# The Classics ( spoilers !)



## Adam4868 (3 Mar 2019)

Kurnne Brussels Kurnne, second race of the classics today.Seems likes a age since they were on.Sprinters day ?


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## roadrash (3 Mar 2019)

Ithink the win will come from a breakaway today


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## Adam4868 (3 Mar 2019)

roadrash said:


> Ithink the win will come from a breakaway today


You reckon ? I don't I think it'll be hard to see past Groenewegan (don't know how to spell ! ) but Id like to see Trentin go for it.Think there's some wind and rain forecast so should be fun


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## roadrash (3 Mar 2019)

If the wind is strong enough, it may do some damage to the peleton.


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## Pale Rider (3 Mar 2019)

I've no idea who will win, but I like the classics.

It's a style - if not a speed - of riding I recognise, and I like the simple notion that the bloke who crosses the line first is the winner.


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## kapelmuur (3 Mar 2019)

As far as I’m concerned the season started yesterday!


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## HLaB (3 Mar 2019)

Ive got KBK on the eurosports player on the phone and the track cycling o the tv


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## Adam4868 (3 Mar 2019)

Pale Rider said:


> I've no idea who will win, but I like the classics.
> 
> It's a style - if not a speed - of riding I recognise, and I like the simple notion that the bloke who crosses the line first is the winner.


Still helps if you have the team,Quick Step are pretty formidable in the classics.
I'd love Standard to be up there.


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## Adam4868 (3 Mar 2019)

I'm presuming Trentin has just been disqualified for using pavement/cycle lane.Where I've just sent another 3/4 in the peleton doing same thing.


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## Andrew Br (3 Mar 2019)

I think Jungels has got this: great work by his team mates policing/disrupting the chase.


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## Adam4868 (3 Mar 2019)

Wow that was some ride ! Good ride by Doull aswell


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## Archie (3 Mar 2019)

Bob Jungles!


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## mjr (3 Mar 2019)

Adam4868 said:


> I'm presuming Trentin has just been disqualified for using pavement/cycle lane.Where I've just sent another 3/4 in the peleton doing same thing.


Cyclingnews Live commentary by Barry Ryan said:

17:54:46 CET
Matteo Trentin did not finish the race, but his Mitchelton-Scott team have confirmed that he was not disqualified

Bit odd. They usually take a hard line on such shortcuts.


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## Adam4868 (3 Mar 2019)

Strange that he sat up so to speak.
From Eurosport
The champion of Europe Matteo Trentin was disqualified of the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne after trying to rejoin the group after suffering a fall. The Italian runner cut a roundabout in the pursuit and the race direction did not have any regard and he disqualified him from the race


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## Flying_Monkey (3 Mar 2019)

I've never really seen much of Doull until today - he looks like he's got the goods to win something in the spring.


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## Adam4868 (5 Mar 2019)

View: https://twitter.com/inrng/status/1102960744809811968?s=19

Good first pro win for Senechal,will Quick Step take all in the classics ?


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## Andrew Br (5 Mar 2019)

I enjoyed that; I just managed to get a ride in before the coverage started.
Good win by Deceuninck – Quick-Step but they were, by far, the biggest team there.
I think Strada Bianche won't be quite so easy for them; I'm not sure who they have in the team that I would expect to win it.
I do, however, know what I'll be doing Saturday pm.


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## Adam4868 (5 Mar 2019)

Im pretty sure theyll have Stybar and hopefuly Allaphilipe.Should be a good race,hard to pick a winner for that.


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## roadrash (5 Mar 2019)

looking forward to this on Saturday


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## Flying_Monkey (6 Mar 2019)

Strade Bianche is probably my 3rd favourite of all the Spring Classics (after Paris-Roubaix and the Ronde van Vlaanderen*)... and I don't care how long it's been around, it was clearly going to be a cut above as a race from the first time it was run.

*actually it may be my 2nd favourite, just because, after all the gravel road sections, there's that ridiculously steep climb up into Siena, which is just a killer. You can feel the riders who are at the front just anticipating this unavoidable thing that will either put paid to everything they've done that day or have them crowned as winners.


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## Adam4868 (6 Mar 2019)

I like them all when they come around ! For iconic it's Roubaix and Flanders,but they all have there place when it's the start of the season ! Never been to it but I like the Milan San Remo,but for the scenery and race I've been twice to the Tour of Lombardia and it's a beautiful race for the scenery.
Early season now you can be cruel and hope for some shitty weather....Strada is one of those races where everyone has a chance,look at Bardet last year.
And I'm fecking working Saturday !!


