Paris-Roubaix 2012 - The Queen of the Classics (257.5km)

[luckyboy]

He proved last year he can handle it when he has good form, but this year he doesn't have it (obviously).

 

[Museeuw]

Without bad luck Tom will be on the podium.

And I have for some time had a strong feeling that Leukemans will be on the podium also. That feeling gets stronger all the time.

 

[eljimberino]

Apologies for pedantry, but isnt PR the king of the classics?

 

[hfer07]

I foresee another Podium set for Boonen, Pipo & Ballan- unless of course something unexpected happens. I'd like either Chavanel or Flecha to come up with a surprise win, but It's unlikely to happen.

 

[luckyboy]

Yeah only Chavanel, Flecha and maybe Breschel look like they could gatecrash that top 3.

 

[mr. tibbs]

Apologies for pedantry, but isnt PR the king of the classics?

Nope, I think Boonen is the current holder of that title

 

[DirtyWorks]

I foresee another Podium set for Boonen, Pipo & Ballan- unless of course something unexpected happens.

It's P-R... Always expect the unexpected.

I'd like either Chavanel or Flecha to come up with a surprise win, but It's unlikely to happen.

I second this. I'd add Lars Boom and Steve Chainel to your list just talking about it. I don't think they are going to let Chavanel do anything as long as Boonen is *somewhere* on course. Van Avermaet is hot, hot, hot right now.. I think he will be as marked as Cancellara, so no gaps allowed.

Voeckler would be an upset win, but I don't know if it is his kind of event.

Nevermind, I've reached my Boonen limit. Any other team.

 

[auscyclefan94]

sagan didn't struggle with the distance at all today, the kid is a beast so i wont underestimate him again like i did for today. i expect to see him do well in P-R as well

Yes he does say this

Then on the Kwaremont the third time, it wasn't that I didn't have any legs left, but I wasn't able to stay with Pozzato and Boonen at that point,"

But when you are not able to go with the leaders and stay with them then you don't have the legs. He wasn't as strong as the front guys for the distance. It is a matter of fact. He also made some mistakes in regards to positioning and when he was riding on the front. I also believe that Sagan is more suited to Flanders because of his lighter frame, climbing abilities and punch. Roubaix suits larger riders who can power on the flat more who have a large diesel.

 

[hughmoore]

Edit: - Weak joke deleted

Hugh

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I agree with aus regarding Sagan. I was one of those (many) who was talking him up before RVV and he obviously did incredible, but I think that RVV is better suited to him than PR.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

I wouldn't count Thor out based on his performance in the Ronde. He finished around 50th, which is where he usually ends up - as he did the years he finished on the podium in PR.

That said, he won't win PR this year either, but I wouldn't count him out for a podium finish. BMC looked quite good as a team yesterday as well.

 

[tomorrow]

I agree with aus regarding Sagan. I was one of those (many) who was talking him up before RVV and he obviously did incredible, but I think that RVV is better suited to him than PR.

sagan is not starting at P-R this year

 

[tomorrow]

Yes he does say this



But when you are not able to go with the leaders and stay with them then you don't have the legs. He wasn't as strong as the front guys for the distance. It is a matter of fact. He also made some mistakes in regards to positioning and when he was riding on the front. I also believe that Sagan is more suited to Flanders because of his lighter frame, climbing abilities and punch. Roubaix suits larger riders who can power on the flat more who have a large diesel.

It was not the distance, but bad luck. I will put here an excerpt from his interview in slovak. Among other things, he mentioned that at first he had problems with "derailleur"(i hope google translated this one correctly), so he had to swith his bike, then he returned to the peloton by himself, without any help from his teammates, that he had problems with brakes, he had to wait for car, but they didn't have any spare bike, so they only provisourly fixed the brakes, caught the peloton alone again, than after some kms brakes were down again, so sagan desperately threw his bike into the bushes and waited for the car with fixed original one, than he return to peloton again alone. And then, in the first ascent to patterberg he was blocked by the fall and had to cath the leaders alone again.

So that's why he had not enough strenght to respond to Boonen's coutner attack. Honestly, given the circumstances, I think that the 5th place is pretty amazing.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

sagan is not starting at P-R this year

Really? Well, then the discussion is meaningless

 

[Magnus]

Yeah only Chavanel, Flecha and maybe Breschel look like they could gatecrash that top 3.

Breschel isn't riding PR afaik.

 

[tomorrow]

Really? Well, then the discussion is meaningless

Yes, he's only taking part in some UCI ET race and then he will start Amstel

 

[Captain_Obvious]

George Hincapie has got this one in the bag. This is the year its going to happen. Just wait and see.

 

[dlwssonic]

George Hincapie has got this one in the bag. This is the year its going to happen. Just wait and see.

lol.... He has no chance. He will be working as a domestique.

I believe if BMC can get themselves into a 2 on 1 situation with Ballan, Hushovd and Boonen it will be their best chance for a victory. I don't see Boonen dropping both of them.

 

[taiwan]

BMC are looking like a very strong team again. Two pootential winners in Ballan and Hushovd, and Van Avermaet, Burghardt and Hincapie in support. Unless they argue over who leads (no sign of that at RVV) I could see Ballan making up for yesterday's frustration.

OPQS are of course just as strong, Farnese Vini less so because I assume Gatto won't be as suited to P-R.

 

[jens_attacks]

George Hincapie has got this one in the bag. This is the year its going to happen. Just wait and see.

the guy i will support in roubaix until he hangs off the bike

boonen had enough of classics,i hope ballan can beat him this time

i won't even dare to wish a muddy roubaix because it seems it will never happen again

 

[kjetilraknerud]

Ballan has to drop Boonen to win PR, that never looked like happening yesterday. In my opinion GVA has a better chance, because he can sprint a bit, as well as Thor of course. Ballan should play the Chavanel/Terpstra role in PR.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

If Hushovd is on form (which I doubt) then it's possible for BMC to beat Boonen and OPQS. It will, in my opinion, only happen if they can let Hushovd hang onto Boonens wheel (which he, as we all know, is very good at) while Ballan attacks relentlessly. I doubt they are strong enough though.

Boonen, Ballan and Pozzato look like the strongest. I think that Hagen could potentially do better here than in RVV but I don't know about this year. Of course PR is better suited to Degenkolb as well, and he will probably be one of the guys to beat in a few years.

 

[El Pistolero]

Meh, Hushovd is not a favorite in my opinion. Hasn't ridden a good race this season and P-R is coming soon.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Ballan has to drop Boonen to win PR, that never looked like happening yesterday. In my opinion GVA has a better chance, because he can sprint a bit, as well as Thor of course. Ballan should play the Chavanel/Terpstra role in PR.

not that easy, GVA have NEVER showed (as far as ive seen) that he can follow Boonen on the cobbles, and Hushovd has been sick, and is abit out of form (he have said so himself) so Ballan is right now the only BMC rider that can follow Boonen to the finishing line on paper

 

[dlwssonic]

what the hell is it with PR and GVA talk.
HE IS NOT EVEN RACING IN PR.
Way too light for PR, he is more a hilly classics guy and IMO Hushovd will be up there for PR.