Jul 10, 2014
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Third edition of this women's Parix-Roubaix. Kopecky is back from winning the Flander, can anyone stop her here?

Notable riders: Longho Borghini, Kopecky, Chabbey, Sierra, Bastianelli, Vos, Mackaij, Consonni, Kool


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Live video stream available on Eurosport/GCN.

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Full startlist (not yet final):

Map:

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Profile:

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42ef7
 
Last edited:
Sep 26, 2020
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Third edition of this women's Parix-Roubaix. Kopecky is back from winning the Flander, can anyone stop her here?

Notable riders: Longho Borghini, Kopecky, Chabbey, Sierra, Bastianelli, Vos, Mackaij, Consonni, Kool


RzIzh68.png


Live video stream available on Eurosport/GCN.

Y0a15bx.png


Full startlist (not yet final):

Map:

8f31c


Profile:

paris-roubaix-we-2023-result-profile-65b91e02a5.png


42ef7

Maybe we should have different thumbnails for the two threads to avoid any confusion?

I was obviously going to make the thread myself, like I did last year, but if you snooze, you lose.
 
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Sep 26, 2020
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In the first edition they did three laps in and around Denain, but to avoid the race being decided too early again, they added another lap last year. This time they'll do two laps before riding a new loop south of the city and back again.

This means the race is now 145 km, which will take more than three and a half hours to complete. This is more in line with the other big races on the women's calendar.

I'm still not a fan of the start, but it'll probably have to do, until they find a way/have the guts to include Arenberg in the race.
 
Jul 10, 2014
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Five-star Arenberg still 'too dangerous' for Paris-Roubaix Femmes, says ASO

"However, ASO has also said that with careful route changes and additional pavè sectors added earlier in the race, the women's event could cross the Trouée d'Arenberg in future editions."
 
Jun 25, 2015
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Five-star Arenberg still 'too dangerous' for Paris-Roubaix Femmes, says ASO

"However, ASO has also said that with careful route changes and additional pavè sectors added earlier in the race, the women's event could cross the Trouée d'Arenberg in future editions."
I hope they actually spoke with the women first.

Edited to add, after a cup of coffee: This smacks of condescension. I can think of thousands of possible ways to get Arenberg in the race. For example, you could just have them do a loop through the town of Arenberg and come at the sector from the right rather than straight on.

Maybe they did speak to the riders and DSs first, but if so, they need to say that. Otherwise it seems like another "We know best" situation.
 
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They use it in the Paris-Roubaix Challenge, where one of the routes is exactly 145 km (it comes as the first of 19 secteurs).

It might blow the race to pieces (too) early, but you'll never know until you try it. And surely it wouldn't be impossible to make a route with Arenberg without using all of the final secteurs from the men's race, so that it would come closer to the finish.
 
May 5, 2010
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Maybe what they really mean is that the women would ride so fast across the cobbles, that the ensuing wind-pressure would cause all the tree to topple, and that would be bad.
 
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Apr 30, 2011
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Maybe they did speak to the riders and DSs first, but if so, they need to say that. Otherwise it seems like another "We know best" situation.
It's their race. Of course they know best.

And no, they should not ask the riders what the route should be.
 
Jul 10, 2014
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It's their race. Of course they know best.

And no, they should not ask the riders what the route should be.

I would agree that if they just presented the route as it is, then no question are necessery, riders have to ride the route as presented. But when they explain "this section is too hard for you" then I think questions are on point, whether riders really think the section is too hard.
 
May 5, 2010
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I would agree that if they just presented the route as it is, then no question are necessery, riders have to ride the route as presented. But when they explain "this section is too hard for you" then I think questions are on point, whether riders really think the section is too hard.

So, you don't think the riders should just go rogue, and ride the Arenberg anyway? :p
 
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I would agree that if they just presented the route as it is, then no question are necessery, riders have to ride the route as presented. But when they explain "this section is too hard for you" then I think questions are on point, whether riders really think the section is too hard.
It's kind of funny though, when Adam Hansen looks out the window, sees it's raining and doesn't fancy it, or 90 riders (two days after a day they let the break come in 20 minutes up and four days after a rest day) think the race has been too hard so they won't bother trying to make the time cut, organisers apparently have to listen, but when the women's péloton actively request harder, more selective races, the organisers apparently don't.
 
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I would agree that if they just presented the route as it is, then no question are necessery, riders have to ride the route as presented. But when they explain "this section is too hard for you" then I think questions are on point, whether riders really think the section is too hard.

The headline of the article isn't really accurate, cause the defense isn't that it's too dangerous, but only that it would make the race less exciting, because the best riders would get a gap too quickly.
 
Apr 30, 2011
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I would agree that if they just presented the route as it is, then no question are necessery, riders have to ride the route as presented. But when they explain "this section is too hard for you" then I think questions are on point, whether riders really think the section is too hard.
The section was too hard for the race to have at that point. It'd worsen the race if it had Arenberg so early.
 
Oct 3, 2021
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I hope they actually spoke with the women first.

Edited to add, after a cup of coffee: This smacks of condescension. I can think of thousands of possible ways to get Arenberg in the race. For example, you could just have them do a loop through the town of Arenberg and come at the sector from the right rather than straight on.

Maybe they did speak to the riders and DSs first, but if so, they need to say that. Otherwise it seems like another "We know best" situation.

I dont think the problem is getting to Arenberg, I thought the issue was because they cant give the women a course with enough length & variation of difficulty ahead of it (and still get to Roubaix) to cause enough splits or extension of the peloton before it, such that theyd all end up hitting it in a mass bunch and some would be full gas as Denain isnt that far away as the crow flies,. which would be utter carnage, think Tour de France Femme style crashes, but with gigantic cobble stones to land on, it would make the mens Tour of Flanders crash look like a picnic.

Arenberg works in the mens race because they do what nearly 100km before they even hit any cobble sector, and another 60 before they hit Arenberg with still another 100 to go to the finish so there are enough splits and small groups formed and difficulty theyve been through, with plenty still to come, that theyve got enough space, arent full on it, but even then people crash and are hurt badly.

the womens race is only 3 editions old with this years race, the ASO are still finding their feet with the best route, within the limations the UCI set, the women can only do 160km max at the moment. Im sure the ASO will find a way to include it soon because its the iconic cobble sector of the mens race that will absolutely sell the race to the public, media and sponsors, which is how the ASO make their money from it.

but I think we have to work up to a level that supports it first.
 
Jun 20, 2015
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I predict that Kopecky will be at a different team in 2024 - I doubt her style of riding suits the SD Worx style.
 
Jun 20, 2015
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The winning style?

Even in Ronde she burnt her team-mates Wiebes and Reusser by riding too hard in the break of four, instead of using the numbers against Persico - Lucky she was stronger than Persico - Then in Strade she attacked from the peleton when Vollering was chasing Faulkner and was lucky that Ludwig couldn't quite get on her wheel and of course we know what happened at the finish.
 
Sep 26, 2020
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So... what's ASO's excuse for not providing full-race coverage?

They've told me that they just want to torture you.

They promise to go live just before the first secteur, bit I obviously wouldn't have minded it being a little bit earlier. At least we shouldn't miss the key action.

II'm hoping for a Vos win, but I'm not overly confident her behalf.