Paris - Roubaix 2022, one day monument, April 17

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Why does everybody blame that old guy, when that idiot Lampaert simply needs to ride on the cobbles like he's supposed to do. 100% his fault. Just stay on the road.

Lampaert even jumps onto that path towards the spectators.

The guy didn't step forward: he was encroaching on the riders' line a lot less than spectators in the mountains. It is the riders' responsibility to look ahead and remain more than an am's length from the spectators. If they do that and the spectators still manage to hit them, then it is the spectator's fault, but that is not what happened here.

The spectator has to know the riders are riding in the gutters. Most riders do that to save energy, so it is 100% on the spectator for being unaware.

 

[Escarabajo]

A lot has been said about the accident yesterday. Some ex-riders in a couple of podcasts said:

• If you are a Paris Roubaix and you ride on the gutters all the time not only you can have an accident but if you are tired anything will knock you down. Not only the stupid fans but riders swirling the bikes do not help. So the conclusion for them is that Sh!t happens. Nobody's fault. But as a rider you have to be aware and prepare that can happen. There are stupid fans, but controlling them on the gutters is a bit extreme.
• My take is that I agree with the ex-riders. But additionally on that specific sector there were blocks on the gutters or pavement. The organization do not want the riders riding on the pavement in that sector. They will ride in the pavement at their own risk. I have to say that as I was watching the riders go through that section I was on the toes of my feet. It was an accident waiting to happen. It didn't happen the way I thought it would happen but it happened anyway.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

A lot has been said about the accident yesterday. Some ex-riders in a couple of podcasts said:

• If you are a Paris Roubaix and you ride on the gutters all the time not only you can have an accident but if you are tired anything will knock you down. Not only the stupid fans but riders swirling the bikes do not help. So the conclusion for them is that Sh!t happens. Nobody's fault. But as a rider you have to be aware and prepare that can happen. There are stupid fans, but controlling them on the gutters is a bit extreme.
• My take is that I agree with the ex-riders. But additionally on that specific sector there were blocks on the gutters or pavement. The organization do not want the riders riding on the pavement in that sector. They will ride in the pavement at their own risk. I have to say that as I was watching the riders go through that section I was on the toes of my feet. It was an accident waiting to happen. It didn't happen the way I thought it would happen but it happened anyway.

On that section the road was clearly marked with white lines at either edge and there were no blocks around that corner.
I think the organisers need to spend a few more euros on barriers especially on that sector. Was it Sagan who basically slalomed it (with some finesse) one year, weaving in an out of the cobbles?

 

[tobydawq]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1515656663151304705

View: https://twitter.com/jens_dekker/status/1515656663151304705


I didn't see this yesterday. Sheffield must have unbelievable arm strength, just tearing his saddle off like that.

 

[Gigs_98]

2010, 2018 and 2019 weren't even great PRs lol. 2010 was maybe the worst this century.

This IMO was a great PR, but not as good as last year.

Yeah, races won with long range attacks by one of the favorites have some epicness to them but they aren't necessarily very entertaining. I disagree about the worst of the decade part though. 2014 and 2015 were genuinely horrible with nothing relevant happening until after CdA.

 

[Red Rick]

Yeah, races won with long range attacks by one of the favorites have some epicness to them but they aren't necessarily very entertaining. I disagree about the worst of the decade part though. 2014 and 2015 were genuinely horrible with nothing relevant happening until after CdA.

I'll admit I don't remember 2014 and 2015 very well, but I strongly dislike a race where you're waiting for it to finally kick off and then it's jsut over in 20s and you're just watching someone ride away from everyone by minutes.

I guess I think worse of 2010 than 2012 cause with Cancellara the sense of inevitability was much stronger and Boonens gap hoovered around a minute for a long time.

 

[Escarabajo]

On that section the road was clearly marked with white lines at either edge and there were no blocks around that corner.
I think the organisers need to spend a few more euros on barriers especially on that sector. Was it Sagan who basically slalomed it (with some finesse) one year, weaving in an out of the cobbles?

You won't see blocks on the corner. You can discuss all you want about how unsafe those blocks are but that is not the point here. The point was the organizers are cruel people who do not want the riders on the smooth section even if it is for a few seconds after 200+ kilometers.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I remember 2014 and 2015 as snoozefests as well - well, relatively speaking. I think both editions had strong headwinds so for Roubaix standards they were extremely conservatively ridden. Basically in all other editions, I have enjoyed the race

 

[Ricco']

The spectator has to know the riders are riding in the gutters. Most riders do that to save energy, so it is 100% on the spectator for being unaware.

