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Paris - Roubaix Discussion
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 06-09-2016 20:15
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Tour de France Champion
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Not sure what there is to say that I haven't already said the past two years about Paris - Roubaix. There's literally nothing like the Hell of the North. It's the largest, toughest, pure cobbled classic on the racing schedule, and has been for dozens of years. The strongest rider on the pave wins. Plain and simple.
The race will be different this year. For the first time in Man game history, two legends will be absent, with Fabian Cancellara and Tom Boonen both having transferred to lower divisions the past off season due to their increasing age.
However, the new legend is here, and has been for quite a while. As the winner of the last three editions,  Sam Bewley is a beast, no questions asked. He's dominated for years now, and showed last week in De Ronde that nothing as changed. He is the best cobbles rider, best sprinter, and probably the best at sitting in the pack having a Coke. Anybody trying to best him will probably have to sedate him to do it.
 Marcus Burghardt will be looking to be the one to best him. He can match Bewley in most areas, but he lacks the prior's sprint and acceleration, which has cost him in the past. He has also been the result of bad luck, crashing and finishing well behind in last year's Roubaix. He'll have a decent team around him, but no world beaters.
Last week in Belgium,  Greg Van Avermaet was the only man able to stay with the Kiwi wonder boy, losing to him in the final kick towards the line. Some might say that was his best opportunity, as the Belgian hills play to his strengths. However, he is no doubt still a major contender. And while he lacks a super domestique, his entire team can cobble to some extent, which could be very helpful in the case of an early crash or mechanical.
BPost bring a very strong team here led by  Pieter Vanspeybrouck, who also podiumed last weekend. He is a solid classics rider, but besides his cobbles skill, not much else stands out. That's not to say he has a disadvantage in that fact. What he does, he does very well. Additionally, he has a great team to support him in super teammates Van Keirsbulck and Stallaert, and well as several other solid domestiques.
Several young riders have become stars on the cobbles this year, not the least of who is  Florian Senechal. With a top 5 in Ronde and a top 10 in last year's Roubaix, he has shown great improvement at a very young age, and will now have a chance to go for the win. He will also have the benefit of one of the best domestique in the race, Andy Fenn, who finished 12th from the main chase group last year as a member of the defunct Good Energy.
 Arman Kamyshev continues the youth movement for Orange - KLM. He is a diesel, excelling as the race gets longer, but struggling to match the acceleration of attacks. He has two solid domestiques in Puccio and Jerome, but other than that the team is completely barren of classics riders, which could hurt him if he has early troubles.
 Adam Blythe will certainly like the change of scenery to a flat race. Though he finished 6th in Ronde van Vlaanderen, he was also over 4 minutes back to Bewley, as he has more trouble on hills while having a nice kick. Thus, Roubaix suits him better, and with Maxime Daniel as the best cobbles domestique and leadout man on the block, he will be gunning to improve on last year's 4th place.
 Frederik Nolf once helped to make up Tom Boonen's fearsome Pokerstars domination train, but lately he has had the chance to perform for himself. TO be honest, he hasn't had much success, and maybe he is just a domestique at heart, but he definitely has the potential to put a great performance up.
Vesuvio send a solid contender in Belgian Sep Vanmarcke. He hasn't had a ton of success in Roubaix before and didn't do well last race either, nor does he have an impactful team behind him. Well, at least he has self proclaimed cobbles God Ranneries looking after him.
Spaniards aren't typically know for their skill on cobbles, but there's at least one with some talent. 23 year old  Marcos Altur will attempt to give some unique recognition to his home country. He hasn't sought much success in past monuments, but as previously stated, he is still very young and has clearly improved since last year.
Any preview of Roubaix would be mistaken to not name  Matteo Trentin after the form he showed with his 7th place finish last Sunday. He has a greater chance to be dropped on the cobblestones than some others, but Grieg - Eftel still send a great squad here with Wisniowski and Rowe as domestiques or men for long range moves.
Of course, the contenders don't end there. Aker send their dynamic Norwegian duo of  Alexander Kristoff and Jo Kogstad Ringheim, who could produce results, especially from a larger group.  Lampaert,  Veelers,  Vandenbergh, Albert,  David, and  Gusev will all lead their respective teams, and as  Roger Kluge displayed last year with his surprise podium, anybody can surprise if they're on a good day.
