I really hope that Styby gets a chance. But I don't know how Etixx would handle a multiple leadership in P-R. Since they seem to mess up their tactics everytime, I would bet on a Vanmarcke win. But I guess it will be Kristoff again.
Paul23 wrote:
I really hope that Styby gets a chance. But I don't know how Etixx would handle a multiple leadership in P-R. Since they seem to mess up their tactics everytime, I would bet on a Vanmarcke win. But I guess it will be Kristoff again.
Personally I think that Kristoff won't win P-R because in this race he never got luck. I bet on Terpstra because he shows good form while vanmarcke even though is the beest cobbler when Boonen and Cancellara are not here, but he hasn't showed any good results, he isn't in top shape and he got a lot of bad luck with his bike like puncture. I bet that the winner of Paris Roubaix will come of nowhere.
Paul23 wrote:
I really hope that Styby gets a chance. But I don't know how Etixx would handle a multiple leadership in P-R. Since they seem to mess up their tactics everytime, I would bet on a Vanmarcke win. But I guess it will be Kristoff again.
Personally I think that Kristoff won't win P-R because in this race he never got luck. I bet on Terpstra because he shows good form while vanmarcke even though is the beest cobbler when Boonen and Cancellara are not here, but he hasn't showed any good results, he isn't in top shape and he got a lot of bad luck with his bike like puncture. I bet that the winner of Paris Roubaix will come of nowhere.
So you bet on Terpstra, or you bet on winner coming from nowhere?
I'd like to see Vandenbergh, Chavenal, Drucker, Paolini or Devolder winning.
Somewhat more realistically, I'll be supporting Štybar (hopefully Etixx lets him attack before Terpstra or at least follow earlier attacks) and Van Avermaet.
trekbmc wrote:
I'd like to see Vandenbergh, Chavenal, Drucker, Paolini or Devolder winning.
Somewhat more realistically, I'll be supporting Štybar (hopefully Etixx lets him attack before Terpstra or at least follow earlier attacks) and Van Avermaet.
I would not expect any early (30+kms to go) attacks from Štyby, rather shadowing the biggest danger man, like Kristoff or Vanmarcke, but i would like to be proven wrong.
trekbmc wrote:
I'd like to see Vandenbergh, Chavenal, Drucker, Paolini or Devolder winning.
Somewhat more realistically, I'll be supporting Štybar (hopefully Etixx lets him attack before Terpstra or at least follow earlier attacks) and Van Avermaet.
I would not expect any early (30+kms to go) attacks from Štyby, rather shadowing the biggest danger man, like Kristoff or Vanmarcke, but i would like to be proven wrong.
Yeah, sort of unrealistic, I just don't want to see Kristoff, Terpstra, etc. win, doesn't sound like an exciting race (I could be proved wrong)
trekbmc wrote:
I'd like to see Vandenbergh, Chavenal, Drucker, Paolini or Devolder winning.
Somewhat more realistically, I'll be supporting Štybar (hopefully Etixx lets him attack before Terpstra or at least follow earlier attacks) and Van Avermaet.
Most of the riders you named will rider for their leaders so they might not get a chance at winning unless something bad happen during the race.
trekbmc wrote:
I'd like to see Vandenbergh, Chavenal, Drucker, Paolini or Devolder winning.
Somewhat more realistically, I'll be supporting Štybar (hopefully Etixx lets him attack before Terpstra or at least follow earlier attacks) and Van Avermaet.
Most of the riders you named will rider for their leaders so they might not get a chance at winning unless something bad happen during the race.
I know, I just think it would be such an exciting race.
I'll be hoping for Kristoff, but I don't think he will win it. He's had a fair bit of luck sofar (and a lot of skill, too), but if he comes in first, I will be surprised. A flat tyre, the chain coming off, idiots with flags, all those things can happen to anyone at anytime.
I have an idea on how to get people to stay in the cobbles and not just ride in the gutter; every second you spend on the side of the road is added to your final time
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist"
Also hoping for Kristoff but im always pessimistic before these one day classics. I was right about being pessimistic when Hushovd was Norways chance, but Kristoff imo is already over him now so maybe. But its unrealistic he can win again with that streak he is on. Already a giant season from him and everything coming now is a bonus really.
Sport freak. Mostly interested in Football (Liverpool, Rosenborg with more), increasing interest in cycling.
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It's a gruelling run in this year's Paris-Roubaix. Or, as we cycling fans call it, "The Hell of the North". It's 257km's, 52.7km's of which are in cobbles. When there's about 100km's already run, we hit the first cobbled sector of the day, and it's a three star one. The Troisvilles à Inchy is a decent test for the riders, and only a breakaway should be ahead of the pack at this point, with nothing else happening. Maybe a puncture or two, but it shouldn't be hard to get back to the pack. Next up, the Viesly à Quiévy, another three star one. The description of Troisvilles adapts to this one. Not much should happen. Quiévy à Saint-Python is the first test of the day, at 4 star rating. And no, it's not Monthy Python, but it's a hard test. You aren't getting your day ruined here, but if you puncture, and the pace is high for some reason, your race can be over pretty fast. The "sister sector" follows, with more Python in it. Saint-Python, that is. Two star rating, so a easy one. The next 4 cobbled sector are all 3 star ones. Vertain à Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon, Verchain-Maugré à Quérénaing, Quérénaing à Maing and Maing à Monchaux-sur-Écaillon, before we follow up to a 4 star rated one, the Haveluy à Wallers. This sector can ruin your race if you puncture, especially with the sector that's coming up. Trouée d'Arenberg comes next, a 5 star rated one. The most famous part of Roubaix, through the forest, is where the race starts to play along. Without Tom Boonen and Cancellara, who's strong enough to try they're luck on the gruelling coubles? My bet is on Vanmarcke. He is the strongest rider on the cobbles, and even though he's shape didn't seem that good, I think he'll want to test the others, or himself.
