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.
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@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.