2018 Paris - Roubaix

[Red Rick]

Re: 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.

Yeah I think they will. Maybe even Terpstra already.

 

[movingtarget]

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.

I think he has the job ahead of him but those are the circumstances champions are supposed to shine. The only reason he would be favourite is because some people think what happened at Flanders can't be repeated. That's a pretty big assumption and probably underestimates Quickstep.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

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.

You are one week late!

 

[sir fly]

Re: Re:

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.

You are one week late!

You were a week early!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: 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.

With all bookmakers...

Terpstra is my favourite, well the whole QS mannschaft is! One of the biggest racing days as usual, and once again with the legendary Jørgen Leth (go watch The Hell of the North) commentating on danish TV.

 

[Netserk]

A Sunday in Hell

 

[Valv.Piti]

Pathetic. Yeah, Im absolutely smashed by now. Should get some 12 hours in ahora, shouldn't be allowed to comment on anything after that one.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: 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.

With all bookmakers...

Terpstra is my favourite, well the whole QS mannschaft is! One of the biggest racing days as usual, and once again with the legendary Jørgen Leth (go watch The Hell of the North) commentating on danish TV.

Never get me started on bookmakers

 

[Netserk]

As long as it wasn't the original title that you misnamed

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Pathetic. Yeah, Im absolutely smashed by now. Should get some 12 hours in ahora, shouldn't be allowed to comment on anything after that one.

Maybe we should come up with the Paris Roubaix Carlton Kirby drinking game.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Sagan can ride a tricycle and he will still be the favoured rider in pretty much all races he enters. Kinda laughable how much belief people have in him

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Sagan can ride a tricycle and he will still be the favoured rider in pretty much all races he enters. Kinda laughable how much belief people have in him

I think it's because Paris Roubaix attracts a huge amount of very casual viewers who basically think the biggest name (Sagan) will be the favorite.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

Sagan can ride a tricycle and he will still be the favoured rider in pretty much all races he enters. Kinda laughable how much belief people have in him

I think it's because Paris Roubaix attracts a huge amount of very casual viewers who basically think the biggest name (Sagan) will be the favorite.

Well it has also been the case for MSR (understandable) and Flanders, despite his very poor races like Strade Bianche and especially E-3 Harelbeke. We are not talking slightly favoured, but by quite some margin. I don't exactly know why, but him appealing to casual viewers is probably playing a rather big part in him being so relatively overrated. The comments on FB-arcticles and cyclingnews-articles are pretty saying in that aspect - guy is getting treated like he is some kind of Messias, partly because of his personality, I think.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Sagan can ride a tricycle and he will still be the favoured rider in pretty much all races he enters. Kinda laughable how much belief people have in him

I think it's because Paris Roubaix attracts a huge amount of very casual viewers who basically think the biggest name (Sagan) will be the favorite.

Well it has also been the case for MSR (understandable) and Flanders, despite his very poor races like Strade Bianche and especially E-3 Harelbeke. We are not talking slightly favoured, but by quite some margin. I don't exactly know why, but him appealing to casual viewers is probably playing a rather big part in him being so relatively overrated. The comments on FB-arcticles and cyclingnews-articles are pretty saying in that aspect - guy is getting treated like he is some kind of Messias, partly because of his personality, I think.

It's mainly because he's the biggest star and the media darling, Sagan creates interest and so he's always named as the big favourite.

 

[Netserk]

Brace yourselves, wheelie is coming

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Sagan can ride a tricycle and he will still be the favoured rider in pretty much all races he enters. Kinda laughable how much belief people have in him

He's probably the only cyclist that is actually a national hero. As in, the most famous global celebrity that his country has ever produced (admittedly from a very modern country, but still...). I think that's why so many of his home fans get very defensive about him, and also the reason why he gets so much hype and attention - compared to what his performances deserve.

If he was Belgian he'd just be lumped in alongside Gilbert and GVA as very good one day racers. But he has this huge media train and fanbase following his every move because of his celebrity status. And a hugely visible presence means a lot of people bet on him, and his odds come tumbling down to be incredibly unrealistic of his actual chances.

He is the Harlem Globetrotters of cycling.

 

[repre]

Gilbert from favourites, Haussler from outsiders.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Sagan can ride a tricycle and he will still be the favoured rider in pretty much all races he enters. Kinda laughable how much belief people have in him

I think it's because Paris Roubaix attracts a huge amount of very casual viewers who basically think the biggest name (Sagan) will be the favorite.

Well it has also been the case for MSR (understandable) and Flanders, despite his very poor races like Strade Bianche and especially E-3 Harelbeke. We are not talking slightly favoured, but by quite some margin. I don't exactly know why, but him appealing to casual viewers is probably playing a rather big part in him being so relatively overrated. The comments on FB-arcticles and cyclingnews-articles are pretty saying in that aspect - guy is getting treated like he is some kind of Messias, partly because of his personality, I think.

I'm sure that's a huge part of it.

Personally I'll take Quickstep as a team as the favorite.

 

[Orbit501]

After his heroic performance in Denain, I'll once again be rooting for Adrien Petit, in what appears to be his favourite race.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

To paraphrase:

"Classics season: 182 guys ride bikes for 6 hours, and in the end a Quickstep rider wins"

So, had to put my vote on Gilbert

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Go Sep+Aert!!

 

[blaxland]

No clear favourite this year(besides quickstep team)so many riders have a chance to win.would like to see Wout van aert and Mads Pedersen both finish top 3 but more likely gilbert or Sagan.also hoping Trentin and Demare have solid performances today.cant wait for the start..

 

[alspacka]

Re: 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.

I think he has the job ahead of him but those are the circumstances champions are supposed to shine. The only reason he would be favourite is because some people think what happened at Flanders can't be repeated. That's a pretty big assumption and probably underestimates Quickstep.

I essentially agree in that frankly anything other than a QS win would be a surprise to me, but I don't think they're being underestimated. Predictions like mine seem prevailing and even with bookmakers (UK) 3 of the top 5 are QS riders.

 

[alspacka]

Re:

No clear favourite this year(besides quickstep team)so many riders have a chance to win.would like to see Wout van aert and Mads Pedersen both finish top 3 but more likely gilbert or Sagan.also hoping Trentin and Demare have solid performances today.cant wait for the start..

What happened to Trentin in Ronde? Don't think I saw him once.

 

[alspacka]

Outside of QS I would be tempted to pick Naesen. He can't possible have been 100% in Flanders if even taking part was in doubt till so late and still did well. Another week to get into peak shape I expect he'll be very strong.