Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix 2012

VELOMINATI HItS THE COBBLES OF CAPPELLE EN PÉVÉLLE. PHOTO: JESSE WILLEMS

We rode the Pavé of Roubaix in the dry, and any comforting feelings we might have been carrying about with us that suggested we had somehow prepared for them were summarily vaporized as we hit the first secteur. Riding together in a group, unable to reach for the brakes or the shifters, we all were hit with the same realization: these aren’t like the stones we have at home. Not if you live anywhere other than along the cobbled roads of Northern France. Not if you live in England. Not if you live in the Netherlands. Not even if you live in Belgium. And we won’t even talk about the rest of the world.

The Trouée of Arenberg is a sacred place. Arriving there, you feel the need to pray out of respect. Riding there, you feel the need to pray out of a sense of self preservation. There is no smooth path through these particularly rough cobbles. That was in the dry; if the race is wet as predicted by the weathermen (whom I assume are as bad at being right as they are in the States), then there isn’t a bag big enough to hold all the prayers the riders are going to need to get through these. And the Trouée is not the hardest or roughest secteur, by a considerable margin; that honor goes to Mons-en-Pévéle or Carrfoure de l’Arbre.

Keep an eye on the weather report as the race comes nearer, as wet roads will turn this race into one of attrition. Cancellara has broken his collarbone; Boonen, Pozzato, and Ballan are on form. But this is a long race, and details such as those matter little when a race contains over fifty kilometers of cobbles. Is it another year for the breakaway, or will the favorites close it down as they approach the finale? I don’t know, but watch the countdown timer and get your picks in by Sunday morning at 5am Pacific. Winner of this VSP event will earn the right to comment all year with the pavé commenting badge. We will also forgo the usual Symbol Pack prize awarded to a Monument and award the winner a copy of the local newspaper the day after the race.

Bon chance.

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507 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix 2012”

  1. @frank
    I want a pic of me like the one of you on the cobbles. Focused. Pro. Badass. Easily mistaken as one of the warriors for this weekend’s glorious battle. That pic would be worth the whole trip. The way this adventure is going, if one of y’all gets tapped to be a last minute sub for an ailing domestique, I would not be surprised at all. I’m in awe.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Boonen
    3. Boonen
    4. Boonen
    5. Boonen

  3. I am assuming he is riding. he would have won last week if it wasnt for the crash and 3 mechanicals….

    VSP PICKS:

    1. sagan
    2. boss hogg
    3. potato
    4. boonen
    5. van summeran

  4. Day for the grizzled old gits, I reckon. But not Hincapie because if he had any luck the earth would stop turning and go the other way.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Flecha
    2. Ballan
    3. Boonen
    4. Roulston
    5. Eisel

  7. VSP PICKS:

    1. BOONEN
    2. BRESCHEL
    3. SAGAN
    4. PAOLINI
    5. POZZATO

  9. Revised, with added Boom!.

    Thanks, Netraam.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. BOONEN
    2. BOOM
    3. SAGAN
    4. PAOLINI
    5. POZZATO

  10. @Ron

    Marko is lookin’ mean in those shots! Nice!!

    Marko is looking like most of us would look if we were getting a cobble enema.

  13. @frank
    You know this trip is almost better here on the couch cause we get to see all this cool stuff when you guys are out there suffering for us… Oh well maybe NOT, but seeing you in the line up with the pros is no surprise! My only question is did the titanium wonder bike give Gianni away??

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Hushovd
    3. Pozzatto
    4. Boom
    5. Boasson Hagen

  21. VSP PICKS:

    1. Steegmans
    2. Boonen
    3. Hushovd
    4. Boasson Hagen
    5. Cooke

  22. @Chappy McPappystackings

    Revised, with added Boom!.

    Thanks, Netraam.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. BOONEN
    2. BOOM
    3. SAGAN
    4. PAOLINI
    5. POZZATO

    Sagan ( Peter) isn’t riding.

    Thor wins this one anyway, in a sprint. I’m currently living 4 days in to the future. …oh by the way take an extra tube on your Saturday ride. You’ll need it.

  24. Short layover in Abu Dhabi (G’day ChrisO) on way to Paris. Praying No 1 arrives safely.
    Sydney airport security took my pedal spanner. Emirates gave me a steel knife once on board. Insane.

    Thor wants this so bad.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Thor
    2. Boonen
    3. Hayman
    4. Ballan
    5. Vanmarcke

  26. VSP PICKS:

    1. God of Thunder!!
    2. Pozzato
    3. Ballan
    4. Boonen
    5. Breschel

  27. Thor has been waiting for this, a P-R without the shadow of Faboo. Unfortunately Tommeke is in Gilbear-esque form & will crush all who challenge him.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Tommeke
    2. Thor
    3. Potato
    4. Boss Hogg
    5. HH

  28. I love that Frank is giving the photog the death stare, despite looking like he’s having every inch of life shaken out of him!

