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

[thequestionmark]

Re: Re:

Race director says no DQs for any riders who broke the race rules and French law by riding across the level crossing

There were 3 Giant riders that went through there. Was Degenkolb one of them? If he was, he got very lucky.

Don't think so. He was always well positioned at the front.

 

[Felice Gimondi]

Race directors don't DQ anyone because it will draw attention to the fact that their own car drove across the train-crossing while the red-light on the crossing was on..

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

Race director says no DQs for any riders who broke the race rules and French law by riding across the level crossing

Really bad decision. Can't expect riders to obey rules that could cost them the race if they are not enforced

Yep, potentially a very dangerous precedent. At the very least they should DQ the BMC rider who went over last.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re:

Paris Roubaix in the dry is so over-rated. Just a load of guys bumping along footpaths at 25mph, wooopy doo

A wet Paris Roubaix would lead to a brilliant Stybar/Boom duel. I'm convinced of it... but... it's too nice in april

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

Paris Roubaix in the dry is so over-rated. Just a load of guys bumping along footpaths at 25mph, wooopy doo

A wet Paris Roubaix would lead to a brilliant Stybar/Boom duel. I'm convinced of it... but... it's too nice in april

Brilliant. Stybar. Boom.
Does not compute.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Headwind on some of the deciding cobble strokes, instead of the predicted tailwind.

I think this was a big problem as well. I noticed headwind/sidewind pretty much everytime they were on the cobbles in the last 30km.
That kills a lot of action. I noticed Boom hitting the front with a huge accelaration and he stopped almost directly, because he had 5Bft in his face and Degenkolb who was at his wheel had a slipstream. Pointless to empty yourself, but that destroys the action.
Degenkolb is responsible for killing the attacks, but from his perspective that makes perfect sense ofcourse. He was atleast as strong or maybe even stronger then the cobbled specialists (he is one himself).
Then when it got tactical he solo'd to the escapees. That was impressive and only showed that he was mighty strong today.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Re: Re:

Paris Roubaix in the dry is so over-rated. Just a load of guys bumping along footpaths at 25mph, wooopy doo

A wet Paris Roubaix would lead to a brilliant Stybar/Boom duel. I'm convinced of it... but... it's too nice in april

Brilliant. Stybar. Boom.
Does not compute.

You clearly never watched cyclocross

 

[eljimberino]

Great race. The best man won.

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

Brilliant. Stybar. Boom.
Does not compute.

You clearly never watched cyclocross

Not really, but I do know they magically transform into completely different and rather sad riders on the road. Particularly Stybar.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, I propose that they just get rid of the Scheldeprijs, and then from the monday wednesday after De Ronde to a week after that they wait for rain before they start the race.

But that's just in a perfect world though

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

GW race of the season ofcourse. After that RVV and PR were pretty mwah editions. Not bad, not good either

 

[hfer07]

I thought about him before posting my favorite -and great that he delivered with CLASS. John Degenkolb can well take the rest of the year off if he wishes.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

This was the worst Paris-Roubaix I've ever seen. Everybody waited for the Carrefour de l'Arbre, and then they waited some more. Even after that, many people were glad to just chill and maybe get a decent placing. I'm glad Degenkolb won in a sprint, because that was obviously what pretty much every other contender except for Kristoff should have been trying to avoid but didn't.

This was better than the "Boonen attacks with Terpstra and the race is over" 2012 edition.

Great tactical race, with strenght and brains.

Nope, that was an awesome race
I really enjoyed the final km after Greg's attack, but the rest of the race was horrible.

 

[Stingray34]

It would be hard to be part of the Van Avemaet fan club, and although I hear he's over-exposed in Belgium, I really hope he wins a Monument one day. He's sure a fighter!

 

[Gigs_98]

I think you can say that a paris roubaix edition where the action starts after the last difficult cobble section, is really disappointing. :/

 

[Stingray34]

Re:

I thought about him before posting my favorite -and great that he delivered with CLASS. John Degenkolb can well take the rest of the year off if he wishes.

As been said, RVV was a slow burn, but a good race all the same. P-R also, even if Degenkolb was bolted on as the winner in the last three km. What I'm interested in is, what's Oleg's gonna say to Sagan? Is he gonna rip him a new a-hole?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think you can say that a paris roubaix edition where the action starts after the last difficult cobble section, is really disappointing. :/

There was headwind on Mons en Pevele instead of tailwind. So everyone who tried to raise the pace fell flat

 

[thequestionmark]

@ammattipyoraily "This year's edition was the 3rd fastest #ParisRoubaix after 1964. Only two faster editions: 2013 and 2012. Record avg. speed: 1964."

Interesting. Why are they so fast in recent years?

 

[DBotero]

The truth is that today was a bad Paris-Roubaix .Everybody waiting and waiting,kinda boring,even Wiggins acceleration was weak.The only guy who lived to the expectations was Degenkolb.He followed his own race path and got his win.

 

[Netserk]

I think you can say that a paris roubaix edition where the action starts after the last difficult cobble section, is really disappointing. :/

There was headwind on Mons en Pevele instead of tailwind. So everyone who tried to raise the pace fell flat

You say that as if it was the only place where a selection can happen. I doubt there was a headwind the whole last 90km of the race...

 

[Flamin]

Degenkolb is the guy for me. Good luck dropping him.

This Kristoff hype, on cobbles, I don't believe in it at all.

It seems like I was spot on. Thanks for the money John

What a great ride from him, raced like a true champion. I was clueless what De Backer was thinking when he decided to attack instead of pull the group. Then suddenly a heli shot from another Giant rider breaking loose. That was a pretty special moment. Just one short pull from De Backer before Degenkolb passed him like a train, and from then it was really clear that he was mighty strong.

 

[Red Rick]

The headwind really killed the action, you could see the flags going crazy on Carrefour de l'arbre

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

This was the worst Paris-Roubaix I've ever seen. Everybody waited for the Carrefour de l'Arbre, and then they waited some more. Even after that, many people were glad to just chill and maybe get a decent placing. I'm glad Degenkolb won in a sprint, because that was obviously what pretty much every other contender except for Kristoff should have been trying to avoid but didn't.

I don't agree. It was a very tactical race and the headwind on the cobbled stretches and a very strong Degenkolb killed most attacks.
Actually the most interesting part was the last 15km, before that it wasn't very good indeed. Worst Roubaix I've ever seen? I don't think so.
Boonen riding away with 55k to go was mighty impressive and ofcourse a ride of a legend, but it certainly wasn't very entertaining.

 

[Netserk]

There was more action in 2012 before Boonen's attack than in the whole race today... (Hyperbole)

 

[red_flanders]

Re: Re:

I thought about him before posting my favorite -and great that he delivered with CLASS. John Degenkolb can well take the rest of the year off if he wishes.

As been said, RVV was a slow burn, but a good race all the same. P-R also, even if Degenkolb was bolted on as the winner in the last three km. What I'm interested in is, what's Oleg's gonna say to Sagan? Is he gonna rip him a new a-hole?

Looked like Sagan had a mechanical in the finale. Took a bike change and was out of it. Maybe Sagan will have some words for the team, eh?