Paris-Roubaix 2014 "spoiler"

Turfle

gpreeves wrote:

Turfle wrote:

BlueDynamo wrote:

Second time watching P-R after last year. Very classy top-10 and glad Wiggo backed up his comments like others have said. Kind of disappointed that no one marked Terpstra at the end though. Still not sure I understand the tactic of settling for second when there's a possibility of winning.

Whoever was co-commentator with Carlton is a definite improvement on Sean Kelly. Anybody know who it was?

Terpstra just timed it perfectly I think. He went right after the group had chased down the Wiggo attack. 20 seconds of looking at each other and he was gone.

I agree. In general, I think OPQS played their hand far better than they did at Flanders last weekend. They hedged their bets in a much smarter way today, they let Boonen go off with 60km to go, Stybar went with the Canc/Vanmarcke group and then Terpstra timed his attack perfectly towards the end.

I'd also agree with Iain's assessment of Sagan's race too. His best-finishing team mate came in 36th place - he knew he had no team mates to shut down attacks, so his best bet was to be already up the road when they happened.

Yeah, I thought it was Sagan's best race tactically in a long time (since his GW win last year maybe). He hasn't looked comfortable over the cobbles all year imo, so to attack on the tarmac was a great decision. Get out ahead and let the race come back to him.

The_Boy

Dolan Driver wrote:

Pig is a widely used pejorative for a police officer. I'll continue to use it as long as police forces continue to attract violent thugs and bigots.

Now, back to the racing.[/quote]

We are all well aware of the use of that term. It can reasonably be assumed that you don't actually know John Degenkolb or his character so I'm not sure you have the right to call him a pig or any other variety of animal. Perhaps you have fallen foul of the law but maybe that's your fault, not that of the police.

Your description of Degenkolb is bigoted so you'll have to strike that off your list of reasons to hate a group like the police, given that your guilty of that yourself.

DD.[/quote]

a) I've never been arrested, been cautioned or in any other way been on the wrong side of the law. I have however been the victim of outrageous behaviour from filth who think a uniform gives them the right to behave in any way they see fit.

b) I don't have to have met Degenkolb to make a judgement on him based on his choice of profession. I certainly don't have to have met him to make a tongue in cheek comment on the internet about his choice of profession.

c) It isn't bigoted to call a police officer a pig, no matter how much you wish it was.

d) You're on the internet. You will encounter opinions that you don't agree with. I appreciate that the sudden realisation that the world isn't exactly the same as you interpret it through your narrow experiences can be a slightly disorienting one, but I suggest that you suck it up and keep this thread on topic for the benefit of the other board members. If you weally, weally, weally must defend the honour and integrity of people who choose to wear a uniform, then I suggest you take it to PM where you can be safely ignored.

Ta

above_the_cows

Mooro wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Dolan Driver wrote:

...Perhaps you have fallen foul...

DD.

Don't bring the chickens into this!

Post of the day!

Just trying to be a dove of peace. Right I'm off to take the dog for a walk.

A bit like this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18220285?SThisFB

rick_chasey

iainf72 wrote:

powerbookboy wrote:

Canc I think left his race on the road last week. Boonen seemed a bit desperate, or maybe knew he didn't have it and was working for others? Sagan once again looked incredibly strong, but maybe tactically stupid? Really pleased for Terpstra though. Buried himself, for once it worked out, good on him.

Nup - Clever I'd say. On the higher rated cobbled sections, he continuously slipped back. He jumped away just before the last couple and could afford to bleed a bit of time going through them, and then hang on to Chinny / Sep. Smart move IMO.

Once again though, he finished on a team mates bike, which couldn't have helped.

Worth remembering at his age who many wins Chinny and Boonen had in this race. Thats right, a big fat zero :P

Belgians call it 'anticipating'.

DeVlaeminck

It's not the place to start using pejorative terms about the police, this is a cycling forum for the purpose of discussing pro cycling. Whatever your views or experiences of the police keep them to yourself or express them in an appropriate place.

giant_man

BlueDynamo wrote:

Second time watching P-R after last year. Very classy top-10 and glad Wiggo backed up his comments like others have said. Kind of disappointed that no one marked Terpstra at the end though. Still not sure I understand the tactic of settling for second when there's a possibility of winning even though you might hand the win to someone else.

