Winning one Monument in a career is more than most Pros will ever achieve. Winning two in a season, nearly impossible. Winning two a week apart, it has been done more than a few times, by only the toughest of men. The Ronde and Roubaix both have cobbles but that is about all they have in common. Roubaix might be the harder one to win. The evil Lady Luck lurks on the Roubaix course. Flats and crashes are more likely on the farm tracks of Northern France, helpful team cars can be minutes away. Granted, Miss Luck does like to install errant road furniture and roll loose bidons in feed zones in Ronde van Vlaanderen, and that is a cause for concern for some riders.
A paceline, drafting, hiding behind teammates all fall apart on the cobbled secteurs of Roubaix. The ability to hit the cobbled secteurs with the throttle jammed fully open again and again and again is what separates the beasts from everyone else. Speed on these stones is only sustainable by having huge power and a Roger De Vlaeminck ability to ride over the cobbles. It’s like riding your bike through sand; only power keeps the bike moving forward. If you ease up, you don’t go. Tom Boonen is the perfect example of power and ability and he has a mighty sprint. Who could even stay on his wheel to arrive in the velodrome for a sprint? Oh Tommy, you will be missed this year.
Historical perspective? I don’t think so, not here, not now. Paris-Roubaix is coming on like a freight train. Fabian Cancellara is halfway to the double, again. And unless some Johan Vansummeren break gets away… how did Boonen do it last year? He didn’t have to worry about towing everyone up the road, he just hauled ass, dropped everyone and rode away solo. That should work for Fabian. It doesn’t work on the route into Sanremo but it will work on the way to Roubaix. No wee Simon Gerrans will be riding in his slipstream all the way to the velodrome.
Who you want to pick for second through fifth place in the VSP tomorrow is your business. This is a lock I’m telling you. Bet everything you have. That college tuition your Dad gave you to hand over to the bursar, double it down somewhere, this is easy money. This is the double.
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After looking at the start list i figure there are probably 9 guys that can finish 2-10.
@anthony
Aside from the obvious awesomeness of being a Velominatus, this is the first sport I've passionately pursued where my size isn't a major limitation. Being on the small side always made my life harder when I played basketball, football, lacrosse & hockey. Now...I'm perfectly happy to be this size, makes drafting and climbing much easier.
Soccer & cycling are my main sports these days, where speed & quickness, not just height or bulk, are key.
I can't say I'm a big fan of the new aero helmets, but Tommeke sure make them look good. He certainly makes Fabian's Bontrager lid look awfy big and ugly - and making Spartacus look unstylish is difficult thing to do!
I read a week or two ago that the Prophet was having a pacemaker installed. Can anyone shed more light on this? Seems like it would have been bigger news, if true.
@wiscot
That Specialized one on Boonen is the only one I've seen that hasn't looked horrible. I think Cavendish wears that same model & it doesn't look nearly as good on him. That said, some helmets just don't look good on some heads. Yeah, Cancellara normally is pure class, but that Bontrager helmet is not working on his head at all. I'd leverage my wins into a new helmet sponsor right away if I were him.
Lazer helmets seem to be all the rage in some circles but they look huge and bulky on most folks I've seen wearing them.
Pellos Paris-Roubaix
@Ron Yes, it's true. It was all over the news in Belgium, of course. Not a word on the news here.
http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.1581815
@Ron
I have a lazer helmet that I quite like, though it's just the standard semi-expensive road helmet, not some weird areo-bullshit.
Though I did have a lady last year ask me if the red barrel adjuster on top (to tighten/loosen the fit) was a removable flashlight.
@Erik
Phinney has a real chance of making the podium and would be the "first" American to do it (although not first North American--That would be our man from the North--Steve Bauer) with Big George's result being thrown out.
@LA Dave
Fell off again today in the recon ride. Hoping and praying that it wasn't Frahnk who took him down like he did the tdf descender years ago while crossing the road to get the photo!!!