He isn't obliged to know that. Not saying that's the case, but imagine a random guy, suddenly in town when the race passes by, who never watched a day of cycling before in his life but decides to join the fun and see what's about. Is he obliged to know that riders usually ride in places which seem alien to ride a bike to anyone who never watched the sport? I don't think the place where the crash takes place is part of the road also. From Google Street View images, that part is new and it seems to be more like a bike path than part of the actual road and, as cycling rules stands, riding is not allowed outside of the road proper.

If you see the video, right before he hits the person there is a barrier and, if you prolonged a line from that barrier to the crash site, that person is clearly before that imaginary line and is going back from the road as the riders come. When Lampaert turned from the cobbles to the tarmac, the person is already coming back to the side of the road but YL deviated faster.

Didn't this sector used to have barriers in the corners in the past, to prevent the riders from cutting the corner on the tarmac?

 

[fbjim]

I'll admit I don't remember 2014 and 2015 very well, but I strongly dislike a race where you're waiting for it to finally kick off and then it's jsut over in 20s and you're just watching someone ride away from everyone by minutes.

I guess I think worse of 2010 than 2012 cause with Cancellara the sense of inevitability was much stronger and Boonens gap hoovered around a minute for a long time.

This was part of the reason I didn't like the Ronde this year, there was like, one relevant selection and that was it for the peloton. Last year's where WVA repeatedly got teed off on and had to try to bridge multiple times was much more exciting.

 

[Nick2413]

He isn't obliged to know that. Not saying that's the case, but imagine a random guy, suddenly in town when the race passes by, who never watched a day of cycling before in his life but decides to join the fun and see what's about. Is he obliged to know that riders usually ride in places which seem alien to ride a bike to anyone who never watched the sport? I don't think the place where the crash takes place is part of the road also. From Google Street View images, that part is new and it seems to be more like a bike path than part of the actual road and, as cycling rules stands, riding is not allowed outside of the road proper.

If you see the video, right before he hits the person there is a barrier and, if you prolonged a line from that barrier to the crash site, that person is clearly before that imaginary line and is going back from the road as the riders come. When Lampaert turned from the cobbles to the tarmac, the person is already coming back to the side of the road but YL deviated faster.

Didn't this sector used to have barriers in the corners in the past, to prevent the riders from cutting the corner on the tarmac?

I think this is one of the least egregious examples of fans getting in the way but obviously it was very costly and therefore gets more attention than the thousands of times fans are more in the way. I wouldn’t say the race organizers or the riders are directly to blame, and I don’t think it’s realistic to have barriers for an entire 250k route or even the 55k of cobbles. Fans are always going to be an issue no matter how much you fine or educate them, I think sometimes it’s just bad luck and also a matter of risk when riders choose to go off-road.

 

[zlev11]

I appreciate the coverage, I like most of the commentators, and generally think they do a great job. But Blythe…I can’t fathom how he has a job. Total ponce.

yeah well at least you guys dont have to deal with Blythe on a motorbike at the Tour de France like the people watching the American coverage do...every 3 minutes you hear the dreaded words from Phil Liggett "let's go down to Adam Blythe inside the race" for some absolutely inane comment or some analysis where he has completely read the race wrong. also you get the pictures of the race split-screened with a completely unnecessary view of him on the motorbike shot with what appears to be a cell phone camera from 2007.

 

[Panda Claws]

Adam Shyte

 

[red_flanders]

yeah well at least you guys dont have to deal with Blythe on a motorbike at the Tour de France like the people watching the American coverage do...every 3 minutes you hear the dreaded words from Phil Liggett "let's go down to Adam Blythe inside the race" for some absolutely inane comment or some analysis where he has completely read the race wrong. also you get the pictures of the race split-screened with a completely unnecessary view of him on the motorbike shot with what appears to be a cell phone camera from 2007.

Sounds dreadful. However, we have our own...issues with the US broadcasts. And Blythe somehow has found his way into the US broadcasts as well.

I don't get the motorbike stuff, other than it beaks up the cadence of what can be long races which often have boring sections. It adds exactly nothing to the understanding of the race. See Wiggins pointless commentary yesterday. I actually pause the broadcast and make coffee so I have some runway to fast forward through such inanity on my GCN stream.

All that said. Daniel Lloyd is great, really like him. Bäckstedt as many have said is doing a great job. LOVE Rob Hatch., he's just so enthusiastic and has great inflection and a great voice for the job. I'm glad to have GCN as an option. Being a cycling fan in the US has come a long way since the days when I had to read about the exploits on VeloNews' printed monthly(?) updates, or watch a text feed in the 90s to get a live view.

