jyl

The Hell of the North approaches. Looks to be dry and dusty.

How does EQS play this one? No big sprinter, the closest thing they have can't keep his teeth in his mouth, so who gets fired off to do a solo raid?

How does Sky play this one? Is Thomas supposed to work for Wiggins, or are they both free agents?

How does Katusha play this one? Oh, I don't know, maybe tap that Kristhoff fellow again, I hear he's decent?

How does Tinkov play this one? Everyone but Sagan disappears by 40 km to go, then hang Sagan out to dry?

How does BMC play this one? Just like Tinkov, I guess.

How does Giant play this one? Will we see Kristhoff and Degenkolb opening up from 300 meters side by side?

DiabloScott

Maybe a little rain on Saturday to make the cobbles slick - I don't like the danger but I love to see the winner covered in glop.

I predict: cobble selection, another cobble selection, crash selection, final selection, cat and mouse selection, winner by half a lap.



Also, I got a big bottle of Trappist Ale wagered that Van Avermaet comes in before Sagan... again.

DiabloScott

RvV P-R Doubles I love this stuff.

1923 Heiri Suter(SUI)
1932 Romain Gijssels(BEL)
1934 Gaston Rebry(BEL)
1954 Raymond Impanis(BEL)
1957 Fred De Bruyne(BEL)
1962 Rik van Looy(BEL)
1977 Roger De Vlaeminck(BEL)
2003 Peter Van Petegem(BEL)
2005 Tom Boonen(BEL)
2010 Fabian Cancellara(SUI)
2012 Tom Boonen(BEL)
2013 Fabian Cancellara(SUI)


A list the Eddy didn't make!

jyl

Cycling really is a primitive sport. In motor racing, the riders would wear face shields with tear-offs. They wouldn't tolerate getting so icky dirty, I mean ewww.

Leinster

That's unfair on Oss and Burghardt who were both in the top 20. Sagan's best finishing teammate was Breschel in 73rd, behind 6 of BMC's riders. Van Avermaet does have support, but doesn't have the luck, or the nose for the right break or something. He definitely looked in the finale like he would've had the legs to go with Kristoff and Terpstra if he'd wanted to.

WCroadie

Sagan has had no support from his team this year, I bet he regrets going there. I don't think Kristoff can do the double, neither does he, but I would love to see it. Etixx needs a classics win this year in a bad way, not sure it will happen.

IDK who will win, I don't want a sky rider to win, other than that, I want to see an exciting race, pretty sure it will be.

jyl

You are right, BMC supported GVA better than Tinkov supported Sagan.

I do wish Sagan gets better support later or next year. I like him, think he is the real deal, isn't 100% now for some reason (too fat?), and would like to see him win more.

Spacepuppy

Glad I'm not the only one not wanting a Sky rider to win!
I think Terpstra can repeat. He has been a factor in all the races so far this year. Having been there before I think will help.
Kristoff, I don't know how he has fared in years past, better look that up!
Sagans chances might improve if it's sloppy due to to his awesome bike handling.

I'm going to make the prediction!! TERPSTRA, who makes a move 15k out and makes it stick. SAGAN wisely follows wheels after his team fades but has no answer for TERPSTRA. Third? GVA or KRISTOFF? Too easy, I'm going to figure somebody's luck has to run out! Lets say unexpected Garmin rider! gotta check their starting list....

Keith99

An even more elite list P-R and worlds. No Eddy either.

2005 Boonen
1996 Johan Museeuw
1961 Rik Van Looy

For Boonen that gives RvV, PR and the Worlds. Looy added LBL.

Those are the only 2 times a rider not named Eddy won 3 out of the 5 monuments and worlds. We are still waiting for the first non Belgian!

DiabloScott

Yeah, that double plus worlds year for Boonen was legendary stuff.

Another interesting list - repeat P-R consecutive years. The parentheses are the number of monument wins, ordered and total)