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## Adam4868 (6 Mar 2019)

Andrew Br said:


> I enjoyed that; I just managed to get a ride in before the coverage started.
> Good win by Deceuninck – Quick-Step but they were, by far, the biggest team there.
> I think Strada Bianche won't be quite so easy for them; I'm not sure who they have in the team that I would expect to win it.
> I do, however, know what I'll be doing Saturday pm.


Gotta be worth winning for that beer alone..

View: https://twitter.com/FRETSIN/status/1103033422166085632?s=19


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## Adam4868 (8 Mar 2019)

Thomas,Moscon and Doull are all riding the Strade Bianchi for sky


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## Adam4868 (8 Mar 2019)

Seeing as theres a distinct lack of interest in pro cycling who do we think for this ?
Wellens 
Moscon 
Benoot.
Just for fun


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## roadrash (8 Mar 2019)

I fancy alaphilipe or stybar for this


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## mjr (8 Mar 2019)

Van Aert, now he's got a WT team to lead. http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/strade-bianche-2019/start-list/


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## Adam4868 (8 Mar 2019)

Bardet got a chance after last year ?
What the weather forecast


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## mjr (8 Mar 2019)

Weather better there than here.


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## mjr (9 Mar 2019)

50 minutes to the off, AIUI. Unsurprisingly, the Belgian radio news bulletin is favouring Benoot, but they did at least namecheck Alaphilippe too.


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## Adam4868 (9 Mar 2019)

I'm going to have to give it a miss live,got work ! I'll watch the highlights at teatime.


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## Andrew Br (9 Mar 2019)

Arse. I didn't realise that they were also showing the women's race, I've just caught the last couple of km.
Great win by Van Vleuten, it looks like she's back on form !
I hope they show the highlights; I'd like to see how she made the break.

30 minutes 'til the men's race starts. 
Is it too early for beer ? I've already been out for a ride !


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## roadrash (9 Mar 2019)

then you have earned your beer , womens race is on again straight after the mens


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## Andrew Br (9 Mar 2019)

roadrash said:


> then you have earned your beer ,



Since I have permission, beer on one side, peanut butter and cheese wrap on the other !




roadrash said:


> , womens race is on again straight after the mens



Excellent, thanks for that.

ETA: I'm hoping for a DQS win, Stybar or Alaphilippe (RAAAWWWRRR), I don't care.


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## roadrash (9 Mar 2019)

you was doing so well until you mentioned the peanut butter and cheese wrap  says the guy that likes cheese spread and piccalilli on crumpets

and that concludes this short intermission , back to the classics


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## Adam4868 (9 Mar 2019)

Classics and food....nah beer only,maybe frittes at best !


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## Andrew Br (9 Mar 2019)

roadrash said:


> you were doing so well until you mentioned the peanut butter and cheese wrap  says the guy that likes cheese spread and piccalilli on crumpets



In my defence, breakfast was a glass of juice and a cup of tea (skimmed milk).
I had a latte on the ride and my sandwich was "lunch". The cheese was "protein cheese" so low fat, unlike the peanut butter. Obvs.
I've also had a couple of satsumas.


roadrash said:


> and that concludes this short intermission , back to the classics



Yes, it's kicking off.


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## Andrew Br (9 Mar 2019)

Yay !
Brilliant by Alaphilippe ( RAAAWWWRRR) and impressive work by Fugelsang and Van Aert.
I reckon Van Aert is one to watch for the future. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up at DQS.


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## roadrash (9 Mar 2019)

see , I can get something right , could someone tell mrs roadrash that please


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## Andrew Br (9 Mar 2019)

Dear Mrs roadrash,

Mr roadrash can get some things right.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Br


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## rich p (9 Mar 2019)

Quickstep on fire still..
Put your money on Mas for the Tour


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## Flying_Monkey (9 Mar 2019)

First time I think I've seen someone win Strade Bianche based on their descending skills! That was tactically perfect from Alaphilippe, matching Fuglsgang on the climb and letting him get to the top first, and then attacking and using his superior fearless descending to just go away from him in the last few hundred metres. It's Van Aert I feel most for though - getting dropped and then working so hard to come back and then lead the race onto that final climb. But then of course he just had nothing left...


