Can anyone stop Sam Bewley from winning Paris - Roubaix for a record sixth time? Last two years Greg van Avermaet and Florian Senechal were really close to make the impossible.
Anyway, 254 kms of cobbled and flat roads await the riders today, finishing in the most iconic Velodrome in the world, Roubaix’s velodrome
The race begins with several riders trying to go in the breakaway, using to their favour that in the first kms there was a short cobbled section, where these 9 riders could open a gap to the bunch
Becis Ross Trondsen Rybalkin Van Niekerk De Gendt Vliegen Kozhatayev Dillier
Obviously Moser, Air France and RBC considered this a dangerous group, being too big, and after a few kms they reeled in all riders except one, Vliegen, who attacked again and was let to open a gap
Behind him, riders like Schwarzmann, Cavagna, Ghani, Van Hooydonck or Ariesen are still trying to get in the breakaway
35 kms into the race it looks like we finally have a breakaway that is allowed to get a gap, with 5 riders
Vliegen Scharzmann De Gendt Cavagna Becis
But more riders wanted to be in the breakaway, so the first group wasn’t having a gap higher than 2 minutes in any moment. At least several teams are showing true interest in joining the breakaway, with Gjolberg, Kozhatayev, Dillier, Ariesen and Tarvis being in the attack now
Some of the late attackers made it to the first group, but also some riders of that group were dropped back to the bunch, so now we have a 7-rider group in front, though the gap is just 1 minute and RBC and Moser are not letting them go far
Vliegen Scharzmann De Gendt Becis Kozhatayev Gjølberg Ariesen
Also, some riders are already starting to get dropped from the bunch, including half of Berg, T-Mobile and Porto riders
And the breakaway is caught with the bunch with still 200 kms to go. Now probably some rest time after this hectic chase, and again riders into the attack
Two riders attacked after a few calmed kms, and it looks like this will be the good breakaway
Roosen Becis
As the breakaway was formed right before the first cobbled sections, the gap isn’t really impressive, as it oscilates between 1’30 and 3 minutes, depending if the peloton is going through cobbled sections, where RBC really increases the pace, or roads section, where the group goes slower. Only 95 riders remain in the peloton, though no one worthy to mention was dropped. Still 125 kms to go and all the most important sections yet
The breakaway enters the section of Arenberg, with 100 kms to go, and a gap of 3’30 over the bunch, where the status quo remains the same
With 70 kms left in the race, the breakaway is over, as Moser, RBC and Air France have kept setting a high pace in the cobbles, which meant that the two riders in front had no chance. The group has been reduced to 80 riders
Bewley decided to set the pace himself in a cobbled section right before Mons-en-Pevele, and for a while, he and Kamyshev had a little gap over the group, but it was quickly closed by a Moser rider. Not sure of the team strategy, but Bewley has probably wear down several riders before one of the most important sections in the race
No attacks in Mons-en-Pevele, instead a super high rhythm by Hnik, working for Bewley, reducing the leading group to around 50 riders. And watch out for Bakari, who is still at the back of this group!
Bewley felt like Bakari was suffering in the back of the group, and decided to make his first attack of the day with 47 kms to go!
But the 5-times winner of the race wasn’t really convinced of his attack, as Zubov and Laporte brought him back easily. Though this helped to eliminate Bakari from the group of favourites, who has now only around 40 riders
Second attack of Bewley! And this time is Kamyshev chasing the move by himself, instead of relying on Puccio, who had been pulling in the last kms
RBC kept the distance to Bewley short, and Summerhill attacked in a cobbled section with 27 kms to go, bringing with him Vanspeybrouck, Senechal and Van Avermaet, while Kamyshev and Stallaert look to be in-between groups
´
Kulczyk took over the chase and caught everyone, but Bewley and Vanspeybrouck attacked again and quickly opened a 45-second gap, just ahead of Camphin-en-Pevele section
Stallaert is trying to catch the leading duo, just when the race enters Carrefour de L’Abre, one of the last sections to avoid having a “mass” sprint in the Velodrome
Suddenly Bewley and Vanspeybrouck stopped, and Senechal decided to make his move, knowing that he has no chance in a sprint
But he can’t get a proper gap, and with just one section left, we have 16 riders in the head of the race, in the very moment that Bewley seems to attack again after a cobbled section
Bewley Senechal Stallaert Summerhill Vanspeybrouck, Nolf Baugnies Teunissen Wisniowski Daniel Van Avermaet Kamyshev Gerts Kristoff Altur, Tsatevich
Surprising not to see Trentin in the first group, but he has looked weak all day, always in the back of the favourites group
Now it’s everyone by himself, attacking in the flat, and chasing each other, which has reduced the leading group to just 11 riders, as Gerts, Nolf, Desigual duo and more importantly, Kristoff, got dropped due to all these attacks
Summerhill tries to select the group in the final cobbled section, a 3,5 km long one. The second group won’t make it back, and it looks like Kamyshev is losing ground now
But suddenly Summerhill stopped pulling, and no one took over, so the group of Kristoff came back, except for Tsatevich and Nolf. So after last year we had a 13-rider group arriving at the Velodrome, this year we go one higher
Bewley fears Kristoff in the sprint, and attacks again with 7 kms to go, using a roundabout to open a little gap before entering the Velodrome. Is he going to make the same mistake as a few days ago in Oudenaarde?
