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Paris - Roubaix - Discussion
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| Heine |
Posted on 09-12-2025 06:40
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Paris-Roubaix, hell of the north, one of the most iconic races in all of cycling and the closing race of the sprint cobble season. 254,4 km of riding on cobbles and bad roads with a finish on the famous velodrome. This is the race the hardmen of the cobbles dream of winning! The races started in 1896 and got it's nickname in 1919 after the roads had been destroyed during the first world war. This is truely an iconic race!
There has been 17 editions of Paris-Roubaix during mangame history, and considering that one rider has won 7 of them you can't talk about Paris-Roubaix without talking about Sam Bewley. The Kiwi made this his race winning all editions between 2013 and 2018, then grabbing one last win in 2021. Truely a legend of the game and the race! Tom Boonen, winner of the first edition in 2007 is another legend. In the end he ended up with 4 victories, he could've had more as he had 2 2nd places and 2 3rd places aswell. Back in the old days Fabian Cancellara (who got a training method named after him) and Marcus Burghardt was the only riders able to beat out Boonen and Bewley.
In more modern times it has been more mixed winners, with the last 6 editions giving us 6 different winners. Maybe one of them can get his second? Pedersen won last year, Gerts 2 years ago and Per 3 years ago. They are all back for another try! Last year ended up with Altur attacking late and coming alone into the Velodrome, with a group behind him. The sprint from the group caught him in the end with Pedersen, Wisniowski and Gerts going past him.
2024: Mads Pedersen (Grieg-Maersk)
2023: Floris Gerts (Rabobank)
2022: David Per (Isostar - Specialized)
2021: Sam Bewley (Mapei)
2020: Adam Blythe (Evonik - ELKO)
2019: Lukasz Wisniowski (Grieg - Maersk)
2018: Sam Bewley (Moser - Sygic)
2017: Sam Bewley (Moser - Sygic)
2016: Sam Bewley (Becherovka - Petrof)
2015: Sam Bewley (Becherovka - Petrof)
2014: Sam Bewley (Becherovka - Kiwibank)
2013: Sam Bewley (Milka - AVG)
2012: Tom Boonen (Nestlé Cycling Team)
2011: Tom Boonen (Warner Brothers - Carrefour)
2010: Marcus Burghardt (Wikipedia)
2009: Tom Boonen (Warner Brothers)
2008: Fabian Cancellara (Accumalux)
2007: Tom Boonen (Quick Step - Innergetic)
| 1 | Mads Pedersen | Grieg-Maersk | 6h01'37 | | 2 | Lukasz Wisniowski | Assa Abloy | s.t. | | 3 | Floris Gerts | Rabobank | s.t. | | 4 | Marcos Altur | MOL Cycling Team | s.t. | | 5 | David Per | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | s.t. | | 6 | Hampus Anderberg | Aker - MOT | s.t. | | 7 | Rasmus Tiller | King Power | s.t. | | 8 | Florian Senechal | Tinkoff Team - La Datcha | s.t. | | 9 | Lukas Spengler | EA Vesuvio | s.t. | | 10 | Jan Polanc | Evonik - ELKO | s.t. |
Only 2 riders from last years top 10 are not present this year, Wisniowski and Polanc, so we are getting ready for a big fight! The biggest favorite might be last years winner;  Pedersen. Grieg-Maersk is tipped by many to relegate this year and need him to step up! He got a really strong support team and with his sprint he can win this in several different ways! Together with him the strongest pure cobble rider is  Spengler from EA-Vesuvio. We are however a bit scared about his other abilities. He is not among the best flat riders in the pack, nor does he have a good sprint or top endurance.
The winner from 2022  Per is another rider looking to get his second win at the velodrome, and his second monument of the season after winning in Ronde. Among the favorites he is the strongest flat rider, something that can really help here, and he got a strong sprint! Carlsberg is also another of those teams with a good support squad who should be able to deliver Per into the finale with as fresh legs as possible!
Another former winner is  Gerts, he is the strongest puncheur of the cobblers, though this is not the race that is the best fit for that. Still even as he has started to decline he is a great rider and could have one last dance here. He has shown great shape coming right off a 2nd place in Ronde
 Altur was so close last year with a well timed late attack right before the velodrome. He's back on a new team, could this be his year? While he has a strong sprint I believe the tactic that almost worked last year could be his bet as there are several strongers sprinters present. He has been present at the end for several years, maybe this could be his year?
 Anderberg finished 6th last years, and we have seen trough the winter that he has found some new power on the cobbles. He's among the best flat riders and got great energy stats. This should be the perfect route for him, and his confidence should be high after winning Franceville! As with Altur and Spengler he will most likely have to attack from a group instead of relying on his sprint
Other riders who most likely will need to ttack is  Van Hooydonck,  Senechal,  Kasperkiewicz,  Teunissen,  Gamper and Kamyshev. All strong riders just a tiny bit behind the biggest favorites, if they have a great day they could surprise everyone!
There are also a group of riders who really want a group to stay together so they can win from a sprint. E3 winner  Siric with his strong sprint, strong flat and great endurance could be a real threat in this race. Up and coming  Girmay and  Vermeersch who might just be that tiny step behind this year, but could (and should) be training themself into Bewley/Boonen levels in the future, and not to forget  Ovsyannikov who might be the best sprinter of them all. Everyone else (maybe bar Pedersen) should do everything to ensure they are not present at the end.
