Road Bike Racing - Paris-Roubaix

The teams have been announced for Paris-Roubaix. Domina-Vacanze has been selected. This is the team of Mario Cippolini.

Do they want to see Cippo ride P-R and use that as a test to see if he rides the tour this year.

I don't know how Paris-Roubix is any indicator of how Cippo will do in the TDF.

There are no major climbs in the PR for him to abandon at.

I don't know how Paris-Roubix is any indicator of how Cippo will do in the TDF.

There are no major climbs in the PR for him to abandon at.


HAHAHA, no doubt. He has only finished the race twice, his best placing was in 1992 when he finished 69th.

He did win Ghent Wevelgem, which means he had to climb the Kemmelberg twice. Paris Roubaix is like 4 days later, but I hear the Cipo always go to watch the Formula 1 race instead of PR.

I think Boonen will be on the podium at P-R again this year, barring accident or injury. Maybe Bruylandts too. It could happen. Bruylandts is going to score a podium finish in at least one of the Belgium Classics this year.

It´s hard to tell who´s gonna win. Things can change within a few seconds, a little defect, all the mud a crash - and it´s all over.
This year Paris-Roubaix will have 26 pavé sectors including Arenberg and Carrefour de L´arbre.
This 102nd PR will be interesting. A pitty that Museeuw ended his career...

My predictions:
Van Petegem will podium, Boonen will have the sophmore curse, Bartoli-deadly good in the classics- will have CSC rallying, Hincapie will pull another Hincrappie by making the final break and then crash.

That would be funny to see Cipo ride P-R. He can barely ride cobbles like Amstel Gold. Maybe if he is willing to humiliate himself, the STDF will let him in the big show.

piratello... i'm fairly certain that museeuw's retirement doesn't begin until after the spring classics. he's on the start list for het volk.

piratello... i'm fairly certain that museeuw's retirement doesn't begin until after the spring classics. he's on the start list for het volk.



Correct, I think his last race is supposed to be Paris-Roubaix. He has stated that he is going to try to Win P-R as well as the Tour of Flanders. Which passes within 500 meters of his house.

Go George!

The only sad thing about the way Museeuw has "ended" his career is the doping allegations which have yet to be resolved as far as I know.

My prediction is that Racer X will break away from Hincapie with 10 k left...despite an incredible ride he will enter an empty velodrome for the finish...WHY would anyone stay to see the winner when all he did was beat a slug like Hincapie. After all, he's only one of the top 10 or 15 cyclists our whole nation has produced...One of the things that keeps cycling so popular in Europe and not so popular in the good ole USA is their appreciation for the ability and effort of those who finish the race....not just the winner.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2001/apr01/parisroubaix/FShincapie.jpg

Hincapie, Museeuw and Knaven

http://community.webshots.com/s/image3/4/47/96/9544796pzNuVWbbwz_ph.jpg

allI know, is that afterwatching last year's race... let us pray for rain and mud... dusty is fun to watch.. but not as fun as mud ! :D

jeff

I agree, I hope it's a mudfest. Most of the riders want mud,rather than dust. I can't blame them. I remember last year it was so mild people were watching in shorts and t-shirts!

I doubt Cipo will do Roubaix. He really doesn't like that race, and probably doesn't want to risk a bad crash that could keep him out of the Giro. You all know how it is at Roubaix- one bad crash and there goes half your season!

One of the things that keeps cycling so popular in Europe and not so popular in the good ole USA is their appreciation for the ability and effort of those who finish the race....not just the winner.

Aw, did I poo-poo on your parade? The other thing that makes cycling so popular is that they can voice their opinion on athletes and not be accused of destroying the sport.

hincapie will either crash, or miss the break that wins the race.

cipo doesn't have a chance in hell of making the tour, even if he should win paris-roubaix.

CIPO in PR!

:roflmao:

It might mess up his hair and muddy his Julius Ceasar bike shorts. :D

Aww shucks Racer X....did I offend ya? Everything I said, I said with a smile, although I meant it. I never accused you of ruining the sport...and of course you should voice your opinion...just as I do. I just felt the need to support the former US Champion/multi time TDF finisher/respected Classics challenger(at least by those who actually compete..hehe),and a good businessman to boot...dang I just might propose marriage to the guy...after all he does shave his legs ...right??

OK so you're a Hincapie fan but everyone was talking about predictions for Paris-Roubaix.

You are the one that came out with a personal attack against me. Hey, you are the one that seems offended. I don't care if you are or arent.

I didn't say anything off-topic or personal against any members in this thread. That job you took on all by yourself.
Care to go back to the topic at hand? You know, Paris-Roubaix?

Ah, that´s nice, I really thought he was fed up with all this **** and ended his career...
Ok, things look different now. I definately would like to see the old Lion of Flandres win once more. That would be a great retirement - winning Paris-Roubaix and winning the Ronde.

@wabbit:
I also hope it´s gonna be muddy. Paris-Roubaix IS mud. Last year I head the impression they were on a dusty desert road in Algeria or somewhere like that...

