Paris Roubaix

[rodda]

Pretty much the only other decent cycling race we get live is this Sunday.

Thoughts?

I think it should be a pretty good race, Boonen and Pozzato would have to be pretty close to being favourites.

I think Maaskant (cant remember where all thoughs a's fit in...) could be pretty strong and targeting his form on this race too.

Haussler should have a chance as well although I think he has peaked too early and is dropping off a little bit. But he is riding for Australia next season so lets hope

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Boonen the one to beat hopefully a good race to watch

 

[ubolt]

Stijn Devolder after his win in the Tour of Flanders


While we're on the subject of spring classics the 203km trip of Gent-Wevelgem was held the other day and the race was won by Edvald Hagen Boasson of Team Columbia with Aleksandr Kuychinski and Matty Goss 53 seconds in arrears.

April is the greatest time of year: the spring classics in belgium and france and the Tour of the Basque on at the same time. what more do we want?

 

[rodda]

correction on myself. Don't think Pozzato is in this?
Great to see EHB finally claiming himself big races, he is without a doubt a big name for the future.

Not sure about Stijn for this one, if he takes any of the other guys with him to the velodrome he will get beat.

Boonen could have attacked after Devolder in Ronde Vlaanderen but that would have meant dragging the likes of Haussler, Flecha, Pozzato etc up with him, obviously his Director Sportiff preffered him to sprint for second and guarantee a win for Quickstep with Devolder a minute in the lead.

What more do we want ubolt

ALL THIS STUFF ON FTA TV LIVE!!

 

[ubolt]

FTA of all the spring classics would be fantastic!

 

[ubolt]

for those of you at all interested on 20th April a special DVD release for us cycling fans:

Road to Roubaix it is called.

To be perfectly honest i've got no idea what it is about: but it is a cycling DVD and if you're like me you'll buy it. So if anyone can shed some light on it - let us all know.

 

[rodda]

Directors David Deal and Dave Cooper, bring you a film that celebrates one of the most historically relevant races in the world. Rare interviews with current superstars, legends of the sport, mechanics, and fans lead the audience through the brutal, unpredictable landscape that elevates Paris-Roubaix to its epic status. Director of photography Patrick Reis and his team masterfully capture the beauty of the region through stunning panoramic views and footage of the race, riders, and the infamous cobblestones which serve as the star of the film.

Edited by Kathryn Hempel, the film deftly weaves rare behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and a collection photographs—both contemporary and archival—that make Road To Roubaix an organic visual narrative that engages audiences from beginning to end. This is a rare look at Paris-Roubaix usually reserved for the sport's insiders.

It is truly unique within the genre of cycling films, and will leave you anxiously awaiting Masterlink Films' next project.

there you go

 

[ubolt]

thanks for that one rodda

sounds like a good one to buy then

i'll be on to that one

 

[roostersgal4eva]

Ive read about it - definate buy (especally since its also got higlights of the '07 race )

 

[roostersgal4eva]

FTA of all the spring classics would be fantastic!

who needs FTA when you have justin tv and myp2p

 

[Secular Bicep]

Devolder or Boonen. Take your pick. Coin flip.

Devolder from Hincapie and Maaskant.

Maaskant is a huge chance to win. Of Course I want big George to win but can't see it happening.

 

[blackcat]

dario pieri

 

[rodda]

Ive read about it - definate buy (especally since its also got higlights of the '07 race )

that was the year with the train wasn't it

 

[Secular Bicep]

Altering the predictions.

Top 10

1. George Hincapie
2. Stijn Devolder
3. Martijn Maaskant
4. Juan Antonio Flecha
5. Matti Breschel
6. Bjorn Luekemans
7. Fabian Cancellara
8. Marcus Burghardt
9. Simon Spilak
10. Koldo Fernandez

 

[ubolt]

The Tour of the Basque Country was completed overnight too: Alberto Contador showing huge amounts of form leading into the Giro next month came out on top after also winning the 24km ITT that was the final stage. 2nd placed overall went to Antonio Colom and 3rd Sammy Sanchez. And for the Aussies 4th place went to Cadel Evans showing great form in April and Mick Rogers coming home in 8th place for Columbia Highroad.

 

[Secular Bicep]

Give Contador the TDF already. He will have Leipheimer, Popovych, Zubeldia, Kloden and possibly Armstrong leading him up the mountains where he will blitz the field. Then he can take off a minute and a half to his main rivals in a time trial regardless of whether or not it's April. Remember for a small mountain man he upstaged Wiggins by 8 seconds over 8km which is a flogging. He would probably beat Wiggins in the Individual Pursuit if he did track work too based on that. He is the man. No one will come close to him. The TDF he will win by at least 5 minutes.

