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

[Waterloo Sunrise]

This is Paris-Roubaix, being a good TTer is irrelevant. It is about being the strongest and Boonen is by far the strongest today.

If he had any form at 55km headwind solo breakaways, I'd be as confident as you are.

As it is, I think the bunch has a much better chance than they would do riding next to Tom right now.

 

[Tyke1968]

Long way 40km . Sky having a good day so far.
Tom still has the velodrome sprint in his back pocket.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Jeez how many Team Sky riders will there be when this next group joins the Flecha group? 5?

Stannard was dropped from the Flecha group when JAF attacked, so he'll just be returning them to the strength they were before.

Not sure why he was the one pulling, but OK...

 

[will10]

Chavanel is gone

 

[Gloin22]

If Thomas was just here Sky wolud destroy this race So far so good.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Chasing on cobbles is always different than on the flat road.... Having numbers doesn't always help as you can't rotate the paceline like on the open road.

There's still plenty of asphalt to go.

Sky look very strong and are in a good tactical position.

 

[Highlander]

wonders if this race would've been as exciting with 50km to go with Canc in it

If Canc was in the race, I guarantee that he would have been with Boonen and working to keep away from the chasers. I also don't think that there would be any way that 3 or 4 riders from Sky would be able to bring back a motivated Boonen and Canc over 50k

 

[classicomano]

**** come on SKY put the hammer down!!

 

[Ripper]

Wow there's a lot of SKY fans here.

So far, they're not drilling it as much as they should be.

 

[meat puppet]

If Sky has 5, then let others lead on the cobbles, and rotate the paceline on the flats. Simple really.

Hope Boonen is pulled back. I hate awesomeness. And as a corollary: love cancer.

 

[DominicDecoco]

I'm gonna quote quite a few on page 13 if Tommeke nails this.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Chasing on cobbles is always different than on the flat road.... Having numbers doesn't always help as you can't rotate the paceline like on the open road.

40km to go, of which circa 15km is cobbles.

Boonen clearly has an advantage there, but not on the rest.

And how will his engine cope in the final 15km after this sort of effort - we don't really know.

This situation favours the bunch riders versus the odds they would have if they were next to Boonen right now.

 

[gerundium]

Boom casually riding next to Sky train. He is really good, but he's stuck in that group and has to hope Sky pulls back boonen.

 

[dlwssonic]

Long way 40km . Sky having a good day so far.
Tom still has the velodrome sprint in his back pocket.

Can boonen still handle the attacks if he gets caught? Cant doubt him he is in great shape.

 

[thehog]

There's still plenty of asphalt to go.

Sky look very strong and are in a good tactical position.

Cobbled riders on their own will kill a strong flat road team. Period. Don't argue with me.

 

[Marcus135]

yet the gap keeps growing...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I'm gonna quote quite a few on page 13 if Tommeke nails this.

He might win, but he'd be far more certain if he was with the group of 8 right now.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Boonen

 

[spalco]

Would be kind of funny if Sky takes 7th, 9th, 10th and 12th now in the end.

 

[Trofinios]

Perfect race by Sky so far. I mean 4 riders left with 38k to go!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Whose that Astana at the back of the chasing group?

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Ah, yes it was Guarineri ups

 

[insideout leadout]

Flecha should do the cobbles and leave the easy parts to the rest of the team.

 

[goggalor]

45". Boonen will win.

 

[Highlander]

After leading for about 15k, Boonen still is only in the 40s range ahead of the chasers. If he can't get it north of 1 minute, I don't think that he has a chance and probably should ease up a bit to let the group catch him.