The teams have been announced for Paris-Roubaix. Domina-Vacanze has been selected. This is the team of Mario Cippolini.

Do they want to see Cippo ride P-R and use that as a test to see if he rides the tour this year.

This is a good point in that two years ago when Mario was World Champion and was leading the WC points, he blew off P-R. P-R is run by the Tour organizers and they wanted Mario in P-R. He decided not to race. Guess what? No Tour invite.

And he was shocked.

He will not be in the Tour. He's not in shape. He was going to go to Australia to train for the indivudual pursuit in Athens, and he's even dropped that.

David Clinger'd have a better chance, anyway.

A few of my PR-favorites:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2001/apr01/parisroubaix/FShincapie.jpg

Hincapie, Museeuw and Knaven

2001, that was a great race. Poor Georgie got worked at the end, though.

I don't know how Paris-Roubix is any indicator of how Cippo will do in the TDF.

There are no major climbs in the PR for him to abandon at.

Actually one of the most famous climbs of all the classics is on PR. It is so bad that almost every pro in the race walks his bike up the hill.

I predict we will see Musseuw,Knaven,Van Petegem,Boonen, and some combination of Hincapie,Ekimov, and Landis at the end. My heart goes with Ekimov but it will all depend on who crashes or flats early and who does it late. With top 6 finishes in the last 4 years perhaps it's Hincapies year

Actually one of the most famous climbs of all the classics is on PR. It is so bad that almost every pro in the race walks his bike up the hill.

I'm sure he has enough brute strength to get himself up and over a steep climb. Anything over 3 miles though and he's in the team car.

sam... i think you're thinking of the koppenberg, which is not in paris-roubaix [which is in france] but in the tour of flanders [which is belgium]. the koppenberg is a steep, nasty climb, and if you hit it in the pack, the odds are good that you'll come to a complete stop and have to hoof it.

the koppengerg was left out of the ronde from 1987 to 2002, afterjesper skibby almost got creamed by a support car (http://a1259.g.akamai.net/f/1259/5586/1d/images.art.com/images/PRODUCTS/large/10026000/10026201.jpg). it was an incredibly bad surface, but was re-cobbled for 2002.

it's always hard to say... it could be museeuw... it won't be boonen -- too young, and he will be riding support. don't discount bartoli and wesemann... and with o'grady on a classics-specific team with something to prove, we could see the first aussie winner.

but, as de vlaeminck once said... "paris roubaix is won with endurance and the ability to manage luck."

Actually one of the most famous climbs of all the classics is on PR. It is so bad that almost every pro in the race walks his bike up the hill.

I thought P-R was basically flat?
I didn't think there were climbs like that in north central France.

Thinking about this race makes me want to sing... "L'enfer du Nord: Paris - Roubaix"!!

I think velocepedio is right. I have my races a bit confused. The climb is a steep cobblestone torturefest that makes it nearly impossible to maintain forward momentum one you start to fade.

I think velocepedio is right. I have my races a bit confused. The climb is a steep cobblestone torturefest that makes it nearly impossible to maintain forward momentum one you start to fade.

I wonder if its Côte de Stockeu from L-B-L or the Koppenberg?

The Koppenberg does have a max gradient over %20 I think

Thinking about this race makes me want to sing... "L'enfer du Nord: Paris - Roubaix"!!

I love that song. :)

There are no *steep* cobblestone torturefests at Paris-Roubaix. I, too, am betting you're thinking of the Koppenberg. To paraphrase Verbal Kint, it's a spook story riders tell their kids. Mess with your pop, and you ride the Koppenberg home.

GO TOM BOONEN!

Ouch, that hurt...he crashed and was almost run over by the car.
Good decision to take the Koppenberg out. I guess last year, the Koppenberg had his comeback in the "Ronde van Vlaanderen" after it was "renovated".

In Paris-Roubaix there are no long and steep "bergs" or "helligen" like down there in Belgium...just muddy cobblestone areas in the flat northern France.

But that´s not exactly right - don´t forget the Forest of Arenberg and the pavé in Carrefour de l´Arbre, they are pretty hard.

Is there any TV coverage for the P-R in the U.S. this time around. If so does anyone know the channel/time for same?

While I would also like to see GH win this year, it was a good/dusty race last year. Too bad Ekimov is no sprinter. But the P-R is always a crap-shoot for the winner.

OLN as usual

Paris Roubaix
Sun, 4/11, Tape Delay
Thur, 4/15 from 9-10pm ET/PT

But that´s not exactly right - don´t forget the Forest of Arenberg and the pavé in Carrefour de l´Arbre, they are pretty hard.

Damn hard, even.

I kept myself up last night, thinking about P-R. While I will stick with the GO TOM BOONEN tip throughout the season, he most likely won't be a front runner for this one. Not with his teammate, the Lion of Flanders making his last rounds.

It's anybody's guess for this one. Sure, I'd love to see Museeuw win, one last time, but...

You have to have the lucky. ;)

The climb is a steep cobblestone torturefest that makes it nearly impossible to maintain forward momentum one you start to fade.


I wonder if its Côte de Stockeu from L-B-L or the Koppenberg?

