Who is your pick for victory at Paris-Roubaix?
04-05-12, 04:47 PM
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Who is your pick for victory at Paris-Roubaix?
Cancellara is out.
Boonen has already won 4 races this season and is looking strong.
Last year's winner, Johan van Summeren, finished over 1 minute back in Flanders.
Pozzato and Ballan, the 2nd and 3rd place finishers in Flanders, were both in the top-10 in Milano-San Remo this year. Ballan finished 6th last year in Paris-Roubaix.
Following not far behind them in Flanders were Greg van Avermaet, Niki Terpstra, Sylvain Chavanel, and Juan-Antonio Flecha, who have all had good results so far this season.
Philippe Gilbert looks like he is holding back, maybe waiting for his home races in Wallonia. However the guy is one hell of a racer and I wouldn't count him out.
The weather forecast is looking like rain on Saturday, so it might still be a little sloppy on Sunday.
So far, Boonen seems to be on-form and might be the safe bet.
Who's your pick? Predictions?
Boonen has already won 4 races this season and is looking strong.
Last year's winner, Johan van Summeren, finished over 1 minute back in Flanders.
Pozzato and Ballan, the 2nd and 3rd place finishers in Flanders, were both in the top-10 in Milano-San Remo this year. Ballan finished 6th last year in Paris-Roubaix.
Following not far behind them in Flanders were Greg van Avermaet, Niki Terpstra, Sylvain Chavanel, and Juan-Antonio Flecha, who have all had good results so far this season.
Philippe Gilbert looks like he is holding back, maybe waiting for his home races in Wallonia. However the guy is one hell of a racer and I wouldn't count him out.
The weather forecast is looking like rain on Saturday, so it might still be a little sloppy on Sunday.
So far, Boonen seems to be on-form and might be the safe bet.
Who's your pick? Predictions?
04-05-12, 05:12 PM
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Office bet with my buddy: Boonen or Not Boonen. I went Not Boonen but I'm not too confident. Prize is chain lube and sports wash.
04-05-12, 05:27 PM
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Don't know what Sky's team tactics will be, but I fancy Boasson-Hagen, because my guess is that supporting him in the classics will be their way of compensating him for riding for Wiggins and Cavendish in the GTs. And he certainly has the strength, and the finish, to be a contender.
04-05-12, 09:44 PM
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04-06-12, 07:59 PM
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Gonna give the kid a chance... Peter Sagan's time to shine, perhaps?
04-06-12, 08:05 PM
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with no cancellara in the middle bonnen should win big time; unless something too weird happens as last year, but sure boonnen's team will control the race from the start.
No other rider looks as strong as him, if you ask me the 2nd and 3rd places will be a mere thing of luck because nobody is strong enough to even consider a podium position.
ps: sagan doesnt have a team and he is always in the wrong place at the wrong time, always chasing, that kills him.
No other rider looks as strong as him, if you ask me the 2nd and 3rd places will be a mere thing of luck because nobody is strong enough to even consider a podium position.
ps: sagan doesnt have a team and he is always in the wrong place at the wrong time, always chasing, that kills him.
04-06-12, 08:10 PM
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As much as I'd like Thor to win P-R, I don't think it'll happen this year. Boonen is a safe pick, especially the way he's mopped up the last few races.
04-06-12, 08:49 PM
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It will definitely tough for him because he's not on the start list. You could pull for his brother, though.
I have nothing against Boonen, but I'd rather see somebody else this time. I actually would route for P. Sagan if he was in, but I like Boassan Hagen, too.
I have nothing against Boonen, but I'd rather see somebody else this time. I actually would route for P. Sagan if he was in, but I like Boassan Hagen, too.
04-06-12, 08:58 PM
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The obvious pick would be Boonen, but this a one tough race and rain is possible.
So, I'm going with Filippo Pozzato who looks great on the cobbles, or Sylvain Chavanel, who has looked great this season, is on his home turf and is due for a big win...
So, I'm going with Filippo Pozzato who looks great on the cobbles, or Sylvain Chavanel, who has looked great this season, is on his home turf and is due for a big win...
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04-06-12, 09:50 PM
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Tweeted by @inrng
Peter Sagan won't ride #roubaix. Instead he's hosting spinning classes for Slovakian Miss Universe models
https://inrng.tumblr.com/post/20582924221/sagan-spin-gym
lol.
Good for him!
Peter Sagan won't ride #roubaix. Instead he's hosting spinning classes for Slovakian Miss Universe models
https://inrng.tumblr.com/post/20582924221/sagan-spin-gym
lol.
Good for him!
04-07-12, 06:10 AM
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Rocking the roads of Bama
Boonen, then Chavenel, whoever management decides gets the win. Then Ballan.
04-07-12, 08:20 AM
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Tweeted by @inrng
Peter Sagan won't ride #roubaix. Instead he's hosting spinning classes for Slovakian Miss Universe models
https://inrng.tumblr.com/post/20582924221/sagan-spin-gym
lol.
Good for him!
Peter Sagan won't ride #roubaix. Instead he's hosting spinning classes for Slovakian Miss Universe models
https://inrng.tumblr.com/post/20582924221/sagan-spin-gym
lol.
Good for him!
04-07-12, 08:00 PM
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Roubaix will be missing some spice without Cancellara.
Boonen's the safe bet, or Chavanel. I would like to see Gilbert be some kind of a factor. I doubt Thor does much. Ballan, Boessen Hagan, and Pozzatto should be factors.
Maybe there's a giant pile-up and Hincapie takes it.... unlikely!
Boonen's the safe bet, or Chavanel. I would like to see Gilbert be some kind of a factor. I doubt Thor does much. Ballan, Boessen Hagan, and Pozzatto should be factors.
Maybe there's a giant pile-up and Hincapie takes it.... unlikely!
04-08-12, 08:14 AM
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Rocking the roads of Bama
I wonder if Boonen has his St. Christopher's medal in his back pocket?
04-08-12, 08:45 AM
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Interestingly, Boonen's Tarmac SL4 didn't have a powermeter:
https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/a...mac-sl4-33549/
I wonder if his Roubaix for today was also without a PM, and he just rode the entire 50km right on the knife's edge just based on PE/feel? I know an experienced rider like him is capable of doing so, but seems strange to NOT use a powermeter and remove even the slight margin of error.
https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/a...mac-sl4-33549/
I wonder if his Roubaix for today was also without a PM, and he just rode the entire 50km right on the knife's edge just based on PE/feel? I know an experienced rider like him is capable of doing so, but seems strange to NOT use a powermeter and remove even the slight margin of error.
04-08-12, 09:21 AM
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I didn't expect it to last to be honest - I thought it was too early, and I was afraid that he would be caught after he dropped Terpstra. However he just kept going, and the gap kept getting bigger and bigger. Really nice performance by Tom.
Too bad about Pozzato - did that guy even have a team? Every time I saw him in the last 100km or so, he looked completely alone in a group full of other teams. We he had that small incident with about 30km to go, that was it, his day was effectively over at that point because he had nobody to help him re-join the group.
Too bad about Pozzato - did that guy even have a team? Every time I saw him in the last 100km or so, he looked completely alone in a group full of other teams. We he had that small incident with about 30km to go, that was it, his day was effectively over at that point because he had nobody to help him re-join the group.