2024 Classics thread - Not a spoiler thread
Comments
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There's other roads that run parallel that can be used to slow them down
As mentioned above it just moves where the crashes will be and disadvantages anyone who's not in the first 30
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I can see the argument for putting in something to slow down the peloton a bit before they hit Arenberg but that chicane seems likely to cause as many or more problems (although at lower speed I guess)
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Those roads have some serious repair issues apparently, they'll be used next year but can't be ready for Sunday
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Which makes this all seem extremely knee jerk. They've known the race is on for long enough not to make a hash of any changes.
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Well according to Hansen, team directors have been talking to him about this for a year. But he didn't talk to everybody about it, just selected riders and DSs as he wanted it kept quiet until agreed with ASO. I think he's probably made quite a big mistake in not approaching this more transparently. It's an absolutely iconic part of the most iconic race in the calendar. That's a lot to spring on people (riders and fans alike) a couple of days before the event
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The fact that MvdP seems to have been completely blindsided by it does make you wonder quite who he was talking to.
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Yeah I'm not enormously surprised the multiple cyclocross world champion and reigning PR winner isn't interested in making it more safe.
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Shit location and at a stroke removes the iconic lead-up
Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter.0 -
How does it make it more safe? Its a weird one for me they are just moving the hazard 10 yards down the road no? There will still be the same mad dash for position, jostling and then a bunch of cyclists coming to an abrupt stop... I'd have loved to be involved in the risk assessment conversation
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They could just miss out the Arenberg, that would solve the issue properly.
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It would be a lot safer without all the cobbled sectors. Maybe they could leave that last one in Roubaix in for the sake of tradition.
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Best give the velodrome a miss too as it looks a bit rickety.
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It's not that he disagreed with it, more that this was the first he heard of it. That suggests he wasn't consulted personally and would cast doubt on his team being consulted either.
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He also didn't realise the Olympic mtb course wasn't going to have a ramp until after he fell off the edge.
"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago5 -
Startlist for Sunday is still very patchy on Pro Cycling Stats. Alpecin only have 3 riders listed in vdP, Philipsen and Groves. I'm not quite sure what benefit Groves brings there (although he rode last year too). Ineos currently only have Tarling.
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In and out if this road would work.
Ironic they can do it because its in bad shape
“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
Procyclingstats start list looks pretty full now. There's not much in there to challenge MVDP.
Why isn't Ganna riding?
"Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0 -
I think his focus is on the Olympics this year, so he peaked for Sanremo, and will ride the Giro as part of his preparations for that.
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No rain forecast for either the men’s or woman’s race.
In fact, the ladies look to be blessed with almost summer like conditions.
More overcast on Sunny, but still mild.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
It's wet on the ground though, as it's been hooning it down in Lille all week
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Tom Pidcock added to the Ineos team for Roubaix
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This is quite mind boggling. Must fancy that chicane corner to move up a place or two. Does he just need some race miles pre-Ardennes?
Also: hello tiny 18yr old climber, welcome to l'Enfer du Nord - try not to get ridden over in the battles for position
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As always, Cameron Wurf is the bridesmaid.
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Also he couldn’t put weight on his injured leg on Monday apparently.
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It's a rapid recovery for sure, though it was only ever bruising
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It's worse than that: he's not taking a weekend off until the end of the month.
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Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
It's a tricky one, on one hand we are seeing one of the modern greats doing special rides but on the other it means we get races that are over with lots of kms still to go barring any major incidents. It hasn't been helped by Wout coming in under cooked then getting injured (I think Wout's jack of all trades ability making him a key part of the Visma GT roster is really preventing us getting the big battle we want in these races too). In a perfect world we'd have MVDP, WVA. Pog and Remco all going for these races (maybe not the latter two so much at P-R) alongside the other very strong riders at a slightly lower level (Mads, Ganna, Wellens, Kung etc.). Alpecin also seem to be this year's Visma, having the two strongest riders plus a very decent third rider. Philpsen being on another team would maybe help the racing, I doubt he would be able to go with VDP but at least it means the others wouldn't be so bothered by him sitting in to win the sprint.
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We've seen big solo rides before in PR and Flanders - it's not that unusual.
I guess, what is more unusual about this was, in my mind anyway, there wasn't a flicker of doubt that when he went the race was done, and there was no surprise he was going so early.
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