Paris-Roubaix Femmes, 2021 - Oct. 2nd

[Volderke]

Honestly, I feared for this (women just crashing out, and no firepower anymore to chase). Deigning is the smartest (and strongest)

 

[120mmStem]

Brutal, crashes everywhere!!!

 

[Red Rick]

Have we ever seen a rider hit Mons en Pevele with a 2 minute lead?

More to the point, has anyone ever been 2’ down at MeP and come back to win? Somebody’s dropped a serious clanger here letting a rider like Deignan get this much of a gap so early.

I mean I doubt they just let her get 2 minutes, it's more like "I'm not gonna follow big attacks the first sections" and then when they actually start riding harder and harder they're all like "oh *** the gap is only going up"

Also much of the route has a decent tailwind.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

CrashFest going on

 

[Feticheur]

This is like the circus in Rome. That race tomorrow will be insane.

 

[Salvarani]

So basically, race is over before live TV coverage started? OK.

Yeah... unless Deignan crashes/mechanical or runs completely empty.

 

[Salvarani]

Vos still looks good.

 

[Orbit501]

Mons-en-Pévèle really really slippery in places!
Several riders down already.

If it rains anytime from now until tomorrow, men's race is going to be carnage there.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

This is brutal, no wonder the race has splintered so quickly. It doesn't get much harder than racing on these muddy sections with slick tyres.

 

[Leinster]

carnage

It’s been said you only appreciate how good the top players in some sports are (ice hockey, hurling, lacrosse) once you’ve seen it played at lower levels.

These women are the top riders in the world and they’re giving me a whole new appreciation for how good the men’s racers are over these roads.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Race Fatale for the Femmes

 

[gregrowlerson]

What is meant here by "pure" endurance?

17 y.o. boys run marathons faster than women. There's a stark athletic difference between men and women in pretty much all dimensions.

What I mean is how much someone slows down compared to their top end speed. I haven't done exact calculations, but I assume that men and women slow down to similar percentage levels (if you were to compare speeds from 400 metres running to 5,000 metres, to marathon). Of course men remain faster at all distances, because they have a power advantage, not necessarily an endurance one.

 

[yaco]

It is clear that the technical skills on cobbles vary widely between the women which will improve over time - In saying that the conditions are treacherous.

 

[Leinster]

Deignan in #13. Wearing it right way up. If she pulls this off it’ll change cycling tradition forever.

 

[Volderke]

It is clear that the technical skills on cobbles vary widely between the women which will improve over time - In saying that the conditions are treacherous.

I was also inclined to say that the women have less skills, but I would like to wait untill tomorrow; maybe it’s as bad in the men’s race.

 

[glassmoon]

It’s been said you only appreciate how good the top players in some sports are (ice hockey, hurling, lacrosse) once you’ve seen it played at lower levels.

These women are the top riders in the world and they’re giving me a whole new appreciation for how good the men’s racers are over these roads.

if it's that wet tomorrow, it'll be a crash fest too

 

[Netserk]

It’s been said you only appreciate how good the top players in some sports are (ice hockey, hurling, lacrosse) once you’ve seen it played at lower levels.

These women are the top riders in the world and they’re giving me a whole new appreciation for how good the men’s racers are over these roads.

Remember Sagan jumping over Cancellara in 2016.

 

[Salvarani]

I was also inclined to say that the women have less skills, but I would like to wait untill tomorrow; maybe it’s as bad in the men’s race.

I think weight also play a part.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Really hoping Lizzie takes this to the finish, great ride so far.

 

[JosefK]

Really hoping Lizzie takes this to the finish, great ride so far.

It's in the bag.

 

[Pirazziattacks]

I was also inclined to say that the women have less skills, but I would like to wait untill tomorrow; maybe it’s as bad in the men’s race.

It could be even worse if larger groups hit these sectors together.

 

[sir fly]

Riding together isn't working, it appears.
At some point someone will need to go for it.

 

[jaylew]

So basically we missed the race

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Deignan running really big tires. Looks like equipment choice is a big factor. I wondered what the tire choice would be, and it looks like Deignan got it right.

 

[Volderke]

Remember Sagan jumping over Cancellara in 2016.

That was actually almost exactly where Balsamo crashed (last stretch of Mons-en-Pevele).