Who can stop Boonen?

[BillytheKid]

An errant water bottle in a feed zone.

Ouch.

 

[orangerider]

Tom will be only be unseated through injuries and/or going back to his snorting. If he avoids both, he will be difficult to beat in the years to come.

 

[greenedge]

Cancellara will stop Boonen/ make the race harder.

Vanmarcke and Sagan are the young generation who will challenge.

Ballan and Hushovd will get better for next year at P-R as well.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Only boonen himself.

Ahhhh. I was just thinking that. Joking, or not, aside, I just hope he's got the monkies off his back. Bad luck can always sneak up, but the deliberate avoidable ones are what I mean by 'monkies'.

 

[karlboss]

I'm already looking forward to next years cobbles, Cancelara v Boonen, and everyone else knowing that is the standard and how tough it is to keep up. OPQS has been a cut above this year, and they won't get weaker next year.

 

[Martin318is]

I'm already looking forward to next years cobbles, Cancelara v Boonen, and everyone else knowing that is the standard and how tough it is to keep up. OPQS has been a cut above this year, and they won't get weaker next year.

Tell that to Gilbert or Lotto this year... to grab some names at random...

 

[Lanark]

A lot can happen in a classic. If you had asked this question in 2006, would anyone have predicted Ballan, Devolder, Nuyens, O'Grady and Vansummeren 'beating' Boonen? Probably not. There are two riders who are a level above the rest (Boonen and Canc obviously), but a lot of riders below that who can win with a good day, fine tactics or bad luck by the real champions.

 

[theyoungest]

Tell that to Gilbert or Lotto this year... to grab some names at random...

Or tell it to last year's Boonen.

 

[ccyclo]

lets not forget boasson hagen - he has a great potesial

 

[Froome19]

I believe that in RVV and PR that a lot is about the luck which comes in the form of crashes and punctures.
People dont like to consider them because they mar who truly desrved to win etc but in these 2 races specifically Roubaix, it will be very rare not to see one of the top 5 favorites be put out of contention by such occurences.
Just see boonen last year or Pozzato this year or Canc

So what can stop Boonen? Crashes or punctures.

 

[will10]

After his fantastic ride in the P-R I just wonder who can stop this guy apart from Cancellara? Tom is just 31 and can dominate for many more years.

This is what we said in 2005. There's always someone new just around the corner.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

lets not forget boasson hagen - he has a great potesial

I've always been convinced that Hagen could be a challenger for Paris-Roubaix but I must admit that I'm beginning to have my doubts about it.

I just don't think he has the engine for these races. He has never shown anything when the lenght gets above 200km except for Vattenfall Cyclassics. This year he looked OK in Flanders but was completely bonked in Paris-Roubaix end ended more than 7 minutes down on Boonen.

I'm not gonna write him off just yet - after all he's still only 25 - but he has a lot of improvement to do if he wants to be a contender.

I almost can't wait for next years cobbled season with the big showdown between Boonen and Cancellara. I don't think anyone is really close to these two in terms of strenght. That's not to say that noone else can win, but they of course are the overwhelming favorites. I think the biggest challenger will be Sagan, and then I'm expecting quite a bit from Thomas, Vanmarcke and party Degenkolb for Paris-Roubaix even though he didn't do that well this year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

you guys are forgetting Boom, especially in roubaix.

 

[ccyclo]

It takes time to build an engine for the classics - Edvald might need some time to do that and then he'll be brilliant.

 

[Gloin22]

you guys are forgetting Boom, especially in roubaix.

Indeed, with better prep I think Boom should do well. Others would include Thomas/VanMarcke/Sagan/Langeveld, those imo are the young guns that will challenge Boonen and Cance.

I agree about EBH, he's still young and has time to develop. He really disappointed, but he might yet improve to be a good classics rider. He's potential on cobbles is overrated anyway, he never shown anything here except fluky win at Gent.

 

[ccyclo]

Thomas? Is this geraint thomas?

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Thomas? Is this geraint thomas?

Yes it is...

 

[Moncoutie]

not sure but his little brother did

Juraj is older than Peter.

 

[gilbertador]

Bonnen is racing the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday, how can he perform there in his first attempt? Surely its far to hilly...

 

[movingtarget]

Maybe Pozatto, with a little bit of better luck and intuition. Would have liked to see how things would have unfolded had Pozatto and Ballan stuck it out with Boonen and Terpstra.

Forget Pozzato even though his form has returned. Tactically he is inept or just negative. I can't see him ever beating Boonen, Ballan lacks a good sprint but is very strong. Flecha has had his chances as has Hushovd. Haussler and Sagan for the future maybe. Not sure if Goss can develop into such a rider for the cobbled classics. Devolder seems past it, maybe Van Marcke will keep improving. Maybe Oss will also improve and Turgot. Langeveld and Terpstra are solid but I doubt that any of these riders will rival or equal what Boonen has done. Not surprised to hear that Boonen will be riding Amstel even though I doubt he can win. I still think that Cancellara and Boonen will dominate for a few more years in these races.

 

[Gloin22]

Bonnen is racing the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday, how can he perform there in his first attempt? Surely its far to hilly...

Obviously, he isn't that good on hills as shown on Ronde where Pozzato came close to cracking him. I don't think he'll feature.

 

[El Pistolero]

Obviously, he isn't that good on hills as shown on Ronde where Pozzato came close to cracking him. I don't think he'll feature.

It's called having gear shifting problems. He was riding the Paterberg with a 21 on the back...

I don't think there are many sprinters who are better on the hills than Boonen. After all, he was the only real sprinter that survived the selection at the WC in 2005. With all that said, Boonen has ridden a lot of races already this season, more than everyone else, so his form should be in a downwards trend by now.

 

[Spine Concept]

Forget Pozzato even though his form has returned. Tactically he is inept or just negative. I can't see him ever beating Boonen, Ballan lacks a good sprint but is very strong. Flecha has had his chances as has Hushovd. Haussler and Sagan for the future maybe. Not sure if Goss can develop into such a rider for the cobbled classics. Devolder seems past it, maybe Van Marcke will keep improving. Maybe Oss will also improve and Turgot. Langeveld and Terpstra are solid but I doubt that any of these riders will rival or equal what Boonen has done. Not surprised to hear that Boonen will be riding Amstel even though I doubt he can win. I still think that Cancellara and Boonen will dominate for a few more years in these races.

Which is why I said with a little bit of better luck and intuition. Without those factors he's obviously got no chance, no one has except Cancellara. However, I'm hoping that with the new attitude Pozatto can figure more prominently in the races that suit him. If he can harness those factors than he could at least make it a bit harder on Boonen and Cancellara. Thus, I cannot just forget about him, as you put it. He obviously has the goods to contest for the win.

 

[theyoungest]

Even in top form I can't see Tom Boonen following guys like Rodriguez up the Keutenberg.

 

[El Pistolero]

Pozzato's season is over, so we'll have to wait till next year to see if he truly is a changed man