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## mjr (9 Mar 2019)

Well, +1 to the radio news for mentioning Julian Alan Philips, but -1 for not considering Wout Van Aert. Third again! I suspect he'll try again.

Also, -1 to ESP for spoiling the women's race as the men crossed the line.  I was watching the men live and was going to catch the women's highlights later. They weren't on ESP 1 yet - can't have equality for women on ESP today because International Women's day was yesterday.


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## Adam4868 (10 Mar 2019)

Only got chance to watch this morning good race and win by Allaphillipe.He really has it all for thst type of racing,never doubted him in the end.Admirable ride by Van Aert but the effort it took to get back was too much.Third two years in a row ?


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## roadrash (3 Apr 2019)

Flanders this weekend....who will you put your money on, Sagan has to be in with a shout , Bob Jungles looked good today at dwars door vlaanderen, and if I had to pick a third I would go for Stybar, ...so come on who do you think ….


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## Adam4868 (3 Apr 2019)

Naesen,Van Aert, Rowe.
Each way bets please.


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## User169 (3 Apr 2019)

Dream podium: MvdP, Degenkolb, WvA

Prediction: Sagan, Stybar, Terpstra

Sagan has looked a little undercooked so far, but I think he's trying to get to the Ronde right on time and then keep going to LBL. 

Hope it's as good as GW and not quite as chaotic as DdV.


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## Flying_Monkey (3 Apr 2019)

Valgren seems very frustrated, as does Rowe, maybe that will translate. Rowe has the stamina as well as the power. Naessen has also been threatening.


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## Adam4868 (3 Apr 2019)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Valgren seems very frustrated, as does Rowe, maybe that will translate. Rowe has the stamina as well as the power. Naessen has also been threatening.


Allways fancied Rowe for a classic.I have a cunning plan,I'm not going to have any sort of money on him and maybe he'll win one.Cause I'm out of pocket Luke !
Second thoughts....50p e/w


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## User169 (4 Apr 2019)

Adam4868 said:


> Naesen,Van Aert, Rowe.
> Each way bets please.



Naesen has bronchitis. 

(Brought on by getting sprayed with champagne on the GW podium!)


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## mjr (4 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> Flanders this weekend....who will you put your money on, Sagan has to be in with a shout , Bob Jungles looked good today at dwars door vlaanderen, and if I had to pick a third I would go for Stybar, ...so come on who do you think ….


Where "looked good" means "gapped easily in the sprint"?

I'm a sucker so I'll pick MvdP to surprise people by adding it to his DdV win.


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## Adam4868 (4 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> Naesen has bronchitis.
> 
> (Brought on by getting sprayed with champagne on the GW podium!)


Yea I see him more of a beer man,non of that poncey champagne ! 
He is riding isn't he ?


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## johnblack (4 Apr 2019)

Maybe Lampaert for the podium, Van Avermaet and Sagan look strong, but I'd love to see a dual between MvdP and WvA


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## roadrash (4 Apr 2019)

mjr said:


> Where "looked good" means "gapped easily in the sprint"?
> 
> I'm a sucker so I'll pick MvdP to surprise people by adding it to his DdV win.



No, if i meant that then i would have said that, he knew he couldnt win the sprint hence trying a couple of times to drop mvdp in the last few km as i said above


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## johnblack (4 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> No, if i meant that then i would have said that, he knew he couldnt win the sprint hence trying a couple of times to drop mvdp in the last few km as i said above



I'd agree, he's looks awesome, the stint he put in at E3 was epic. I think he can be excused not having a sprint against MvdP at Dwars.


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## User169 (4 Apr 2019)

Adam4868 said:


> Yea I see him more of a beer man,non of that poncey champagne !
> He is riding isn't he ?



His team says he is!


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## Adam4868 (4 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> His team says he is!


Thanks didn't know


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## User169 (4 Apr 2019)

‘The first Hill is in the best station in the world’. Antwerp Central


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## Adam4868 (4 Apr 2019)

Place yer bets...

View: https://twitter.com/ukcyclingexpert/status/1113897162381910016?s=19


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## rich p (5 Apr 2019)

Dunno who's going to win but i bet you all a million dollars that it won't be Sagan.
I hope MvdP but maybe put a tenner on Stybar.


