No Arenberg in 2012 Paris Roubaix!

[CQmanager]

The most famous stretch of cobbles in Paris-Roubaix is in danger of being dropped from the 2012 edition of the race, with poor conditions making it a greater risk than usual to the riders.

According to L’Equipe, Thierry Gouvenou and Jean-Francois Pescheux of the ASO race organisation went to inspect the cobbles recently and were worried by what they saw.

Pescheux told the French newspaper that “nature has reasserted itself, and mud is covering the ground. In the month of December, we warned the public authorities and the national forestry office. Without the cleaning of the trench [the Arenberg trench, as the sector is known – ed.], we can’t use it this year.”

Even when it is in perfect shape, the sector is one that always has an element of danger to it, causing crashes, punctures and splits in the peloton each year. It was dropped seven years ago and Pescheux is concerned. “It is practically in the same state in 2005,” he said, referring to that edition of the race.

The race is not until April eighth and so it is crucial that something is done well before then. If repairs aren’t carried out, Gouvenou said that they cannot take any chances. “In dry weather, it is passable, but if it rains, then it can’t be used. You can’t take risks like that,” he said.

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...-left-out-of-Paris-Roubaix.aspx#ixzz1kRmXhZvB

 

[Kwibus]

Let's hope the local authorities and volunteers will fix this.

Else I understand their concerns.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Ridicilous, every descent of a mountain is more dangerous.

 

[woodie]

Ridicilous, every descent of a mountain is more dangerous.

I cannot believe you just said that

 

[Swabian Lass]

Ridicilous, every descent of a mountain is more dangerous.

Hmmm, I'm not sure of that one. You're going faster on a descent, but I suspect that you might be more likely to have a fall on the Arenberg. It would be interesting to see some figures, but I'm afraid I don't have time to look right now.

Hopefully, this is just the ASO logging their concerns early to stimulate the local authority to get going and fix it. I'd have thought there was a limit to what they could do at this time of year, anyway. Also, I thought that there was a volenteer group who did regular work on the cobbles to maintain them?

 

[Winterfold]

its hardly rocket science is it

 

[boardhanger]

........and what about the Muur de Gramont also taken out of the RhondeFlannders , up the Pattenburg and old Kwarmont 3 times instead. It could work, but i'll miss the Muur big time...!!

 

[No_Balls]

Facepalm-clouds hanging over this one.


Someone should inform ASO this is, pretty much, an outside-sport. Hence it rains, get wet, being muddy and so on. Yeah, there are risks. But not much bigger then during any of the bigger climbs or (when raining) as already have been stated. Ever since Crostis we have heard this kind of crap.


Why not cancel Paris-Roubaix? I could be dangerous.

 

[rghysens]

sigh....

Every year the same rumours...
95% chance that Arenberg will be in the course, I think this is just a way to wet our appetite.

 

[Echoes]

Hmmm, I'm not sure of that one. You're going faster on a descent, but I suspect that you might be more likely to have a fall on the Arenberg.

In recent years, I haven't seen a single crash in Arenberg. The "Amis de Paris-Roubaix" did a great job to make it safer without perverting it. Though I miss the time there were no barrier on the right side.


And as far as I know nobody has ever died on Paris-Roubaix since 1896.

What he said is evidence. But anyway Paris-Roubaix can do without Arenberg. I'd be sadder if they got rid of the Carrefour.

 

[stainlessguy1]

The Arenberg

Well its kindof obvious that those of you who like that sort of challenge and think its part of being a great athlete all dont live near the cobbles and dont see the stretch when it gets nasty .
Like the authorities said , its passable on a dry day but like all frost and earth tremors that move the pavement and create ruts and cracks , the same is said for the cobbles. They creat holes and uneven heights as the stones are pushed up .
The issue isnt whether or not to remove cobbles but to repair them so the water run off can be managed and the mud and water doesnt obscure the ability for a racer to see where he positions his front wheel.
The enormous pot holes and uneveness of the cobbles creat conditions that just become mental. They then serve no purpose in keeping the race course of the tradition of the past alive just so you can say you rode it.

If all roads were cobbles then they would be maintained like any other road is maintained . If you are all so hung up on tradition and keeping the road in a state of disrepair , then you better race the road with bikes from the 50's to 70's as your most modern bike . Then you can say what great racers you all are. Park your plastic bikes and become real racers and then talk .
But in the meantime , since you wont do that , then just let the authorities cancel that part or get it repaired to smooth cobbles that dont hold water or mud beyond reason. It can be done .

After all the talk on other threads of how no one wants to pay for someone elses crashes and rehabilitation after the fact , then what is all this about saying we need to make things more difficult.

There is a reason the race organizors take this view. It is their job to keep some degree of safety to human life in the realm of sanity.