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 06-09-2016 20:18
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Grand Tour Champion
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Great preview bbl - can't look past Bewley here I'm afraid
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 06-09-2016 20:19
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Please, please... podium this time
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| beagle |
Posted on 06-09-2016 20:38
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Again, there is no cobble mark on the map.
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 06-09-2016 20:39
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
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If that is a problem, there is still time to fix it. For the profile picture I just used the one from the race profiles subforum.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 06-09-2016 20:46
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Exciting!
Bewley for beast! |
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| Kentaurus |
Posted on 06-09-2016 20:52
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Classics Specialist
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Sad to miss this race this year, but at least in RvV I felt there was a chance Bewley could lose. Here there is little doubt he will win, the real question is who finishes 2nd? I'll put my money on GVA, though Bernhardt desperately needs a podium in what is likely his last PR as a true contender.
AZTECA - NBCSN  |
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 06-09-2016 21:05
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go Polanc!
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 06-09-2016 21:24
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Had enough cobbled failure. Vandenbergh, do something please...
Aside from our inevitable poor performance, a non-Bewley winner would be welcome, someone else needs a go. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 07:41
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| tastasol |
Posted on 06-09-2016 21:31
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Classics Specialist
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As always, top 10 is the goal when it comes to cobbles. Trentin did great in De Ronde, but might struggle more here. A sprint in a group around 8th-12th place should be possible though.
Also the classic that's probably best suited to Wisniowski and Rowe. Hopefully their flat stat can make a difference.
No Summerhill and Vanbilsen should also mean a bigger chance for a good result  Bewley the big favourite (again). Great preview, bbl.
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| ember |
Posted on 06-09-2016 21:47
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Thank you for a very nice preview, baseballlover312.
As usual, and just like in De Ronde, we send Kristoff, Ringheim and Breen, and we are hoping for a top 10. It will obviously be difficult, but hopefully one of them has a great day, then it could be possible.
No point in naming the favourite anymore in these monuments |
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 06-09-2016 22:09
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This is the last chance for Veelers to prove that he is not completely useless.
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 06-09-2016 22:10
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Grand Tour Champion
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Until a week or so ago I thought we had home advantage with Senechal here but whatever, it still suits him as a race. Fingers crossed he and Fenn can score well. Nice preview baseballlover but you should have just put Bewley and saved yourself some time.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-09-2016 22:18
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Good Luck everyone, I wonder who will tame the cobbles this year  |
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| beagle |
Posted on 06-09-2016 23:14
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baseballlover312 wrote:
If that is a problem, there is still time to fix it. For the profile picture I just used the one from the race profiles subforum.
That´s why I´m pointing out. I don´t want another re-run of the race.
Great preview
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
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| Roman |
Posted on 06-09-2016 23:43
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If Sam wins this race, he would have the same number of wins as Tom Boonen, the legend of MG. That would be absolutely amazing achievment. And Bewley can complete here the repeat of tripple monument crown. Historically massive race, Bewley definetely under the pressure to deliver. Go Bewley!
Thanks for a really nice preview, bbl!
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 06-09-2016 23:58
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
Joined: 27-07-2011
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beagle wrote:
baseballlover312 wrote:
If that is a problem, there is still time to fix it. For the profile picture I just used the one from the race profiles subforum.
That´s why I´m pointing out. I don´t want another re-run of the race.
Great preview
I confirmed with Matt about the stage file and it seems that will be a problem. No worries as I will redo what I had done, but this means I won't be able to finish it tonight and I work late tomorrow so it's looking like the report will be up Thursday night. Sorry for the delay guys.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| matt17br |
Posted on 07-09-2016 00:08
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Awesome preview.
I'm tipping Burghardt for 2nd place, but wouldn't be surprised if GVA kept his streak of 2nd places behind Bewley either. Blythe doesn't seem like a stupid pick either.
Either way looking forward to the report, was a sensational race for the 2nd place last year.
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| Shonak |
Posted on 07-09-2016 01:10
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Tour de France Champion
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Fantastic preview bbl, vamos Gold Van Avermaet.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 07-09-2016 07:19
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World Champion
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Great preview bbl! Shame you have to scrap some of your work already done, thanks for spending your time.
This should be the best race for Nolf on paper, unlike De Ronde he should be the top10 favourite, so i want to see him there finally. Albert would be nice in top20 too, please.
Good luck to all for the 2nd place battle. 
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