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## BrumJim (5 Apr 2019)

Does the Tour of Flanders clash with the Ronde van Vlaanderen again?


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## themosquitoking (6 Apr 2019)

rich p said:


> Dunno who's going to win but i bet you all a million dollars that it won't be Sagan.
> I hope MvdP but maybe put a tenner on Stybar.


Is that a million each or do we have to split it?


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

themosquitoking said:


> Is that a million each or do we have to split it?


Each, I'm no cheapskate...


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## Adam4868 (7 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> His team says he is!


Right just switched on and he's riding (naesen) I was going to back him and you put me off ! 
So let's say I could have got 6/1 I'd have had 50p e/w.....you better hope he doesn't come in on podium !


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## User169 (7 Apr 2019)

Adam4868 said:


> Right just switched on and he's riding (naesen) I was going to back him and you put me off !
> So let's say I could have got 6/1 I'd have had 50p e/w.....you better hope he doesn't come in on podium !


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## User169 (7 Apr 2019)

Terpstra has taken a nasty fall.


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

crash.....bloody hell that doesn't look good for Terpstra,


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## Adam4868 (7 Apr 2019)

Didn't look good at first,then good to see moving.Why leave the cameras on him ! 
Right I'm off out,it's highlights tonight for me.


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

I often wonder why they do that, yes its part of racing but not something we want to see


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

nikki Terpstra has concussion


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

The gap's coming down pretty quickly now


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## mjr (7 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> I often wonder why they do that, yes its part of racing but not something we want to see


Because when they take the cameras away, people conclude something awful has happened?


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

then people are being silly, making their mind up before they know, it was obvious straight away something awfull had happened the man was unconscious, personally I don't see any reason for keeping such images on screen . its like rubber neckers slowing down just to stare when they go past an accident on the road.


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## User169 (7 Apr 2019)

Marta Bastianelli takes the women’s victory: outsprinted Vd Vleuten.


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## Flying_Monkey (7 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> Marta Bastianelli takes the women’s victory: outsprinted Vd Vleuten.



Wish I'd been able to see it; sounded like a tactical two-up fight from several km out.


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## Flying_Monkey (7 Apr 2019)

MvdP has crashed... but he's up and trying to chase back on.


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## Flying_Monkey (7 Apr 2019)

Dammit if MvdP didn't just make it back, he forced his way to the front of the main chase group, and is now bossing things.


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

I wonder how much that effort took out of him


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> I wonder how much that effort took out of him


The big question is whether CK can shout for 18km?


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

fekin hope not


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

its almost like wwf,.... feck off kirby


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

My money's on someone with van in their name


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

Vanverde?


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

or van mathews


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

4km and 20 seconds


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

He might hang on. Lousy chase


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

none of them want to do the work


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

2km are they gonna throw this away


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> 2km are they gonna throw this away


Yep!


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## rich p (7 Apr 2019)

He's pretty happy! Good steal by Bettiol


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

well done to bettiol , looks like he cant believe it


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## roadrash (7 Apr 2019)

van bettiol ?? @rich p


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## BalkanExpress (7 Apr 2019)

First career win.

Does he quit while he’s ahead?.


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## chriscross1966 (7 Apr 2019)

Heck of a race for your first peo win (barring being point guy in a team TT finish)


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## Flying_Monkey (7 Apr 2019)

Both races won by Italians today.


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## LarryDuff (7 Apr 2019)

What a very disappointing ending. So tame after an interesting race


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## Adam4868 (7 Apr 2019)

Just watched the highlights,happy he won but the chase was shite !


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## User169 (9 Apr 2019)

Lizzie Deignan will return to action shortly...

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/47871623


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## User169 (9 Apr 2019)

Flying_Monkey said:


> Both races won by Italians today.



Fact!


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## Flying_Monkey (9 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> Fact!



I have more...


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## roadrash (12 Apr 2019)

right, paris Roubaix on sunday who do you fancy for this , I will pick three as usual , Wout Van Aert, ...G.V.A and Stybar
leaving out everyones obvious pick Sagan


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## Adam4868 (13 Apr 2019)

Suprised in a way that Sagan is the bookies favourite ? But you can never rule him out.
So I'll go with Degenkolb.Naesen and GVA in any order !


