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

[hayneplane]

I think races never having a lull moment is hurting them. Either the strong teams are on the front and keeping the pace high, or the favourites are gone and everyone is pulling. No cagey racing whatsoever.

Alpecin never even used their numerical superiority today. Just pulling, pulling, attacking.

There was some cagey racing just prior to Arenberg which allowed the WVA/Ganna/Philipsen groups to catch back up before it detonated again on the trench.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Fans of cagey racing must attempt to cyberbully Red Bull into sending Roglic here next year, partly because their team is *** but mainly because it would be funny.

 

[Berniece]

Cyclig does have this, at the TdF at least.

Didn’t know that, I never had that impression in their race center. Or they don’t share that information with the general public?

 

[Netserk]

There was some cagey racing just prior to Arenberg which allowed the WVA/Ganna/Philipsen groups to catch back up before it detonated again on the trench.

A teeny-tiny amount. Also Politt's attack earlier on. But not much use of the UAE bench.

 

[rghysens]

Three world champions is quite the podium? Is that precedented?

You have to go back a while in history to find that.
At least a week.

 

[hayneplane]

A teeny-tiny amount. Also Politt's attack earlier on. But not much use of the UAE bench.

I agree that there no major attempts to use team depths to set up advance raiding parties for the leaders to join up with.

 

[Andy262]

You have to go back a while in history to find that.
At least a week.

I did mean at Roubaix but whatevers

 

[Sciatic]

Probably but put MVP in Sormano. A rider able to contest all 5 against a rider able to win just 3. There is no competition. MVP can still be the best cobbled rider of all times and for me it should be his biggest goal, even if he is clearly in troubles to beat Pogacar in RVV.

Maybe that is true in this case. But Gilbert was extremely close to getting all 5 (if Pozzato hadn’t chased him down the yr Goss won San Remo he would have 5), yet he wasn’t considered the best classics rider of his time, Boonen (2 different monuments) and Cancellara (3) were.

 

[Izzyeviel]

Three world champions is quite the podium? Is that precedented?

Indeed. Hasn't happened for seven days.

 

[Sciatic]

I agree that there no major attempts to use team depths to set up advance raiding parties for the leaders to join up with.

When the leaders are going off on their own with 95km to go it diminishes the chances for team tactics to play much of a role.

 

[Izzyeviel]

I did mean at Roubaix but whatevers

could've happened in 2023, but Jasper (who else) mucked it up for everyone by existing.

 

[Didinho]

Isn't there a rule if someone throws something at a rider he can throw his cobble stones at him? I think there is.

 

[Netserk]

Isn't there a rule if someone throws something at a rider he can throw his cobble stones at him? I think there is.

With the speed difference and the weight of a full bottle, it's a clear case of assault. So roughly half a year in prison for the criminal would be appropriate.

 

[kingjr]

vdP looked terrifying today. No question in my mind that he wins this even without the crash. At least against Pogacar; I don't know what happens if Pedersen doesn't puncture, though he didn't look amazing for the remainder of the race. Still, they would have had to get rid of him somehow before the finish.

 

[Didinho]

With the speed difference and the weight of a full bottle, it's a clear case of assault. So roughly half a year in prison for the criminal would be appropriate.

They still haven't found him. It was clearly premeditated because he was hiding behind the first row. Hope they can identify him asap, will be hard I guess. He can't get away with it.

 

[kingjr]

Didn’t know that, I never had that impression in their race center. Or they don’t share that information with the general public?

Maybe I misunderstood what you mean, but they definitely have a live tracking page where you can see where all the riders are during the race.

 

[Invicituz]

What a tremendous performance by Mathieu van der Poel, winning the Paris–Roubaix for a third consecutive time. Distancing Tadej Pogačar, who competed in his first Hell of the North, into second place by 1:18 probably would not have occurred but for the unfortunate crash. Chapeau, sir!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

it seems just really hard to catch VDP once he gets 10-15s advantage. You can keep him there for a while and eventually they all break. Wether its Pedersen. Ganna. Van Aert.. Pogacar.. doesnt matter.
Same way with Pogi though in races he wins. Impossible to catch once solo.

 

[jono]

it seems just really hard to catch VDP once he gets 10-15s advantage. You can keep him there for a while and eventually they all break. Wether its Pedersen. Ganna. Van Aert.. Pogacar.. doesnt matter.
Same way with Pogi though in races he wins. Impossible to catch once solo.

I agree, although today's example was a bit different, since VDP didn't get that advantage by attacking as the strongest (see Koppenberg 2024 or Glasgow 2023) but rather a crash. To that point, I didn't think Pogacar had showed himself to be weaker (honestly I'm beginning to wonder if the whole car-pickle juice handup was a charade because there was certainly some other playacting.) and I was fully expecting him to close the gap to MVDP. After the sector where the motos were 10 metres in front of him he never gained more time.

 

[Lequack]

UAE guy: Quck Pog, get on this bike
Visma hat guy: No, get on this bike instead

 

[red_flanders]

Biggest bummer for me was Mads' flat. Pogi crashing was just part of the story, but Mads looked strong enough that he might have hung on. Shame.

 

[Lequack]

Biggest bummer for me was Mads' flat. Pogi crashing was just part of the story, but Mads looked strong enough that he might have hung on. Shame.

And Wout forgot he got his tire pressure system so he could go faster.

 

[jono]

Biggest bummer for me was Mads' flat. Pogi crashing was just part of the story, but Mads looked strong enough that he might have hung on. Shame.

I think Mads would have been gapped at the same place Philipsen was.

 

[red_flanders]

I think Mads would have been gapped at the same place Philipsen was.

Certainly possible. To me he looked stronger, but we'll never know.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

He didn't get smoked. He made a mistake and that's it.

I know your emotions are high right now, I think with time you'll see he got smoked.