2018 Paris - Roubaix

[Alexandre B.]

 

[RedheadDane]

That... looks painful!

 

[rick james]

Re:

That... looks painful!

Hope the bike is ok

 

[Brullnux]

I wonder how big the likelihood is to pick one day somewhere in the beginning of april every year for 17 years and always pick a dry one.

Ok, so it rains 14/30 days in April in Paris. However, I think this value includes any kind of rain at any point in the day - a light shower at 2am or 8pm is useless. So, I've lowered the probability of 'meaningful' rainfall (whatever you want it to mean) to 0.2, which is fair I think. The chance of it happening is 2%, apparently. If we use the 'correct' value then it is 2x10^-5, so extremely, extremely small. Yet, here we are.

 

[yaco]

I always prefer dry conditions as you get purer racing - Of course PR is always likely to throw up a surprise dry or wet.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re: Re:

I'm hoping for a wet Roubaix so we can see STYBAR action

Or, slightly more likely nowadays, Wout Van Aert.
Don't get me wrong: Stybar is good, but Van Aert gives me a little bit better impression

WVA action just doesn't excite me like STYBAR action

 

[vedrafjord]

Re:

I don't understand why people want rain so much. The best race in many years was '16, which was impeccably sunny. Rain won't guarantee a good race; especially if the sectors are considered too dangerous to race.

2016 had some sectors which were still wet and killed Cancellara as a result.

 

[Tonton]

In '17 I won the predictions challenge not thanks to the classics, for '18 I have Sagan ftw at PR. Too hard for one team to control. Here, in the poll, I voted against the names in the poll, hoping to give Demare a boost. If (big if) he makes it to the track, he will smoke just about anybody. Just about, because in my view, Sagan (in the absence of Contador) will win this bike race.

 

[Leinster]

In '17 I won the predictions challenge not thanks to the classics, for '18 I have Sagan ftw at PR. Too hard for one team to control. Here, in the poll, I voted against the names in the poll, hoping to give Demare a boost. If (big if) he makes it to the track, he will smoke just about anybody. Just about, because in my view, Sagan (in the absence of Contador) will win this bike race.

If any team can control Roubaix, QSF are the ones who have the engines and cobble experience to do it.

A velodrome sprint between Demare, Sagan, Kristoff, Degenkolb and Groenewegen would be a sight to see, though.

 

[Kwibus]

There is still some light rain expected in roubaix end of the morning, with the sun coming in later in the afternoon.

No wet roubaix, but most likely it will be quite like 2016. Slippery and muddy at certain points.

 

[Netserk]

Won't it be too light for that? Looks to me like it will just ensure no dust.

 

[Jancouver]

What time does the TV coverage start? Will it be broadcasted from the very beginning?

 

[Dr. Watson]

Re:

What time does the TV coverage start? Will it be broadcasted from the very beginning?

Yes, starts at 11 CET

 

[TourOfSardinia]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/geraint-thomas-keen-on-classics-cameo-at-paris-roubaix/

If G is still there at the velodrome
he was pretty neat on the track.


Hey MODS sticky time!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Re:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/geraint-thomas-keen-on-classics-cameo-at-paris-roubaix/

If G is still there at the velodrome
he was pretty neat on the track.


Hey MODS sticky time!

easy now, the boys are probably busy banning people left right and center.....

 

[search]

about time again?

 

[Sestriere]

There won't be a way around QS, I think. Stybar netting a big one would be great. However, this is Roubaix and with all the madness I could definitely see an outsider hanging on from the early break or a super-dom sent ahead with 60 to go get the win. All things considered, obvious Silvan Dillier win is obvious.

Btw, why is Marc Soler racing this?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Stybar or Terpstra. Hoping Styby. I don't think he is in worse shape than Terpstra or Gilbert and Paris-Roubaix is historically the best of the classics for him. And he won't be a marked man.

 

[Netserk]

Very likely, one or two of the four QS leaders will be distanced before the final because of bad luck.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

Very likely, one or two of the four QS leaders will be distanced before the final because of bad luck.

True that. Another scenario, their 3 aces get caught behind a big split due to a crash, and Lampaert and Senechal both finish top-5

 

[Red Rick]

I think QS will put on major pressure early on and send one of their leaders ahead on Mons en Pevele.

 

[Valv.Piti]

As usual I am rooting for the Belgians: Wout, Naesen, Greg and Phil.

Sagan will have a tough race, I think. Not in great shape in a race he has done very poorly in historically - yet, he is still the favourite by some margin apparently. Talk about being overrated.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I think QS will put on major pressure early on and send of their leaders ahead on Mons en Pevele.

Why not? They have plenty of options.

 

[sir fly]

About at the time they hit the Arenberg I should be taking a place at the table for Easter lunch... Well, sometimes some of the racing has to be missed.
But I hope I'll be able to see the rest of the action.

Should be more open than previous Sunday.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

As usual I am rooting for the Belgians: Wout, Naesen, Greg and Phil.

Sagan will have a tough race, I think. Not in great shape in a race he has done very poorly in historically - yet, he is still the favourite by some margin apparently. Talk about being overrated.

Where is he the favorite?

Sagan has had a few years of terrible luck to be honest, I think he definitely would've been top 10 in the last 2 years without it, but he's no favorite by any stretch of the imagination. His biggest problem is that his explosivity, which is his biggest asset vs other durable sprinters, is useless in Paris Roubaix. In the hilly cobbled classics he's the one guy who can both win in a large group sprint and who can make the difference in the hills. In the Hell of the North he's just one of many.