I had always imagined that de Ronde van Vlaanderen must be hardest race in the world. The way I worked it out – having never ridden the course of either event at the time – was that de Ronde had the same cobbles as Roubaix, but with 20% grades thrown in. It makes enough sense so long as you don’t know what you’re talking about, but what you quickly discover once you have ridden them both is just how bad the cobbles of Roubaix are: the worst kasseien in Belgium are about as rough as the best pavé in France.
Both routes are so hard you need to experience them in order to appreciate their difficulty; words are hopelessly inadequate in describing the separation the rider feels from their bicycle while simultaneously feeling more connected to it than at any other time. It is through breaking down the illusion of control that the Cyclist is finally allowed to truly bond with their machine.
The element that makes Vlaanderen a slightly easier race is the most counter-intuitive: the bergs. On most routes, the hills are what separate the wheat from the chafe. Yet because of the brutality of the cobbles, they allow a rider to hide. The secret to riding cobblestones is speed; the faster you go, the better the bike is able to skim over the top with the effect of smoothing them out. This requires big, big power to sustain over the distance of a secteur of cobbles, let alone over the whole of a race. But the bergs neutralize the speed somewhat; how fast can anyone go up a 20% grade – on cobbles, no less? The answer is none fast, so the gaps between the strong and the weak are reduced somewhat until the final decisive moments when the pressure is so great that every chink in the rider’s armor is ruthlessly exposed.
To ride the cobbles is to dance with paradox: ride full gas while keeping something in reserve for the crucial moment – not when the odds are stacked in your favor, but the you are at the smallest disadvantage. During Sunday’s Ronde, we saw a Cancellara who was not at his best; he won both his previous two Ronde by being so superior that he could drop his adversaries on the last of the steep grades. This year, he made his move on the one section of the finale where his power was a definite advantage, despite his relative weakness on the day; he attacked not on one of the two steepest parts of the Kwaremont, but on the cobbled false flat between the two where speed could make a real difference. He then hung onto Vanmarke over the steep Paterberg before being dragged patiently to the sprint finish to take his third Ronde.
Cancellara is learning tactics as his strength steadily wanes; before last few year, there was no need for such subtlety. Now he is patient; he is calm. He knows both his strength and weakness, and doesn’t let the antics of the race affect his action. It reminds me of Neruda:
I like you calm, act as if you were absent, and you hear me far-off, and my voice does not touch you.
– Pablo Neruda
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@The Grande Fondue
Oh, he did tons of work to get make the selection, but then he was almost dropped on the Paterberg where he drag-raced Sagan last year. He was off his best - in the past he used his power on the hardest parts - this year he used his power on the one spot where it would make the biggest difference. It was brilliant. And then he waited for the sprint and took the initiative. Opportunistic when necessary, aggressive when beneficial, and patient when crucial. It was a perfect race for him.
@Haldy
He never used to need to conserve strength. For him, he was weak.
@Pedale.Forchetta
What? Who? Yes, modified photo to your suggestions. Sorry, Alex!
@frank
Cancellara's weak days are equivalent to others good days? I believe it!
@Mikael Liddy
I finally found some recordable racing on BeIN channel (?!) free. It was using the Magnus feed. The BeIN woman kept calling him Magnus Baxter, ffs. I thought his commentating was excellent, he knows his tactics. I'm praying BeIN has P-R covered too so I don't have to listen to Ligget. Not that I mind him but, but, but, he is losing his edge.
@Gianni yeah unfortunately SBS is already promoting this weekend as being covered by PnP (think it's to do with the fact that PR is put on by ASO) so we Aussies are going to have to deal with their bumbling rubbish.
@Mikael Liddy not if you have Foxtel! Worth every cent not to have to listen to Phil and Paul. Plus you get a few more hours of awesomness, coverage starts before SBS generally. This week I have Tour of the Basque Country to wake up to every morn! Bertie slaughtered them on stage 1.
@Mikael Liddy
Agree, the live feed on the 'puter was excellent and was refreshing to hear the commentary fom Marcus, as opposed to the guys from the Muppet show in the balcony. They have lost their edge.
SBS really need to look at a succession plan ala Matt Keenan doing more of the race instead of pre amble along with Scott McGrory.
I reckon though even with the sound turned off it will still be a cracker ride!!
There's murmers of next years Fleurieu Cogal having a course not dissimilar to the RGR to add a bit of flare. Temperature exemption included. Willunga has a cobbled path about 5 meters long, that should do it !
http://superissimo.tumblr.com/post/82110615188/always-be-praying-for-mud-and-haute-spectating-and
Must be Baby Merckx (...or is it Baby de Vlaeminck?) bathed in the glow of the sacred stone.
@frank Okay..I'll give you that I suppose, but I'll take that kind of "weak" anyday! As an...aging racer myself, I know I have to be more careful with the matches I burn whilst racing against the youngins at the track on Friday nights and I think that Spartacus has nurtured his form to give us a spectacle at Roubaix.
@therealpeel Photos are not for the sake of cycling, but for the sake of photography itself.
Selective color is bad as would be bad cycling wearing long compression socks, then everyone is free to do and like what he want.