Whoever was co-commentator with Carlton is a definite improvement on Sean Kelly. Anybody know who it was?

You must be joking mate, mind you he was better than Kirby's usual bollo$ks, pain in the ar$e of a commentator that he is, I'll give you that, Sean Kelly was sorely missed today ....

knedlicky

I liked that Boonen, Sagan and Vanmarke all had a go and although I imagine Boonen wanted the victory, his attacks probably helped Tepstra because they forced others to work to close him down. Tactically Boonen wasn’t having the best day, but OPQ's tactics worked out well even if slightly accidental.

Also, Cancellara did well to get on the podium considering the tactics of the other teams all worked against him ever making a winning move – just wish he nowadays didn’t always sound so bitterly disappointed with only a podium place – once upon a time, he was as pleased as Degenkolb was today.

Sky did better than I imagined (Thomas prominent all day, while Eisel and EBH weren’t that far back in the end), and for the first time ever (I think), I took slightly to them.

As someone has already said, Belkin could have perhaps been better tactically – not just when Boonen led with 2 Belkin riders, but also later - before Vanmarcke went to join Sagan, they had 6 riders in the group behind Sagan.
BMC also got it wrong, but maybe that wouldn’t have been the case if Van Avermaet hadn’t have gone down at a corner on one of the last cobbled sectors. Actually feel a bit sorry for them, the work Hushovd put in overall, and how it was primarily the BMC team which didn’t allow Boonen to escape.

Would have liked De Backer to have finished better, he was another (quietly) prominent much of the day (he was in the Boonen break 65 km out)), but in the run-in to the line he was slightly dropped by the Cancellara group. Although I suppose by then, he'd done his bit for Degenkolb and Giant.

I would have liked more mud too, even though it makes things even more accidental - perhaps next year it'll rain.

Turfle

Only 11 months until the Omloop!!

The_Boy

DeVlaeminck wrote:

It's not the place to start using pejorative terms about the police, this is a cycling forum for the purpose of discussing pro cycling. Whatever your views or experiences of the police keep them to yourself or express them in an appropriate place.

It was a tongue in cheek comment about a professional cyclist who happened to have finished second in a bike race that in turns happens to be the subject of this thread. Can't think of a more appropriate place, tbh.

More to the point, at every juncture I've tried to move the subject back to the bike race.

antsmithmk

Wiggins rode a great race, backed up his pre race claims.

Sagan again had no teammates with 45km to go.

The_Boy

antsmithmk wrote:

Sagan again had no teammates with 45km to go.

Something of a pattern emerging there.

napoleond

Well, I've been avoiding looking at this thread as I've been watching delayed coverage as I'm between night shifts doing my job as a bigoted thug pig.
I enjoyed the race. Great to see a GT winner in the top 10.

milton50

Turfle wrote:

Only 11 months until the Omloop!!

Haha. I know the feeling. Just a few chippers to get through before the season starts again. :P

iainf72

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Genuine query, what would put it above average for you? I thought that was an excellent race and just wondered what your criteria are

I'd have like the racing to be a bit less tentative. The way Boonen's group dangled, then went back, then away again. If they'd got some more organisation, it might have forced some more action from the chasing group, but instead it ended up with the group just dangling.

There were way too many people around in the last 50km too. And aside from Sep on the Carrefour section, I did get that "wow thats amazing" feeling I get when you see someone in full flow on the cobbles. It did split up but didn't shred to pieces

frenchfighter

That "cobble induced wow feeling" - bang on. You can't get it in any other race but it wasnt evident. Boonen with T that time was jaw dropping as were the times Cancellara glides over them at 30mph with everyone else bouncing around trying to hang on for grim life.

Having more people in the mix at the sharp end makes for more crashes. Didnt think there were that many today although GVA's was in part due to too many riders. Dont think there were many risks taken either in addition to fans definitely being further back.

A good race but with no spine tingling ET moments.

