Paris-Roubaix 2013: Ride the Crown
Was Paris-Roubaix the best of the Spring Classics in 2013? Milan-Sanremo was amazingly photogenic, Ronde van Vlaanderen was inevitable but Roubaix was just about perfect. We all prefer the wet and gray “This weather is good for us” Roubaix yet this race’s drama transcended the fine spring day in the North of France. There is no better way to understand why they are pros and we are not as when one watches the leaders burn secteur after secteur in the 53 x 17. Humbling is not a strong enough word.
With fifty kilometers left to race it was obvious Cancellara was not in his usual soul crushing form. He was riding a few groups back and not even dominating his own little pack. It was not going to be the Double. He was just another mortal, with no teammates and a lot of young bucks looking to leave him in the dust…and yet.
After a massive match burning rage he was in the lead group of four along with Stybar, Vanmarke, Vandenbergh. Two of the four were Quick-Step teammates. They hammered away toward the end of the Carrefour secteur. Vanmarke and Vandenbergh both looked strong as hell. Had Fabian not bridged up with Stybar spinning for his life right behind, those two big lads were riding away.
When they exited Carrefour it was just Cancellara and Vanmarke.
The evil lady luck was there, not to be ignored. First tempting Vandenbergh to the right gutter, inches from the spectators. He wobbled and his front wheel clipped a civilian. He was on the stones. Zdenek Stybar, moments later spooked to the left gutter and spectators, maybe clipped out of his left pedal for a second. He stayed up but the elastic had snapped. Zednek needed a good draft to stay with those men and he had lost it.
I have many beautiful memories of this race. I know how to adapt to this race, and I like the challenges it poses from a technical point of view but you need the luck. Sometimes it’s like an individual time trial though and along with luck you need to be smart. -F. Cancellara
Evil lady luck was in the gutters on Sunday. Always ride the crown.
Well put Gianni, and as a veteran of the pavé myself (now) I concur. And as if by magic, so does Fumy Beppu of OGE.
Many moons ago, I had a chance to talk to Steve Bauer’s first coach. We talked about Paris-Roubaix and he said Steve always rode up the middle. He would use a bigger than normal gear over the pave and avoided the smoother, beguiling gutters which were prone to delivering flats (Evil lady luck, to be sure). Given his classic 1990 finish, I could see why.
Stijn Devolder must be in a 53 × 14 or 13 or 12 — there.
Or 52 × 14 or 13 or 12 “” maybe.
@strathlubnaig
Nothing like some first hand experience riding the Roubaix cobbles. Holy Shiet! That is some hard riding.
@gottago
Yep, if one has the power, like Bauer did, staying in the middle is smart but tough. But the temptation is always pulling one to the edge. And I bet on wet days even more important and harder. Lord knows what would be lurking in a puddle in the gutter.
@unversio
Late in the TV coverage the moto camera looked at Vanmarke’s chain bouncing around. It looked like he was in the middle of his cassette. Since there are no real climbs maybe they go 11-20 so maybe a 15? It’s damn hard to hammer the huge gear there. Ya gots to keep the power on and spin it a bit more.
For my starter pistols last year, I was in the 50 x 21 or some pussy gear like that, but it worked for me. I was crushing my big ring…
he sets trap and waits patiently for harsh “belgian compact” comments to fire up.
Looks like some killer roads. Did some rougher riding on monday to try an live out my own cobble stone classic. Of course compared to the Paris-Roubaix my route looked and felt like the smoothest ride on Earth but it was nice to shake my bones and teeth around a little. The Keepers Tour ya’ll do looks great and I would love to get over there an actually hit these roads…maybe some day. cheers
Here’s Frank doing it ‘zactly like I told him to.
@strathlubnaig
I realize @frank is Dutch but why is he wearing clogs on the Arenberg?
@strathlubnaig
That is one Pro looking mofo right there. You instructed him well.
Anyone who doesn’t think that entire spectacle looked like fun should log out and never return here. Hard ass beatdown crawl into a hole motherfucking fun, sure, but, go ahead, name one truly worthy cycling event that didn’t fuck you up the ass that you cared to revisit. You can’t.
I rest my case.
@strathlubnaig
The boy’s a genius – I couldn’t even keep my shades on.
My experience was less “cycling” and more “not crashing”.
Doing this over 50kms at 40kph+ defies my understanding.
@Chris
FFS, @Chris, you were there, you bi-polar twat. Either we need to increase the dosages or you need a new name – if I’m going to talk to myself I at least want some semblance of normality about it and use two names so I don’t lose track of which of me has said what. Why don’t you give yourself a girls name, then you can explore our feminine side?
