Paris-Roubaix 2023, one day monument, April 9 (men's)

[Mayomaniac]

Watching Roubaix on Easter with my Father is a classic.

 

[repre]

They utilized goats to get rid of the weeds inbetween cobbles

Is Pinot starting???

 

[tobydawq]

Robauix weather

Nailed it. At least it's the right letters

 

[Red Rick]

Anyone remember what the wind direction was last year?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Is Ballerini ok after the RVV?
It's his favourite race, would be a shame if he missed it.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Roubaix is usually a good race for outsiders winning and underdog stories, this year it needs to be that way more than ever given that almost this entire spring has been the big 3 and Jumbo-Visma taking turns dominating races. I have this feeling that QS are going to save their spring here, not sure who will be the one to do it but I could definitely get behind Asgreen drawing a line under his injury troubles here or local boy Sénéchal ending France's 26-year wait at their home monument.

 

[topcat]

Anyone remember what the wind direction was last year?

No

 

[Red Rick]

Roubaix is usually a good race for outsiders winning and underdog stories, this year it needs to be that way more than ever given that almost this entire spring has been the big 3 and Jumbo-Visma taking turns dominating races. I have this feeling that QS are going to save their spring here, not sure who will be the one to do it but I could definitely get behind Asgreen drawing a line under his injury troubles here or local boy Sénéchal ending France's 26-year wait at their home monument.

Yeah I'm kinda wondering if MvdP and Van Aert aren't gonna be overconfident and spend too much energy because you don't get so much advantage for free by being better on hills.

Roubaix shoudl also be where Jumbo's team strength should shine much more so than De Ronde.

 

[Gratemans]

No

Well, this is a ridiculous statement. Of course somebody does.

Not me though..

 

[Big Doopie]

Brain: VDP

Heart: Lampaert

 

[Valv.Piti]

Looks like an easy Woutje win...

No, seriously, its impossible to predict. I wonder most about the two Danes who on paper should be really, really good, but have absolutely nothing to show for it so far in this race. And Ganna is prolly the biggest dark horse, wouldn't be surprised if he wins

 

[Amazinmets87]

Robauix weather

Will the cobbles have dried by Sunday? Wet cobbles would be nice.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Kristoff to right past mishaps in this race and win, getting one step closer to 100 career wins.

 

[Gratemans]

Looks like an easy Woutje win...

No, seriously, its impossible to predict. I wonder most about the two Danes who on paper should be really, really good, but have absolutely nothing to show for it so far in this race. And Ganna is prolly the biggest dark horse, wouldn't be surprised if he wins

Agree on the first part. Mads seems to be built perfectly for PR, but the universe seems adament to throw some random thing at him at this particular race each and every year.
On the second part... I feel there are way too few people considering Küng. He's physically identical to Ganna* and has a way better track record when we're talking Classics.

* both huge locomotives, same height, same weight. They're probably different but please don't bore me with watts per square inch or some such

 

[Oldermanish]

Yeah I'm kinda wondering if MvdP and Van Aert aren't gonna be overconfident and spend too much energy because you don't get so much advantage for free by being better on hills.

Roubaix shoudl also be where Jumbo's team strength should shine much more so than De Ronde.

If they don't waste it setting up roadblocks.

 

[Oldermanish]

Kristoff to right past mishaps in this race and win, getting one step closer to 100 career wins.

I wouldn't mind seeing that play out. He's worked hard and would be a good winner.

 

[Berniece]

Yeah I'm kinda wondering if MvdP and Van Aert aren't gonna be overconfident and spend too much energy because you don't get so much advantage for free by being better on hills.

After last year I hope both of them aren’t overconfident and know they need every bit of energy to win

 

[search]

So will Jumbo Visma apparently.

in Belgian media there was an article about it today. Jumbo as a team is still unsure, and Wout van Aert does not plan to ride the tyre pressure system (called KAPS, btw, so it's not the one DSM uses).

 

[Lequack]

Jumbo Visma have designed an ugly helmet specifically for this race for riders to wear

https://twitter.com/x/status/1643867119312941059

View: https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1643867119312941059

 

[Red Rick]

Jumbo Visma have designed an ugly helmet specifically for this race for riders to wear

https://twitter.com/x/status/1643867119312941059

View: https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1643867119312941059

Marginal brains tactics

 

[Berniece]

Jumbo Visma have designed an ugly helmet specifically for this race for riders to wear

https://twitter.com/x/status/1643867119312941059

View: https://twitter.com/JumboVismaRoad/status/1643867119312941059

That's a very late April Fools joke

 

[Aimar16]

Jumbo Visma have designed an ugly helmet specifically for this race for riders to wear

It looks so stupid that they even turned off the replies to the tweet

 

[Bolder]

Heart for me is Wout. I think he's been unfairly criticized a bit on here. Head says "Not Wout."

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Heart says Lampaert.
Head says van Aert <- or rather Matthieu.
Logic says Magnus Bäckstedt suddenly appears from nowhere and takes it all.

And this is what I've always loved this race for:
The scenes, the pains, the heroics, the unfortunes, the struggles ...the outcome, nomatter if consolidating patrons or unpredictables for the history books.

 

[Kwaremonster]

I truely love Paris Roubaix and think it's usually the greatest spectacle to watch in cycling.

My heart says MvdP or Van Aert (unfairly criticised indeed) as I like one of the strongest riders to win the race. But I am expecting full carnage and an outsider to win in the end.