No cobbles on the Stockeu, I can assure you. But there's a nice statue of Eddy Merckx halfway the climb.

I kept myself up last night, thinking about P-R.

That sounds familiar. ;) My riding buddy and I try to ride as much classics (tour versions, a.k.a. cyclosportifs) as possible. This year, among other rides, P-R is on the menu. Cobbles, the horror. :eek: I am with Bernard Hinault on this one: P-R can hardly be called a bike race (bad luck plays too big a role), but since it's part of the ciclismo tradition, one has to get it over with.

I urge everyone to find themselves a copy of the classic Paris-Roubaix documentary, "A Sunday in Hell." It does a beautiful job of mixing sound and music with wonderful footage of the '76 PR.

It's more of a movie than a straight forward race video. It's amazing.

Brent: I owe you a copy.

Well I always wondered, if P-R has conditions that are too harsh, aren't mountain bike races far far too harsh to be considered bike racing then? I mean they don't even use any pavement. Where is the line drawn?



Brent: I owe you a copy.

Roger that

sam... i think you're thinking of the koppenberg, which is not in paris-roubaix [which is in france] but in the tour of flanders [which is belgium]. the koppenberg is a steep, nasty climb, and if you hit it in the pack, the odds are good that you'll come to a complete stop and have to hoof it.

Or the Muur van Geraardsbergen... like the Koppenberg, it's a steep (at places) and cobbled monster.

I am with Bernard Hinault on this one: P-R can hardly be called a bike race (bad luck plays too big a role), but since it's part of the ciclismo tradition, one has to get it over with.

A Tour de France winner mixing it up, and winning, on the cobbles. This makes little sense to anyone introduced to this sport by the enormous successes of Indurain and Armstrong.

Hinault is the last "champion" we have. His palmares reflect his respect of the sport and his understanding of what races are necessary to ever exist in the pantheon of pro-cycling.

I don't know where some people get the impression european racing isn't hard. Paris-Roubaix is hard-ER than other classics but other classics are HARD!
Have you seen the cobbles in the 3 days de Panne, for example? Holy crap, you could loose small children between those cobbles!

Luck has as much to do with P-R as it does any other race. The best man or team will win P-R. It is famous because it is so difficult. To say someone wins out of luck or that luck plays a larger factor is pure ignorance. In fact, I would argue P-R takes more skill and courage to win so luck plays even less a factor.

P-R cannot be called a bike race? Why is it that P-R is considered one of the greatest one-day races in cycling history? Ask any pro which races they would like to win and P-R will be on every list!

Maybe for people used to riding on smooth pavement, the concept of riding over dirt and cobbles is unimaginable but rest assured most spring classics run over plenty of them.

Who say´s or thinks that european racing isn´t hard ?
Me personally, I don´t know any serious outer-european cycle races (except of the Tour Down Under)...

In fact, I would argue P-R takes more skill and courage to win so luck plays even less a factor.

No doubt P-R is a bike race. And, yes, it's one of the nicest classics we have.

Of course, inconveniences like punctures do happen in, and may influence the outcome of, any race (and not exclusively to the 'lesser' riders). But P-R in the past has produced some major Bad Luck, like Hennie Kuiper's broken frame near Hem. He was so good that day, that he still won the race. But it could have easily cost him the cobble.

Although I agree with some of your comments Racer X a couple of them conflict..." To say someone wins out of luck or that luck plays a larger role is pure ignorance", followed by,"Ask any pro which races they would like to win and P-R would be on their list".
I would defer to the pros on these issues...more Belgian riders hate P-R than any other race when questioned. Also when interviewed riders and Directors comment much more often on the conditions and luck determining the outcome. I agree that it requires an incredible rider to win...even to finish near the front, but who can control when and where you get a flat or crash when there are usually multiples for each and every rider, especially in poor conditions. I'll go with their opinion

No doubt P-R is a bike race. And, yes, it's one of the nicest classics we have.

Of course, inconveniences like punctures do happen in, and may influence the outcome of, any race (and not exclusively to the 'lesser' riders). But P-R in the past has produced some major Bad Luck, like Hennie Kuiper's broken frame near Hem. He was so good that day, that he still won the race. But it could have easily cost him the cobble.

I agree with all the comments on how luck is a factor. But hey, it's no more a factor than any other race.

You can flat in any race. You can even break a frame in any other race, do you remeber Lance on a mountain stage in the TDF last year? His frame was broken...do you guys remember that?

Luck is no more a factor than any other race since all are riding the same conditions.

As for the pros, yes they would all dream of winning P-R because it is one of the great classics. If they realistically feel they can is a different story.

A famous rider once said that you create your own luck.

A famous rider once said that you create your own luck.

I don't know about the case of P-R... but with pro racing in general (Nascar, F1, cycling, etc...) I hear the word 'luck' far too often for my taste. "bad luck made him lose an engine"... "bad luck made him lose control of the car"... "bad luck made him crash solo on the descent"...

The best make it appear to us that luck is always on their side, with how they perform.

In the case of P-R... umm... How come they just don't use un-puncturable tires? :D