@Gianni Great article. The crown definitely seemed to be the place to be this year. Last year I spent a good chunk of time “hiding” in the gutters, looking for the easy route.
I’m not sure whether it was down to knowing better what to expect and having trained a bit more specifically or down to a lot of the gutters being pretty rough from the farm machinery – rather than smooth dirt there were nicely ribbed tractor tracks – but the gutters didn’t seem to be the place to be.
@Gianni @frank Proposal for a new rule or an ammendment to : No toe condoms. As magnificent as Mr Devolder looks riding the crown he’s blown it.
Belgian booties, full neoprene shoe covers or nothing. Those things are about as triathlon specific as compression socks and leotards.
It wasn’t tolerated on the KT and it shouldn’t be encouraged now.
Bggr it, that should have read “an amendment to Rule #21”
@unversio Looks like he might even be on the inner ring – although I remember Tommeke’s chainring combo from a few years back was a 53 tooth outer ring with a 44? 46 tooth inner ring? That was you had gears to spin quickly over the cobbles without looking like a sewing machine, and the big dog for the bits inbetween.
@Chris hear hear on fucking toe covers. I have two pairs of overshoes – one pair of defeet slipstreems, and one pair of sugoi things for the proper minus temps. Be fucked if I’m getting another pair to keep my toesey- woseys warm. FFS it’s making me more effeminate just thinking about it.
@Chris I vote against this. The toe thingy has it’s place in cycling gear.
Though my money is that it’s also great for adding as an extra layer under your overshoes in -15 weather… but maybe not everyone has that.
@biggles From your avatar photo you look like a fucking hipster so your vote has no relevance. Anyway, I’m sure it’s been said that this place is not a democracy.
It can’t have a place in cycling gear as it looks shit as opposed to looking fabulous. As for wearing them under your overshoes, I can’t argue with that but I would refer you to the masturbation principle.
@Chris Since we are treating people by how the person in their avatar looks like I shall treat you like a 5 year old child that randomly insults people on the internet when in a friendly group of like-minded individuals.
It’s not yet in the rules so it has yet to be against them until it is I shall not give two tugs of a dead dog about your concept of ”fabulous”.
@biggles ooh, touché, although I’d say it’s a three year old. You must have spent enough time here to have realised that there is a certain amount of piss taking that goes on but if my gentle dig has upset your sensibilities, then I’m truly gutted.
As for looking fabulous, pro or whatever, it’s a fairly fundamental part of this site.
@biggles Incidentally, speaking of avatars and by extension your profile, you should post some of your cycling photos up here or maybe even do a guest article. They’re excellent.
I like pizza.
There’s a part of me that yearns to make a KT and ride the storied cobbles and yet there is a little voice in my head that is whispering “Don’t do it. You’ll embarrass the hell out of yourself.” I’m conflicted.
@Chris A three year old?! With your language?! By Jove!
No harm done. I’ve had to deal with a certain amount of snark today and I’m biting at my bit. I am indeed vaguely hipster-like because it helps in my profession. Anyway…
If we are then to actually continue the toe thing discussion: Not all cycling shoes are born equal. Some have an absurd amount of ventilation in the front. In the summer I’m pretty thankful for all of this but there are days when I could use a bit less of that. I mostly only do the full overshoe in cold and wet weather. 1C with wind and rain is enough for me. Anything over 7 C dry and I’ll accept being a hardman about it. I’ve always found the middle bit to be tricky business and for me that’s where the thing comes it. Of course it’s to be used sparingly but with dark coloured shoes and less logos on them I think they could also look well.
And if anyone gives you shit about it on rides… ride them off your wheel and claim the aerodynamic advantages of the foot-condom!
@Chris I keep wanting to for a year now. I’ll eventually propose one when I’m up to it and probably have a series going (either here or elsewhere) about following a tour later this summer.
Thanks for taking a look and the kind words.
@biggles
I would actually agree that would be about the only thing toe covers would be good for. They certainly aren’t going to keep out any signification amount of rain if it’s really pouring. And if it’s only sprinkling you don’t need toe covers – so they are really somewhat useless for their primary stated function.
@Cyclops There’s a rule that’ll help with that.
Just do it. I wasn’t fast by any means last year but at no point did I feel embarrassed and I’m probably a much better rider for it. Apply enough V and you won’t embarrass yourself.
Who dares doubt the sure thing? I have to admit I couldn’t figure out how he was going to do it when OPQS had 2 riders in the break, but I knew that he would do it. Had Boonen been present in that break, my faith might have been shaken.
