Paris-Roubaix

[ergmonkey]

let's face it, Garmin - Cervelo have a scary good classics team.

As many good riders as Garmin-Cervelo have, they still don't have a single Monument winner--let alone a victory that is specific to Roubaix. I think a three-time winner is scarier no matter how you slice it.

 

[Parrulo]

That certainly is part of it - but I also think that Tom seems to be fading a bit recently (at least with no big wins in 2010), whereas Fabian certainly seemed to put himself in the spotlight far more last season. Remember - no one remembers who came second, and Tom only managed 2nd in Flanders and 5th in Roubaix last year.

1 year off isn't the end of the world. i think we all can agree with that. besides he had some injury problems even tho they didn't affect them during RVV and P-R

Let's just say that even the real Flandrian Tom Boonen supporters were calling Cancellara unbeatable.

Boonen's great but, on form, if anywhere near the finale Cancellara gets more than a few meters separation from Boonen... well, Tomeke will not see him again until the showers.

I think Cancellara has that part figured out. He did it at Flanders and at P-R.

see thats the kind of hyping i am talking about. there is a portuguese saying that really fits what happened to boonen in people's eyes. he went "from best to beast" in less then a blink of an eye. while canc is the opposite

 

[jaylew]

Someone else please..
Haussler, Breschel, Langeveld, Burghardt...

Just not Boonen/Canc and a trailing Pozzato again.

How about a trailing Flecha again? He's got 3 podiums and 5-6 top 6 finishes.

For some reason I'm thinking it might be someone new - probably someone who's podiumed but who hasn't won. Ballan, Flecha, Hushovd, Pozzato...or Haussler.

 

[M Sport]

I agree on the Haussler pick, he must be due to take out a big win this year if he's fully fit again. I wonder how the recovery has been, I haven't really heard too much from him.

Other than Haussler I would like to see Hushovd win.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Boonen does look very very 'sharp' these days!

 

[Matthijs]

I think Haussler is better suited to de Ronde.

Do not forget Boonen won on several occasions just by staying in a group with Cancellara (so Canc couldn't get away) or even attacking and riding away with some other favourites from a group with Cancellara. It's still 3.2 in PR (and 2.1 in ronde). And also most years Boonen didn't win, he finished in a group before Cancellara or outsprinted him in the same group. So Boonen is allways and every year better then Cancellara except last year and Canc's PR06 win. Do not believe the hype!

 

[Finbouy]

I'd like to see Boonan return to previous years form first before he hits the cobbles again. Last year we all know he had "issues", but we've heard nothing rumbling under so far this year..which is GOOD..Ride Ya Bike Son, forget what you're thought of..

I'm more inclined for Hus/Canc/Pozza again, in that order. HH has had some great form, but can you really see him firing off the front? I can't, sorry.

What I would really like to see is someone like Dev' go at it.. or one of Vaco' lads.. Is Bob McC doing it? Basso?? His Nibb's? Now if they are, I may change my tune and go for..

Nibb's and/or Evans...Or Frank..

 

[taiwan]

Haussler: I could see him winning a sprint vs. anyone but Boonen, if it came to that.

 

[hrotha]

I want Flecha to win, but it'll be hard for him because he can't beat any of the other favourites in a sprint, and it's not like he's a nobody who won't be closely marked by the others.

 

[Roland Rat]

Thor FTW, showing off the WC jersey in all it's muddied splendor.

 

[euanli]

I think we are going to see a muddy one this year.

Boonen to win.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I think we are going to see a muddy one this year.

I hope so. It's been a long time since the last muddy PR. (2002?)

 

[Thorn Cycling]

I think Haussler has a good chance as long as his health is good.

 

[jaylew]

I want Flecha to win, but it'll be hard for him because he can't beat any of the other favourites in a sprint, and it's not like he's a nobody who won't be closely marked by the others.

I agree totally. I'd like to see him win too but it would be hard. It'd probably have to be a situation where the group of favorites were fighting it out towards the end, he took a flier, and the fast finishers looked at each other a bit too long. Same deal with Ballan. I don't see them letting Canc go again but those two they might give a little rope. Most of the other favorites would probably fancy their chances in a sprint.

HH has had some great form, but can you really see him firing off the front? I can't, sorry.

I don't really either, but I don't see him in a huge disadvantage in a sprint against any of the favorites. Boonen and Hushovd might still have an edge but they've both lost a little speed and I think he would have a slight advantage over Pozzato.

 

[euanli]

thats why I want to see the mud. I want it to be more selective.

 

[Anonymous]

thats why I want to see the mud. I want it to be more selective.

More selective? Sheesh...

The organizers have added a few more hard sectors before Arenberg, and a tough sector just 4kms after.

Don't worry, you won't need the mud for there to be several selections (althought I'd love to see another muddy P-R).

 

[ultimobici]

Now that Cancellara won't have his specially outfitted bike, who will be the favourite this year to win?

WTF does not having a Specialized have to do with it?

He's won on a Cervelo & a Specialized.

