Paris-Roubaix 2025, one day monument, April 13 (men)

[kingjr]

In all honesty, while I hope for a Wout win, I would also be elated to see someone throw a monkey wrench into the narrative, and do something stupid that nets them a win. Vansummeren wins are joyful experiences for a lot of people.

Ideally we get a 2016 scenario. Don't know who I want in the role of Hayman, though, now that Degenkolb is out.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I can see him beating Van Aert in a sprint but that would require a Pog and MvdP crash or badly-timed mechanical.

I agree that in any assessmen this year, Philipsen beats Wout in a sprint...hell, I think someone like Ganna beats him if it's heads up, and Brennan would smoke him. Philipsen hasn't convinced me that he will be there in the end this year. I think he doesn't play into any scenario (I don't like him, so that influences my opinion to some extent), because he just doesn't appear, to me, to be the same rider he was in 2023 or 2024, at least YET this spring.

Also, Merlier absoutely smoked him today. The difference in speed was significant.

Now...if for some miracle Merlier is there, there isn't anyone who can touch that speed in any of the favorites. When I saw him do CX this year, I was thinking that he ws practicing for a bumpy spring. A Merlier win would be a beautiful thing, as he's one of those narrative killers, who everyone so far has dismissed.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Ideally we get a 2016 scenario. Don't know who I want in the role of Hayman, though, now that Degenkolb is out.

For me, Merlier...OR, dark horse of stupid picks by me, Brennan.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Ideally we get a 2016 scenario. Don't know who I want in the role of Hayman, though, now that Degenkolb is out.

Morgado

 

[RedheadDane]

Ideally we get a 2016 scenario. Don't know who I want in the role of Hayman, though, now that Degenkolb is out.

Could Degenkolb really play the role of Hayman?
Wouldn't that need to be someone really random? Like... Tim Declercq?

 

[Cookster15]

A 2016 scenario would be refreshing. I don't care who but that would be great, just as Matt Hayman's win was amazing.

 

[search]

Could Degenkolb really play the role of Hayman?
Wouldn't that need to be someone really random? Like... Tim Declercq?

Hayman had two Top 10 in Roubaix before, so not totally random, I'd think. Maybe someone who was good a while ago, like Petit, or maybe even Lampaert.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Hayman had two Top 10 in Roubaix before, so not totally random, I'd think. Maybe someone who was good a while ago, like Petit, or maybe even Lampaert.

Maybe Kung...since he's 31, and apparently, that's like being a granddad in 2025 years.

 

[ChasingPotatoes]

The fun part of Roubaix is that outsiders sometimes get a chance.
Just some names from the starting list that maybe get in a good break or outperfrom themselves:
Kubis, Hofstetter, Abrahamsen, Van Dijcke brothers, Merlier, Fretin, Rex, Ballerini.

Petit crashed somewhere in a race this week, so I'd not count him in.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

A 2016 scenario would be refreshing. I don't care who but that would be great, just as Matt Hayman's win was amazing.

For me, a break forming less than 30k in with a couple of people (maybe Taco will race), who are 2nd tier riders, with a young guy like Brennan, who just stay away, because everyone behind does dumb ***, and refuses to be the one or team to do the work to pull them back, and then they leave it just a little bit too late before attacking, and then there are Pog, Mathieu, Wout. Mads, and Ganna looking at each other and Wout and Pog doing the circle motion with thier fingers, and the other 3 just looking at them, then up the road they go into the last K with 30 seconds, and Brennan hits the top of the track on the last turn, dives down and smokes the lot of them, becoming the youngest winner since 1899.

Not that I've thought about it a lot.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

My memory must be rusty. I was quite positive that his solo win and breakaway from his competitors (a strong break already established at Arenberg) was before Carrefour de L'Abre. But I've just checked the results list from that edition, time gaps seems too small for a much longer solo attack.
(Regretfully, I lost my VHS with the full splendid coverage with my by then preferred speakers, but now you've set me for a late night task ).

PCS says a 50 km solo and I looked at a video:

View: https://youtu.be/BBKwyrHuM0E?si=zfnQmpbJvyf9sTB1

He did indeed go ahead at Arenberg and left his last companions (Jean-Paul van Poppel who was the attacker at Arenberg and Rik van Slycke) behind around 50 k to go. From what I saw in the video, the Peloton spent the entire day freewheeling so Duclos-Lassalle was quite lucky.