 

[zlev11]

yeah I remember Wiggins on the motorbike for the GCN coverage of Strade Bianche and he was basically just recapping what we already saw 10 minutes ago. it very rarely adds anything to the coverage at all.

Hatch, Lloyd, Backstedt are indeed great. I can't stand McEwen though, I just don't like his speaking cadence, he talks like he's delivering a punch line during a standup comedy routine or something.

 

[Kwibus]

This was part of the reason I didn't like the Ronde this year, there was like, one relevant selection and that was it for the peloton. Last year's where WVA repeatedly got teed off on and had to try to bridge multiple times was much more exciting.

Hmmm interesting you think there was 1 relevant section in RVV this year. Plenty of relevant sections imo.

 

[red_flanders]

yeah I remember Wiggins on the motorbike for the GCN coverage of Strade Bianche and he was basically just recapping what we already saw 10 minutes ago. it very rarely adds anything to the coverage at all.

Hatch, Lloyd, Backstedt are indeed great. I can't stand McEwen though, I just don't like his speaking cadence, he talks like he's delivering a punch line during a standup comedy routine or something.

I can see that. Personally I like McEwen–he needs a bit of polish but he doesn't bug me and adds a fair bit of insight.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Good friend of mine (I told you guys of him after Amstel already) was not so happy with this Roubaix.

He said that Dylan van Baarle is a very weak cyclist, not even a super domestique, and that a Roubaix with van Baarle, a 90% shape van Aert and Kung (who cannot win road races, only non world class ITTs) on the podium is a disappointing Roubaix.

 

[red_flanders]

Good friend of mine (I told you guys of him after Amstel already) was not so happy with this Roubaix.

He said that Dylan van Baarle is a very weak cyclist, not even a super domestique, and that a Roubaix with van Baarle, a 90% shape van Aert and Kung (who cannot win road races, only non world class ITTs) on the podium is a disappointing Roubaix.

While the very occasional rando has won Roubaix, it would seem Van Baarle is on another level this spring. 2nd in Flanders and winning Roubaix is not the stuff of "a very weak cyclist". I mean that's a bit silly, no? No matter what larger point your friend is trying to make...

 

[Peyroteo94]

Is landa capable of doing top 3?

 

[tobydawq]

Is landa capable of doing top 3?

Of Paris-Roubaix?

I have my slight doubts.

 

[OlavEH]

Good friend of mine (I told you guys of him after Amstel already) was not so happy with this Roubaix.

He said that Dylan van Baarle is a very weak cyclist, not even a super domestique, and that a Roubaix with van Baarle, a 90% shape van Aert and Kung (who cannot win road races, only non world class ITTs) on the podium is a disappointing Roubaix.

Van Baerle looked great on Sunday. Your friend is probaby right that Van Aert (or Van der Poel) were not in top shape, and maybe DvB woudn't have won if that was the case. But that's a part of cycling. It isn't like every other winner in RVV/PR than Boonen or Cancellara from 2005 to 2014 weren't worthy winners when these two were absent, crashed or not in top shape. DvB is equally worthy to Devolder, Nuyens, Vansummeren, Terpstra, etc.

 

[SafeBet]

Lol Van Baarle a very weak cyclist. He finished with one of the biggest margin in recent history and kept gaining ground on any group behind after attacking.
Multiple top10s in De Ronde before this year's podium.
Won Dwars door Vlaanderen. Won a mountain stage in the Dauphine. Been one of the most consistent domestique for his team on any terrain for the past 5 years. Multiple top10 in cobble classics too.

He's an elite cyclist.

 

[tobydawq]

Lol Van Baarle a very weak cyclist. He finished with one of the biggest margin in recent history and kept gaining ground on any group behind after attacking.
Multiple top10s in De Ronde before this year's podium.
Won Dwars door Vlaanderen. Won a mountain stage in the Dauphine. Been one of the most consistent domestique for his team on any terrain for the past 5 years. Multiple top10 in cobble classics too.

He's an elite cyclist.

He is so weak. Only three top 2s in the last 6 major one-day races (and an OTL to add insult to injury). Embarrasingly weak. It's unfortunate for him that Roompot have folded, otherwise that could have been a safety net for him when he probably has to step down a level for next year due to his weakness. But now there are no Dutch ProTeams, so it will probably be BEAT Cycling that will be his future employer. Unless he has diabetes (which could explain his weakness) and can sign for Team Novo Nordisk.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Good friend of mine ... was not so happy with this Roubaix.
He said that Dylan van Baarle is a very weak cyclist, not even a super domestique

Is Pogacar your friend?