Hell Of The North 2013 - Paris-Roubaix - April 7th

[dart]

Hell Of The North 2013 - Paris-Roubaix - April 7th

It's that great time of year where spring and the classics season are not too far away.

Milan San Remo, Ronde van Vlaanderen, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and of course, the queen of the classics, Paris-Roubaix.

Teams have just been announced for this year's edition, who do you favour for the win?

Can Boonen replicate his crushing win from last year?

Or will Phillipe Gilbert step up and take victory? Or Thor? Matty Goss? Cancellara? Chavanel? Sagan?

Or someone random win? (I like it when someone random wins).

ProTeams for 2013 Paris-RoubaixAG2R La Mondiale (Fra)
Astana Pro Team (Kaz)
Blanco Pro Cycling Team (Ned)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Cannondale Pro Cycling (Ita)
Euskaltel Euskadi (Esp)
FDJ (Fra)
Garmin - Sharp (USA)
Katusha Team (Rus)
Lampre - Merida (Ita)
Lotto Belisol (Bel)
Movistar Team (Esp)
Omega Pharma - Quick Step Cycling Team (Bel)
Orica - GreenEdge (Aus)
RadioShack - Leopard (Lux)
Sky Procycling (Gbr)
Team Argos - Shimano (Ned)
Team Saxo - Tinkoff (Den)
Vacansoleil - DCM Pro Cycling Team (Ned)

Wildcard teams for 2013 Paris-Roubaix
Bretagne - Séché Environnement (Fra)
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits (Fra)
IAM Cycling (Sui)
Sojasun (Fra)
Team Europcar (Fra)
Team Netapp - Endura (Ger)

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Boonen's arm injury has to be a big concern, I will need to see a bit from him in Europe to consider him a chance to win it again.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

I'm going to go with a rougie for the win in Geraint Thomas. The guy is a class act, and now doesn't have to support JAF.

 

[dart]

1 MONTH TO GO! \m/ YES!

The ride routes for the 2013 Paris-Roubaix Challenge have been released, i'm signed up for the 170km version which tracks the same course as the riders will do on the day of the actual Paris-Roubaix:

http://bel.garmin.com/Parcours/ParisRoubaix/fullscreen170.html

More info on the event:

http://sport.be.msn.com/parisroubaix/2013/eng/parcours/

 

[nobbyiscool]

My love for Spartacus knows no bounds.

He will win, and I will love it.


-----

Ok, seriously, given Cancellara wins all his classics the same way, and given he only did it at Flanders last Sunday, the peleton isn't going to let him get away.

Much as I would love the greatest cyclist alive to back up for the double - I though Greipel looked great last week. If I bet on cycling, he'd be my tip.

 

[Freakie]

My love for Spartacus knows no bounds.

He will win, and I will love it.


-----

Ok, seriously, given Cancellara wins all his classics the same way, and given he only did it at Flanders last Sunday, the peleton isn't going to let him get away.

Much as I would love the greatest cyclist alive to back up for the double - I though Greipel looked great last week. If I bet on cycling, he'd be my tip.

The peleton will not have a choice. A lot comes down to positioning and a little luck when hitting each cobbled section. Sparticus will put Sagan put of position before he launches.

Tony Martin is the only one in the peleton that could match his horse power IMO

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Cancellara has crashed twice this week, but still can't go past him. He should win by as much as he wants.

 

[blue gunslinger]

excited!

 

[nobbyiscool]

I was checking the odds today... Cancellara $1.73

I know he's good, I know he's favourite - but there isn't a single cyclist in the history of cycling who deserves to be that short in a race as unpredictable as Roubaix!

For the record, Hushoved and Phinney are second favourites - paying $13!

 

[blue gunslinger]

a schleck to fall

 

[Freakie]

a schleck to fall

In the neutral zone

 

[dart]

rode the paris-roubaix challenge yesterday, 170kms including the 50kms of cobble sectors the pros are doing tomorrow and got to finish in the velodrome

it was bone shaking, great day out though.

off to see the race today, can't believe they race on this stuff, it's quite ridiculous.

and arenberg is insane. on all the docos and TV coverage, they are NOT talking it up when they say it's an absolutely mad sector, it's slightly downhill and narrow and the cobbles are all over the place. i'm hoping we get there today, depends on logistics.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

I was checking the odds today... Cancellara $1.73

I know he's good, I know he's favourite - but there isn't a single cyclist in the history of cycling who deserves to be that short in a race as unpredictable as Roubaix!

For the record, Hushoved and Phinney are second favourites - paying $13!

That is stupidly short for a bike race. But really, unless he punctures or crashes I can't see him losing. Chavanel or Roelandts if he does.

 

[monty1104]

This race with no Sagan or Boonen leaves a bit of a hollow feeling TBH. Cancellara would be a shoe in, but two falls during the week might come back to haunt him.

EBH is my tip.

 

[monty1104]

And lol at Yohan Offredo. Looking behind him, then rode straight into a traffic island. Euskatel preparing a contract offer for him as we speak.

 

[Caesar]

Flanders was awesome and I am really stoked for this.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

It's not raining. I'm honestly not sure if I'm upset or not. Mud and slippery cobblestones versus choking dust. Either way I love this race. Just so brutal.

 

[grizzlym]

rode the paris-roubaix challenge yesterday, 170kms including the 50kms of cobble sectors the pros are doing tomorrow and got to finish in the velodrome

it was bone shaking, great day out though.

off to see the race today, can't believe they race on this stuff, it's quite ridiculous.

and arenberg is insane. on all the docos and TV coverage, they are NOT talking it up when they say it's an absolutely mad sector, it's slightly downhill and narrow and the cobbles are all over the place. i'm hoping we get there today, depends on logistics.

You have my admiration. Looks a shocker to push your bike over.

 

[ben_1301]

Unlucky Stybar....

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Smacked in the face with a camera apparently. That's gotta hurt.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

After all of that it comes down to a cat and mouse velodrome track sprint. You have got to love this race. Spartacus on the line. Brilliant.

 

[monty1104]

Fantastic race. Well done Spartacus, but Stybar and Vandenbergh were terribly unlucky.

Didn't expect to see Kristoff place so high either.

 

[Visions]

Smacked in the face with a camera apparently. That's gotta hurt.

I know that fans cheering on by the side of the road are part of the romance of cycling, but seriously some awareness is needed! Though I suppose like anytime you have large numbers of people, there is always bound to be a few dickheads around.

Well done Cancellara, the man is just a machine.

 

[blue gunslinger]

epic brutal day from go to woah
the ol tainted beef came good
those fans need to have a good hard look at themselves
Do they really think they are responsible for motivating a rider to go the extra yard or is it there moment of glory
"did you see me on TV"?
I watched the Paris marathon today and again in this race have a bad taste in my mouth
marathon had pace setters dragging runners from the start to end then Cancellara gets the old tow from the car

 

[dart]

amazing day, went to the start and then was at 2 different pave sections [un-f-ing believable] and finally saw the epic finish in the velodrome from a good vantage spot: