Boonen's bid for the records

[Dekker_Tifosi]

He's a Gilbert type of rider, only faster in the sprint. Makes me wonder why Sagan didn't react to Pozzato's attack on the Oude Kwaremont. He was right there at the front and strong enough to ride away from everyone else on the Paterberg and go solo.

I believe Sagan said after the race that he just couldn't at that moment. He spent a lot of energy in the chase after Vansummeren broke the group with his fall
At Paterberg he felt better but then it was too late...

 

[42x16ss]

De Vlaeminck résumé at P-R might be more impressive at the moment but the FACT is that Boonen can equal him Sunday in terms of wins and that is all that matters in one day races. I believe that by your own logic that would make them equal, unless of course you believe Boonen incapable of winning P-R at least once before the end of his career.
By the way I don't think the numbers of retirements/punctures (much of which comes down to luck or rather bad luck) at P-R is more relevant than the numbers of win at Flanders to determine the greatness of a rider on the cobbles.


You can't blame a rider for the opposition he faces plus I highly doubt that "the big TT engines" of Wiggins, Evans or Contador would seriously bother him at P-R. De Vlaeminck and Boonen dominated the best cobbled riders of their generation, whether those riders could compete elsewhere like Merckx is irrelevant to the debate of who is the best cobbled clasics rider.

Boonen is an incredible rider, his palmares speaks for itself but De Vlaeminck is easily the greatest ever on the cobbles.

Tom Boonen has never had to compete against some guy called Eddy Merckx....

 

[ultimobici]

As a longtime De Vlaeminck fan, my heart says no, but the realist in my head has to concede the inevitable.

That said, Boonen is unlikely to equal his overall record.

 

[personal]

...
Tom Boonen has never had to compete against some guy called Eddy Merckx....

But he had to compete against Cancellara who is not Merckx but is unbeatable in certains situations.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Boonen is an incredible rider, his palmares speaks for itself but De Vlaeminck is easily the greatest ever on the cobbles.

Tom Boonen has never had to compete against some guy called Eddy Merckx....

Cobbles, RDV, Merckx...

If only echoes were here now...

 

[ultimobici]

But he had to compete against Cancellara who is not Merckx but is unbeatable in certains situations.

So the parallel is irrelevant.

 

[Echoes]

You seriously think so?

Of course. He's heavyweight. Such power on the cobbles would be damaging. I insist, you don't need to be a cobble specialist to do well on Paris-Roubaix. Cancellara is the best example. De Vlaeminck said Hinault won Paris-Roubaix because he was a champion but not a cobble specialist.

But of course, Martin is Toolrich's successor. Only counts Bore de France.

Cobbles, RDV, Merckx...

If only echoes were here now...

Hello.

So the parallel is irrelevant.

Why? Of course, since Cancellara Paris-Roubaix has regained prestige and is no longer the "race for specialists" it was in the nineties but in the 70's you also had Gimondi, Moser, Maertens, Thurau and then Hinault who were all heavyweight tt-ists. Now, Cancellara is the only tt-ist interested.

 

[ultimobici]

Why? Of course, since Cancellara Paris-Roubaix has regained prestige and is no longer the "race for specialists" it was in the nineties but in the 70's you also had Gimondi, Moser, Maertens, Thurau and then Hinault who were all heavyweight tt-ists. Now, Cancellara is the only tt-ist interested.

Which parallel reality are you living in? Cancellara has nothing to do with the prestige of La Pascale, L'Enfer du Nord or La Reine des Classiques, to name a few of its nicknames. It has not been a race in need of help for decades. Its main enemies were councils tarmacing cobbles & the TGV not a dearth of riders wanting to win it.

The contrast you highlight is that GT contenders now don't even line up in Compiegne unlike those of the 60's, 70's & 80's. Although the idea of Schleck, Contador or their ilk at Roubaix is akin to a recipe for a bloodbath!

 

[El Pistolero]

Of course. He's heavyweight. Such power on the cobbles would be damaging. I insist, you don't need to be a cobble specialist to do well on Paris-Roubaix. Cancellara is the best example. De Vlaeminck said Hinault won Paris-Roubaix because he was a champion but not a cobble specialist.

But of course, Martin is Toolrich's successor. Only counts Bore de France.



Hello.


Why? Of course, since Cancellara Paris-Roubaix has regained prestige and is no longer the "race for specialists" it was in the nineties but in the 70's you also had Gimondi, Moser, Maertens, Thurau and then Hinault who were all heavyweight tt-ists. Now, Cancellara is the only tt-ist interested.

Cancellara is a specialist on the cobbles. Tony Martin can't handle the big one day races, he got smoked in Liège-Bastogne-Liège last year. And he can handle a hill in stage races, so don't use the "he can't climb excuse".

You're talking as if Boonen is only good on cobbles and nothing else. He won a hilly World Championship where he was the only real sprinter left...

Cancellara already made it in the final selection of Roubaix in 2004. Long before he broke through in the longer time trials.

Cancellara is the best time trial specialist, so it doesn't really matter if some second tier time trial specialist isn't competing in Roubaix. He would stand no chance. Someone like David Millar is just about useless in one day races.

 

[EvansIsTheBest]

Anyone going to bet against him after today ?

 

[Froome19]

Anyone going to bet against him after today ?

Well i havent voted yet but i dont think its really fair to vote now....

 

[Parrulo]

boonen is going to make it easily