Paris-Roubaix

TheBlaaMan

The big one. The Queen of Classics. L'Enfer du Nord. Hammer time.......

I hope you got your spins in today, because TV coverage of PR2016 begins at 0915 tomorrow before the race ever starts and stays with it the whole way, so you have six or more hours to look forward to, albeit that the first few hours could be pretty mundane. There are three Irish riders listed to take the start, Bennett, Brammeier & Ryan Mullen, which is great to see for all three.

• Race starts at 9:40am
• Finish at around 3:57pm
• Live video from 9:15am on Eurosport1 (Highlights on Eurosport 1800-1930)

The course is on a classic route with 25 pavé sectors comprising nearly 53 of the race's 257km (including a new uphill pavé section ....:eek:) and these are detailed here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/04/news/road/the-27-sectors-of-paris-roubaix_401656

Summary (thanks to velonews.com)

[*]The first eight sectors cause chaos at the back, but the big names will see their first test at the Arenberg, 162km in. They hit the cobbles here at over 60kmph coming off the straight tarmac'd approach road. From there on the sectors come thick and fast.

[*]The next key point will be the one-two punch of the long, 3,700-meter Hornaing sector and then 1,700 meters of Warlaing, with just a few kilometers rest between them.

[*]The 3,000 meters of Mons-en-Pevele cobbles earn a five-star rating for the pavé’s brutal inconsistency. With 42km remaining, this sector could be the source of a long-range attack. G'wan Tom Boonen!

[*]Carrefour de l’Arbre is 2,100 meters long and comes 17 kilometers from the finish. Even if a substantial group comes into the Carrefour, it won’t get out together


News earlier this week that the course may be re-routed around a Troisvilles sector covered in mud set off much consternation. But keep in mind that the sector is slightly downhill and, as the first of the day, is hit with incredible speed, and that we’re not talking a bit of mud here, we’re talking inches of the stuff. Organizers will only move the course if a massive crash would be inevitable. It would be hypocritical to accept poor weather protocols that have worked well so far, and then scoff at the choice to remove a dangerous sector, so common-sense will hopefully prevail.

My choice - I think Sagan will be hard to beat but risks being so well marked that he may be suffocated, that said, he may be strong enough to escape in any case; Cancellara really wants this one, in his final year, he was really smarting during the week about what happened in the finale at De Ronde, so he really wants to win; talking of which Boonen really, REALLY, wants to win, (see video below) but I think it will take great fortune for that to happen; Lars Boom has been coming along nicely and I think he will feature in the top 5 - it doesn't look like the earlier forecast of rain is going to transpire, so that probably takes the advantage away from Boom. But could Tony Martin be released from looking after Boonen and be given his chances?

My head says the 1-2-3 is Sagan, Cancellara, Boom; my heart would love Spartacus or Tommeke to do it one last time.......

Weather for Lille:




Tommeke prepares.....

Sean Kelly tells you how to win http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/sean-kelly-how-to-win-paris-roubaix/

Lots of interviews, previews, factoids, etc etc here: http://www.steephill.tv/classics/paris-roubaix/#preview

Solobally8

Cannot wait for this! I was supposed to do a sportive tomorrow but couldn't miss this so it will be a long turbo while watching instead.

I'll be happy if either Sagan or Cancellara win. Great to see Ryan Mullen is doing it!

dastardly00

Nice write-up TheBlaaMan

dragratchet

cant wait, get out for a spin in the am and its couch for p.r after that. heart wants Boonen to win (moreso than cancellara, though id take that too) reckon one of the younger men will take the honors though

JK.BMC

Goes to show how important this great race is: TV from km0 and with the chance of rain, we could have one of the more memorable editions of recent years.
If Andre Greipel wins, it would be neither out of place nor undeserved

Other than that, like most others, I have not the foggiest idea who will win

Mehaffey1

Dead excited for it too although have no means of getting to see any coverage! Unless anyone know a public place that would show the race in Canterbury NZ?

godtabh

Going to try and get to watch the last hour

dastardly00

An early blow for Katusha and Alexander Kristoff.... Jacopo Guarnieri (#82) will be a DNS due to fever.

pelevin

Commenting on someone's very early bike mishap Kelly says, "Tough to ride Roubaix without a saddle." Toughen up Kelly boy, says I.

