whaaaat?

 

[The Barb]

So, the last three Paris Roubaix's have been the fastest three ever.

 

[Panda Claws]

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.

There are other young and upcoming riders that deserve a monument way more than him (Vanmarcke, Sagan, Van Avermaet, etc.)

He was not the strongest by a long shot and was lucky that no-one even attempted to react to his attack. Sure, his acceleration was probably stronger than that of Sir Brad but everyone reacted to Wiggo immediately.

It was a lame end to a race and instead of getting a 'legendary' winner that we'll remember in 20-30 years we got Niki Terpstra.

 

[Moviefan1203]

What a bad race from Thomas and Wiggins, Cancellera was mocking him.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Sagan, Canc, Sep, and Deg (Stybar won't mind so much, I guess) should be kicking themselves for not working together and letting Niki's group catch back on when they had 15-16 secs.

BMC nowhere although admittedly GvA crashed at the wrong time and had to chase back on right as the attacks were really happening.

Only one who took turns was Cancellara. You can blame Degenkolb and Vanmarcke. Sagan was totally finished

 

[alspacka]

What a bad race from Thomas and Wiggins, Cancellera was mocking him.

Sorry, what?

 

[glassmoon]

LOL, the broadcaster probably thought that 2nd group did not deserve the TV time... and I kinda agree with him
what a bunch of ***, going through hell for 200km and then looking around when good TT-ist escapes in final kms

 

[masking_agent]

Is Sagan every going to get more teammates up there in a finale of a race Cannondale to me, need to do some recruiting. Poor Sagan to me is always up there by himself.

 

[Sykhrzon]

you are wrong here, I'm not ianstannard.

Of course you are.

Please mods, do something! Ban his IP.

 

[Ney the Viking]

Degenkolb looking geniunly happy, really good to see.

 

[Guybrush]

 

[De Snelle Duif]

De Backer was a real surprise here!

 

[Unkown]

Is Sagan every going to get more teammates up there in a finale of a race Cannondale to me, need to do some recruiting. Poor Sagan to me is always up there by himself.

Same could be said of Trek. Sure they have good riders but they are never there in the finish with Canc or they have crashed out.

 

[Walkman]

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

Yeah, but that's cycling and this is not a mountain stage in the TdF. Only when going uphill the strongest rider almost always wins since it's about power output/body weight ratio.

A Classic is about tactics, teams, luck and timing, not just about your strength.

Niki did more to deserve this win than if Sagan or Degenkolb would have won a sprint finish.

 

[Guybrush]

De Backer was a real surprise here!

was him at Terpstras wheel when attacked? is it the case big fail

 

[manafana]

first of all france2/3 are in charge of tv not eurosport so the mess up is on them.

2nd how was this a bad editon? just because the sometimes temperamental terpstra made a winning move and got away? it was in the dying moments of the race and till 2-3km he could still have been caught. I have seen this race decided much further out plenty times.

The racing in behind was interesting from way out, a good edition with Brad proving a few peope wrong with good ride. A good race as always.

 

[benpounder]

My read: once Terpstra took off the rest started looking around. No one wanted to drag Sagan into the Velodrome, and with such a strong composition of a chase, all knew that he would be dragged there.

re online coverage, after Eurosport crapped out on me (both english and spanish versions) i switched over to RTL - best resolution of all even when bandwidths were most taxed.

Great race... chapeau Niki