Here stands a man. A quiet man. A hard working man. A Belgian man. A man from a life of grit, cold, and rain.
Here stands a man who has chosen a life of hard work and sacrifice; a hard life even within the context of Cycling. A man who spends long hours in the wind and in the rain, in the service of his team. A man who despite those long hours in the wind and in the rain, typically tastes victory only upon the tongue of others.
Here stands a man who even today, spent the day in the service of another. A man who’s loyalty lay elsewhere, for another man’s glory. But he is also a man who was given an opportunity. A man who more so than any other today, wanted that opportunity and grabbed hold with both hands, resolving only to let go if the very air within his lungs abandoned him.
Here stands a man who only required air in his lungs – not his tires – in order to reach the velodrome alone. A man who even as the air escaped his tire five kilometers from the finish refused to let up on the pedals.
Here stands a man who despite a half minute lead entering the final two kilometers had me biting my nails since the man chasing at 30 seconds happened to be the fastest man in the world, known for making the impossible possible. A man for whom my legs twitched in sympathy as he circled the velodrome and as I continued to wonder if a Swiss gentleman aboard a brommer wouldn’t appear out of nowhere to steal his glory.
Here stands a man who’s name is forever changed by the words, “Vainqueur de Paris-Roubaix.”
Here stands a man. A quiet man. A hard working man. A Belgian man. A man from a life of grit, cold, and rain. No other man stands today who better represents the wondrous power of this sport in general, and the magic of Paris-Roubaix in particular.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@Xponti
The Flemish interviewer asked her if she's pregnant and if that's why he asked her to marry her. "PREGNANT??", she hollered at him. Classic stuff. Seriously, these guys are top drawer.
Along with Belgian Toothpaste, you might as well add Belgian Plastic Surgery - check the GNAR on JVS' arm!!
pimp
JVS steppin' over you with his now-and-later gators on...
JV made him cut the mullet - saved him 19 seconds in aero time...
Awesome ride today, JVS!
Great words, Frank!
Nice one Frank.
JvS just earned his shower stall plaque! What a race. I'm very pleased he won. I was sure he had it won a long ways out. Fabooo is fast but not the beast he was last year. The beer will be flowing in Flanders tonight.
@G'phant
Dude I am gonna have to send you a doctors bill for my burned out eyes.
back to this race, awesome. as much as I wanted Spartacus to win this is almost as good. JV had an awesome day, Spartacus put in another amazing race and did you see how pumped the rabo rider was to be up there. it was awesome.
Anybody who doesn't think golf is a sport has clearly never played golf well. Competition golf is as "hard" a sport as there can be in terms of competitiveness, thinking and skill.
Suggest you not be too one-eyed in your love of one sport to the exclusion of all others. Love 'em all man.
BTW, today's final 9 holes were as good a finish to a major as you will ever see. Save for McIlroy (whose implosion brought back bad Shark memories for all Australians), the rest of the field made massive shots all the to the finish. Just a shame a South African denied two Aussies a chance in a playoff. But a deserving winner given he birdied the last 4 holes. What a champ!
Combine P-R with that and you have a very exciting evening of sport - interrupted by not enough sleep.
I watched P-R, with my daughter, live via the intertubes. She was sooo pumped. She calls Cancellara "Enchilada". He's dreamy.
This made me one proud papa: When P-R was over, she ran to my Graham Watson 2011 calendar, then ran back to tell me Liege-Bastogne-Liege will be on her birthday this year (she'll be nine). Then she asked me to look up my standings for VSP. She was so proud her dad was quietly moving up the board. Then she asked if I could get her a Graham Watson calendar for her room.
How awesome is this child?!
Was just reading a quote from Boonen who said his first mechanical was due to his chain getting stuck between his frame and crankset. Does anyone (am looking at you Oli) know whether the mechanics consider using chain catchers for P-R?
And special mention to one of the Europcar riders (not sure if it was the Canuck Veilleux) who let fly a quality Millar-esque bike throw after one of the gazillion crashes on the day. Don't know why but it just warms the cockles of my heart to see the pros throw their bikes in anger...
@Marcus: Lots of the bikes did have chain catchers on, and I think that Boonen's bike did too (can't be arsed trawling to find out for sure though...). Even with a K-Edge it's possible to drop your chain, just much harder to do and almost impossible to sort out if you do!