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## mjr (13 Apr 2019)

Naesen, Degenkolb... and Rowe, maybe to deliver a headline grabbing fairytale ending to the Team Sky story from its rider who they stuck with through some very low points? https://www.afp.com/en/news/3955/rowe-fired-paris-roubaix-last-race-sky-shirt-doc-1fm3ns3


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## chriscross1966 (14 Apr 2019)

Always felt that Rowe and Stannard would have a lot more Classics at any other team, Sky want their flat-land barndoor road captains in the right shape for the GT's ... this year it does look like they're having a crack.... which means we might go two years without anyone except Brits winning a GT cos anything that detracts from Skys/Ineos prep for the Giro with Bernal makes a Yates (either) win more likely....


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## rich p (14 Apr 2019)

Stuyven, Naesen, GVA


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

Gaviria ...non starter...ill overnight


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

I don't suppose krisstoff will be too disappointed with that news


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

Carlton Kirby...would you like to race paris Roubaix again sean
Sean Kelly one word answer.....no


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

Why do they publish the list of cobbled sectors with only distances from the start when the on screen display is only the distance from the finish?


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

just to make you do the maths


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2019/04/14/paris-roubaix-2019-live-updates/ clearly copy-pasting last week's coverage with "... and in the case of the Ronde all teams are contracted to race"

Nice try at crosspromotion with the cycling podcast but I think I'll stick with http://live.cyclingnews.com as usual.


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> just to make you do the maths


I keep forgetting how long the route is and whether it's measured from the start or km0 so it doesn't really work! I just wait for the commentary or OSD popup.


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

quite a few touches of wheels and small crashes, one jumbo visma slammed into the floor didn't look too good but I don't know who it was yet


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

oooh that's not good for W.V.A


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

Hes back on the bike


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> oooh that's not good for W.V.A


Sliding out as he chased back or having to dodge team cars blocking the full width of the cobbles? Riding along the verge and still fast enough to overtake the cars. That's some determined riding!


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

All three, hes riding like hes possessed ,


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

well hes done it


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

benoot collided with a team car and is out, taylor phinney is out after a mechanical and his team car didn't see him and drove past


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

View: https://twitter.com/Lotto_Soudal/status/1117421293102460938


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

feck , just seen the car benoot hit , back window smashed


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> feck , just seen the car benoot hit , back window smashed


Jumbo's car. Back window completely absent except for jagged bits around the edges but that might be where they've knocked it out to avoid it showering the mechanic with glass as they cover the remaining cobbles. So that's at least two car incidents this P-R. The race directors may have some questions to answer about management and regulations?


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## User169 (14 Apr 2019)

‘Mon Pip!


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

9km to go, Phil Gil and Pollit 30s ahead of Sagan, van Aert and a growing number of friends... I think that's the finish being contested by those two.


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

I was wondering if the guest on the E1 German commentary was Jens Voigt (I'm only half watching while working, so I missed his introduction) and then he went and mentioned "die Man with the Hammer"... which removed all doubt even if I'm unsure about several aspects of the grammatical nature of that


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

I would like to see gilbert take the win


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

gilbert takes it


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## rich p (14 Apr 2019)

Just caught the last 15km. Well done PIP


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## Flying_Monkey (14 Apr 2019)

Sagan just suddenly ran out of energy about 15km from the end. I loved Sep Vanmarcke going to top of the track and sprinting to overtake him for 4th and then realising that he didn't really have to and almost sitting up, because Sagan wasn't going to go any faster...


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## ColinJ (14 Apr 2019)

Excellent win - I enjoyed that!


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

Eurosport gets on my tits not showing the presentation , any other sport over runs and cycling comes on late, ...barstewards


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

@Flying_Monkey I think you have some names mixed up..
..
*Paris-Roubaix top 10 details*
* 
Rnk* *Rider* *Nationality* *Team* *Pnt* *Time*
1 Philippe Gilbert BE Deceuninck - Quick Step 275 5:58:02
2 Nils Politt DE Team Katusha - Alpecin 200 ,,
3 Yves Lampaert BE Deceuninck - Quick Step 150 0:13
4 Peter Sagan SK BORA - hansgrohe 120 0:42
5 Florian SÃ©nÃ©chal FR Deceuninck - Quick Step 100 0:47
6 Mike Teunissen NL Team Jumbo-Visma 90 ,,
7 ZdenÄ›k Å tybar CZ Deceuninck - Quick Step 80 ,,
8 Evaldas Å iÅ¡keviÄius LT Delko Marseille Provence 70 ,,
9 Sep Vanmarcke BE EF Education First 60 ,,
10 Stefan KÃ¼ng CH Groupama - FDJ 50 ,,


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## Flying_Monkey (14 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> @Flying_Monkey I think you have some names mixed up..