I would like to add , no one would plumet down a mountain on a wet or muddy road like the one on the arenberg forest if it were a decent on a mountain stage . You have to be able to see where you are going.

 

[ElChingon]

On the plus side maybe some non typical Paris-Roubaix riders would show up?

(Schlecks )

 

[stainlessguy1]

On the plus side maybe some non typical Paris-Roubaix riders would show up?

(Schlecks )

yes so true , non typical Paris roubaix riders or anyone else that doesnt want to have their Retinas blown out in their eyeballs .

 

[Thomsena]

Nothing happens on the Arenberg cobbles anyway.
And Tomeke agrees with me.

 

[Kvinto]

The issue isnt whether or not to remove cobbles but to repair them so the water run off can be managed and the mud and water doesnt obscure the ability for a racer to see where he positions his front wheel.

The issue isn't whether or not to repair the cobbles but why did the problem appear only today, 9 month after Trouee d'Arenberg was raced for the last time.

 

[Bavarianrider]

I cannot believe you just said that

But that's the way it is!!!!
How many times did anyone get seriously injured in Paris Roubaix the last 40 years? I reall can't remember.

But how many riders ahve died or got really bed injured on a descent the last 40 years. Sadly quiet a few.

Yes you might fall on cobles. Breaking some bones isn't nice, but it's not the end of the world, you'll be fine after a few weeks or months.

But going down a descent with 90km/h you are just split seconds away from death all the time. We might ignore it. But that's the way it is.
If you don't ride Ahrenberg for safty reasons anymore, then really there's no way you should go down a descent at 100km/H.

 

[jens_attacks]

bavarianrider is finally right on something.

 

[Kvinto]

But that's the way it is!!!!
How many times did anyone get seriously injured in Paris Roubaix the last 40 years? I reall can't remember.

But how many riders ahve died or got really bed injured on a descent the last 40 years. Sadly quiet a few.

Yes you might fall on cobles. Breaking some bones isn't nice, but it's not the end of the world, you'll be fine after a few weeks or months.

But going down a descent with 90km/h you are just split seconds away from death all the time. We might ignore it. But that's the way it is.
If you don't ride Ahrenberg for safty reasons anymore, then really there's no way you should go down a descent at 100km/H.

 

[Bavarianrider]

You do get the concept of seriously, do you?

 

[will10]

You do get the concept of seriously, do you?

Museeuw destroyed a knee and nearly lost a leg to an infection. Serious enough?

Was it Jimmy Casper a few years ago who demolished his teeth on the Kemmel descent?

EDIT: Yes it was: warning on the pic, not for the faint hearted: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/photos/2007/apr07/wevelgem07/fs055.jpg

 

[Bavarianrider]

Museeuw destroyed a knee and nearly lost a leg to an infection. Serious enough?

Was it Jimmy Casper a few years ago who demolished his teeth on the Kemmel descent?

First of all kemmelberg is something complety different then Ahrenberg. The descent of Kemmelberg is crazy no doubt.

A destroyed knee is something bad, but again, it's not really a serius thing today. You can have a good life today with a bad knee. If you go down the rode at 90km/h things might look different.

And the infection. That's just bad luck. You can get such an infection from very small injurees. hell even from a bee. That's hardly an argument.

 

[Kvinto]

You do get the concept of seriously, do you?

Mate, you are being ridiculous or just have never fallen on cobbles. Of course you are more likely to die falling on a descent but no way it means falling on cobbles (even at low speed) is safe.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Mate, you are being ridiculous or just have never fallen on cobbles. Of course you are more likely to die falling on a descent but no way it means falling on cobbles (even at low speed) is safe.

Of course it's not safe.
But there are other situations in cycling which are less safe and might cause much more harm.
If you cut Ahrenberg, then you have to cut any descent.

I think what they shold do is try to split the Peleton already before Ahrenberg. If the front Group is smaller, then Ahrenberg will be a lot safer. So it would be smart to try to include some safer cobles just before Ahrenberg

 

[El Pistolero]

........and what about the Muur de Gramont also taken out of the RhondeFlannders , up the Pattenburg and old Kwarmont 3 times instead. It could work, but i'll miss the Muur big time...!!

Come'on, Dutch isn't that ugly!

 

[Kvinto]

Of course it's not safe.
But there are other situations in cycling which are less safe and might cause much more harm.
If you cut Ahrenberg, then you have to cut any descent.

I think what they shold do is try to split the Peleton already before Ahrenberg. If the front Group is smaller, then Ahrenberg will be a lot safer. So it would be smart to try to include some safer cobles just before Ahrenberg

I don't want to cut Arenberg, but you can't get one thing: Paris Roubaix is about 58km of cobbles which cause different crashes every year but it is raced one time a year while whole cycling season contains numerous descents so it's more 'opportunities' to crash badly. But what the hell we're disputing? What is the most 'cool' place to crash? It's pathetic!