Crankbrother

The race was a bit anticlimactic given the talent on offer (which they all showed to get to that final grouping) ... The complete lack of chase from anyone when Terpstra went was embarrassing ... I know they would all be fecked, but other than Boonen/Stybar they all needed to try something ... Especially the 2 pursuiters (both GT and BW rode excellent races, but made no use of their numbers (or track (ahem) record) in the finale, especially as the supposedly chasing group was not going full gas) ...

Paul 8v

Above The Cows wrote:

Mooro wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Dolan Driver wrote:

...Perhaps you have fallen foul...

DD.

Don't bring the chickens into this!

Post of the day!

Just trying to be a dove of peace. Right I'm off to take the dog for a walk.

A bit like this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18220285?SThisFB

Race? Looks like a $h!t race, was it the tour of Beijing?

RichN95.

Lampre should be concerned that the only time anyone saw one of their riders was in the advert breaks.

above_the_cows

Paul 8v wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Mooro wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Dolan Driver wrote:

...Perhaps you have fallen foul...

DD.

Don't bring the chickens into this!

Post of the day!

Just trying to be a dove of peace. Right I'm off to take the dog for a walk.

A bit like this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-18220285?SThisFB

Race? Looks like a $h!t race, was it the tour of Beijing?

I believe the little furry fellow was on the menu at last year's edition. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

smithy21

Really enjoyed the race although felt the conclusion was a bit of an anticlimax. Maybe because at that point I was interested to see how it would play out with a bunch of 10 going into the velodrome. When Terpstra went I was waiting to see who would counter and then there was a growing sense of disappointment as no one did. Take nothing away from him though- a great win and timed his attack brilliantly.

Paul 8v

RichN95 wrote:

Lampre should be concerned that the only time anyone saw one of their riders was in the advert breaks.

Hold on a minute, Lampre were racing? I genuinely didn't see one of them all day

thegibdog

I have to say I really enjoyed the race, although it definitely helped that there were two British riders in contention and I was listening to the radio commentary rather than Eurosport.

sumosprintstar

RichN95 wrote:

Lampre should be concerned that the only time anyone saw one of their riders was in the advert breaks.

specialgueststar

flppin heck

easily in the top 5 I have watched- actually shouting at the tele :shock: gathered family recognising Wiggins and asking why doesn't he win

trying to balance he just might do with the implications of a GT winner wining - bit lost on them - especially after 3 hours

what a race

Turfle

Movistar were anonymous too. Dowsett going backwards with 100k to go was the last I saw of them.

And Tinkoff-Saxo too while we're at it. Feels unusual to see them so quiet on the cobbles; Breschel's injury obviously doesn't help.

Mad_Malx

Above The Cows wrote:

Paul 8v wrote:

Race? Looks like a $h!t race, was it the tour of Beijing?

I believe the little furry fellow was on the menu at last year's edition. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Do they use Clenbuterol in dogs?

above_the_cows

Mad_Malx wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Paul 8v wrote:

Race? Looks like a $h!t race, was it the tour of Beijing?

I believe the little furry fellow was on the menu at last year's edition. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Do they use Clenbuterol in dogs?

I have it on good authority* that this is Roger's defence.

*I have nothing of the sort

frenchfighter

Some teams have to ride these races as they are PT. They couldn't care less if they placed. That being said Pozatto is racing and coming up short again (50th). Should spend more time training less time sunbathing. He said his issue was positioning and suggested (not badly) that its the same with Wiggins (who said as much himself) but who managed to top ten.

When Wiggins went off as soon as they bridged I got excited but then he sat up a few seconds later. I am hoping its due to his legs being cramped. Terpstra is an expert TT rider which is why he is so good as solo moves like that. Wiggins has an even better TT - he just needs to put 150% effort (or catch them off guard) to get a gap then I really think its game over for the rest. I really thought he would do that - he knows he is not going to win the sprint. He will be back next year and I will be right behind him if he shows guts for glory.

frenchfighter

above_the_cows

frenchfighter wrote:

Is Terpstra the first skinsuit wearing winner or did Vansummeren win in a skinsuit?



I believe he did.

ATC asking the important sartorial questions.