2015 Paris - Roubaix, 12th April 1.UWT, 253.5 Km

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re:

Gougeard, who was in the break all day ended 26th, +1:38. QED.

67 seconds and several places behind Saramontins and Rast, who were also in the break.

 

[Jancouver]

Disappointing edition IMO.

Having Cancellara & Boonen around would probably not help either.

Most disturbing part for me is how the riders are riding on the side of the cobbles. Seems like over the years, with some help from the cycling fans, there is a very nicely packed trail right next to cobbled road.

Barriers should be added on all cobbled sections, otherwise why do they even bother putting in cobbled sections when nobody is riding on them and everyone is riding on the trail.

If this is the trend, we can expect big group sprint finish in all future editions.

3/10 for me

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Re:

No one will be disqualified. The commissaires say the spirit of the rule was respected.

So they think that the only value enshrined in that rule is that riders should not be penalised by being delayed? I hope that is not true.

If the police motorbike could stop, then everyone behind him could have done so. If riders can't be identified, then teams can; if disqualification is not viable because of identification issues or the sheer number of riders, they can fine teams per rider in their colour with a fine big enough to make it not a preferable option to disqualification. And the last three riders to cross, after the police rider had sourced to enforce the law (like not law-breaking is the only reason to pay attention to level crossing gates!) should face maximum sanction.

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

If he foes that why is he not picked on by everyone but Gerrans is?

I think you'll find that in 99% of "why does rider A get less forum criticism than rider B even though they both do the same thing" type questions, you will find out that rider A is also far less successful

A truer statement has never been made on this forum.

 

[willbick]

Re:

Disappointing edition IMO.

Having Cancellara & Boonen around would probably not help either.

Most disturbing part for me is how the riders are riding on the side of the cobbles. Seems like over the years, with some help from the cycling fans, there is a very nicely packed trail right next to cobbled road.

Barriers should be added on all cobbled sections, otherwise why do they even bother putting in cobbled sections when nobody is riding on them and everyone is riding on the trail.

If this is the trend, we can expect big group sprint finish in all future editions.

3/10 for me

i prefer strade bianche to the 'cobbled' (footpath) classics. at least they actually ride on the gravel roads

dry springs are killing paris roubaix

 

[eljimberino]

All the commenters saying yesterday was a boring edition need to reassess their standards.

 

[hrotha]

Re:

All the commenters saying yesterday was a boring edition need to reassess their standards.

Funny, I was thinking the same in reverse.

 

[IndianCyclist]

Now we have 3 sprinters Monuments

 

[cineteq]

Purists can't stand sprinters winning, real cycling fans can.

 

[The Barb]

Purists can't stand sprinters winning, real cycling fans can.

What does this even mean? I'm not trying to be rude, I just have no idea what you are trying to say.

 

[Jancouver]

Purists can't stand sprinters winning, real cycling fans can.

What does this even mean? I'm not trying to be rude, I just have no idea what you are trying to say.

Thats mean that the average cycling fan will celebrate any winner, regardless of his "niche".

The purist are expecting classic specialist to win classics, sprinters winning sprints etc.

Basically, average Joe doesnt care who wins and will celebrate any winner

 

[DirtyWorks]

Re:

Disappointing edition IMO.

If this is the trend, we can expect big group sprint finish in all future editions.

If there are strong winds as cross/tail winds in all future editions, then you'd be right. It was very windy and it had a meaningful effect on the race.

That was a great edition. Boom got fourth!!!

 

[observer]

Purists can't stand sprinters winning, real cycling fans can.

Is degenkolb really a sprinter though? he's been threatening winning in this manner for a while.

sprinters are cavendish / kittel / griepel types

degenkolb / sagan / stybar etc are earmarked to win this type of event

then you've got the gerrans / valverde / gilbert types for the ardennes races.

 

[eljimberino]

From memory there were more attacks in this edition than the previous 5 years put together. I could go back through the replay and list the attacks if I must. Riders were attacking off the front for the final 50km. Just because they didn't all blow the competition away doesn't mean there were not attacks.

Deg clearly more strings to his bow than being a pure sprinter. Surely after yesterday you can say he's a classic specialist. Just because he can sptint as well doesnt mean he isn't a classic rider. He came second last year for crying out loud. The way he bridged the gap to Greg and Lampaert was genius. If he did not do that I doubt he would have had the energy to out sprint every one. That is, if he was in the second group that rejoined before the velodrome GVA probably would have won.

Not only that he drove the break until Stybar reached the group and Lampaert took over.

7 riders entered the velodrome together. It was exciting.

 

[Alexandre B.]