 

[search]

Petit crashed somewhere in a race this week, so I'd not count him in.

he's also only good when it's a dry/dusty kind of Roubaix.

But problem is more that the breakaway doesn't get as good a margin anymore as before. There's no real chance to anticipate when the favorites themselves attack with 100k to go.

edit: Hayman came back from a broken collarbone as well, btw, as far as I can remember. He hardly raced the months before.

 

[hayneplane]

Just looked at the latest news on PCS and Movistar are sending 20 year old Diego Pescador a 60kg climber who finished 7th on GC in L’Avenir last year!

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I think for Wout, he needs to be the brave one this year. He needs to ride like he isn't a favorite, because on paper, he isn't. If there is too much chess going on, the needs to play checkers this year. A suicide attack for all the marbles. Of course, last week showed that Mathieu will not let him go, even if it's clear that he isn't as strong.

 

[tobydawq]

A random Asgreen appears on the start list.

 

[Netserk]

Van Aert will likely ride a tire-pressure controle system in Paris Roubaix

https://www.hbvl.be/sport/wielrennen/wegwielrennen/wout-van-aert-testte-het-deze-winter-al-uit-visma-lease-a-bike-heeft-geheim-wapen-klaar-voor-parijs-roubaix/53752597.html

The (whole?) team and race winner Brennan used that in Denain.

 

[Netserk]

Ideally we get a 2016 scenario. Don't know who I want in the role of Hayman, though, now that Degenkolb is out.

Van Baarle or Mohoric. Maybe Lampaert?

 

[Escarabajo]

Just looked at the latest news on PCS and Movistar are sending 20 year old Diego Pescador a 60kg climber who finished 7th on GC in L’Avenir last year!

That is the most insane thing that I have heard this year.
So they basically don't have anybody to fill the roster and he was near by. Hey you want to go? LOL.

 

[Sciatic]

That is the most insane thing that I have heard this year.
So they basically don't have anybody to fill the roster and he was near by. Hey you want to go? LOL.

Should have sent Nairo instead since there is a chance of crosswinds

 

[Panda Claws]

It has been made quite clear to us, over the last couple of races that Wout might have lost something from the last years crashes and mischief. I feel bad for him on that notion, he has been extremely unlucky and it is unfair to judge him because of those terms. But that is how the sport works. The weak must die. On top of that he has to listen to the Belgian press and ex-pros yapping about how bad they believe he performs.

And that knee....uuuhhhfff

Again. Without wanting to single you out. I don't get all the comments about Belgian media. Van Aert is being handled with velvet gloves. Just see the studio interview after RVV. All smiles and pats on the back besides finishing 4th and losing that sprint.

WvA and others may rightly talk about media pressures but the media as a whole really doesn't seem to be treating him unfairly. He's enjoying immense respect. At worst you'll find opinion pieces stating that MVDP has accomplished more written by notable edgelords (H. Vandeweghe). But even then: are they supposed to just pretend that their careers have followed the same trajectory?.

 

[jono]

That is the most insane thing that I have heard this year.
So they basically don't have anybody to fill the roster and he was near by. Hey you want to go? LOL.

I remember reading one of Phil Gaimon's books where he writes about being called up to race Roubaix under basically those exact circumstances.

 

[Sciatic]

he's also only good when it's a dry/dusty kind of Roubaix.

But problem is more that the breakaway doesn't get as good a margin anymore as before. There's no real chance to anticipate when the favorites themselves attack with 100k to go.

edit: Hayman came back from a broken collarbone as well, btw, as far as I can remember. He hardly raced the months before.

Although he wasn’t a complete surprise to finish well—he had performed well at Roubaix before, it was the race that suited. But it definitely WAS surprising that he didn’t get dropped in the run
In to Roubaix and that would outsprint Boonen.

 

[yaco]

That is the most insane thing that I have heard this year.
So they basically don't have anybody to fill the roster and he was near by. Hey you want to go? LOL.

Check out the Jayco team who is the worst WT team riding cobbles. In saying that, Walscheid can top ten if he gets the breaks.

 

[Berniece]

No, it was Berniece in the vdP thread who said that, who I don't believe is the type to pull that out of their ass. Maybe they have an inside source, idk.

I have picked it up from conversation between those in a position to know, overheard by someone I trust completely. I understand that not everyone will believe me, but I believe the person who told me.

 

[pastronef]

Brennan IN for Visma