[TABLE="width: 302"]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1897[/TD]
[TD] Maurice Garin (FRA) (1/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1898[/TD]
[TD] Maurice Garin (FRA) (2/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1901[/TD]
[TD] Lucien Lesna (FRA) (1/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1902[/TD]
[TD] Lucien Lesna (FRA) (2/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1903[/TD]
[TD] Hippolyte Aucouturier (FRA) (1/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1904[/TD]
[TD] Hippolyte Aucouturier (FRA) (2/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1909[/TD]
[TD] Octave Lapize (FRA) (1/3)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1910[/TD]
[TD] Octave Lapize (FRA) (2/3)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1934[/TD]
[TD] Gaston Rebry (BEL) (3/4)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1935[/TD]
[TD] Gaston Rebry (BEL) (4/4)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1946[/TD]
[TD] Georges Claes (BEL) (1/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1947[/TD]
[TD] Georges Claes (BEL) (2/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1961[/TD]
[TD] Rik van Looy (BEL) (4/8)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1962[/TD]
[TD] Rik van Looy (BEL) (7/8)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1974[/TD]
[TD] Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) (4/11)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1975[/TD]
[TD] Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL) (6/11)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1978
1979
1980[/TD]
[TD] Francesco Moser (ITA) (2/6)
Francesco Moser (ITA) (4/6)
Francesco Moser (ITA) (5/6)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1992[/TD]
[TD] Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA) (1/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]1993[/TD]
[TD] Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (FRA) (2/2)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]2008[/TD]
[TD] Tom Boonen (BEL) (4/7)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]2009[/TD]
[TD] Tom Boonen (BEL) (5/7)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

cthenn

I don't think anyone wants to see a Sky win unless you are a Sky fan. US Postal, redux, this team. Too bad it looks to be dry. The PR-type stage from the Tour last year was one of the greatest races I've ever watched.

Yes, let's go off the board and have an unexpected winner. I'm gonna go for Stybar. He's been quite strong over the past few races, but Etixx has a lot of cards to play, so who will they peg as team leader?

rick458

Who is carrying the race? I thought NBCSN was but I do not see it anywhere Sunday

Blue Belly

Hopefully similar to last year. Favorites all mark each other & a crafty fighter sneaks out for the win.

Leinster

Nah, as worthy a winner as Terpstra was, there was something slightly unsatisfying about seeing the whole group of favourites pretty much raise the white flag and say "well I'm not going to be the one who tows Tommeke to his 5th win..." Something more like the 1990 finish, with chasers catching the lead group as they all enter the velodrome, though, THAT would be awesome.

A thought occurred watching a preview this morning; what if, at the end of it all, the lead group contained Kristoff, Greipel and Degenkolb (and ok Sagan too) all racing flat out onto the track (maybe being led out by Roelandts or Paolini to keep the pace up).

Blue Belly

id be amazed if they let Kristoff go again but, he is pretty strong right now. If Wiggo gets free, I'd be really surprised. He has got to be the other Marked man. Everyone keeps saying Sagan. He really has never had a "punch". They let him go when he was new. Now he needs to find a way to up his game. Doesn't seem to have it in him yet. Should be a good race. Hopefully no major crashes & a fun finish for us viewers.

Spacepuppy

Oooh, Stybar! Good call. Etixx can send him up the road and have Terpstra just follow wheels and have Stybar win like Servais Knaven (sp?) , because nobody wanted to drag his teammate up! Wish I would have posted THAT prediction now!

jeirvine 

Those interested in calling it should throw their hats into the ring over at Velominati. You could win stuff if you're right. My picks:
1. Terpstra
2. Degenkolb
3. Kristoff
4. Boom
5. Wiggins

digibud

Watching Eurosport replay 2014 as an intro to the live viewing of the 2015 race. "Live" TV viewing happening in just minutes. Wiggins or not? It would be a fantastic way to go out but any winner of Paris Roubaix needs both skill and luck simply to finish. in 2014 with 9km to go the break away includes Boonen, Terpstra, Wiggins, Degenkolb (sp?) Cancellera, Sagan...an incredible break away group.

Leinster

Wiggo's just attacked the favourites group with about 32k to go. He's on a good day today.

Sagan attacked at about the 50 mark. I think all it did was shell all his teammates out of the peloton.

The breakaway still hasn't been reeled in. Not getting much attention, but the lead's still about a minute.

Leinster

Nobody's working with Wiggins. "You're the world TT champ. You do the riding."

WCroadie

The race is heating up... Flanders and P-R are my absolute favorites to watch, I love these two weekends.

Terpstra looks strong, wiggo looks to be watching and planning his next move...

fietsbob

From BBC BBC Sport - Paris-Roubaix peloton split by train in near-miss

Several Paris-Roubaix competitors were seconds from being hit by a train as they raced over a rail crossing while a TGV approached.

The peloton was split by the train, with several riders crossing the track after the safety barrier had come down.

WCroadie

I saw it live, it wasn't close, they did go under the barriers tho.

No one will work with Degenkolb, he looks to really want it. Maybe Stybar will catch on and Etixx will have 2 in the group.

Leinster

And he did, and Degenkolb still won.

WCroadie

That was such an impressive ride, and a well deserved win. Wow.

GVA is a consistent classics rider, but he always comes up just short, I feel bad for him.