Boonen has won on a Time and a Specialized.

Admittedly, Hincapie's steerer may be in the back of his mind.....
but nevertheless the bike really has SFA to do with it.

 

[Anonymous]

As many good riders as Garmin-Cervelo have, they still don't have a single Monument winner--let alone a victory that is specific to Roubaix. I think a three-time winner is scarier no matter how you slice it.

Perhaps, however I don't think Quickstep has very many cards to play. Tomeke can't do it by himself. Chavanel at Flanders? Ok, I'll buy that... but not at P-R. Steegmans? I dunno. Terpstra? Good worker but no threat to win.

Hell, Marc de Maar may end up being his super-domestique.

On the other hand....

Hammond
Klier
Hushovd
Lancaster
Maaskant
Van Summeren
Haussler
Miller
Vanmarcke
Farrar
Dean

Garmin have one or two that can compete with Boonen, straight up... and four or five that are as good or better than anyone else on QS.

Of course they all crashed together last year.....

 

[ergmonkey]

Perhaps, however I don't think Quickstep has very many cards to play. Tomeke can't do it by himself. Chavanel at Flanders? Ok, I'll buy that... but not at P-R. Steegmans? I dunno. Terpstra? Good worker but no threat to win.

Hell, Marc de Maar may end up being his super-domestique.

On the other hand....

Hammond
Klier
Hushovd
Lancaster
Maaskant
Van Summeren
Haussler
Miller
Vanmarcke
Farrar
Dean

Garmin have one or two that can compete with Boonen, straight up... and four or five that are as good or better than anyone else on QS.

Of course they all crashed together last year.....

Yeah, I've got huge respect for what Hammond and Van Summeren have done at Roubaix. I also think Hushovd can still do better, and I think Vanmarcke is the massive signing of the winter that too few people are talking about. Nonetheless, this sport is all about winning and I do think there is a special quality to big champions that no quantity of really good riders can equal.

For the same reason, I would rather take Fabian Cancellara to Roubaix with a solid but more anonymous team instead of assembling a "dream team" of guys like George Hincapie, Juan Antonio Flecha, Leif Hoste, Nick Nuyens, and a few more strong riders who are less likely to win a first Roubaix than Cancellara and Boonen are to repeat.

 

[luckyboy]

Perhaps, however I don't think Quickstep has very many cards to play. Tomeke can't do it by himself. Chavanel at Flanders? Ok, I'll buy that... but not at P-R. Steegmans? I dunno. Terpstra? Good worker but no threat to win.
Hell, Marc de Maar may end up being his super-domestique.

On the other hand....

Hammond
Klier
Hushovd
Lancaster
Maaskant
Van Summeren
Haussler
Miller
Vanmarcke
Farrar
Dean

Garmin have one or two that can compete with Boonen, straight up... and four or five that are as good or better than anyone else on QS.

I'd say Chavanel, Van Impe and Terpstra are pretty good help. Because Devolder, Weylandt and Wynants have gone they look weaker, but they still hold up to pretty much every team apart from Garmin. Don't know why you listed Julian Dean and Lancaster though.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd say Chavanel, Van Impe and Terpstra are pretty good help. Because Devolder, Weylandt and Wynants have gone they look weaker, but they still hold up to pretty much every team apart from Garmin. Don't know why you listed Julian Dean and Lancaster though.

Depth, lots and lots of depth. They could have five guys hurt and still have a really good classics team. In fact, I'm wondering where Farrar fits in for P-R.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

More selective? Sheesh...

The organizers have added a few more hard sectors before Arenberg, and a tough sector just 4kms after.

Don't worry, you won't need the mud for there to be several selections (althought I'd love to see another muddy P-R).

OK, but some mud makes it so much more epic.

 

[luckyboy]

Depth, lots and lots of depth. They could have five guys hurt and still have a really good classics team. In fact, I'm wondering where Farrar fits in for P-R.

Yeah, I just don't remember seeing results for them in cobbled races though.

Obviously Hushovd leads, but tactics would be just impossible to figure with all those guys. Maybe just do a Mapei.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Perhaps, however I don't think Quickstep has very many cards to play. Tomeke can't do it by himself. Chavanel at Flanders? Ok, I'll buy that... but not at P-R. Steegmans? I dunno. Terpstra? Good worker but no threat to win.

Hell, Marc de Maar may end up being his super-domestique.

On the other hand....

Hammond
Klier
Hushovd
Lancaster
Maaskant
Van Summeren
Haussler
Miller
Vanmarcke
Farrar
Dean

Garmin have one or two that can compete with Boonen, straight up... and four or five that are as good or better than anyone else on QS.

Of course they all crashed together last year.....

Steegmans will be good, Chavanel and Van Impe have both proven their worth on the cobbles, either in Flanders or PR. And I can see Summie and Hushovd compete with Boonen in PR, noone else though I wonder what HH will do this year

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I can see Van Summeren compete with Boonen, but it's hard to see a scenario with him winning against Boonen/Hushovd/Canc...