@biggles You’re mistaking sarcasm for concern, I’m not that gutted. Seriously, though, I’m a very well educated three year old.
As for foot temperature management, once it gets too cold for regular socks, I switch to merino wool – Defeet seem to do a couple of grades and my Castelli pair are a different thickness again so I’ve got a four options before I start messing around with overshoes. The wool wicks and regulates heat pretty well so I’ve never had a problem with getting it wrong and being to hot. When it gets to too cold with wool and overshoes, the more deficient aspects of my character will have already decided there are better things to do and have a good line in excuses ready.
Obviously, wearing them with dark footwear and without logos is better than the RST example above but by my logic, your mentioning that you do that, suggests that deep down you know it’s wrong.
No to toe covers. They are just some marketing dude’s fancy idea. Don’t fall for it.
Call me Ginger but I’m with Biggles on this toe cover thing.
The yellow princesses for example have large amounts of ventilation and a toe cover serves to stop the worst of the cold coming through. Their advantage is that they are very easy to get on and don’t make it more difficult to put one’s shoes on.
I have found them particularly useful on a ride where you expect to start out cold but end up warm, like the longer rides we do in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Is there any evidence of them being tri-oriented ? We have more than our fair share of tri-tards but I can’t say I’ve noticed them wearing toe covers.
@gingerO You’ve been hanging around with your mate Mark too long.
Anyway, now that you’ve turned pro you can get away with toe covers, an epms and frame mounted pumps.
Here’s how to settle the “toe thingy” from a NASCAR perspective. A friend of mine from North Carolina related a story from high school when the P.E. teacher was trying to get a particular redneck student to do sit-ups. The student’s response (best when down in a nice N.C drawl): “Dale Ernhardt don’t do no sit-ups.”
Eddy don’t wear no toe thingies.
Spartacus don’t wear no toe thingies.
Tomeke don’t wear no toe thingies.
Fast Phil don’t wear no toe thingies.
I rest my case.
@Cyclops
This is true, quite a few of the RST riders were wearing toe thingies at the Ronde but Faboo wasn’t. Sagan was and he popped.
Faboo is probably smiling to himself having seen Sagan shifting to the ickle ring.
You guys are so cute talking about shoes and covers. Up here in the Great White North, we basically just screw the cleats into our bare feet.
ffs ! We are going off topic here troops, Gianni was saying be a real man and ride the crown, harden up and stay out the gutter, all agree. Toe covers – lame ‘half-way house’ for folk who cant make their minds up. Full neoprene or sweet ‘eff all are the choices, or should be.
@ChrisO – The words “Abu Dhabi” and “cold” do not compute.
@Chris
See! Sagan looks like a small ring, two bottle, toe thingy pussy in that picture.
I still want to have his babies though.
I just noticed something else in that photo. It looks like the seat tube slits into two tube just above the BB. What gives?
@Cyclops Yes it’s the Cannondale Synapse… not sure what it is supposed to do. Even James Huang doesn’t seem to have found the right pseudo-scientific jargon for it yet.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/pro-bike-peter-sagans-cannondale-synapse-evo-hi-mod
I do particularly like the caption: “There’s definitely some very radical shaping going on here.”
With such penetrating insights you can see why he’s the Technical Editor.
@Cyclops
That’s the new Cannondale Synapse, a slightly more comfy race bike – their version of the Specialised Roubaix.
@Cyclops
It is indeed split. It is the new Synapse Evo Hi Mod. You can read about his bike here…there is not much out there on the actual science of it but I am sure the propeller heads have some numbers to justify the design.
FFS. If you must wear toe covers, have the decency to cover them up with Belgian booties.
@ChrisO
There is a limit to how many times any person can say “vertically compliant” in their life. He has run through his lifetime limit on a few of these. I used to think he had the best job ever-geeking over pro bikes all year long. Maybe it’s like being a Brazilian waxer…sounds genius until you do it for a long time.
Seriously, Thats why im starting up a brazilian tweezing shop. where each follicle is lovingly plucked in a 4 hour sufferfest
@ChrisO I’m thinking (pure speculation) that it allows the seat tube to be thinner (fore/aft) for more ‘vertical compliance’ (@Gianni), yet Cannondale have effectively formed a triangle just above the BB, making that area within 6-7 inches of the BB extremely stiff laterally. You effectively have a shit done of carbon in that area with respect to overall tube cross sectional area. Basically keeping the power transfer high, but adding a bit of comfort in the saddle
@ChrisO Marketing.
@mcsqueak
And corndogs, and tofu burritos. Just a observation………..
@minion
I “liked” a 44 that I had mounted last Spring. I now have 52/42 on — and “like” it.