Paris Roubaix

[Wallace]

Hincapie will not will PR or Flanders. Ever. He may once have been at the level of the best guys, but he hasn't been for years. He's finished. Judging from how strong Boonen was last year at Flanders, and how he just rode everyone off his wheel at P-R (with a little help from Flecha), I feel fairly sure he'll win one of the two in 2010. Cancellara is also a very strong bet for Flanders. I think Flanders will come down to a Boonen/FC battle, which will exciting as hell to watch. I don't see anyone beating Boonen at P-R though. Flecha, Hoste, the Italians--none of them are as good as Tom on the cobbles. And Bassoon-Hogging is, at this stage, just a potential rival. Of course if Boonen crashes or flats at the wrong time, then that'll open up the race to at least ten possible winners. Except Hoste. Hoste could end up in the velodrome next to an exhausted domestique with paper jamming his rear-derailleur and two flats, and Lief would still lose the sprint, even if the other guy led him out for the last 20 k of the race.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I'm always pulling for Leif though, he's one of the good 'ole boyz!

I don't think he likes that flag anymore

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

boonen will win roubaix once again although I hope EBH can challenge him

Isn't EBH a bit too light for this? Boonen, Hushuvd, Cancellara, are all "big" guys...

 

[badboyberty]

I'm picking the God of Thunder to take home the most prestigious rock in the world this year.

Pozatto for second and Boonen for the last spot on the podium.

I also predict that I'll be at least 66% wrong.

 

[derailleur]

Hincapie will not will PR or Flanders. Ever. He may once have been at the level of the best guys, but he hasn't been for years.

yeah. just look how he's dressed. like he's waiting on the porch to die:

 

[il_fiammingo]

Nail-hitting-head! Thank you!

Heinrich Haussler is going to prevent Boonen from the equalizer this year.

Scared of having to change your nick into TB4ROUBAIX?

 

[il_fiammingo]

Isn't EBH a bit too light for this? Boonen, Hushuvd, Cancellara, are all "big" guys...

I share the same opinion, EBH hasn't showed anything yet in a 260km classic.
One day he will, but i don't think it'll be in 2010.

 

[elapid]

The top men of yesteryear would compete and win in all of the different classics (spring and fall) (e.g., Merckx won MSR 7 times, Flanders 2 times, PR 3 times, LBL 5 times, and every other classic at least once except for Paris-Tours; Coppi won MSR 3 times, PR once and La Fleche Wallone once; Hinault won La Fleche Wallone and LBL twice each, and PR, Ghent-Wevelgem and Amstel Gold once each), but with increased specialization this doesn't happen anymore. The GT men usually compete in the later hilly classics, sprinters in the early season classics, and the hard men in the best classics of all - the cobbles of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Difficult not to rate Boonen highly for PR, would love to see Flecha win, and Maaskant would be my dark horse selection.

 

[Rex Hunter]

Difficult not to rate Boonen highly for PR,.

Boonen will be unbeatable if he is coked up.

 

[gttim!]

Fabian Cancellara wins PR!

I would pay money to see Boogerd ride Lance's wheel to a win. I would laugh my *** off.

 

[maltiv]

Isn't EBH a bit too light for this? Boonen, Hushuvd, Cancellara, are all "big" guys...

EBH is 75 kg, so he's definitely not too light.

 

[flicker]

So who is toughest and strongest? Most likely Haussler or Cancellera or Boonen.

 

[BikeCentric]

Flecha crashed, that happens in paris roubaix, and you will often take one or two people with you. (Hoste wouldn't have won it anyway.) Hushovd crashed entirely of his own accord. Boonen crashed once or twice himself, I think. Flecha will most likely be in the final group once again next year, and I hope he wins it. Him or boasson hagen.

I agree. I also thought it was very poor sportsmanship of Hoste to bag on Flecha for crashing and "ruining my race" after the finish. That happens in PR and Hoste knows that. Also that corner where it happenned has a crash almost every year.