He could very well do the Giro/TDF double and possibly throw the Grand Slam. He is capable of it. But I think Leipheimer is the Giro man - that long 60+km time trial suits Leipheimer to a tee rather than Contador.

Leipheimer for the Giro. Contador for the TDF and Vuelta.

 

[bigburger]

Altering the predictions.

Top 10

1. George Hincapie
2. Stijn Devolder
3. Martijn Maaskant
4. Juan Antonio Flecha
5. Matti Breschel
6. Bjorn Luekemans
7. Fabian Cancellara
8. Marcus Burghardt
9. Simon Spilak
10. Koldo Fernandez

It would be a fairytale if this happened.

 

[rodda]

Boonen 1st
Pozzato 2nd
Hushovd 3rd
Hoste 4th
Van Summeren 5th
Flecha 6th
Haussler 7th
Chavanel 8th

 

[Rover1426]

Hi everyone,

I have a massive request, and I'm hoping one of you will be able to please help me out.

I promised someone dear to me that I would tape this race for him, however because I've been so busy tonight doing work-related things, I have forgotten to tape the race, and have only been able to get the last 30 minutes recorded.

This would terribly disappoint the person who asked me this favour, because he is a mad cycling fanatic, and just a good bloke who's a bit older than most of us here.

If any of you have been able to tape this race, can you please let me know, so that we might be able to please work something out with regards to me getting a copy of it? Perhaps I can download it off you, or if it is too much for you to upload, perhaps we might be able to do getting a hard copy of the record (i can pay for a blank dvd if it is required for the copying).

I thank you for any help that can be offered, and really hope that I can get some appropriate responses to my message.

Thanks, and I will be continually watching this thread.

 

[blackcat]

a file sharer will have it online very soon. That is your best bet.

cheers

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Give Contador the TDF already. He will have Leipheimer, Popovych, Zubeldia, Kloden and possibly Armstrong leading him up the mountains where he will blitz the field. Then he can take off a minute and a half to his main rivals in a time trial regardless of whether or not it's April. Remember for a small mountain man he upstaged Wiggins by 8 seconds over 8km which is a flogging. He would probably beat Wiggins in the Individual Pursuit if he did track work too based on that. He is the man. No one will come close to him. The TDF he will win by at least 5 minutes.

He could very well do the Giro/TDF double and possibly throw the Grand Slam. He is capable of it. But I think Leipheimer is the Giro man - that long 60+km time trial suits Leipheimer to a tee rather than Contador.

Leipheimer for the Giro. Contador for the TDF and Vuelta.

Do you really think Armstrong would come back to be a domestique? Come on.

 

[bigburger]

Do you really think Armstrong would come back to be a domestique? Come on.

He said he would...even though he was probably lying.

 

[ubolt]

Amazing race. Amazing.

The two crashes involving first of all Flecha, Hoste and van Summeren and then the fall of Hushovd decided it. Having said that Boonen was just too strong and was probably going power away despite the falls. Felt sorry for Pozzato, held on, didn't fall, did a bit of work, but got held up by both crashes and then had to chase. But Boonen was just too strong.

Thought Hoste and van Summeren should have gone a lot lot earlier too. Probably at about 30 to go would have gone nicely (maybe even when Boonen had the bike change). They farted around with it and then paid the price.

Well done to Haussler too, 7th for the german/aussie. Brilliant ride.

Aussie finishing results:

Matty Hayman 21st 6:32 behind
Matty Goss 32nd 6:32 behind
Wesley Sulzberger 61st 12:12 behind (brilliant ride to be in the breakaway for most of the day)
Chris Sutton 95th 17:46 behind

 

[Secular Bicep]

Do you really think Armstrong would come back to be a domestique? Come on.

He will have no choice in the matter. Plus he is only interested in his cancer stuff.

Contador and Leipheimer will go first and second in July. Armstrong will be lucky to make top 5.

He'll even be lucky to race.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

He will have no choice in the matter. Plus he is only interested in his cancer stuff.

Contador and Leipheimer will go first and second in July. Armstrong will be lucky to make top 5.

He'll even be lucky to race.

You are making me laugh. Who is going to tell Armstrong what to do? Take your head out of the sand man, he calls the shots.