ultimobici said:
Was discussing this subject with a mate in light of LBL result. I think many of us only considered PR unlikely because the last few have been won by big guys with the exception of Stuey.
But looking at the winners from a little earlier it is evident that a rider does not need to be tall to win Roubaix. They just need a bot of bulk for more power on the stones. Gilbert has come very close in the Ronde and MSR and so I reckon they are just a matter of time. Roubaix would require him to focus on it and perhaps sacrifice Lombardia or LBL & the Ardennes campaign, but it is doable.
De Vlaeminck, Hinault, Knaven & Van Petegem are all around his height and similar weights too.
If someone put a gun to my head and MADE choose either PR or MSR for Phil, I would actually go with PR. Seeing how supple he was pedaling yesterday, maybe he'd be one of those guys that just went very smoothly over the big stones, and you are right, he's about the same size as some former winners. (I still think it unlikely, but if I had to choose...)
I differ a little bit w/you regarding RVV and MSR. Yes, I think an RVV win is a matter of time, probably next year. MSR just seems so much more like a lottery to me; the finale just strikes me as one where he could do 2-3-4-2-3 or something like that for the next 5 years, without ever actually winning it.
Although after this last 10 days, perhaps I shouldn't doubt as much..