If winning Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, Gent-Wevelgem, Paris-Tours, Vattenfall Cyclassics and Frankfurt GP at age 26 is not the mark of a classic specialist, then no one is a classic specialist.

 

[nepetalactone]

Re:

If winning Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, Gent-Wevelgem, Paris-Tours, Vattenfall Cyclassics and Frankfurt GP at age 26 is not the mark of a classic specialist, then no one is a classic specialist.

Amen. Degenkolb is still early in his career. He's formed himself as a classics rider, through and through. I think the same is true of Kristoff.

Remember, Boonen was formidable as a 'typical' sprinter once too!

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re: Re:

Gougeard, who was in the break all day ended 26th, +1:38. QED.

67 seconds and several places behind Saramontins and Rast, who were also in the break.

Saramotins ginished 13th.

 

[Kokoso]

Re: Re:

Degenkolb to Quickstep next year. Nice leadout.

Quick step played their cards right.

What were they supposed to do?

Let their guy ride it all the way into the velodrome and leave Stybar to find a wheel into the main group. Nope Styby had to do the bridge by himself.

This. Lampaert had a free ride until Stybar bridged. He could have saved energy for 5km, then tried to attack Degenkolb with 1km or so to go.

Probably wouldn't have worked, but better than Stybar trying to go head to head with Degenkolb in a sprint.

It would have put Degenkolb and GvA to drive the trio into the peloton. And Quickstep will have a free ride into the velodrome. But, nope.

I don't see why this tactics should be better. So they would go on stadium with Lampaert against GvA and Degenkolb. You call that better? I think it's the same at best. With Stybar bridging they had hope to be in numbers at least for a while which sounds better tactics than one you propose.

 

[movingtarget]

I wonder if there will be any action re the level crossing. There has been in the past. Great win to Degenkolb, once the group his the velodrome it was game over, the others were racing for second. Kudos to GVA for his amazing consistency but of course he would swap all of those placings for one win in a monument. With Cancellara and Boonen off the scene Sagan and Vanmarcke have missed out again. They just don't have the form. What a season so far for Kristoff and Degenkolb.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Kelly, Vanderaerden, Planckaert and Museeuw were all good sprinters who won P-R. It looks like Degenkolb is another one of that type.

 

[greenedge]

I think the classics have been very dull this year.
Bring on the Giro ....Bertie will get the season going.

All the smaller classic races were good> SB, GW, E3 and DDW

Also races like Paris Nice (Gallopin) were quite exciting as well.

 

[Flamin]

Re:

I wonder if there will be any action re the level crossing. There has been in the past. Great win to Degenkolb, once the group his the velodrome it was game over, the others were racing for second. Kudos to GVA for his amazing consistency but of course he would swap all of those placings for one win in a monument. With Cancellara and Boonen off the scene Sagan and Vanmarcke have missed out again. They just don't have the form. What a season so far for Kristoff and Degenkolb.

Nope, no action. It's like this 'rule' which was introduced last year or 2 years ago(?) that riders must stay on the road and not use cycle paths. The next race half the peloton uses cycle paths. It's just impossible to immediately identify those guys and take them out of the race straight away. The situation in 2006 was a lot more clear so also really easy to act upon.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Kelly, Vanderaerden, Planckaert and Museeuw were all good sprinters who won P-R. It looks like Degenkolb is another one of that type.

Indeed and you forget to add Boonen to that list.

 

[Jagartrott]

They should sort this out for the future. It's dangerous and sets a very bad example.
I understand they cannot identify everyone in this case, but the response 'we followed the rules somewhat' was *** I think.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

I wonder if there will be any action re the level crossing. There has been in the past. Great win to Degenkolb, once the group his the velodrome it was game over, the others were racing for second. Kudos to GVA for his amazing consistency but of course he would swap all of those placings for one win in a monument. With Cancellara and Boonen off the scene Sagan and Vanmarcke have missed out again. They just don't have the form. What a season so far for Kristoff and Degenkolb.

Nope, no action. It's like this 'rule' which was introduced last year or 2 years ago(?) that riders must stay on the road and not use cycle paths. The next race half the peloton uses cycle paths. It's just impossible to immediately identify those guys and take them out of the race straight away. The situation in 2006 was a lot more clear so also really easy to act upon.

The biggest fault was made the first race after this rule was introduced. They should've started taking riders out of the race or DQ them afterwards based on tv footage directly.
In that first race you could notice that there were less riders jumping on walking/cycle paths, but some still did it. When those riders don't get punished then the next race everybody starts using the walking/cycle paths again.

If you have a new rule make sure you can follow it up, if not people won't take it serious.