  29. It’s late, and I can’t make intelligent picks so I’ll have a little fun. Four Bs and a Hincapie! I am completely green with envy over the keepers experience on the Pave’. FANTASTIC!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Ballan
    3. Boasson Hagen
    4. Bennati
    5. Hincapie

  30. VSP PICKS:

    1. Chavanel
    2. Boonen
    3. Thor
    4. Steegmans
    5. Ballan

  31. In case there’s confusion with my poor attempts at naming

    First two are obvious, Taylor Phinney, Luca Paolin, Ballan

    Good luck to all, especially me!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Thor de force (finally)
    2. Tommeke
    3. Phinnius Fog
    4. Paolinguini
    5. Ballanllan

  32. @all
    the Keepers and other did us proud by representing on the pave. while Pro’s are riding in the gutters our boys are killing it on the roughest parts. tip a glass to them!

  34. @paolo

    @Ron

    @Vin’cenza

    @frankWhat is the make of the “V” face plate stem ??

    I’m mistaken for a PRO almost every time I leave the house – people snapping photos, team car behind me, folks scurrying to pick up my discarded bidons. Actually, it can be pretty funny when someone inquires who doesn’t know much about cycling and they assume that since you’re in full Lycra, you must be a PRO.

    In a local Coffee Bean I was asked by the Barista “How far have you ridden?” I said “oh about 50 miles” at which point the wide eyed Barista exclaimed “are you a professional? ” which obviously brought a hoot a of laughter from me and I said ” Do I look like a professional?” he looked at me and a bit taken aback he says “I have no idea”. I’m 5ft 9 and about 190lbs so I think you all can figure that one out.

    Classic one. But I’m guessing 50 miles would seem a long way on his inevitably overgeared hipster fixie……
    ….oh and don’t forget he works for tips!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Thor the hammer
    2. Pozzato
    3. Boonen
    4. Peter Sagan off the bench
    5. Ballan

  36. @ actor1

    yeah, i know. i’m subjecting myself to all sorts of ridcule. george has had a great career & chances are good he won’t make it, but hey, i’m going to pull for the underdog anyway…

    VSP PICKS:

    1. hincapie
    2. boonen
    3. pozzato
    4. van summeren
    5. phinney

    I like your style. I saw him on the Carrefour de l’Arbre today and I got so excited all I got in the photo was his front wheel.

  38. @RedRanger

    @all
    the Keepers and other did us proud by representing on the pave. while Pro’s are riding in the gutters our boys are killing it on the roughest parts. tip a glass to them!

    There’s been much discussion on this; riding the crown is often smoother than other parts of the pavé, and it is pretty fast up there. The gutter can be slow, but can also be really fast at times, but you have more risk of punctures because that’s where all the crap settles after a rainfall. You have to read each secteur, but by and large the crown seems like a good place to be.

    That secteur is the Carrfour de l’Arbre, and is the last really hard section – and is usually decisive. It is long, twisty, has several 90 degree bends (which are hard on the pavé) and has some really bad sections of stones.

    The bit where the cameraman was standing is towards the end, where the shaking is so bad you wonder if your bars will pop out of your hands. Amazing.

  39. @mouse

    @Ron

    Marko is lookin’ mean in those shots! Nice!!

    Marko is looking like most of us would look if we were getting a cobble enema.

    Awesome! Its kind of what it feels like.

  40. That reminds me, for those of you wondering about the full suspension bike, we did ask Museeuw about it when we rode with him; he called it “the throne”…said it was terrible for the race because while it was comfortable on the cobbles, there are 200km of tarmac by the time you get to Roubaix; without lockouts on the suspension, through every corner etc, he was just wobbling through “on the throne”.

  41. Saw all these guys riding the Carefor d’Labre yesterday. No matter how much you think you look pro, you don’t. And they float over the pavé. Cheers all.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Ballan
    3. Vanmarcke
    4. Pazzato
    5. Hushovd

  42. Boonen will do a “Cancellara” he falls out before the finish. I hate to predict it and I wish him all the best.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Hushovd
    2. Degenkolb
    3. Boom
    4. Ballan
    5. Sagan

  43. Swapped Vanmarcke for Flecha.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Ballan
    3. Flecha
    4. Pazzato
    5. Hushovd

  44. @Netraam

    I’m working on the basis that it’s going to be horrible enough for it not to matter. Except for Hincapie, of course. I predict he’ll get plowed into by the team car, just before the start.

    I look forward to being gloriously wrong…

  45. VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Flecha
    3. Gert Steegmans
    4. J Van Summeren
    5. H Roulston

  46. Boonen sends out Steegemans in a breakaway, and then gets smothered by Ballan, Flecha, Hushovd… Leaving path clear for Gert

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Steegemans
    2. Ballan
    3. Flecha
    4. Boonen
    5. Hushovd

  47. Praying for rain

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Chavanel
    3. Pozzatto
    4. Flecha
    5. Ballan

  50. VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Hushvod
    3. Pozzatto
    4. Chavanel
    5. Hincapie

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