Cobbled Monuments
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Posted on 31-03-2010 19:16
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With De Ronde this Sunday and the Hell of the North the following one, we are getting to the climax of the cobbled classics season.
Here is a forum to discuss the races. I'll kick it off by saying that I like Gilbert for De Ronde and Boonen for Roubaix. Roger de Vlaeminck has to be caught eventually, and I like this year for Boonen to jump ahead of the rest of the Kings of P-R and join the his fellow Belgian with 4 wins. As for Gilbert, I just think he fits De Ronde better than any other rider, and I just have to like his chances.
And also, as we will almost certainly have a debate about which race is better, I'll throw my hat in for Paris-Roubaix, and will back it up with this fabulous quote:
"Let me tell you, though - there's a huge difference between Flanders and Paris–Roubaix. They're not even close to the same. In one, the cobbles are used every day by the cars, and kept up, and stuff like that. The other one - it's completely different ... The best I could do would be to describe it like this - they plowed a dirt road, flew over it with a helicopter, and then just dropped a bunch of rocks out of the helicopter! That's Paris–Roubaix. It's that bad - it's ridiculous." - Chris Horner |
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valverde321 |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:23
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I think Gilbert or Ballan for De Ronde while Boonen for PR. Roubaix is tougher because of the cobbles. But De ronde has the hills and cobbles and on a rainy day....look out. but PR is a bit harder in my mind. (Of course i've never ridden either so my perspective might be way off)
Quote from the cervelo commercial of Roger Hammond talking about PR. And you have to imagine it in his accent. "It is the roughest roads"
Edited by valverde321 on 31-03-2010 19:28
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doddy13 |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:31
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I love the cobbled classics, my favourite races.
So much so, that this year, i'm going to De Ronde!
Followed the sunday after with the compulsary viewing of Road to Roubaix just before Eurosport show Roubaix live.
And i'm going to say Boonen for Roubaix and i'm going say Devolder again for Flanders, however I think that could change. I'd love to see Flecha win though, or even Hincapie. As long as the racing is exciting, it'll be a good week!
There's no point slapping a schleck - Sean Kelly on "Who needs a slap"
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Crommy |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:33
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I'm just hoping we get some proper Classics weather this year - too dry last year, I want them to really go through 'Hell'
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issoisso |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:33
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I don't get Road to Roubaix. I just think it's boring
Have fun at the Ronde!
As for the races, They'll both be interesting. Last year Gilbert was gunning for the Ardennes, but Lotto asked him to do RvV because they were lacking results.
I wonder if he'll skip it as he wants to this year. He'll certainly skip Roubaix.
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
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Waghlon |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:34
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doddy13 wrote:
And i'm going to say Boonen for Roubaix and i'm going say Devolder again for Flanders, however I think that could change. I'd love to see Flecha win though, or even Hincapie. As long as the racing is exciting, it'll be a good week!
Im just going to second this.
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doddy13 |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:36
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issoisso wrote:
I don't get Road to Roubaix. I just think it's boring
I watch it once a year. It's good enough i think, i'd have much prefered it though if it had more focus on the history of the race.
There's no point slapping a schleck - Sean Kelly on "Who needs a slap"
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bfreire |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:37
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‘Zondag strakke wind en regen'
Het wordt een zware Ronde van Vlaanderen, stelt VRT-weerman Frank Deboosere: ‘Zoals de kaarten nu liggen, krijgen we een strakke zuidwestenwind en periodes met regen. Ik verwacht maxima rond elf graden. We krijgen vette kasseien en dus valpartijen. Het kan een boeiend en misschien wel dramatisch schouwspel worden.'
So the prediction is rain and heavy wind according to a belgian weatherman
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Waghlon |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:38
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Rain? Heavy wind? The word 'dramatisch' thrown in for good measure?
Edited by Waghlon on 31-03-2010 19:38
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wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:38
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doddy13 wrote:
issoisso wrote:
I don't get Road to Roubaix. I just think it's boring
I watch it once a year. It's good enough i think, i'd have much prefered it though if it had more focus on the history of the race.
get a sunday in hell. now that's a great film. and historic
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valverde321 |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:38
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bfreire wrote:
‘Zondag strakke wind en regen'
Het wordt een zware Ronde van Vlaanderen, stelt VRT-weerman Frank Deboosere: ‘Zoals de kaarten nu liggen, krijgen we een strakke zuidwestenwind en periodes met regen. Ik verwacht maxima rond elf graden. We krijgen vette kasseien en dus valpartijen. Het kan een boeiend en misschien wel dramatisch schouwspel worden.'
So the prediction is rain and heavy wind according to a belgian weatherman
Perfect.
I also would love to see Big George win Paris-Roubaix
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Posted on 24-11-2024 14:04
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doddy13 |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:40
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wackojackohighcliffe wrote:
doddy13 wrote:
issoisso wrote:
I don't get Road to Roubaix. I just think it's boring
I watch it once a year. It's good enough i think, i'd have much prefered it though if it had more focus on the history of the race.
get a sunday in hell. now that's a great film. and historic
I'll take a look at it.
There's no point slapping a schleck - Sean Kelly on "Who needs a slap"
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YtimK |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:44
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Franco Ballerini made an - in my eyes - awesome quote about Paris Roubaix: it's something like this (very free translated by me):
To win Paris Roubaix you have to learn to lose there.You have to experience the changing conditions over the years and overcome your fears. Then, slowly, your faith will be strengthed - the faith in yourself to be stronger, stronger than La Roubaix.
"Sometimes in football you have to score goals." - Thierry Henry understands
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doddy13 |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:47
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For me one of the most simple (and best) Roubaix quotes, was last years race slogan, which was something along the lines of
La dure des dures.
The hardest of the hard/toughest of the tough.
Edited by doddy13 on 31-03-2010 19:47
There's no point slapping a schleck - Sean Kelly on "Who needs a slap"
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Guido Mukk |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:52
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great ..great. Is it sunday week is close |
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issoisso |
Posted on 31-03-2010 19:52
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YtimK wrote:
Franco Ballerini made an - in my eyes - awesome quote about Paris Roubaix: it's something like this (very free translated by me):
To win Paris Roubaix you have to learn to lose there.You have to experience the changing conditions over the years and overcome your fears. Then, slowly, your faith will be strengthed - the faith in yourself to be stronger, stronger than La Roubaix.
doddy13 wrote:
For me one of the most simple (and best) Roubaix quotes, was last years race slogan, which was something along the lines of
La dure des dures.
The hardest of the hard/toughest of the tough.
Of course, the "Roubaix is so hard you have to be the best to win" is like most Roubaix myths: not entirely true
Thankfully it's not a complete lie, like some of them
Edited by issoisso on 31-03-2010 20:04
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
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Wilier |
Posted on 31-03-2010 20:06
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Hopefully there won't be any drunk supporters like last year.
May the best rider win. Cancellara, Boonen and Pozzato and Flecha are the favourites for me. |
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fenian_1234 |
Posted on 31-03-2010 20:06
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Forget Roubaix for now.
Flanders is nearly here. |
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I_Mayo |
Posted on 31-03-2010 20:07
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If even Tour De France queen stage can be boring, then Ronde van Vlaanderen oand Paris-Roubaix will never be boring. This sentence says all about these two races.
About winners... i think in RvV again there will be winning attack on Kapelmuur by... Devolder or Breschel, or Ballan
And in P-R it will be between Boonen and Cancellara. Flecha will be in group with this duo, but he will finish 3rd. |
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bfreire |
Posted on 31-03-2010 20:10
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Domestique
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I hope gilbert will win Rvv ,
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