Velominati Super Prestige

Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix

Servais Knaven, he earned that sweet shower plaque Crédit photo : DPPI

Let us pray for rain.

The Sunday after Ronde Van Vlaanderen brings us to Paris-Roubaix. The Holiest of Holies. There are no bergs to ride over, instead, accelerate to maximum speed to be in the top 20 to start each cobbled section, bring power up to flank to float over broken treacherous farm path crown, gutter or ditch or all three at the same time as required. Recover once back on the tarmac. Repeat 26 more times.

This Sunday’s edition of Paris-Roubaix will have Velominati moaning, staring through half empty bottles of Chimay, burning candles to Saint Ludo of Dierckxsens (the patron saint of Flemish V), begging for a sign. The winner won’t be a first timer to this race, he needs experience on these stones, he will also require equally experienced teammates who can hang tough close to Roubaix. He must be massively fit. He must be tough as nails. Andy Schleck will not be out here on Sunday, not because he is not tough (OK, he is not tough enough for this) but racing on such terrible cobbled farm tracks is a skill only a certain subset of professionals develop. All around tough bastard Bernard Hinault, aka The Badger, thought it was an insane lottery, unworthy of his attention but he did ride it twice and won in 1981. In 2011 you could do worse than roll up to the start on your 1980 steel Merckx ride as today’s bikes, used just for this one race, have a lot of old-school about them: 27mm profile tires, huge inner chain rings, 3-cross laced wheels, longer rake front forks, longer chainstays. These bikes go back into storage when this race is over. Insane bikes, riders, fans and of course, throw in some bad weather and we have a real race.

Finally Fabian Cancellara has shown himself to be human, a really strong human. Tomeke Boonen is showing signs of past greatness. Garmin-Cervelo has been hammered from all quarters, they are under pressure and Thor has always said this is the race he wants to win. Gilbert is fit, ready and Belgian (news flash, he may be ready but not to race P-R, coward). Chavanel is fit, ready and French. Could Ballan be the new Moser? No. Not ever. Team Sky, with nary a Belgian still has a shot with a Spaniard, an Englishman and a Welshman.

The spinning wheels of Fortuna could play havoc on the best laid bets like it did in 2001. Dutchmen Servais Knaven won it all. Knaven, with teammate Johan Museeuw was part of a select group closing in on Roubaix. Being the dutiful domestique he attacked to force Museeuw’s adversaries to chase but no one could.  He was a tough guy and rode away with a beautiful victory.

Let us pray for rain.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3whyot73JRA[/youtube]

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277 Replies to “Velominati Super Prestige: Paris-Roubaix”

  1. VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Cancellara
    3. Hushovd
    4. Thomas
    5. Leukemans

  2. Ok. I said I was over him, but I’m not. I just can’t say no to those dreamy eyes. Ah, Faboo.

    I just don’t want to have him attack an hour or more from the finish, because then what do I do for the rest of the race?

    Besides, you gotta love a Pro as phyched about his bikes as I am about mine where he’s takin’ pictures of his new bike…

  3. After last week, this is so wide open, I have no idea, so I’ll go with some crazy ass guesses.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Spartacus
    2. Boom Boom Boonen
    3. God of Thunder
    4. The Arrow
    5. Thomas

  5. frank:
    Ok. I said I was over him, but I’m not. I just can’t say no to those dreamy eyes. Ah, Faboo.

    At least things are going OK with you and Faboo. I had to dump Tyler from this week’s lineup due to poor past performance. He’s one of my favorite riders too. Watch, this week he’ll nab first place.

  6. Ooops. Finally found a start list and Gilbert isn’t on it!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Thunder Thors
    2. Tomeke
    3. Cancellara
    4. Ballan
    5. Flecha

  8. My fairly random picks (apart from Faboo). Now off to find some post ride Chimay.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Spartacus
    2. Boonen
    3. Thor
    4. Ballan
    5. Flecha

  10. @frank
    Never seen that first one of RDV before. Brilliant. Water still defiantly and indignantly in the air from where he rode through the puddle, as if to say ‘Oi, come the fuck back here and fall over like the others wil l when they eventually get here.’

  12. Just home from a 7 hour car trip. Let’s Go P-R weekend!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Boonen
    3. Thor
    4. Gilbert
    5. Ballan

  14. sgt – That is GREAT! It’s a pile of shit, I can’t wait for April next year…

    Paris-Roubaix, The World’s Most Alluring Pile of Shit.

  19. i’m w/you frank, i am always wishing for terrible weather come flanders et. the Queen, but no luck again this year. Weatherman promises sun, 60’s, dry conditions.

    oh well, next april?

  21. The favorites are going to crash and burn in the heat and dust and the Roubaix lottery will crown a dark horse (he said hopefully).

    That image of de Vlaeminck through the exploding puddle is just the best – 14 starts, one abandonment – 12 times he was 7th or better, including the 4 wins and 4 2nds – what a hard man!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Flecha
    2. Thomas
    3. Cavendish
    4. Haussler
    5. Pozzato

  24. was I the only one agonizing about my picks today at work? but I changed em 4 times so that it I swear.

