Cobbled Classics Discussion Thread

[zapata]

In flanders 2009 cancellara famously broke his chain, and walked down the hill with his bike on his shoulder. Nothing like that happened in P-R?

 

[Ryaguas]

I dont want to see that Cancellara pr*ck winning a sh*t this year and for the whole Leopard-Sh*t the same... hope that they fail big time just like The Shack did... seriously!

I want to see a podium like this in P-R:

1. Pippo
2. Leukemans
3. Flecha

Katusha have a team to fear but OFC as we know in PR anything can happen... and for all the classics I think that this year QuickStep and Vacansoleil are going to dominate... Vacansoleil has a good team and I really want to see them winning!

 

[pedaling squares]

If they don't chase Cancellara this year, I'm giving up on cycling.

Luckily this year we don't have Team Sky in their 1st year, so desperate for a podium place they throw away any chance at the top step to ensure a spot on the bottom two tiers.

 

[jens_attacks]

maxim iglinsky-ronde
bjorn leukemans-roubaix

but above all i want a rainy ronde and a muddy paris-roubaix.bring it onnnn!!!

 

[Eric8-A]

I think I would cream myself if Big George wins Roubiax this year

 

[horizon27]

I realize if is a big word....

If Haussler show's form in Qatar or Oman he will be in the finale of both RvV and Roubaix. I think he will surprise both Canc and Tomeke and take one.

Don't make me laugh,Haussler is still a little boy.Boonen and Cancellra are men and really hard men at that.

 

[horizon27]

In Flanders I just can't see Hushovd, Ferrar, Haussler or even Gilbert hanging on to Boonen and Cancellara unfortunately. I'm predicting a race similar to last year: With something like 50 km to go, Fabian and Thom attack and drop everyone in the race. They work together for a bit, until Cancellara attacks and drops Boonen and solos to victory. Behind them the Garmins will fight over the final podium spot with Leukemans, Gilbert and Pozzato.

Roubaix could be different though. If the Garmin team works together they could make it impossible for even Cancellara to stay away against Hushovd, Haussler, Ferrar and Hammond chasing together (and I'm probably even forgetting some of their riders here). In other words, Garmin will make it end in a small group sprint, with Hushovd winning it from Boonen.

That is a very good assessment,and I couldn't have said it better fair play.Although I think Boonen beats Hushovd in the final sprint in Roubaix.

 

[taiwan]

Don't make me laugh,Haussler is still a little boy.Boonen and Cancellra are men and really hard men at that.

He was on the podium at MSR and the Tour of Flanders a couple of years ago, remember? Second at the Omloop last year too, before getting injured.

 

[rghysens]

Hard to see beyond boonen and cancellara for paris-roubaix, but I hope someone else wins it this year. By the way, does anyone remember what happenened to cancellara in 2009? As far as i remember, he was not in the first group, with hushovd, flecha, pozzato, hoste, etc, when everybody started crashing and boonen got away. Did he have some sort of accident?

In the spring of 2009 he just wasn't good enough. Probably something to do with some personal problems in the winter of 2008-2009 (at least there were some rumours about that). I think he finished 17th or something like that in P-R.

 

[palmerq]

does the tour of qatar prolouge count as a cobbled classic yet? if so cancellara is slightly better than boonen and boom beats them both :S

 

[Ferminal]

Don't make me laugh,Haussler is still a little boy.Boonen and Cancellra are men and really hard men at that.

In cycling terms..?

 

[El Pistolero]

maxim iglinsky-ronde
bjorn leukemans-roubaix

but above all i want a rainy ronde and a muddy paris-roubaix.bring it onnnn!!!

Some dark horses you picked right there.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't make me laugh,Haussler is still a little boy.Boonen and Cancellra are men and really hard men at that.

Careful, your cycling knowledge is showing.

 

[jens_attacks]

Some dark horses you picked right there.

yes i did.

but to my shame,i totally forgot about a rider who i really want to take roubaix cobblestone home.leukemans still has some time.george hincapie hasn't.go big george!!!

 

[mr. tibbs]

Throwing my (hopeful) vote Pippo's way. While I would like to see Boonen win another, it would be great to have an Italian take the race. Pippo has proven himself to have the strength at the end of the race to contest the win in the past. (I do think he was the second strongest in 2009.) With a little luck and some good health, he could win with a solo ride in the final kms.

(Even while I'm typing this, I realize that Boonen and Cancellara, if they're in any kind of form, won't let this happen. I can't imagine anyone staying away from these two in Paris-Roubaix, and I can't imagine either of them pulling punches in pursuit. Still, Pippo has a better shot than any of the other favorites to win it, unless Thor engineers a move that drops Boonen before the velodrome.)

I'd like to see Ballan win it, but I don't think he can stay away to win solo, and I don't think he'll have the meat to win a sprint against the likes of Hushovd, Boonen, and Spartacus. Ditto Maaskant. But I'd be elated if either of them pulled it off. (I fancy Maaskant to win Roubaix someday, though.)