I think it's your source that is mixed up...

*#* *Rider Name (Country) Team* *Result*
1 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 5:58:02 
2 Nils Politt (Ger) Team Katusha-Alpecin 
3 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:13 
4 Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) EF Education First 0:00:40 
5 Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:42 
6 Florian Senechal (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:47 
7 Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma 
8 Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep 
9 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko Marseille Provence 
10 Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) EF Education First

I watched the race live and the large Sep Vanmarcke in the bright pink of EF Education First is pretty distinctive!


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## roadrash (14 Apr 2019)

sorry my mistake


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## mjr (14 Apr 2019)

roadrash said:


> Eurosport gets on my tits not showing the presentation , any other sport over runs and cycling comes on late, ...barstewards


It was shown on France 3 and RTBF 1. I expect Rai Sport stayed to the end even if Rai 2 didn't. Time to upgrade? I'd've taken screenshots of the flames and the pavé trophy rising up out of the stage if I'd known Eurosport was going to shaft people again.


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## Adam4868 (15 Apr 2019)

Watched Roubaix late last night.Good race i thought,better than flanders this year for me.There was plenty of drama in there aswell.A well deserved win for Gilbert.Some bad luck for a few Vanmarcke i thought looked good but stuck in 11 gear finished him at the end.Sagan looked to be getting there but its odd too see him actually just run out of steam.


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## Dogtrousers (15 Apr 2019)

Sagan credits his team but says he didn't have the legs. Plus some photos.

https://www.petersagan.com/hard-paris-roubaix-finale/


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## Dogtrousers (15 Apr 2019)

View: https://twitter.com/Paris_Roubaix/status/1117520147286298629?s=19


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## Dogtrousers (15 Apr 2019)

Inrng suggests that Di2 was at the root of Vanmarcke's gearing problems. Plus other interesting inrngy stuff
http://inrng.com/2019/04/the-moment-paris-roubaix-was-won/


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## Adam4868 (15 Apr 2019)

I'm safe then with cables,even Peter Sagan took my advice.Was a pisser for Vanmarke though,I thought he looked strong.


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## User169 (15 Apr 2019)

WvA got stung with two fines. One for riding too close to team cars when chasing back and one for taking a piss in the wrong place. 

His outer ring got busted when he fell, so he rode the rest of the race on just the inner.


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## User169 (15 Apr 2019)

Damn! Fair to say that Wout van Aert left it all on the road yesterday, He looked seriously farked at the end of the race.


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## Adam4868 (15 Apr 2019)

Madness there yesterday ! 

View: https://twitter.com/Andymcgra/status/1117773179756384257?s=19


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## BalkanExpress (18 Apr 2019)

Dogtrousers said:


> Inrng suggests that Di2 was at the root of Vanmarcke's gearing problems. Plus other interesting inrngy stuff
> http://inrng.com/2019/04/the-moment-paris-roubaix-was-won/



I will be at a talk Vermarcke is giving in a June, will be interesting to see what he says about it.


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## User169 (21 Apr 2019)

Wow. Just wow.


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## philk56 (21 Apr 2019)

Incredible finish!


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## Flying_Monkey (21 Apr 2019)

Absolutely farking insane. Brilliant finish.


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## Flying_Monkey (21 Apr 2019)

But what the hell were Fuglsang and Alaphilippe playing at? They had it in the bag. And then Kwiatkowski thought he had it for sure. But no-one can seem to deal with MvdP


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## Adam4868 (21 Apr 2019)

Didn't see that coming !!


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## Adam4868 (21 Apr 2019)

Kwiato did too much work,but admirable effort.Allaphilipe and Fulsgang...looked at each other and boom !


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## roadrash (21 Apr 2019)




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## Andrew Br (21 Apr 2019)

Astonishing.


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## User169 (21 Apr 2019)

Well that’s it for MvdP since ASO chose not to invite Corendon Circus to FW and LBL.


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## MasterDabber (21 Apr 2019)

That was just amazing... truly impressive.I still can't quite believe what I saw.