There are several other strong cobblers present who could do well, but I will mention  Tiller as the last one named. He ended 7th last year and is a strong rider with a good sprint and good energy stats.
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Posted on 11-12-2025 12:59
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| Heine |
Posted on 09-12-2025 06:42
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Grand Tour Specialist
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I will (for me, others have done it before) try something new here. I will start posting the report in the morning (CET time), but do more and more parts during the day and maybe even into the next day. Hopefully we can create some fun and tension and get some discussion going 
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| redordead |
Posted on 09-12-2025 07:27
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I don't have a ton of hope for this race after Franceville and RVV. Roubaix has always been Siric's worst cobbled race, but this game version is so fucked up that I won't be surprised if it's the opposite and he does okay here. This should be our last chance to not go 0/5 in goals.
Thanks for all the previews and reports lately, Heine.
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 09-12-2025 08:04
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World Champion
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Hoping for another Gerts Monument miracle. He did very well here in recent years so hopefully the trend will continue.
Multiple posts for the report starting in the morning sounds fun, but I'm not a fan of dragging the final result in the next day. I know the intention is to give more people the chance to read the report and interact with it, but it would also be nice to have a conclusion of the race before the end of the day.
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| SotD |
Posted on 09-12-2025 08:27
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World Champion
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We had a very good Ronde van Vlaanderen where Altur took a gamble, and still had a bit left for the final sprint to stay near the front. Something similar here would be very nice!
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 09-12-2025 09:08
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Tour de France Champion
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We pretty much need a win here after the disaster in Flanders
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 09-12-2025 13:49
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Tour de France Champion
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Per's won here before, so obviously we know he's capable of it. Still, I think his versatility is his main strength, and I imagine he loses a step here to some of the pure cobbles riders with worse climbing/sprint but better stamina. Still, this is another top 3 goal for us, so that has to be the mark. Maybe if we aren't forced to control the race, we can save some helpers for protection and depth spots, and that can get us onto the podium. But I think a guy like Senechal is especially dangerous here (in addition to the obvious Pedersen and Anderberg).
Thanks for the preview!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 09-12-2025 14:00
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2800
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Hope Teunissen has super legs again!
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 09-12-2025 14:40
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Classics Specialist
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if pedersen is going to win one this year i'd guess it would have to be here the STA/COB going to be the prominent stats as BBL mentioned above Senechal should be strong too and interesting to see how Girmay goes as i don't think it's out the question this ends in a bunch sprint of 5/10 |
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| ember |
Posted on 09-12-2025 22:00
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This is THE one for us this season. The one race that can make our entire season if we win it. We definitely will need the most difficult sectors to make the difference, and Anderberg to be on a great day. If so, if we get a selective race and Anderberg among the strongest, it can be possible, as he showed in Franceville.
That's already a scenario where we get "everything right, both RDC and race conditions, which will obviously be super difficult.
And having said that, of the last 5 editions, only 2022 had less than 10 riders fighting it out for the win on the velodrome (!). Obviously worrying regarding Anderberg, but with all of the on paper strongest riders in Pedersen, Per and Anderberg being aggressive riders, I hope they can force the race to be selective.
Thank you for the preview, Heine. Looking a lot forward to the report! |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 10-12-2025 00:00
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Directeur Sportif
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Don't want to make any predictions or hope for Owen's results as it's been getting worse on the cobbles as the races go by. Just hoping something can surprise us from somewhere.
Thanks for the preview Heine!
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| Heine |
Posted on 10-12-2025 08:27
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4494
Joined: 08-04-2007
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Part 1 is up, part 2 coming up in a few hours
A small spoiler for part 2, we are going to start with something either happening for a big name, or a big name doing something. Start speculating!
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| knockout |
Posted on 10-12-2025 08:36
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Grand Tour Champion
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Would have loved to see that first group make it as kurianov and Ansons would be a fantastic representation in the break. Thanks for mentioning failed breaks, much appreciated seeing who tried but didnt have the necessary luck to get in there 
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Heine |
Posted on 10-12-2025 08:41
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4494
Joined: 08-04-2007
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AbhishekLFC wrote:
Don't want to make any predictions or hope for Owen's results as it's been getting worse on the cobbles as the races go by. Just hoping something can surprise us from somewhere.
Owen did get mentioned now in part 1 though ;-) You can decide if that was progression though
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| SotD |
Posted on 10-12-2025 08:50
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World Champion
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Stavrakakis is all over the place in these races. Pretty happy I didn’t do 79COB for him, but rather invested in Farantakis.
I suppose the Big rider thing is Altur puncturing 
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 10-12-2025 10:46
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World Champion
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Thanks for mentioning which van den Berg tried to get in the breakaway. I always have trouble knowing how much should I cheer for the breakaway when one of them is mentioned as being part of it.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 10-12-2025 10:48
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World Champion
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Thank god cobbles season is almost done how does Vermeersch get dropped first of the favourites every single time. Can't make it up hopefully future training gets him treated as a leader worthy of positioning himself properly.
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15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 10-12-2025 10:48
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Tour de France Champion
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Maybe I put too much pressure on Gamper and he's now attacking too much 
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 10-12-2025 15:29
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Nice to see Rossi getting in one of the breaks, now to sit back and watch the favourites do battle
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| Heine |
Posted on 10-12-2025 16:44
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4494
Joined: 08-04-2007
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Part 3 (and 4 in my planned set up, but combined them because of the outage) out now
Lat part coming before I am going to bed tonight
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Paris-Roubaix 
