Paris-Roubaix

[Andre.J]

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

 

[boardhanger]

I'm watchin Tomke carefully, because I want to see if the knee surgery has helped him. I'm still suspicious of Cancellaras victories.

 

[Andre.J]

I would love to see Boonen and Hushovd entering the velodrome together and dueling for the sprint.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I would love to see Boonen and Hushovd entering the velodrome together and dueling for the sprint.

This would actually be pretty awesome.

For me, the favorite will be Boonen with Cancellara a close second. Hushovd third.

 

[boardhanger]

Depending on the weather....there is so many varibles. Crashes etc. And of course the result at Vlaanderen has an impact on P-R also.

 

[taiwan]

Boonen, Hushovd, Pozzato are sort of obvious choices.

Slightly less obvious: Gilbert, Chavanel, Leukemans, Haussler...

Why won't Cancellara take it again? Because he wants to concentrate on hillier races?

 

[boardhanger]

No one speaks of Leif Hoste anymore?? Is he a Has Been or more to the point a Never Was?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Still an outsider.
The new team might have done him good?
I give him more chance than Pozzato for PR...

 

[The Hitch]

Boonen is the BIG favourite.

 

[taiwan]

No one speaks of Leif Hoste anymore?? Is he a Has Been or more to the point a Never Was?

Katusha is stronger this year, and I'm not that so sure about Pozzato winning it, so...
Anyone considered Paolini actually?

[edit] And I wonder who the wildcards will be this year.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Boonen, especially now he has Gert Steegmans back. Boonen, Steegmans, Terpstra and Chavanel is a pretty damn good quartet for the classics. And a Boonen Hushovd sprint would be awesome, if Tomke wins at least

 

[Anonymous]

Cancellara.

Trek wants a monument badly. Barring health problems, he will be firing at Flanders and Roubaix.

Boonen will be there. Hushovd too.

I still say watch out for Haussler. While everyone is paying attention to Hushovd, Heinrich may be able to roll away a la Devolder. I really see him doing something in either Flanders or Roubaix... and let's face it, Garmin - Cervelo have a scary good classics team.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Cancellara.

Trek wants a monument badly. Barring health problems, he will be firing at Flanders and Roubaix.

Boonen will be there. Hushovd too.

I still say watch out for Haussler. While everyone is paying attention to Hushovd Heinrich may be able to roll away a la Devolder. I really see him doing something in either Flanders or Roubaix... and let's face it, Garmin - Cervelo have a scary good classics team.

Honestly, I'd fear Haussler more than Hushovd in Flanders. He's faster, he's got more punch on those hills. He doesn't need to get away a la devolder, he can win in a sprint against anybody

 

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I'd fear Haussler more than Hushovd in Flanders. He's faster, he's got more punch on those hills. He doesn't need to get away a la devolder, he can win in a sprint against anybody

I agree. I really think Haussler can do serious damage in both races (if he's healthy).

 

[boardhanger]

I agree. I really think Haussler can do serious damage in both races (if he's healthy).

I like him and he's got some decent results. But Vlaanderen o' Roubaix are so long and hard I don't know yet for H.H

 

[roundabout]

Haussler was second in the Ronde in 2009 so he can handle the distance .

Probably a bit on the light side for Roubaix though.

 

[ak-zaaf]

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

Just not Boonen/Canc and a trailing Pozzato again.
Unless Boonen wins, that would be awesome.

 

[For The World]

Tom should win because he has his own line of processed meats:

Although, Leif Hoste sounds like some sort of BBQ sauce.

 

[Anonymous]

My moneys on Boonen this year, but id really like to see if Geraint Thomas can follow up on his decent showing in the tour stage with a top 10 in this years race. Sky should be stronger this year with eddy boss and arvesen both hopefully fit and possibly hunt in the squad.

Be interesting as well to see if BMC give Phinney a taste of the race.

 

[LugHugger]

Tom should win because he has his own line of processed meats:

Although, Leif Hoste sounds like some sort of BBQ sauce.

Or some kind of garden mulch

 

[For The World]

Oh but of course! Using Leif as a leaf would have been so much better.

 

[Parrulo]

is it just me who thinks canc is way too much hyped cus of his performances last year? i mean some people even rate him above tomeke now. well imo tom still is the best cobbles rider around. . . .

 

[boardhanger]

is it just me who thinks canc is way too much hyped cus of his performances last year? i mean some people even rate him above tomeke now. well imo tom still is the best cobbles rider around. . . .

This deserves a poll in itself alone!!

 

[For The World]

is it just me who thinks canc is way too much hyped cus of his performances last year? i mean some people even rate him above tomeke now. well imo tom still is the best cobbles rider around. . . .

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.

 

[Anonymous]

is it just me who thinks canc is way too much hyped cus of his performances last year? i mean some people even rate him above tomeke now. well imo tom still is the best cobbles rider around. . . .

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.