Paris - Roubaix: April 14th, 2019

[Flamin]

Gonna be an interesting Roubaix. I guess there are a lot of riders out there, more than usual, who think they have a genuine chance of winning after the close race that was de Ronde. I can't remember a more level playing field on paper going into Roubaix.

I would have been even more excited if there wasn't going to be a strong headwind for most of the day though

 

[Robert5091]

Showers predicted for Saturday in Roubaix so cold, damp and headwind. Usch!

 

[SKSemtex]

Re:

Cyclingnews has some great images of favourites exploring the course. Three days before the race there were already spectators.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/peloton-prepares-for-dry-and-dusty-paris-roubaix-gallery/

It looks like Sagan does not like cobbles so much. :lol:

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

Showers predicted for Saturday in Roubaix so cold, damp and headwind. Usch!

Headwind not great though

 

[Red Rick]

Even field and headwind.

We need rain.

 

[Bolder]

I'm backing WVA, especially if the weather's bad.

Outside of that, I hope Sagan can contend.

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Showers predicted for Saturday in Roubaix so cold, damp and headwind. Usch!

Rain in the saturday before PR but a dry sunday. In other news, the Sky ist blue

 

[Laplaz]

WVA said he might be better suited for Roubaix than for RVV. Let's see.

 

[Salvarani]

Re:

WVA said he might be better suited for Roubaix than for RVV. Let's see.

His team is pretty weak except for Teunissen.

He also gotta solo to win I think. He definitely one of the favorites though.

 

[rick james]

Kristoff will destroy this bike race the big hunk of meat that he is

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re: Re:

Showers predicted for Saturday in Roubaix so cold, damp and headwind. Usch!

Rain in the saturday before PR but a dry sunday. In other news, the Sky ist blue

Cobbles may still be wet; it's better than nothing

 

[Pantani_lives]

Re: Re:

Showers predicted for Saturday in Roubaix so cold, damp and headwind. Usch!

Rain in the saturday before PR but a dry sunday. In other news, the Sky ist blue

Cobbles may still be wet; it's better than nothing

It won't be dusty and it won't be wet. With the headwind a big bunch might come together after Wallers-Arenberg. I can see a big group and outsiders attacking in the final.

The question is which team can take the race in its hands. DQSt looks doubtful after last week. I wonder what EF can do with Vanmarcke-Langeveld-Phinney.

 

[Cinemaniak]

Re: Re:

WVA said he might be better suited for Roubaix than for RVV. Let's see.

His team is pretty weak except for Teunissen.

He also gotta solo to win I think. He definitely one of the favorites though.

I wouldn't underestimate this year's Jumbo-Visma team. Van Poppel is still a pretty talented kid, Eenkhoorn was flying on cobbles at the juniors (bad luck last year), Taco vd Hoorn defeated Van Aert in a similar race (Schaal Sels) two years ago. Jansen will be missed, but WvA has got enough support.

 

[RedheadDane]

I know this is just me being my usual overthinking - focusing on the sad parts self, but consider this:
Last year, two young men started their first ever Paris-Roubaix.
Neither of them will be on the startline this Sunday - or indeed in any other race ever - because of fate's cruel twists. Though one of them was significantly luckier than the other.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

Re: Re:

Showers predicted for Saturday in Roubaix so cold, damp and headwind. Usch!

Rain in the saturday before PR but a dry sunday. In other news, the Sky ist blue

News to me! I thought Sky is Ineos

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

I know this is just me being my usual overthinking - focusing on the sad parts self, but consider this:
Last year, two young men started their first ever Paris-Roubaix.
Neither of them will be on the startline this Sunday - or indeed in any other race ever - because of fate's cruel twists. Though one of them was significantly luckier than the other.

Would you care to elaborate on this part?

I assumed you were talking about Goolaerts and Duquennoy but they have both passed away, so certainly neither of those was luckier than the other.

Edit: Ah, it must have been Tanguy Turgis you thought of instead of Duquennoy.

 

[RedheadDane]

Didn't know Duquennoy did his first P-R last year as well… now you're just making me even more sad...

 

[can3478]

Re:

I know this is just me being my usual overthinking - focusing on the sad parts self, but consider this:
Last year, two young men started their first ever Paris-Roubaix.
Neither of them will be on the startline this Sunday - or indeed in any other race ever - because of fate's cruel twists. Though one of them was significantly luckier than the other.

Hope this helps,
"Our riders and staff stopped during the #ParisRoubaix recon to pay their respects and lay flowers at the monument erected in the memory of Michael Goolaerts."

 

[RedheadDane]

Sweet, but still sad, because there shouldn't even be a monument.

Right! I'll focus on this year's race!

 

[jmdirt]

Please give me (at least) 10 guys pounding the crap out of each other for the final 50 K!

 

[fuiers]

I just want John Degenkolb to win this race. End of story. Period.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Only reason Hayman was allowed in the break was because of the racing he missed with his broken arm.

That simply is not true.
Chavanel was in that break, and he was certainly more of a threat than Hayman at that moment, yet he was allowed to go in that break.

Yeah, it's a bit of a strange claim. I find it hard to believe that, if Hayman hadn't broken his arm, then the likes of BMC, Quickstep, Tinkoff would have been busting a gut to close down any break with him in it. He was a rider without any results for four years, and who was never a really serious threat even at his peak.

Only reason is certainly extreme, but let's be honest, it was the main reason. Crap riders don't finish top 10 3 years in a row riding for other people.

I remember with 80kms to go when Hayman kept forcing the break thinking that he needed to stop riding so wastefully - that he was going well and needed to work less lol.

 

[jaylew]

Re:

Kristoff will destroy this bike race the big hunk of meat that he is

I think you may be right but I'm hoping for anyone other than Kristoff or Degenkolb. No guarantee of course, but I feel like it will have been a crappy edition if either of them win.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

Kristoff will destroy this bike race the big hunk of meat that he is

I think you may be right but I'm hoping for anyone other than Kristoff or Degenkolb. No guarantee of course, but I feel like it will have been a crappy edition if either of them win.

I thought Degenkolb’s win was a great race, as was his Tour stage into Roubaix last year. If either of Deg or AK win, it will more than likely have come down to a sprint in the velodrome, and I don’t think that would be a bad thing.


The thought occurs that since no Belgian has won a classic yet this season, what odds on a Belgian winner now that we’re in France?

(Obviously good odds, as GvA is among the favorites, but how likely just in general that ANY Belgian takes the win?)

 

[Koronin]

I'd love to see Gilbert win as that would give him 4 of the 5 monuments. Just don't think it'll happen.