Paris - Roubaix 2021 (03.10)

[Bolder]

I'm just hoping that MVdp wears proper kit today. He was underdressed in T-A, and Harrowgate, I think.

I'd be wearing waterproof booties and full arm/leg warmers plus full gloves and vest.

I do think cyclocrossers have an advantage today so wouldn't be surprised if one (Stybar?) wins.

 

[tobydawq]

The race result will be a lottery - Expect the unexpected.

Then I'm going with Laurenz Rex for the win.

 

[tobydawq]

Even Bjarne Riis seems excited for this.

 

[BlueRoads]

I'm interested

• which approach van der Poel choses in terms of positioning (riding off early, relying on help from his teammates, simple survival mode and attention?)
• if Politt will get a good result for my cq team
• if Merlier will win for the prediction game
• if tactics will play an important role or if it's just a mud fight
• if van Aert will get his revenge for the worlds or make people slaughter his arrogance
• if Bert van Lerberghe will have the biggest day of his life
• if Dylan van Baarle or Jasper Stuyven will get their "revenge" for the worlds
• if Valgren is in the form of his life
• how many Scandinavians will be in the top10
• if the only riders we will be able to identify at the end are the Intermarché ones

 

[KZD]

I was like 80-90% sure that a Quick Step rider would win this but with so much rain I am not even sure anymore.

I really hope for a great show and that no one gets seriously hurt.

 

[gregrowlerson]

If the roads are underwater, then wouldn't it be Porte's best chance of winning a monument?

Actually I am refreshing my hazy memory now, and incredibly Porte and Thomas did reasonably well on stage 5 of the 2014 Tour across the wet pave, placing 20th and 21st!

 

[tobydawq]

I'm interested

• which approach van der Poel choses in terms of positioning (riding off early, relying on help from his teammates, simple survival mode and attention?)
• if Politt will get a good result for my cq team
• if Merlier will win for the prediction game
• if tactics will play an important role or if it's just a mud fight
• if van Aert will get his revenge for the worlds or make people slaughter his arrogance
• if Bert van Lerberghe will have the biggest day of his life
• if Dylan van Baarle or Jasper Stuyven will get their "revenge" for the worlds
• if Valgren is in the form of his life
• how many Scandinavians will be in the top10
• if the only riders we will be able to identify at the end are the Intermarché ones

Merlier will not win, surely...

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I also have a feeling that this will finally be Stybar's day. Do think that going early is the way to go under these conditions, the favourites probably won't be staying together until Wallers.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Part of me thinks Nibali refuses to learn English because this forum insists he loves nothing more than cobbles, mud, rain, hail and treachery

"But, but, but....I thought I was a pure climber. Oh well, let's not kid myself. After all, I was no Chris Horner."

 

[BigCoward]

This is going to be fantastic and almost impossible to predict the outcome

* Wout van Aert, Asgreen, mvdp

**** Nils Politt (I would love for him to win and he have a fair shot at this) , Stuyven, Mads Pedersen, Stybar, Senechal


*** Van Baarle, Valgren, Lampaert, Vanmarcke, Kung, Sagan, Kristoff, Trentin, Kwiatkowski, Campenaerts, Taco

If I can't have Nils Politt, I would prefer a Dane

You can't go 1* 4* 3* in a ranking. It messes with my OCD.

 

[BlueRoads]

Merlier will not win, surely...

But it would be epic if he did.

 

[BlueRoads]

You can't go 1* 4* 3* in a ranking. It messes with my OCD.

It happens if you put 5 * in a row.

 

[tobydawq]

But it would be epic if he did.

Because you have him in the prediction game or for other reasons?

I think he is one of the riders I would like the least to see win.

 

[BlueRoads]

Because you have him in the prediction game or for other reasons?

The first, mostly. And for the surprise effect.
Who would you like to win apart from Sagan?

 

[tobydawq]

The first, mostly. And for the surprise effect.
Who would you like to win apart from Sagan?

Either of the crossers (including Stybar), one of the Danes, Sep, Naesen, Greg, Haussler, Laporte, Trentin, Kwiato, Turgis.

Edit: And Schachmann!

 

[southwards]

Actually I am refreshing my hazy memory now, and incredibly Porte and Thomas did reasonably well on stage 5 of the 2014 Tour across the wet pave, placing 20th and 21st!

G. Thomas started off as a classics specialist and then crossed over to GC.

 

[tobydawq]

DELKO have stolen La Vie Claire's outfit.

 

[gregrowlerson]

G. Thomas started off as a classics specialist and then crossed over to GC.

Yeah I knew that, but I'm not sure if he was ever a wet weather specialist (despite being British).

 

[Orbit501]

At least the wind appears to have dropped a bit. Mainly crosswinds for the most part it seems.

My only hope, aside from an epic race, is for everyone to survive in one piece.

 

[Volderke]

DELKO have stolen La Vie Claire's outfit.

My take is that the Mondrian theme was used by Look, and thus can always be used when Look is sponsor of the team.
It's a shame only 50 (!) sets of these clothes were up for sale. I tried to buy them through the website but was always redirected to a list of look dealers, I didn't find a way to actually buy the kit online. Must have been sold out very quickly.

 

[Salvarani]

Langeveld

 

[Valv.Piti]

These guys sitting there and smiling and jokingly chatting are in for a surprise! Or, and that is possible, they just love being cold, wet and riding paves in piss rain.

No matter what this will be a race to remember. Theres no other way! Right?

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Even without cobbles and mud this looks already about as disgusting as it gets, not seeing many smileys from the riders

Edit: Scratch that, the front guys seem to enjoy themselves haha.

 

[Riek s]

with the initial forecasts I assumed that the rider who didn't fall would win...
but now... the winner might be the rider that gets the furthest?

This is going to be an epic battle... or everybody will have crashed and are out of the race before reaching 200km point.

 

[Volderke]

neutral start atm. I wonder how many DNS?