I did not picture Wout winning before the race. Absolutely delighted for him. It’s hard to believe it’s only his 2nd Monument, but he’s absolutely a rider who deserves to be in the multiple club.
I am really trying to wrap my head around that what people saw this morning was something less than miraculous. So many great rides hard to think of a better finishes in both men's and women's race, 2 up on the velodrome for the men, close call and 3 up for the women with the singled out rider, leading it out and beating Visma great effort. Awesome racing!
Lots of opinions about who is strongest, who suffered the most time-losing situations, etc. It still takes an unusually strong and focused rider to win. And a sh*tload of luck. That goes for MvP who was just on the backside of that perfect day, again. Kudos to Wout and his team.
@ unchained
seriously?
I find it pathetic - not the dedication bit but self-contentment that it was a win OVER a world champion. He literally carried him over the finish line
seriously?
I find it pathetic - not the dedication bit but self-contentment that it was a win OVER a world champion. He literally carried him over the finish line
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A lot to unpack there. The leading group in most races used to be out there so that their team didn't have to work and/or to help later in the race. Now the leading group is frequently the favorites who expect to win.*
I would argue that safety should be the priority followed by 'fairness' (hard to define I suppose), and then media access. They are usually more than three seconds away so IMO you are bringing them closer with a three second rule.
*In one day races. Obviously stage racing is a different beast most of the time.
You can read my thoughts about using drones in both of the related threads.
- Jul 10, 2012
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That's absolutely not ciclismo
Sport would be very boring were it not for underdogs winning sometimes.
"Hey JP, for this one race we want you to change your setup, don't worry you'll be fine."
...and clearly the loyalty of a good dog as well.
- Jul 30, 2011
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- Jul 30, 2011
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“..I did stop believing a lot of times, but the next day I always woke up and fought for it again…honestly, there’s no more beautiful way than going to the line with the world champion… beating him in the sprint mano a mano is something really special for me…there were so many times where I was on the limit to stay on his wheel…” (maybe not word for word, but close)
Yes, Wout, how pathetic of you! And not once in the interview did he credit Tadej for towing him 50k, finishing it off with a beautiful leadout. Rude!
If Wouts win bothered people today, they are either Pogacar fanboys or else cycling is the wrong sport for them. Never has cycling been about the strongest always winning, tactics and playing the game will always be part of the sport.
Now if it was a sprinter who does nothing the entire race and then sprints at for the win, there might be a case, but not today. Wout was the one who attacked to pull Pog clear, he set the pace over a few cobble sections, had to chase back on without team-mates and took his turns when he should. WVA played it perfectly today and was a very deserving winner. I really cannot believe are upset by that.
Cookster15
Moderator
- May 14, 2011
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Congrats to Wout van Aert - great to see.
What can we say but an amazing edition and a very deserved champion in my opinion. Fastest P-R in history despite the crashes. All the contenders had bad luck. Wout had his bad luck but was so strong to fight back into a position where he could win. Once he was with Pogi he was always going to win the sprint in the velodrome.
Tadej did everything he could to win the race, another bridesmaid for him but no shame. After watching his skill on those cobbles it would be a brave person who bets he won't win this race one day - perhaps 2027?
What can we say but an amazing edition and a very deserved champion in my opinion. Fastest P-R in history despite the crashes. All the contenders had bad luck. Wout had his bad luck but was so strong to fight back into a position where he could win. Once he was with Pogi he was always going to win the sprint in the velodrome.
Tadej did everything he could to win the race, another bridesmaid for him but no shame. After watching his skill on those cobbles it would be a brave person who bets he won't win this race one day - perhaps 2027?
- Feb 20, 2012
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In all my years of wasting time on the cycling internet, I'm not sure I've ever read a comment as wrong as this one. It is wrong on every single level apart from the fact that it does appear to be English.
I'm still buzzing from that race. I feel like we've had a really good set of Spring races so far - the cobbled classics as a whole have been highly entertaining, MSR was an absolute riot, and now we've finally had a really fun Roubaix again, after a couple of years of impressive but uncompetitive van der Poel solos. I'm fairly optimistic for the Ardennes too, especially with del Toro out of Amstel and Flèche, and Remco and Seixas in great form, so hopefully a more competitive LBL than the last two years.
- Aug 9, 2021
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View: https://x.com/AnthonyBa5/status/2043392003883274729
Gotta spam some cheering images for Wout as they're quite incredible!
View: https://x.com/RuitemDias/status/2043391698642903475
View: https://x.com/AceroCaballito/status/2043337087198388674
View: https://x.com/parisroubaix/status/2043369516436976008
View: https://x.com/JDenaeghel/status/2043344003702177950
Gotta spam some cheering images for Wout as they're quite incredible!