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## andrew_s (21 Apr 2019)

DP said:


> Well that’s it for MvdP since ASO chose not to invite Corendon Circus to FW and LBL.


Corendon didn't get invites because MvdP had said he wasn't riding.
He's now going to switch to MTB, and have another go at trying to beat Nino Schurter.


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## User169 (21 Apr 2019)

andrew_s said:


> Corendon didn't get invites because MvdP had said he wasn't riding.
> He's now going to switch to MTB, and have another go at trying to beat Nino Schurter.



Nino seems to be the only person that’s got the wood on MvdP at the moment.


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## Smokin Joe (21 Apr 2019)

Flying_Monkey said:


> But what the hell were Fuglsang and Alaphilippe playing at? They had it in the bag. And then Kwiatkowski thought he had it for sure. But no-one can seem to deal with MvdP


It's all a game of bluff for the breakaway when chasers are gaining on them. Rein in your effort and hope the other guy cracks first and tows you to the line. Sometimes they get it wrong, like Roche and Criquielion also did in the 1985 Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Holding a winning lead they started to fanny about like track sprinters in the final kilo and got caught and passed by Argentin. 

As Roche said afterwards, "You have to be prepared to lose to win".


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## andrew_s (21 Apr 2019)

I think that in this case, the front two may have been misled by any time gaps they were receiving, as there were half a dozen riders scattered between them and MvdP when he started his come back, and the gaps to them wouldn't have been changing until MvdP swept them up.


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## Adam4868 (21 Apr 2019)

I don't think they were misled,couple of things...mvdp was unbelievable,after pulling everyone along he still had legs for a Sprint.
Allaphillipe I think made a costly mistake by waiting and making Fulsgang work.He knew he was going to beat him in the sprint.But he chose to play the game.Cost him this time.


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## Foghat (21 Apr 2019)

Very pleasing race, that. Proper hard-racing terrain, good field, nice weather, exhilarating finish.

Van der Poel is quite reminiscent of his father Adri, who was very prominent when I first started paying attention to professional cycling, and who was not averse to handing out occasional beatings to the mighty Sean Kelly _et al_. Possibly with something extra, though - today VDP junior demonstrated a similar ability to Gianni Bugno for sprinting from the front (with plenty of pulling already in his legs) and still riding away from them at the end of a tough 250+km race. Impressive stuff; he looks on course for some serious domination in the big races, but hopefully Wout van Aert will continue his similar rise and pose an ongoing major threat.

And of course we saw Carl Sagan getting his arrse handed to him, again......bonus!


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## Flying_Monkey (21 Apr 2019)

Foghat said:


> And of course we saw Carl Sagan getting his arrse handed to him, again......bonus!



To fair though, cycling was never Carl Sagan's strongest area, but he would probably beat all of them in astronomy... (if he wasn't dead).


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## Foghat (22 Apr 2019)

Hmmm -_ Cosmos_ or Tour of Flanders. Difficult to call.....


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## mjr (22 Apr 2019)

Adam4868 said:


> I don't think they were misled,couple of things...mvdp was unbelievable,after pulling everyone along he still had legs for a Sprint.


And I think he was out on a break just reeled in at the start of the highlights I watched. Stunning race, great win!


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## Adam4868 (22 Apr 2019)

Dogtrousers said:


> So in addition to having to tell the Yates brothers apart we now have to remember which of the two cyclocross "vans" is which. Life's tough.


You'll be fine,one wears white shorts !


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## BalkanExpress (22 Apr 2019)

Dogtrousers said:


> So in addition to having to tell the Yates brothers apart we now have to remember which of the two cyclocross "vans" is which. Life's tough.



Wait for the post ride interview: one sounds Dutch, the other Flemish


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## andrew_s (23 Apr 2019)

Adam4868 said:


> You'll be fine,one wears white shorts !


That's why MvdP wears them - so he's easy to spot in the bunch


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## Adam4868 (24 Apr 2019)

Just caught up with the highlights of Flech Wallonne ,a expected win for Allaphillipe.He really is looking to be a step above most at the moment.


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## Flying_Monkey (25 Apr 2019)

Adam4868 said:


> Just caught up with the highlights of Flech Wallonne ,a expected win for Allaphillipe.He really is looking to be a step above most at the moment.



