Rate Paris-Roubaix 2016

[Valv.Piti]

Makes me angry that RCS have chosen a *** country again, like Ireland and Denmark wasn't enough already! And the best and only part of the season I know of is July #JulyFAN

 

[skidmark]

I rated it a 10. This is the reason I watch bike racing, hoping for days like this.

Seriously, I've sat with it all day because in the aftermath of a race it's easy to be hyperbolic, but in terms of a scale of (goodness of race = how many moments of excitement there were x duration of excitement x how high-stakes it was), this was hands down the best one-day race I've ever seen since I've really started following cycling ten years ago. I've kind of been reluctant to embrace P-R as a race because it is so widely recognized by certain casual fans that maybe don't appreciate the beauty of other races as much as I'd like, so I want to be contrarian about it. But man, you can't deny on a day like today that the race itself is absolutely singular and special. Hayman is the perfect winner as a testament to the race itself - it's one of the only races that is suited to workhorses as well as more flashy riders, and it's great to see guys like him, Sieberg, Erviti, Saramotins in the top 10. It was four hours of drama and fun, and I was happy I woke up at 6am to watch it.

 

[hfer07]

10 despite the fact that I yet desire to witness a proper WET Paris _roubaix - almost happened - but Lord - what a magnificent race. I watched it an hour ago and yet again I was so excited by the entire action throughout the last 50K - even with the fact that Cance & Sagan misfortune turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the breakaway group- all real warriors hungry for the title. A very special edition of P-R in my book.

 

[claude cat]

Exciting from the get-go, right to the very end. Can't think of a classic that had so much happening in it.

 

[The Hegelian]

10.

Contrary to some other views, Hayman winning the sprint over Boonen is what lifted it to a 10: the sheer wtf moment of it. Even Hayman was totally wtf?? Everyone, across the universe was like: wtf!!??

But it wasn't a pejorative wtf - it was a genuine moment of astonishment. Not sure I've ever seen that before in sport.

If Boonen had won, it would have been a 9: brilliant film, great acting, great script - but predictable, formulaic, romantic happy ending.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'm not really sure why the outcome (the winner) decides if it's a 9 or 10. Surely those last few metres of the race doesn't matter that much? For me, it's all about how entertaining the race was and it was equally entertaining had Boonen, Vanmarcke, Stannard or Hagen won instead of Hayman. No matter the outcome, it's a clear 10.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

9/10... because I missed the live broadcast.

 

[ljpoyz]

If I'm 100% honest, I've always found Paris-Roubaix a bit underwhelming compared to its reputation.
I fell in love last night. 10.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

I'm all for saying that there could always be something better about a race, but screw that, I'm going 10

Yep. I said that at the rvv poll and gave it a 9, but f that. This is a 10. Best stuff I've ever seen.
The fact that a "domestique" won doesn't even hurt it as the racing was simply too good.

 

[rhubroma]

5 it stunk.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

I disagree with those saying that it would have been better if Cancellara ans Sagan had got back. The thing is, they were very much in contention for many km, and the chase was a huge factor in why this race turned out to be so good.

edit: Ninja'd

What about last year's Gent Wevelgem?

I missed that one, sadly.

Indeed. Because cance and sagan were chasing for pretty much the last 120km this was a great race. The fact they weren't able to close it for 80km says quite a bit. They had all the time in the world to fix it.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

9.5, Only thing that I found annoying was that Cancellara and Sagan were dropped so soon.

You do realise that because they were dropped we got to see 120km final. That made the race. Them constantly at 1 minute behind then to 30 seconds then it grew a little again. It was the tension "will they come back?" That made it a great race until Cancellara crashed, but the the final started with the lead group.

 

[trucido]

9. Attacking when the two big favourites are caught behind crashes is an acceptable but hardly classy tactic.

Would the race have been as exciting had Cancellara/Sagan been with that group? Who knows?

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

9. Attacking when the two big favourites are caught behind crashes is an acceptable but hardly classy tactic.

Would the race have been as exciting had Cancellara/Sagan been with that group? Who knows?

What? The race just continued as it would have regardless. It's not like Cancellara crashed out while driving the main break.

 

[Kwibus]

Re: Re:

9. Attacking when the two big favourites are caught behind crashes is an acceptable but hardly classy tactic.

Would the race have been as exciting had Cancellara/Sagan been with that group? Who knows?