But Summerhill doesn’t let him go away, so these 14 riders will enter the Velodrome, so we can see the crowdest arrive ever at the Roubaix Velodrome
Bewley Senechal Stallaert Summerhill Vanspeybrouck Baugnies Teunissen Wisniowski Daniel Van Avermaet Kamyshev Gerts Kristoff Altur
Seems ironic, but a sprint looks like the only chance that Bewley loses this race, thinking that Kristoff, who is as quick as him, is in the first group. Then, Stallaert and Van Avermaet have the speed to challenge for a podium spot, same as Daniel, but the rest will have to fight for scraps
Risky move, as Bewley attacks with 4 kms to go! Why bother attacking now and instead wait for the sprint when you are the strongest in a sprint? We can only assume that if he’s going to finally become the standalone leader in Paris-Roubaix wins with 6, he likes to win alone
He stopped soon, but he’s back at it with less than 3 kms, and with Stallaert not dropping his wheel, he’s in real danger to lose the race. Everyone else looks like they won’t stand a chance, given that a little gap has been opened behind Stallaert, after Bewley’s brutal acceleration. Gerts is not anymore in the group, and has dropped back with Nolf
Less than 2 kms left, Bewley has stopped again, while Teunissen is trying to close the gap to the leading duo. Also, it looks like Summerhill has exploded, and won’t contest the sprint
Inside the final km, and the sprint hasn’t been kick off yet! Teunissen has the inside line, but Stallaert, Wisniowski and Bewley are next to him, while Daniel, Van Avermaet and Kristoff would need to overtake all these riders while the road looks blocked by them. The rest won’t fight for the win, neither are good sprinters
But Bewley starts the first his sprint! And he has a nice gap already to Stallaert, who is not giving up yet
400 metres to go for Bewley, who is going to win this race again!
Sam Bewley wins Paris - Roubaix by the sixth consecutive year and becomes the best rider in the history of the race!
Well fought second place for Stallaert, who has made a huge step ahead this season in the cobbles, and even looked like he could challenge the monster of Roubaix in the sprint, but it wasn’t meant to be. He might be a bit disappointed to finish second in two Monument this season, but it's his first season at this level, so he shouldn't really
Kristoff wins the sprint for the final podium place, ahead of Van Avermaet, who is still doing nicely after starting his decline, with Wisniowski closing the Top5 ahead of Daniel
Baugnies gets a seventh place, using well the wildcard given to this team, finishing ahead of Altur, Senechal and Teunnisen, who round out the Top10 of this race, after closely beating Gerts. Vanspeybrouck gets only place nº 12
Way worse fortune for these two riders, who gave it all today, but one doesn’t have any sprint habilities, and the other was too tired to sprint. Kamyshev even finishes ahead of Summerhill, who sees who the same situation happens every race, being forced to chase down Bewley’s attacks, and then have no chance in the sprint
The biggest disappointment of the day, Trentin, finishes 17th, a couple of minutes after Bewley crossed the line, and behind Nolf and Tsatevich
Declerq, Sibilla and Polanc are the first three riders in the group that sprints for 18th place, and complete the Top20 of this race
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. These are the years of Sam Bewley wins in Paris - Roubaix. Quite impressive, as this is his 11th Monument Win, getting closer and closer to Eddy Merckx total of 19. He has at least 2-3 years he should be the ultimate favourite to win both RVV and Roubaix, so if he can also add another SanRemo win...
Game crashed before podium, that's why no podium photo and also why from P40 riders have no time, but all were more than 10 minutes behind the winner
