Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix 2012
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.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Pozzato
3. Ballan
4. Chavanel
5. Hushovd
VSP PICKS:
1. The Thunder God
2. Boonen
3. Ballan
4. Big George
5. Flecha
VSP PICKS:
1. Hushovd
2. Boonen
3. Pozzato
4. Boss Hogg
5. Ballan
VSP PICKS:
1. hushovd
2. boonen
3. pozzato
4. hincapie
5. van marcke
We had a similar throng of photographers at the Wisconsin Mini-Cogal. Report & pics to follow.
VSP PICKS:
1. Hushovd
2. Boonen
3. Pozzato
4. Leukemans
5. Ballan
And what great photos above!
VSP PICKS:
1. Ballan
2. Pozzato
3. Oss
4. Hincapie
5. Boonen
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Boonen
3. Boonen
4. Boonen
5. Boonen
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Hushovd
3. Ballan
4. Fletcha
5. Phinney
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Flecha
3. Ballan
4. Hushovd
5. Sagan
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Ballan
3. Gilbert
4. Ballan
5. Pazzato
Another podium for Flecha and another win for Tommeke!
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Ballan
3. Flecha
4. Pozzato
5. Rast
VSP PICKS:
1. Gilbert
2. Van Summeren
3. Sagan
4. Boonen
5. EBH
damn it, Sagan is not riding on Sunday
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Ballan
3. Pozzato
4. EBH
5. Chavanel
3rd try.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Pippo
3. EBH
4. Ballan
5. Breschel
VSP PICKS:
1. Ballan
2. Boonen
3. Pozzato
4. Boom
5. Van Summeren
No idea but done picking against Boonen.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Hushovd
3. Chavanel
4. Pozzato
5. Boasson hagen
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzato
2. Ballan
3. Boonen
4. Boasson Hagen
5. Hushovd
VSP PICKS:
1. Tom Boonen
2. Filippo Pozzato
3. Juan Antonio Flecha
4. Edvald Boasson Hagen
5. Alessandro Ballan
@Buck Rogers
Amstel Gold Race. Recheck the starting lists then, because Rabobank is planning him to be their AGR and LBL rider.
@paolo
Not in the Dutch starting lists: Rabobanks’ PR team is Dutch all the way until Wynants. Boom, Leezer, Van Winden, Van Emden, Bram Tankink, Maarten Tjalingii, Coen Vermeltfoort and Maarten Wynants.
VSP PICKS:
1. Tom Boonen
2. Taylor Phinney
3. Filippo Pozzato
4. Sylvain Chavanel
5. Juan Antonio Flecha
@JC Belgium
I haven’t seen it yet. I wanted to, but we only have one television and 6 other people who don’t like cycling. I’m glad I can still watch the Sundays.
I will be able to check back online Sunday or so, after the race. Until then hill repeats and watching the race, so don’t expect me to clear up on posts before the race.
@Netraam
There are 6 people in Europe who don’t like cycling??? wtf!
@paolo
Apparently… At least my VMH likes cycling now.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Pozzato
3. Ballan
4. Vansummeren
5. Tjallingii
@frank
If, IF you come across any cycling related stickers remember me. I have a large tool box waiting for them. I of course will pay for shipping.
VSP PICKS:
1. boonen
2. thor
3. boom
4. boss hog
5. flecha
@Netraam
Every start list I am seeing still has Breschel
@paolo
http://www.nusport.nl/wielrennen/2781418/nederlands-getinte-raboploeg-in-parijs-roubaix.html
http://wielerflits.nl/nieuws/17632/rabobank-met-veel-nederlanders-in-parijs-roubaix-.html
http://www.rabosport.nl/kalender/1349 (Search for Paris Roubaix and then Selectie)
@Netraam
Yep Raboos own tweet has him not racing…oy vey now I gots to re-pick. Cheers Netraam!
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzato
2. Boonen
3. Ballan
4. Gilbackwards
5. Hushovd
@paolo
You’re welcome!
It’s going to be a great weekend!
” title=”” >Enjoy
This even!
I suspect this year’s Garmin moment will involve Chavanel and Boonen.
VSP PICKS:
1. Sylvain not Sebastian
2. Sep Vanmarcke
3. Mr Potato Head
4. Boonen
5. Ballan
As my favourite rider since I got into watching racing several years ago, I’m happy to see Boonen return to his winning ways, but leave it to Specialized to hint that the credit is all theirs. That company seriously markets like no other.
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Breschel
3. Pozzato
4. Flecha
5. HUSHOVD
Heart over head on this, but whatever. P-R is awesomeness no matter.
I just don’t see how one can not like Chavanel. I like that Pozzato has acknowledged that he needs to stop wasting his talent. Tommeke 2012: end of. A nod to the future is always nice, and for Sunday it’s Vanmarke. And Thor… well, I’m not so much a fan, but isn’t he supposed to really want this race?
VSP PICKS:
1. Monsieur Chavanel
2. Pippo
3. Boonen in the boneyard
4. Vanmarke
5. Thor
Amazing photos of yall on the cobbles.
VSP PICKS:
1. T. Boonen
2. F. Pozzato
3. A. Ballan
4. Sylvain Chavanel
5. E. Boasson Hagen
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Hushovd
3. Pozzato
4. Flecha
5. EBH
Going patriotic with number 5.
VSP PICKS:
1. Tornado Tom
2. Pozzato
3. Flecha
4. Ballan
5. Roulston
VSP PICKS:
1. thor
2. boonen
3. ballan
4. flecha
5. leukemans
@Netraam
You’re right. Cycling news dropped him from the start lists as did cycling fever. Methinks for the heads up!
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Pozatto
3. Thor
4. Ballan
5. Chavanel
VSP PICKS:
1. T. Boonen
2. S. Chavavnel
3. J. Vansummeren
4. F. Pozzato
5. A. Ballan
lets see if I can do worse than last week…
VSP PICKS:
1. boonen
2. ballan
3. pozzato
4. farrar
5. chavanel sylv
VSP PICKS:
1. Boonen
2. Hushovd
3. Devolder
4. Eisel
5. Boom
At the risk of typing yet more unbridled repetitive bithcing, I sure wish there was an alternative to getting video coverage of cycling races out of Europe. Sure, NBCSports nee Versus has it on cable, but it is uber expensive. I’d gladly pay a reasonable fee to download the race coverage in iTunes, or get a hulu/ boxee box or whatever is needed to get the race coverage. There are online streams apparently, but it is choppy coverage, poor quality and rather spotty.
@eightzero
What do you regard as a reasonable fee ? For about 6 of your Yankee dollars per month you can subscribe to Eurosport.
You would also need to have a European IP address which can be done with a VPN – apparently there are free ones although I pay for mine, as I use it for other things.
Going on a flyer. I’m still thinking that 2012 is the year an Italian finally gets around to winning a Monument.
VSP PICKS:
1. Pozzato
2. Boonen
3. Hushovd
4. Leukemans
5. Ballan
VSP PICKS:
1. Ballan
2. Hushovd
3. Pozzato
4. Boonen
5. Farrar