What? The race just continued as it would have regardless. It's not like Cancellara crashed out while driving the main break.

He is referring to Etixx upping the pace when a lot of riders were caught behind a crash. Not classy, but I can't be arsed personally. This is racing.
I have more affinity with Cance and Sagan than Boonen, but he did what he had to do and created the race. Besides they also had the balls to do so with so much km to go.

http://youtu.be/b7grrMvscRk

Nice recap here. Only a short awful piece of commercial in between, but a really good breakdown of how it all unfolded by cosmo catalano.

 

[kingjr]

Re: Re:

9.5, Only thing that I found annoying was that Cancellara and Sagan were dropped so soon.

You do realise that because they were dropped we got to see 120km final. That made the race. Them constantly at 1 minute behind then to 30 seconds then it grew a little again. It was the tension "will they come back?" That made it a great race until Cancellara crashed, but the the final started with the lead group.

Yes, I do realise that. But how I rate a race is not just determined by the level of excitement, or by how open it is.
I wanted to see Sagan and Cancellara and Boonen fight against each other so I could see who is better in P-R this year. I didn't get to see that, and I will never get to see it again, because this was Cancellara's last P-R, and maybe Boonen's, too. But the race was so good that it (almost) didn't matter in the end.

 

[hrotha]

How did you not see that? I'd say it was some 80 km of Boonen vs Cancellara & Sagan.

 

[kingjr]

Re:

How did you not see that? I'd say it was some 80 km of Boonen vs Cancellara & Sagan.

No, it was Martin, Boonen, Sky and LottoNL vs Cancellara, Sagan and Stuyven, in a situation that came about due to a crash and that was decided by another crash (although I don't believe they would have got back to the front one way or the other). In a 10/10 edition (from my personal POV), Cancellara and Sagan would have been in that front group 20km before the finish.

 

[hrotha]

Granted, it wasn't a 1-on-1 fight, but I see the contribution of their teammates rather like a general committing their troops to a particular manoeuvre. Making those tactical calls is part of the battle for me.

 

[kingjr]

You need to have troops, though.

 

[ILovecycling]

Re: Re:

Best part of the season is gone, how are you feeling about THAT?:crying:

Nonsense. The best part of the season is in May.

The Bayern Rundfahrt? I have bad news for you...

Seriously though, my yearly Giro vacation is all booked. Is it May yet?

I expected some italianos to come up, you havent dissapointed

I love Giro, its the second best month of the year
Now seriously, as the field is not so shinny this year, I think it might be a little bit less atractive for me

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re: Re:

Best part of the season is gone, how are you feeling about THAT?

Nonsense. The best part of the season is in May.

The Bayern Rundfahrt? I have bad news for you...

Seriously though, my yearly Giro vacation is all booked. Is it May yet?

I expected some italianos to come up, you havent dissapointed

I love Giro, its the second best month of the year
Now seriously, as the field is not so shinny this year, I think it might be a little bit less atractive for me

Italianos?
I'm not italian, friend. I can actually speak english and drive without crashing

 

[ray j willings]

It perhaps was the greatest race I never saw.

 

[MortiroloForever]

What a Paris-Roubaix we had the opportunity to "live" yesterday. It was an outstanding race with riders totally involved on trying to win it in such a prestigious way.

Boonen looked like the Phoenix. He rised his level up to his best days and, helped by an extraordinary Tony Martin (I honestly think of the german has the power and the strenght to be a main character in the Hell of the North). blowed the race up with more than 100 kilometers to go!!!!... It's ridiculous to compare these classics to the Ardennes (even though Liege-Bastogne-Liege is one of my favourite race of the calendar).

It was a pity to see Vanmarcke strucking his pedals amd making the distance at the Carrefour de l'Abre to end coming back to the group after his super effort. I think he really deserves a big win after quite good performances such as the last Tour of Flandes. He is almost always in front of the race but, definitely, he is not a killer.

The winner Mathew Hayman was a huge surprise, but I give a total credit to him, because he caught the front group after get dropped at the Carrefour. In addition, he finished so strong that even the fourth time winner Boonen could not beat him in the agonic sprint at the most beautiful "velodrome" in the world.

The only bad thing yesterday is that we have to wait a looooong year untill next Paris-Roubaix edtiion.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

It perhaps was the greatest race I never saw.

Poor guy