Let us pray for rain.
The Sunday after Ronde Van Vlaanderen brings us to Paris-Roubaix. The Holiest of Holies. There are no bergs to ride over, instead, accelerate to maximum speed to be in the top 20 to start each cobbled section, bring power up to flank to float over broken treacherous farm path crown, gutter or ditch or all three at the same time as required. Recover once back on the tarmac. Repeat 26 more times.
This Sunday’s edition of Paris-Roubaix will have Velominati moaning, staring through half empty bottles of Chimay, burning candles to Saint Ludo of Dierckxsens (the patron saint of Flemish V), begging for a sign. The winner won’t be a first timer to this race, he needs experience on these stones, he will also require equally experienced teammates who can hang tough close to Roubaix. He must be massively fit. He must be tough as nails. Andy Schleck will not be out here on Sunday, not because he is not tough (OK, he is not tough enough for this) but racing on such terrible cobbled farm tracks is a skill only a certain subset of professionals develop. All around tough bastard Bernard Hinault, aka The Badger, thought it was an insane lottery, unworthy of his attention but he did ride it twice and won in 1981. In 2011 you could do worse than roll up to the start on your 1980 steel Merckx ride as today’s bikes, used just for this one race, have a lot of old-school about them: 27mm profile tires, huge inner chain rings, 3-cross laced wheels, longer rake front forks, longer chainstays. These bikes go back into storage when this race is over. Insane bikes, riders, fans and of course, throw in some bad weather and we have a real race.
Finally Fabian Cancellara has shown himself to be human, a really strong human. Tomeke Boonen is showing signs of past greatness. Garmin-Cervelo has been hammered from all quarters, they are under pressure and Thor has always said this is the race he wants to win. Gilbert is fit, ready and Belgian (news flash, he may be ready but not to race P-R, coward). Chavanel is fit, ready and French. Could Ballan be the new Moser? No. Not ever. Team Sky, with nary a Belgian still has a shot with a Spaniard, an Englishman and a Welshman.
The spinning wheels of Fortuna could play havoc on the best laid bets like it did in 2001. Dutchmen Servais Knaven won it all. Knaven, with teammate Johan Museeuw was part of a select group closing in on Roubaix. Being the dutiful domestique he attacked to force Museeuw’s adversaries to chase but no one could. He was a tough guy and rode away with a beautiful victory.
Let us pray for rain.
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View Comments
@ZachOlson
Seconded.
@Hawkeye
VSP PICKS:
1. Fabs
2. Thor
3. Boonen
4. GIlbert
5. Van Summeren
Good on ya. I fucked up and forgot to put him in and I'm paying for it now. Oh the humanity. A great win for JvS though. He won't be buying a beer in Belgium for the rest of his life.
@Gianni
I need that situation as well, but how do I do it without winning a race the Belgique care about?
@all
For a bit there, I thought Hincapie was in it...right there and then Faboo started firing off the Guns of Navarone and Hushpuppy just Hoovered along with him and Georgie was never to be seen again.
I'm feeling a little ripped off. I know the rules are all very clear regarding the points distribution, but I actually had Van Summeren in my top 5 and unfortunately had Fabs for 1st not second so wasn't best scorer on the day.
Some days the system works for ya, some days against. I'm still on a high from that great ride though! Awesome.
Excellent addition sir
@benjamin
I can't help thinking that, if Tommeke had been there (as he would've been but for the absence of a dork disk (?!) and an adequate bidon cage), it would've been really different - he would've chased, and Hushnowletsturnthegasoff, Flecha, Ballan, ShoeCovers et al would've had two guys to watch and worry about. But JVS is such a worthy and popular winner I am kinda glad that didn't happen.
Agreed. He was floating (and in the end, that was all he was doing)around in that bunch along with Balls/BMC posse. Uncle Paul & Aunty Phil kept mentioning his name with some aplomb, I'm thinking "don't tell me the shoe covers are coming off finally!" but then...nothing. Not even the frickin' bridesmaid, hell not even a flowergirl for Georgy Peorgy. Just a guest at the Queen's wedding, seen later in the snapshots with everyone going, "wasn't that...."
@il ciclista medio
I thought it was known as "Flemish Toothpaste"
Agree re Hincapie, got a bit excited for a while and then just nothing at all from him. Is this his last year? And what was the argy bargy with Boom and Flecha all about - did they ride together at Rabobank? Old grievances maybe?
@Pedale.Forchetta
Nah I said I expected Ballan to not take a turn, but was surprised Hushovd didn't either.
I was disappointed by Hushovd not taking a turn, and unsurprised by Ballan not taking a turn. I think Thor with the wisdom of hindsight is trying to have it both ways here - he attacked the bunch on the cobbles with his man up the road. Fabian then attacked over the top. Thor then claimed he couldn't work with Fabian because he had a man up the road. I don't think it's cool to attack your man, then not follow through with it.
Ballan was never going to take a turn. And probably was justified as he was clearly the weakest of the three up the road. It turned out costly to both him and Fabian that he didn't take a turn though!
Regardless, I'm stoked that Summie ended up with the win!
He wassn't trying to "attack his man", he was trying to bridge up solo. It didn't come off.