Ok, ok, settle down now people. Take your seats please. You’re all a little bit on edge, like some cycling Gamblers Anonymous group that’s been let out for the weekend with a pocket full of bills and the name of the nearest bookie. But in your excitement, you managed to crash our server, delaying the fix you so desperately crave.
But wait no more. You’ve warmed up on the gateway races, now it’s time for the hard stuff, as grimy, rough and unadulterated as the roads of Flanders themselves.
You see, there’s this bloke I know who knows a bloke, hangs around the Velominati bike sheds, seems to know a bit about the racing game. Reckons he’s got a sure bet for the weekend. A cert. A dead-set shoo-in. Number 1 in Race 3 of the VSP at Flanders. Fella reckons you could put your left one on it. Absolutely Faboolous or something he’s called. He’s got form (and, judging by the way he shelled the nags on last week’s card, possibly a motor). But word is there could be a late plunge on the other fella, Boom Boom Boy, so maybe a bob each way might be the way to go. I’d watch out for those not-so-roughies though, the likes of Gilbert, Devolder, Ballan and Thor will be waiting to pick up any leftover chaff and could steal away the win, leaving you as frustrated as a one-legged man at an ass-kicking contest.
So what’s it gonna be then? Take the sure thing, or the other sure thing, or throw a dart at the board and hope it sticks? It’s time to study the form guide, search the dark recesses of your soul, throw out any logic, and pencil in your picks on the ticket provided at the bottom of the comments. Whether you’re canny, savvy or just plain tinny, the coveted Obey The Rules bumper sticker is waiting. Is your bumper worthy?
The only thing for certain is that bicycle racing will be the winner on the day.
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Anyone else twitching like a smacked up ferret about the thought of Paris Roubaix? With Welly Roubaix coming up this weekend too I'm in for a lot of bad weather bike fun.
Rule 50...
"One may never shave on the morning of an important race, as it saps your virility, and you need that to kick ass."
@Sam
Exactly.
@Frank and other Keepers, may I humbly suggest the need to load up the VSP page for PR a little earlier than previously so as to extend the agony of making your selections and the pain that comes from second guessing ones self until 5.30 Pacific time, whatever the fuck that translates to in OZ.
Just to add:
L'Equipe had an interview with Cancellara yesterday in which he said (at least by my translation) that Boonen's attack on Leberg was the key to the race, forcing him (Faboo) to break away so that Boonen wouldn't sit on his wheel the rest of the way. Also that teams like Quickstep and BMC were racing to see him lose rather than to win themselves and that he would rather finish 3rd than see Boonen win. He also said that Nuyens won by smart racing but that it was "of no value" to the team to win like that, a fact that Riis should know.
These points have been evoked here already but it was an honest interview (not like we have typically here in the US as has been mentioned).
No ida if this is true but it should be if it isn't, linked from a tweet by Flammecast.
[Eurosport] Commentators talking about the Paris-roubaix sportive. They said Sean Kelly took a look at all the questions on the entry form and just scrawled across it " I won the Race twice" and signed his name under it!
Whether true or not, that's fucking brilliant! I need to figure out how to get into the P-R Sportif as I am going to be THERE next year and am planning on riding it! Cannot wait for P-R this weekend!!!
@Buck Rogers
Whaddya mean you need to figure out how to get into it? You've just been given the answer: scrawl 'I won the race twice' on the form - like the other 5,000 people who'll now be doing likewise ...
@G'phant
Of course! What was I thinking?!!? :)
So it appears that Cancellara's words were taken out of context and/or linguistically misinterpreted by the media - what a surprise.