It looks so easy on the television. Well, no, actually it looks pretty bloody hard. We think we have some understanding of how they suffer, how their bodies can take the continual beating. But we don’t really know. Not even by riding these abominations they call roads twice in the space of a few days can we understand the scale of the thing. Not even by witnessing firsthand a master of the cobbles effortlessly turning the cranks, cruising past us as if on a cushion of air by comparison to our bed of nails can we fully comprehend what it takes to ride these secteurs with any panache, style or speed.
While we witnessed a Roubaix masterclass from The Lion himself today, a new name could be added alongside his on the long list of legends on Sunday. Or it could be a former vainquer adding to an already impressive palmares. But as we’ve seen in the past, and even the past hours, luck plays as big a part as skill, talent and fitness in this most beautifully horrible race. And it plays an even bigger part in picking the top five in the VSP.
All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the spectacle. We’ll be doing the hard yards at the side of the roads of Troisvilles, the Troueé, and the Carrefour. Study the form guide, then throw it out. It’s no good to you here.
In the meantime here’s a look at a bunch of nobodies and a guru riding a secteur on today’s recon. The lesson comes at around 0.15.
[vsp_results id=”22968″/]
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VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Stannard
3. Boom
4. Roelandts
5. Huassler
I'm going for an outsider....
VSP PICKS:
1. Ian Stannard
2. Chav
3. Phinney
4. Van Summeren
5. Thor
Fabs has the yips and will repeat his cornering form from London...Once he's gapped, the rest of the field will ride like nutbags trying to seize the day...
VSP PICKS:
1. Hayman
2. Chav
3. Turgot
4. Roelandts
5. Durbo
VSP PICKS:
1. Cancellara
2. Boasson Hagen
3. Phinney
4. Haussler
5. Devolder
Hmmm.. I need to type a comment... Well then, GO PHINNEYYYYYYSSTTTERRR... HOLD THE WHEEL BAD BOY!
Bummer. When I opened the page it said I had 6mins. Apparently not. Oh well.
Just heard some local dude on Cycling Central that Boom will change to a CX steed just before the Arenberg.Watch this space!
@girl
I Delgado'd too.
Pity we won't be seeing this in action at PR 2013
HTF do you get images url's in ipad?
Delgado'd but who cares, we've a RACE to watch. All the talk about Cancellara, psssffffttt.
Interestingly there are two names that haven't been mentioned at all in any of the blogs and news previeware round the net. that riders that are riding well and have cent results at P-R that gives them cause for consideration.
Matt Hayman
Bernard Eisel
These old warhorses will be thernext the end when others in their team won't. Hayman in particular lives for this race iand is psyched!
Anyway if anyone can actually beat Cancellara it is Phinney.