Paris Roubaix 2013

124

Comments

  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Very cold today in Arenberg. Advice to anyone doing the challenge tomorrow, wear everything you brought with you!

    8622862370_4f54fc0299.jpg

    Pozzato looking very smooth.

    8622861674_3de65a79b7.jpg

    Euskatel riders looking cold.

    8622860788_5c41ea00cd.jpg

    Cofidis testing some sort of new sports bra. Gotta keep those moobs under control on the pave!

    8621773141_5d59d18630.jpg

    O'Grady seemingly not knowing his way around the course.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    greasedscotsman wrote:

    8622861674_3de65a79b7.jpg
    The caption for this one should simply be: Detention
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    RichN95 wrote:
    The caption for this one should simply be: Detention

    Most teams start their recce around Arenberg, which is quite funny as they might have climbed off by then!
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,160
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Very cold today in Arenberg. Advice to anyone doing the challenge tomorrow, wear everything you brought with you!

    8622860788_5c41ea00cd.jpg
    Cofidis testing some sort of new sports bra. Gotta keep those moobs under control on the pave!

    :lol::lol:
  • mooro
    mooro Posts: 483
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    The caption for this one should simply be: Detention

    Most teams start their recce around Arenberg, which is quite funny as they might have climbed off by then!


    Great photos Greased! Quick question, were you out on your bike when you took the shots of the Pro's or just out for a stroll?


    A weeks leave coming up, and sorely tempted to scoot across first thing tomorrow to see the race on sunday, somehow got a pass from the Mrs as her parents are here for the weekend.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Mooro wrote:
    Great photos Greased! Quick question, were you out on your bike when you took the shots of the Pro's or just out for a stroll?

    I rode out yesterday, but drove out today. Wanted to check out where I'll be seeing the race on Sunday, which turned out to be a good thing as I got lost. Don't want that to happen during the race!
    Mooro wrote:
    A weeks leave coming up, and sorely tempted to scoot across first thing tomorrow to see the race on sunday, somehow got a pass from the Mrs as her parents are here for the weekend.

    Yes. You should do this! :D
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Had a sneaky e/w bet on Kristoff at 40/1. Seemed like good odds for an in-form, powerful rider with a fast sprint. Who knows?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    afx237vi wrote:
    Had a sneaky e/w bet on Kristoff at 40/1. Seemed like good odds for an in-form, powerful rider with a fast sprint. Who knows?
    He's a man on the rise. Amazingly, 15th on the CQ Ranking. Maybe the new Freire?
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Fabian says: "Sitting on my wheel is not the solution"

    No, but it's quite clearly your problem.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancell ... e-solution
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Milton50 wrote:
    I'd love Stannard to show well. He's certainly got the form and the engine to do well in Paris-Roubaix, it's just a question of whether Sky hold him back and luck on the day.

    Paris-Roubaix is probably the race that is most unsuitable for Sky's tactics. Trying to control all the variables of the race for a single undisputed leader is just not the best way to approach Paris-Roubaix. Much better to go into the race giving Stannard, Thomas and EBH a free reign to get into different groups/breaks as the race evolves.


    Good news. Stannard's leader alongside EBH according to this write up of team's media session today

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/04/ ... les_280840

    Ach, who knows how it'll all play out but at least he's getting the nod
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Richmond Racer wrote:
    Good news. Stannard's leader alongside EBH according to this write up of team's media session today

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/04/ ... les_280840

    Ach, who knows how it'll all play out but at least he's getting the nod

    So where is Thomas?

    Bottom line - Sky don't have a killer app in this race, like they do in stage races (best TTers). So they have to take a different tactic. And the model for this is the 'phases of play' tactic used by Garmin for van Summeren. But I think they are still married to the stage racing unity model).
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Key
    Key Posts: 464
    afx237vi wrote:
    Had a sneaky e/w bet on Kristoff at 40/1. Seemed like good odds for an in-form, powerful rider with a fast sprint. Who knows?

    This is what Kristoff thinks "- My plan is primarily to complete. That said, if I manage to cling fast to one of the front groups, I know that I can win the sprint. Perhaps I can manage a top 10 placement" (google translate from http://www.procycling.no/article3602182.ece)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    Fabian says: "Sitting on my wheel is not the solution"

    No, but it's quite clearly your problem.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancell ... e-solution

    Is it?

    Wasn't last Sunday and won't be this Sunday.
    _
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,549
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Fabian says: "Sitting on my wheel is not the solution"

    No, but it's quite clearly your problem.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancell ... e-solution

    Is it?

    Wasn't last Sunday and won't be this Sunday.

