Sun 11th April: Paris - Roubaix, 259km

[auscyclefan94]

The Queen of the Classics is only 1 week away so place your bets on the poll and discuss throught the thread. Who will win?

Here is the race route

The cobblestone sections

 

[franciep10]

It's boring pick but you have to go with Boonen and quickstep

 

[Jancouver]

It's boring pick but you have to go with Boonen and quickstep

+1

1. Tom
2. Fabian
3. Pipo

 

[Galic Ho]

Easy. Tom Boonen over Spartacus.

Who else thinks Leif Hoste will have an incident after making the final breakaway?

 

[Rocksteady]

+1

1. Tom
2. Fabian
3. Pipo

I can't argue with either Tornado Tom or Sparticus. I'd like to see Maaskant or Boom up there too.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

What's up with these polls. People keep ignoring the Rabobank squad. I can't see Maaskant or Vansummeren having higher chances than Boom, Nuyens or Langeveld
How come they are always overlooked?

Hell even BMC is up there, hahaha

 

[theyoungest]

What's up with these polls. People keep ignoring the Rabobank squad. I can't see Maaskant or Vansummeren having higher chances than Boom, Nuyens or Langeveld
How come they are always overlooked?

Hell even BMC is up there, hahaha

Well, considering who started the poll, that's not really surprising, is it? But you're right, Rabo tends to be overlooked among these new and hip teams. But who cares.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

What's up with these polls. People keep ignoring the Rabobank squad. I can't see Maaskant or Vansummeren having higher chances than Boom, Nuyens or Langeveld
How come they are always overlooked?

Hell even BMC is up there, hahaha

*cough* thread starter *cough*

Rabo have proven this year they have one of the strongest team in the cobbles. Ignorance is bliss.
But as youngest said who cares.

Boonen wins this.

 

[allstar56]

Paris Roubaix 2010

I have to be loyal to my team, so it's Fabian for me, but I don't doubt Boonen will be in there somewhere. I just hope they all have a safe ride.

 

[Jancouver]

+1

1. Tom
2. Fabian
3. Pipo

Pipo is out

1. Torpedo
2. Spartacus
3. Big George


J.

 

[Rocksteady]

Pipo is out

1. Torpedo
2. Spartacus
3. Big George


J.

I would love to see Big George win this. Sooo much bad luck over the years. He would probably die of a heart attack if he did win though.

RIP Big George

 

[Boeing]

You have to attack to win PR so count Big George out..although VS will mention his name every 15 seconds regardless

I haven't see the official start list but I am guessing Thor has a shot. He was one over steer on a dusty turn away from a good finish last year

 

[sublimit]

a couple of weeks back i went for Cancellara, and i still go with that.

Flecha getting the better of Boonen and getting second. Boonen position 3


for a big outsider - Cervelo's Jeremy Hunt. A bit of a statement i know but you never know. he has to keep riding the whole distance and not throw in the towel though but he has the talent to do it.

 

[auscyclefan94]

*cough* thread starter *cough*

Rabo have proven this year they have one of the strongest team in the cobbles. Ignorance is bliss.
But as youngest said who cares.

Boonen wins this.

Ok lets do a little comparison,
BMC
George hincapie
2nd in Roubaix
3rd in Flanders
1st in gent
1st in KBK

Alessandro Ballan
3rd in Roubaix
1st in Flanders

Marcus burghardt
1st in Gent
7th in Flanders

Kaarsten Kroon
8th in Flanders
4th K-B-K

Rabobank

Lars Boom
5th in E3 Pirjs

Nick Nuyens
1st in KBK
1st in het Volk
2nd in Flanders

Sebastian langeveld
9th in E3
2nd in KBK

That's why I put BMC in over Rabobank. Maybe I should of put them in instead of HTC but Eisel won last week in Gebt so that's what I did.

 

[blaxland]

Hate to say but Tom Boonen or Cancellara...............Great historical race but total boredom knowing who will win before the start?would love to see Miaskant and Hincapie have top 5 rides....................

 

[knewcleardaze]

I'd like to see Hincapie win this this thing. But as ThoughtForFood said earlier, I don't see it happening. When he rides well, which he usually does, there's a puncture or mechanical failure to cost him a shot at victory.
Easy for me to say, sitting on the sidelines, but I think I'd ride a steel bike in The Queen of the Classics.

 

[Cerberus]

That's why I put BMC in over Rabobank. Maybe I should of put them in instead of HTC but Eisel won last week in Gebt so that's what I did.

Hincapie is getting old and last time I checked Amstel and Fleche weren't cobbled classics. Besides, unless I'm missing something the closest thing to a result the BMC team has had recently was Hincapie 4th in Gent. Being on form is fairly important to.

 

[sadfitty]

1. Cancellara
2. Boonen
3. Flecha
4. Hushovd
5. Pozzato

 

[issoisso]

So, to recap: Half the people say Boonen vs. Cancellara, the other half say someone of their nationality will be the big revelation.

What a surprise

 

[issoisso]

So, to recap: Half the people say Boonen vs. Cancellara, the other half say someone of their nationality will be the big revelation.

What a surprise

 

[craig1985]

You have to attack to win PR so count Big George out..although VS will mention his name every 15 seconds regardless

I haven't see the official start list but I am guessing Thor has a shot. He was one over steer on a dusty turn away from a good finish last year

Nah George to get in the winning break and then somehow have a crash and lose. Just like in 2006 when he probably would have won if it weren't for a rather dodgy steer on his Trek.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Nah George to get in the winning break and then somehow have a crash and lose. Just like in 2006 when he probably would have won if it weren't for a rather dodgy steer on his Trek.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he in a group with all the major favorites at that moment? (Petegem, Boonen etc.)

People here make it sound like he had a minute with 2km to go.

I'll youtube it to make sure

/Ok, It was over 45km to go, George wasn't working in a group with 2 teammates (who didn't even attempt to see if Hinacapie could go on), Van Petegem also had a domestique left (Hoste?), Boonen looked awesome, Flecha and Ballan were there.

Sorry, Hincapie probably wouldn't have won that one.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Hincapie is getting old and last time I checked Amstel and Fleche weren't cobbled classics. Besides, unless I'm missing something the closest thing to a result the BMC team has had recently was Hincapie 4th in Gent. Being on form is fairly important to.

i will edit fleche and amstel out. just making the point as a team bmc are a lot more impressive team with he palmares they have compared to Rabo.

 

[craig1985]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't he in a group with all the major favorites at that moment? (Petegem, Boonen etc.)

People here make it sound like he had a minute with 2km to go.

I'll youtube it to make sure

/Ok, It was over 45km to go, George wasn't working in a group with 2 teammates (who didn't even attempt to see if Hinacapie could go on), Van Petegem also had a domestique left (Hoste?), Boonen looked awesome, Flecha and Ballan were there.

Sorry, Hincapie probably wouldn't have won that one.

We didn't get live coverage of the race back then. Aside from highlights, I could only go off English language race reports. From what I remember is that Discovery had isolated Quick Step. Also BTW, Hoste was racing for Discovery that year, and finished "2nd" and Gusev came "4th" and PvP "3rd". I though it was harsh to DNQ those three since they wouldn't have caught Cancellara anyway.

 

[Cerberus]

i will edit fleche and amstel out. just making the point as a team bmc are a lot more impressive team with he palmares they have compared to Rabo.

They have an ok track record in the cobbles classics, but there is a certain inborn bias in comparing an old riders palmares to that of a young rider. Personally I doubt that either Rabo or BMC are going to win at Roubaix. Smart money says Saxo Bank or Quick Step.