View: https://x.com/RuitemDias/status/2043391698642903475
View: https://x.com/AceroCaballito/status/2043337087198388674
View: https://x.com/parisroubaix/status/2043369516436976008
View: https://x.com/JDenaeghel/status/2043344003702177950
- Jul 30, 2011
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You might brace for much worse english in coming years.
I'ma pack this post into my electrolyte bottle. It's plenty salty.
- Aug 9, 2021
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I just watched the last 2 and a half hours, again.
Unsung hero was Matthew Brennan. He delivered Wout to the front at Arenberg, which gave him the ability to pick his path through. Mathieu was on his wheel, having little to no time to react to the cobbles, and that made all the difference in the world.
Unsung hero was Matthew Brennan. He delivered Wout to the front at Arenberg, which gave him the ability to pick his path through. Mathieu was on his wheel, having little to no time to react to the cobbles, and that made all the difference in the world.
We obviously disagree on racing,
Pogacar and Van Aert played zero games, each guy knew that a bunch of monkey business for position would give hope to the chase.
Each rider traded decent pulls, and I would have bet even money that in a drag race after 258k would be one thing but the Tadej chase obviously burned some matches,
Pogacar instead of taking even a momentary rest after chasing really, really hard, he jumped again and caused further chaos. Brilliant bike racing, Van Aert did everything that has been criticized from other races this year, he put some serious responsibility on Laporte who raced as good as anyone including the winner.
To lose by less than a bike against Wout is a no shame event. Please keep in mind what Van Aert accomplished, he didn't just beat World Champion Pogacar he kept him from a classics sweep. I get the idea of trying to downplay the win, I don't agree or understand it,
but just poopooing because you can is a thing I get it.
If you think the race blew and guys were holding something back, chases after crashes, bike problems, bike changes were all fake.. Cool..
This all could have been AI generated ,
my beer brothers from Sint -Niklaas were there in person and enjoyed it, I think it was a great day for the race, for the World Champion, for Belgium, for bike racing, and for Wout and his family, friends, teammates, fans..no wet blankets will ruin how good all this made me feel.. Incredible race.
That is the case sometimes, which is when I just switch to just watching rather than reading/ commenting.
Some surprising takes on here. A guy wins the fastest P-R in history, has multiple mechanicals, looks strong AF, never falters, launches multiple attacks, plays it perfectly, and wins without any indication that he was at his limit, and this is what some have to say? Wout has had some monstrous performances, from C-E to Mont Ventoux to Montmartre to today. When he is at his best, he is as good as anyone. That’s it. He is better than Pogacar at this type of race, at least today. And I see no evidence that MVDP would have done anything other than ridden with them had he not made some dumb decisions after a mechanical.
- Jul 20, 2017
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I'm a big fan of Pogacar, and wanted him to win Roubaix this year, to achieve 5 monuments in one year. He was strong today, but not as strong as VDP.
Not strong enough to be WVA (3rd strongest today).
For once WVA played it correctly (at least from Arenberg ).
After all those failures, he is the most beautifull winner here.
I have not forget that heavy crash just before the holy week, after missing precious time with his young kid(s) in winter, preparing for nothing.
I have not forget that it took 3 falls to remove him from a Vuelta where he was leading KOM and Points.
I have not forget that punctures in Carrefour de l'arbre, the one year he looked stronger than VDP.
I do have forget the countless falls, punctures, injuries, bringing back VDP on your wheel, that made most people think Wout was washed up.
Last year he won in Paris. Today in Roubaix. He won against the greatest rider of all time, again.
Pogacar may win in the future, and I hope he will once, but today, we got perhaps the most deservefull winner. One can say cycling won.
Not strong enough to be WVA (3rd strongest today).
For once WVA played it correctly (at least from Arenberg ).
After all those failures, he is the most beautifull winner here.
I have not forget that heavy crash just before the holy week, after missing precious time with his young kid(s) in winter, preparing for nothing.
I have not forget that it took 3 falls to remove him from a Vuelta where he was leading KOM and Points.
I have not forget that punctures in Carrefour de l'arbre, the one year he looked stronger than VDP.
I do have forget the countless falls, punctures, injuries, bringing back VDP on your wheel, that made most people think Wout was washed up.
Last year he won in Paris. Today in Roubaix. He won against the greatest rider of all time, again.
Pogacar may win in the future, and I hope he will once, but today, we got perhaps the most deservefull winner. One can say cycling won.
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