That race seems made for him. He's hard to beat when there's a short, steep finish. Mind you, it's the kind of finish that should also suit someone like Dan Martin - but he seemed to drop off the pace rather easily today.


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## Adam4868 (25 Apr 2019)

Flying_Monkey said:


> That race seems made for him. He's hard to beat when there's a short, steep finish. Mind you, it's the kind of finish that should also suit someone like Dan Martin - but he seemed to drop off the pace rather easily today.


Dsn Martin actually pulled out of the race,didn't feel up to it which is a shame.He will be back sunday.


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## mjr (25 Apr 2019)

Flying_Monkey said:


> That race seems made for him. He's hard to beat when there's a short, steep finish. Mind you, it's the kind of finish that should also suit someone like Dan Martin - but he seemed to drop off the pace rather easily today.


Nah, Alan Phillips only won because MvdP wasn't allowed in today. Him and Fuggle Song were messing about on the front again.


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## Andrew Br (28 Apr 2019)

Eurosport coverage finally starts 20 minutes late....
Weather looks Mancunian.


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## roadrash (28 Apr 2019)

looks miserable and very wet today at L.B.L , looks like Valverde just abandoned


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## roadrash (28 Apr 2019)

Robert gesink crashed and abandoned , dan martin , abandoned


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## roadrash (28 Apr 2019)

adam yates interview before the start ,interview was 30 seconds long and 11 times he said...... err yeah, I love watching both yates brothers race but cringe at their interviews


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## roadrash (28 Apr 2019)

A quick bike change from sky for de la cruze in the breakaway after a mechanical


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## roadrash (28 Apr 2019)

ooh... is alaphilipe struggling on the penultimate climb


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## Andrew Br (28 Apr 2019)

I wondered if he'd slowed because he was getting rid of clothing. I'd love to see how they take leg-warmers off.


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## Andrew Br (28 Apr 2019)

I'm reconsidering; he doesn't look like he's got much left. Fuglsang current favourite ?


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## Andrew Br (28 Apr 2019)

Whoa !
How did he stay up ?


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## Buddfox (28 Apr 2019)

Andrew Br said:


> Whoa !
> How did he stay up ?



My heart was in my mouth because that would have been really nasty


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## Andrew Br (28 Apr 2019)

Andrew Br said:


> I'm reconsidering; he doesn't look like he's got much left. Fuglsang current favourite ?




As I was saying.......


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## roadrash (28 Apr 2019)

I bet Fuglsang had a twitchy bum all the way to the line after that slide


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## Adam4868 (28 Apr 2019)

Just watched that,I'm glad he won.Hes been close enough this year a few times.Especially after that skid/slip near the end ! Think I shat myself for him...


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## Adam4868 (29 Apr 2019)

Worth watching again,makes his win all the better.

View: https://twitter.com/Eurosport_ES/status/1122515454248013826?s=19


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## roadrash (29 Apr 2019)

my @rse twitches every time I see that, I would have finished up in a messy, bloody, hurty heap.


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## Foghat (29 Apr 2019)

Enjoyed Fuglsang's demolition of Alaphilippe _et al _on the Côte de Roche-aux-Faucons, and how he then jettisoned the only two able to stay with him on that climb. From there on in, my mind was saying "Do NOT crash" as he negotiated all those slippery bends and bits of white paint - so my stomach practically hit the ceiling when he had that skid/slide moment. Well-recovered, but didn't he know he had sufficient gap not to take such unnecessary risks?

I like his riding style, so would be content to see more big successes from him - if only he wasn't connected to arch-druggist Vinokourov…..

Anyway, Fuglsang appears to be the TV commentators' new Paolo Savoldelli - i.e. just as all the commentators (that I heard) insisted on saying Salvodelli instead of Savoldelli, they all now seem to insist on pronouncing Fuglsang as Fulgsang. Even Rob Hatch with his somewhat affected foreign pronunciations does it. Get it right, people, it ain't hard!

Although that's not as irritating as constant references to 'commissars' when they mean 'commissaires'. Even Chris Boardman always got that wrong, in a non-ironic way, and he should have known better!

At least Liggett's "Boysen-Hagens" are no longer aired in this country.....


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## Foghat (29 Apr 2019)

Don't get me started, DT.....


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## Adam4868 (29 Apr 2019)

The only man who can be forgiven for pronunciation is King Kelly ! I could listen to him all day.As for Rob Hatch !! Don't even go there.....


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