    But it has been repeatedly over the last couple of years.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Richmond Racer wrote:


    Good news. Stannard's leader alongside EBH according to this write up of team's media session today

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/04/ ... les_280840

    Ach, who knows how it'll all play out but at least he's getting the nod

    Cheers for the link - after a poor morning reading that has made my day :-) After MSR think he is strong enough to do well & if the team don;t make he ride for someone else.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,243
    Danlikesbikes wrote:
    Richmond Racer wrote:


    Good news. Stannard's leader alongside EBH according to this write up of team's media session today

    http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/04/ ... les_280840

    Ach, who knows how it'll all play out but at least he's getting the nod

    Cheers for the link - after a poor morning reading that has made my day :-) After MSR think he is strong enough to do well & if the team don;t make he ride for someone else.
    Well, they're talking a good game...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    No tA Doctor wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Fabian says: "Sitting on my wheel is not the solution"

    No, but it's quite clearly your problem.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancell ... e-solution

    Is it?

    Wasn't last Sunday and won't be this Sunday.

    But it has been repeatedly over the last couple of years.

    In roubaix it happened once. And this year he has a stronger team too. A lot of people were saying how impressed they were with how asphyxiating Devolder was for about 30km in Flanders.

    This is the Canc of 2010 only with even weaker opposition.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    Think people need some reminding.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6z7uUe ... ata_player

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEFqL0m ... ata_player
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    In roubaix it happened once.

    2007 was very similar to 2011. And yes, I know what your gonna say, O'Grady and Cancellara were on the same team, he wasn't going to chase him down. But I can still see something similar happening. If none of the other teams want to help Radioshack bring back the break and lets face it, why should they, then I can see a rider like O'Grady or Van Summeren winning.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    I'll put a line in my a sig saying I know nothing about cobbles if Canc is fairly beaten (I.e. he doesn't crash / mechanical)
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    I'll put a line in my a sig saying I know nothing about cobbles if Canc is fairly beaten (I.e. he doesn't crash / mechanical)

    I was a bit indifferent about the result. It doesn't matter so much if your watching from the side of the road, it's exciting whoever wins. But I now want Cancellara to be "fairly beaten". :D
  • Macaloon
    Macaloon Posts: 5,545
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    I was a bit indifferent about the result. It doesn't matter so much if your watching from the side of the road, it's exciting whoever wins. But I now want Cancellara to be "fairly beaten". :D
    ^That's a sudden and most welcome up-ratcheting of tension. Here's Stannard dissing the pavé.
    [ thomas_lequipe A. Thomas-Commin 36m
    Sky ne laisse rien au hasard. Après analyse vidéo et test en labo, @IStannard a percé le secret de #sagan #roubaix pic.twitter.com/3KMRbhie3P]

    BHKnkMVCAAAT-uw.jpg:large
    ...a rare 100% loyal Pro Race poster. A poster boy for the community.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Macaloon wrote:
    ^That's a sudden and most welcome up-ratcheting of tension. Here's Stannard dissing the pavé.
    [ thomas_lequipe A. Thomas-Commin 36m
    Sky ne laisse rien au hasard. Après analyse vidéo et test en labo, @IStannard a percé le secret de #sagan #roubaix pic.twitter.com/3KMRbhie3P]

    BHKnkMVCAAAT-uw.jpg:large

    Even if Cancellara does win, Rick can hardly claim to be a "pave expert" by picking the favourite! :wink:

    Don't think Stannard is dissin the pave, it's just a new technique to avoid front wheel punctures. Marginal gains and all that...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    A real expert will correctly pick from how far out he goes for it.

    45km from the finish
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    A real expert will correctly pick from how far out he goes for it.

    45km from the finish

    Now that's moe like it! But do you really think he'll attack at Mérignies? That's one of the easiest sectors on the race. It's only 700m long. Surely he'll attack at Mons-en-Pévèle, that one is a bastard! He'll go there or at Carrefour de l’Arbre.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    I thought mons en pevele was 45 km from the finish??

    Maybe I should have said mons en pevele 'cos that's what I had in mind.
    _
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    A shame this race is going to be so one-sided after Lars Bak's demotion to a supporting role.

    I wonder how much Radioshack have paid Lotto to keep the lion in cage.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    I thought mons en pevele was 45 km from the finish??

    Maybe I should have said mons en pevele 'cos that's what I had in mind.

    It's 47km from the finish! :D

    OK, for the race winning attack, you can have Mons-en-Pévèle, I'll go for the Carrefour de l’Arbre.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    DeadCalm wrote:
    Well, they're talking a good game...

    Nice to see the British jersey up the front as we did in MSR, however Sky do have a track record of boxing up the classics so who knows what will happen.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Any epic stories from any Challenge riders? You must have finished by now? :wink:

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