We hit the Wallers à Hélesmes next, a 3 star rated one, to "rest" after the hell of Arenberg. The Hornaing à Wandignies comes next, a 4 star rated one, over 3.7km's long. It's a though one, and we should see small moves start to appear. We hit sector number 13, the Warlaing à Brillon. It's a 3 star rating cobbled sector, so it shouldn't be really hard. It's a rest one, before we hit another 4 star cobbled sector one. It's another one for moves by either the helpers to make moves, or to form a surprise breakaway. Two 3 star cobbled sectors follow, the Beuvry-la-Fôret à Orchies and, well, Orchies. It's two cobbled sectors where punctures can happen, and falls. Everything can happen at Roubaix, and it usually does. A decisive point in the race comes, with one 4 star sector and 5 star sector coming up next. We're only 50 so km's away from the finish line, and the favourites should start making they're moves about now. My bet to be the first to attack in this sector is Stijn Vandenbergh. Three more easy sectors come up next, the Mérignies à Avelin, Pont-Thibaut à Ennevelin and Templeuve - Moulin-de-Vertain. Two 3 star ones, one 2 star one. They aren't hard, but if there's a small group ahead, and one of them has a problem, it's race over for that rider. After this, there isn't lot's of hard cobbled sectors, to be fair. One 4 star rated one, Cysoing à Bourghelle, a three star rated one, Bourghelles à Wanneheim, and two decisive sectors: the Camphin-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre. The winning moves should be made here, and the Carrefour de l'Arbre is hard. 5 star rated cobbled sector, it's where the strongest one will provide. With three sectors only remaining, they're all fairly easy, and if there's a sprinter in a small group, it will be really hard to drop him. Gruson, Willems à Hem and Roubaix are all either 2 star or 1 star. Then we enter the velodrome, and the strongest men will raise they're hard in happiness as he just won the hardest race in the world.
Startlist:
(final startlist will be updated when it's done)
Startlist Analysis:
Favourites:
Alexander Kristoff
He won RVV. He won Scheldpridjs. He wins everything he touches. Can he win Roubaix too?
When I looked into Kristoff's season in the RvV preview, I predicted he was the biggest favourite. He didn't disappoint. He won the race fair and square, and even though he didn't seem the strongest (imo, GvA was stronger), he was smart. He did exactly what he needed. I was actually surprised when I saw him attack, since I was expecting him to await in the favourite's group for the sprint. And then, he won another race, in the Scheldeprijs. Just pure amazing power house.
Greg van Avermaet
He seemed really strong in RvV, but once again failed to win, finishing on the podium again
Looking at GvA results the past few years, you can tell is unlucky. He seems to be always there, but always fails to deliver at the time to show the "killing" spirit. He loves to attack. We saw in RvV how he rode away from the group, and if it wasn't for Sagan's monster acceleration, he would have gone alone to try and catch the leading duo. He seemed strong. He was strong. He is strong. And I expect him to be in the top 3 of Paris-Roubaix once more. If on the top step of the podium? He sure has the quality for it.
Niki Terpstra
Will the defending champion win it again, saving Etixx 2015?
Last year's winner, Niki Terpstra, enters as a favourite. When looking back at last year, one can say Terpstra won because how the race played out in his favour, when no one tried to chase him when he attacked. And in RvV, he didn't really seem that strong. He was clearly running for second place, which is something a rider shouldn't be doing. He could've tried to attack on the last sector, the Paterberg, but didn't. So, he lost. The big question is who'll lead the Etixx super team. Which so far, it's only super on paper.
Sep Vanmarcke
Bad luck hit him again in RvV. Will it hit him again?
Every race it passes, the more sorry I am for Sep. He seems always strong. But then, he has bad luck. In RvV he had a mechanical which set him back, and he eventually finished really down the order, hopefully saving for Roubaix. Because without Fabian and Tom, he's the strongest man on the cobbles. And I'm hoping to see him attack hard on the hardest part of the day. And hopefully, he won't fail this time by, and finally nail it.
Outsiders: Peter Sagan Jurgen Roelandts Bradley Wiggins Geraint Thomas Lars Boom Zdenek Stybar Stijn Vanderbergh John Degenkolb
Another great preview Miguel. Very, very fine! I think you are spot on with your text about the four above riders.
Should be lots of action on sunday. Normally one of the two cobbled monuments is a bit of a letdown, whilst the other is super amazing. So, Roubaix, it's your turn.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Alexander Kristoff
Greg van Avermaet
Niki Terpstra
Peter Sagan
Bradley Wiggins
Zdenek Stybar
John Degenkolb
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) - 20''
Stuart O'Grady