 

[BikeCentric]

boonen will win roubaix once again although I hope EBH can challenge him

Boonen certainly has the potential to if he can get his personal life in order. I do think he has the talent to be one the of the all-time greats and get 4 like Roger did.

 

[BikeCentric]

No one has mentioned Stijn Devolder; he cannot be counted out. Devolder, Boonen, Cancellara, Hushovd are the early favorites but we have to wait to see how they are coming on form in the Spring.

 

[Ripper]

I agree. I also thought it was very poor sportsmanship of Hoste to bag on Flecha for crashing and "ruining my race" after the finish. That happens in PR and Hoste knows that. Also that corner where it happenned has a crash almost every year.

Also agree. Hoste is one of the biggest cryers in the peloton. In a 3 person sprint, he could actually finish 4th

 

[Oldman]

Farrar might do well in roubaix, next year, I think. Would very much like to see contador in the ardennes classics, but it seems it's just not a priority to him.

Farrar rode it this year and got crashed several times. His first big results were in lesser Euro classics as a super-junior. He is tough.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Boonen will be unbeatable if he is coked up.

"The Magnetism of the finsh line" - Phil Liggett

Boonen loves the WHITE finsh line.

Quickstep should pay boonen in coke for all his victories not money. Then he'll be beating Cav in every sprint .

 

[Big Mig]

Big Mig

Hi new here,
Is it wrong to want atrocious weather in P-R for a change with about 23 riders finishing? Dry as a bone since 2002.
Although Boonen would probably be even more of a shoe in riding in wet conditions considering how he performed in the last rainy edition ( riding 200k in the break, dropping his team leader and finishing on the podium at 21 years old) and the fact that he,s won 3 dry ones.
Thank you for talking about the Classics for a change.

 

[LugHugger]

yeah. just look how he's dressed. like he's waiting on the porch to die:

Love big george for his efforts but I'm afraid that I have to agree. His chances have come and gone. There is no shame in that, plenty of great riders have never won P-R or RvV.

There are plenty of potential winners most of which have already been called here. This year, the Flecha crash removed any tension from the last 15km. It could have been a very different result had the chasers had the chance to work together.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

There are plenty of potential winners most of which have already been called here. This year, the Flecha crash removed any tension from the last 15km. It could have been a very different result had the chasers had the chance to work together.

As i remember correctly, there still was enough tension after that crach (Boonen vs. Hushovd/Boonen vs. Pozzato).
Anyway, Boonen was the strongest last year. No doubt.

 

[maltiv]

As i remember correctly, there still was enough tension after that crach (Boonen vs. Hushovd/Boonen vs. Pozzato).
Anyway, Boonen was the strongest last year. No doubt.

No doubt? I am fairly confident that Thor Hushovd would have beaten him in a sprint. Unfortunately, a silly technical mistake lead to a boring solo victory for Boonen, instead of what would have been a very exciting sprint which Thor definitely would have won.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

No doubt? I am fairly confident that Thor Hushovd would have beaten him in a sprint. Unfortunately, a silly technical mistake lead to a boring solo victory for Boonen, instead of what would have been a very exciting sprint which Thor definitely would have won.

A dumb mistake. Not making mistakes is also an important part of PR!
Boonen made no mistakes.

 

[maltiv]

A dumb mistake. Not making mistakes is also an important part of PR!
Boonen made no mistakes.

Yes, but you said he was the strongest, which I don't think he was. He was however the best.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Love big george for his efforts but I'm afraid that I have to agree. His chances have come and gone. There is no shame in that, plenty of great riders have never won P-R or RvV.

There are plenty of potential winners most of which have already been called here. This year, the Flecha crash removed any tension from the last 15km. It could have been a very different result had the chasers had the chance to work together.

Burghardt and ballan are all very good cobbled riders, they will have a lot of options in races such as Gent Wevelgem, Ronde van vlaanderen, Paris Roubaix.