  28. @redranger

    was I the only one agonizing about my picks today at work? but I changed em 4 times so that it I swear.

    I was more certain of my picks 11 months and 364 days ago than I am today. FUCK. I know this is redundant, but the more I think I about it, the less certain I am of my picks.

    I love this race, but I love it less than de Ronde. Kind of like with the Giro vs. le Tour. But like July, I just get completely sucked into the whole spectacle. I love this sport. 11 months a year we have something to get riled up about.

    (The other month is Christmas, and that’s when we get most of our loot.)

  30. @frank
    Agree. I am very new to the sport. I only started watching or even owned a road bike for less than a year. I was living in Sicily when the Giro was on and I would catch stages between watching the French Open(tennis) on eurosport. After I started riding around a bit I decided to watch Le Tour and I have been hooked since. this will be my first time watching this race live. fuckin love this shit!

  31. Love ‘im or hate ‘im (I love the little raskel) Boonen just alwasy seems such a level-headed guy, it’s hard to believe he’s not Dutch.

    “There will be a bigger group out of the forest, but there’ll be less time for recuperation with the next sector following quickly. In the past many riders could return after the forest but that will be more difficult this year, thus he selection will be made earlier than other years.”

    and

    While Cancellara is regarded as a top favourite yet again, Boonen felt the Swiss strong man was past his peak. “He’s been riding at a high level since Milan-San Remo. I think he’s reaching the end of his peak. Of course he’s the top favourite but right behind him there are not four other favourites but at least eight or nine.

    and finally

    “Hushovd? I didn’t see him much in Flanders as I was always riding near the front of the race. Paris-Roubaix is a less explosive but more extensive race. With his engine, he’ll be there,” Boonen said of the world champion.

    The whole deal:

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bruised-boonen-sees-early-selection-in-paris-roubaix

    @ben
    Your combination of French and slang is always impressive. Very befitting a Southern Gentleman.

  33. Really how can you go past cancellara for Roubaix this year? I would love to see him solo away and smash it like last year. Would also be happy to see Thor out kick the entire peleton in the velodrome to win in rainbow!
    Gossy is my Aussie pick for roubaix… hopefully he has his legs back after a few weeks with the flu.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Thor
    3. Goss
    4. Hincapie
    5. Boonen

  35. I’ve spent some time preparing and contemplating my Beyonce (that’s the correct pronunciation of Bianchi, isn’t it?) this evening. That bike is one truly wretched looking, sorry pile of crap. It deserves the comeuppance it’s heading for on the Grave tomorrow.

    Go Hincapie!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Hincapie
    2. Chavanel
    3. Hushovd
    4. Boonen
    5. Cancellara

  36. Hard to see Cancellara not getting it but I would love to see Thor and Thomas stay with him and Geraint to do a Nuyens.

    I suspect Cancellara will make sure he’s on his own this time though.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancel everything I’m busy
    2. Thor, those cobbleth make me
    3. Geraint gonna get past those two
    4. Boonen blowen too soonen
    5. Bjorn to be in minor placings

  37. I’ve picked Thor each time to be disappointed. He must be ready to peak by now! Faboo should be psyched enough as well. Thommo, Saggin’ and Balls because history has proven an underdog is as likely a winner as anyone else.

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Thor de Rainbow
    2. Faboo
    3. Heaint Thommo
    4. Ass an’ Balls
    5. Saggin’

  40. I think it’s Thor’s time. He’s been crap up until now and he really needs to start honouring those hoops.
    I did seriously consider cavendish for this. It’s the kind of race I can see him winning in the future (if he lays off the pies during the winter).
    Geraint Thomas in for Juan the arrow because he rode well last week, did pretty damn well on the cobbles at last year’s tour and he’s a brit!

    VSP PICKS:

    1. God of Thunder
    2. Spartacus
    3. G
    4. tomeke
    5. Matty Goss

  42. Which poses the question:
    If a rider’s results for a race are vacated during the VSP season due to current or prior infractions, will they also have VSP points wiped off?

  43. Pingback: Everything You Need to Know About Tomorrow’s Paris-Roubaix « The Art of the Group Ride

  44. My pick of Georgie is largely predicated on Ballin keeping him in the tete de la course. Ballin better fuckin ride before he gets suspended.
    VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Hincapie
    3. Shavedinhell
    4. Faboo
    5. Leuk-Iamyourfather-mans

  46. ok, let’s go!
    bye bye Ballan

    VSP PICKS:

    1. Cancellara
    2. Boonen
    3. Hushovd
    4. Langeveld
    5. Sylvain Chavanel

  47. VSP PICKS:

    1. Boonen
    2. Cancellara
    3. Hincapie
    4. Gilbert
    5. Hayman

  48. VSP PICKS:

    1. Chavanel
    2. Cancellara
    3. Ballan
    4. Boonen
    5. Hincapie

  50. @xyxax

    If a rider’s results for a race are vacated during the VSP season due to current or prior infractions, will they also have VSP points wiped off?

    Good question, and they answer’s no – we’re going off the results as they stand at the end of the race, and that’s that. I seems hollow when they delivery the Maillot Juane to someone two years later in a room in Spain, so why repeat that feat here in the VSP?

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