Leukmans will podium if the race blows apart a la 2009. Haussler will get a top ten; Hincapie won't. ('-')b

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Yeah baby. Here we go.

Quick Step, Garmin, Leopard... all will have tough teams I think. Maybe I'm naive, but I haven't heard much about Boonen lately. And I think that's bad news for the opposition. If I'm correct, that translates into more focus and head in the right spot. But I'm voting Team Leopard for the win. I like their horses and experience, and fact they might be a bit of the underdog. I like big dogs.

 

[maratsafin]

outside bet

I think it will be a new man on the podium but not pozzato. don't think he has the nuts for it. maybe flecha, who is apparently in tip top, maybe devolder who has a lot to justify the price tag or maybe just maybe the very talented hot shot peter sagan. that is if liquidgas thinks he has the legs for 250km+ race.

 

[whittashau]

maybe the very talented hot shot peter sagan. that is if liquidgas thinks he has the legs for 250km+ race.

Wouldn't Daniel Oss be their main dude for the cobbles? He certainly seems like the sort who could challenge sooner or later. Maybe too early for him though

 

[Parrulo]

if boonen is super focused(wich he seems to be) and doesn't has any injuries i can't see past him. besides i wasn't even born when RDV was around so i want to see boonen braking his roubaix record so i can see some history being made.

imagina if boonen instead of getting second-second-something(he quit after he saw he couldn't win roubaix and lets face it with his roubaix palmares anything other then a win is a disappointment for him) he gets a first-first-first on msr-rvv-PR.

that would be awesome.

other guys i see putting up a challenge are the obvious ones+ i think this year boom will finally step up and become a contender.

as for peter sagan and phinney and other young guns having problems with the distance well boonen won his first PR at 23 and sagan already talked about going for msr. so they may have what it takes to handle the distance. after all it wouldn't be unheard off.

 

[Eric8-A]

Can someone shed some light on this?
Because Bernhard Eisel won Ghent-Wevelgem last year, my brother now makes him seem like the biggest contender for the classics, even saying that Berny will win Roubaix next year.

I don't think it's possible. He's making Berny like they make Wiggo with the Tour. I don't think he's taking into account that Cancellara, Boonen, Hushovd, Devolder and many more riders who are better at the classics than Eisel are there. Also, I don't see Columbia having that strong of a classics team.

 

[Parrulo]

Can someone shed some light on this?
Because Bernhard Eisel won Ghent-Wevelgem last year, my brother now makes him seem like the biggest contender for the classics, even saying that Berny will win Roubaix next year.

I don't think it's possible. He's making Berny like they make Wiggo with the Tour. I don't think he's taking into account that Cancellara, Boonen, Hushovd, Devolder and many more riders who are better at the classics than Eisel are there. Also, I don't see Columbia having that strong of a classics team.

boonen and canc had guys working for them in roubaix this year that would be much stronger then eisel. guys like chavanel or breschel.

 

[Matthijs]

cancellara attacks with 30-15k to go. Garmin-Cervelo chases with 3 guys and Boonen + Leukemans and pozzato hanging on. Boonen outsprints Hushovd. Haussler has a flat 40k to go but finishes top5 in the Ronde.

Sagan may say he's going to try for MSR. That means nothing. every year 50 guys try for san remo but only 5-10 really get a chance to go for the win. He probably knows he has more chances in Tireno and the smaller semi-classics, but to target MSR and be in form for the other races too is possible, so he just says he targets the biggest italian race as everyone expect from him in an italian team.

 

[maltiv]

as for peter sagan and phinney and other young guns having problems with the distance well boonen won his first PR at 23 and sagan already talked about going for msr. so they may have what it takes to handle the distance. after all it wouldn't be unheard off.

Even Boonen, one the greatest classic talents of all time, first won P-R at 24. I can't see Sagan or Phinney winning it at 21.

 

[Anonymous]

Can someone shed some light on this?
Because Bernhard Eisel won Ghent-Wevelgem last year, my brother now makes him seem like the biggest contender for the classics, even saying that Berny will win Roubaix next year.

I don't think it's possible. He's making Berny like they make Wiggo with the Tour. I don't think he's taking into account that Cancellara, Boonen, Hushovd, Devolder and many more riders who are better at the classics than Eisel are there. Also, I don't see Columbia having that strong of a classics team.

G-W is not nearly as hard as P-R or Flanders. Cippolini won one year (not saying Cippo was a turd but he was never going to win P-R or RvV).

Eisel is a very good rider but there are at least 10 guys that are better. Could he win? Sure, it's possible. Will he? Nope.

 

[El Pistolero]

Wow, they made a fiction soap of the Ronde in Belgium

It's airing this sunday for the first time. All footage filmed during the actual Ronde!

Michel Wuyts, etc all play in it.

Sucks to be not Dutch for some of you guys. ;p