Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix 2016
Every time I’ve ridden the Roubaix pavé, I’ve peed the next few days like I got VD from some dirty cobble. That might not really sell the non-believer on the pleasure of riding the sacred stones, but there truly is nothing like it anywhere else in the world. Here in Seattle, we have cobbled climbs and they are by all rights legitimately rough. But they pale in comparison to the brutality of the Flemish kasseien, and the Flemish kasseien pale in comparison to the French pavé.
When riding the cobbles, I sometimes find myself almost having an out of body experience, amazed at the fact that bicycle and rider are carrying on in a generally forward progression. On one occasion, I even found myself staring at a bidon that had ejected from my Arundel Mandible bidon cage, which itself says something about how rough the ride was. The bottle seemed to hang in the air for a moment as time slowed and I wondered firstly how the bidon had found its way past my top tube, and secondly whether I should fight the strangely strong urge to try and catch it.
Several of our V-Community brethren are over in Lille as we speak, riding the cobbles with our friends William and Alex from Pavé Cycling Classics and swilling Malteni like fools. They are over there because the thrilling sensation of savage shaking when you hit a secteur at speed from the smooth tarmac followed by the sense of overwhelming relief when the shaking stops as you return once again to the smooth pavement is an itch you have to keep scratching.
Sunday is Paris-Roubaix, the Queen of the Classics. And this time, it really does look like it’s going to be muddy and raining. Thank Merckx. Recall that Tom Boonen is the only favorite in the Peloton who has raced Paris-Roubaix in the wet, in 2002. Fourteen years since a muddy edition. Fourteen.
Will Boonen make it an unprecedented V wins? Or will Faboo come good and tie the record to join Boonen and de Vlaeminck? Or will Pinchy do the double and take his second monument? My money is on rain and an upset winner.
Don’t forget that the VSP Series winner takes home a custom Don Walker and that the runner-up gets a set of handbuilt Café Roubaix CR Wheelworks Arenberg wheels. Third place get a V-Kit. So start your prognostications on the start list, pray to whatever deity that melts your butter, and get your picks in by the time the timer goes to zero.
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Phil Gaimon,
148 fightin’ pounds soaking wet, gotta love that !
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Desperately want Spartacus to win, but don’t want to jinx him… Already did that for RVV!
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Cancellara
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@Cullen
Lost my comment there….cancellara should win. it would be a nice thing. just dont think its going to happen.
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The problem with P-R is the unforeseen factors, the riders need as much good luck as they do good legs. It would be nice to see Spartacus join another elite group.
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Heart wants Chava on this list, but head wants to protect my top 10 position. Damn shame about GVA – he would’ve crushed this race.
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Aye, that’s Z. Stybar. Must be the Belgium triples…
I haven’t seen my pics in a post, but I can see them listed above as I type this– therefore I can assume they are in the system, correct?
That last post was via Google Chrome, this one’s in Safari.
I haven’t seen my pics in a post, but I can see them listed above as I type this– therefore I can assume they are in the system, correct?
Heavy marking, wind, lack of balls, absence of destiny, mechanicals, and that’s just my VSP.
Let’s get ready to cobble!
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looking forward to tomorrow’s race
If Sagan wears that black world champion jersey, then he will win for sure. Dude will be very tough to beat.
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Dammit, changing again. Going with what I want to see happen, and that is
Frites going out with V wins, retiring on the spot and becoming the new Lion.
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And again…
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Oh yes. I’m the only one to pick him! And they call me insane.
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@freddy
Yes as long as you can see your picks under VSP Picks above the posting area you should be good. If in doubt just post them as raw text and fronk will (usually) pick them up (or you can dispute later from a good base!).
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Late change. Just think Kristoff is going to be there or there abouts!
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Just back from riding the end of the course – mildly muddy under the trees but likely to be pretty much dry for the race. Blue skies and warming up – not much wind to speak of at the moment.
The website is telling me the picks are still open for another 1h 23m. I’m watching the race. This seems weird.
Also, no friggin’ rain! Damn you, Thor!
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This is how it will be. I have sacrificed a worn Campa cassette to The Prophet to make it so.
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@frank
Worn? Cheapskate.