letape

Watching the roll out now. Great sense of anticipation in the peleton!

bazermc

Jaysus coverage started already. I'll never get off the couch now

C3PO

bazermc wrote: »

Jaysus coverage started already. I'll never get off the couch now

Really hoped to get a decent MTB spin in .... not looking good!

crazy_kenny

Only a day for the turbo and Paris Roubaix

MPFGLB

Ha ha Kelly in fine form talking about his first PR

"I took a short cut and when I got to the Roubaix the velodrome was closed"

neris

Did the 46A just get a mention there i was hearing things

griffin100

The Stars have aligned and the Gods have smiled on me. My wife has taken the youngest child shopping for the day, and my other kids are all off to a day long basketball camp. I have the entire house and TV to myself until this evening. How early is to early to open the wine?

neris

Never too early.

MPFGLB

Looks like alot of wind ...could be a big factor

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

Looks like alot of wind ...could be a big factor

Ecehlons all over the place and gaps. Should be fun

pelevin

At this rate, they'll be struggling to get in/pull back a breakaway all the way to Roubaix.

Bloch

Does anyone have a good link to watch it online?

MPFGLB

Break looks very strong at the moment with Chava , Hayman, Eviti included

pelevin

Bloch wrote: »

Does anyone have a good link to watch it online?

Don't think we're allowed here give 'illegal' links though there may be legit free ones for all I know. I'm watching in on Eurosport Player - 7 euros for a month.

pelevin

Seems a waste that Tony Martin wasn't at this stage developed to be a big favourite for races like this rather than a domestique pulling hard to bring back a break.

velo.2010

I presume Sean Kelly will join in the commentary later on?

MPFGLB

velo.2010 wrote: »

I presume Sean Kelly will join in the commentary later on?

He is already there ...are you not reading this thread ?

neris

Sagans out the back door by looks of it

neris

velo.2010 wrote: »

I presume Sean Kelly will join in the commentary later on?

Hes having a break for a while he was on earlier

neris

4km to the 1st cobbles

All My Stars Aligned

Bloch wrote: »

Does anyone have a good link to watch it online?

pm'd

godtabh

Bloch wrote: »

Does anyone have a good link to watch it online?

Eurosport Player

neris

First Fender bender of the day

godtabh

Any one know Mullens number? Was he caught in the crash there?

He is 236 and it was
233 caught up

neris

Sometimes its better watch races like this alone. Ive just been told that the road surface looks very bad

isitraining

A pity Rob, I must overpronounce everything, Hatch doesn't seem to be going for a break.

neris

isitraining wrote: »

A pity Rob, I must overpronounce everything, Hatch doesn't seem to be going for a break.

Hatch seems to have a posh tv voice and his normal yorkshire podcast voice.

MPFGLB

neris wrote: »

Hatch seems to have a posh tv voice and his normal yorkshire podcast voice.

the Yorkshire one is so over the top and exaggerated and very strange ...but no surprise there

He is a bit like Catherine Zeta Jones ...who has an American/English accent and then an exaggerated Welsh accent

All false and grating

skerry

Just watching it on Eurosport player there now, but there's no commentary. Is this the same for everyone else? Can hear moto's and crowd but no commentary.

skerry

skerry wrote: »

Just watching it on Eurosport player there now, but there's no commentary. Is this the same for everyone else? Can hear moto's and crowd but no commentary.

Nevermind, back now. Watching on Samsung Smart TV, restarting the apps seems to have done the trick

neris

Sometimes on eurosport theres a feed from the uci which is just pictures and sounds and then theres the eurosport commentery feed

Kaisr Sose

Bloch wrote: »

Does anyone have a good link to watch it online?

Google is a great way to find things online! '

MPFGLB

Was that Dayer Quintana having a bit of a meet and greet with fans....didn't seem too bothered about getting back in the race

Surely not a race for a man of his build

neris

MPFGLB wrote: »

Was that Dayer Quintana having a bit of a meet and greet with fans....didn't seem too bothered about getting back in the race

Surely not a race for a man of his build

Yeah but he was waiting for a team car for a punctre or mechanical

neris

What the feck is that mcdonalds ad about

DominoDub

Thinking of poor John Degenkolb today having to watch on TV unable to defend his title thanks to that moment of madness by that driver ...but in some way lucky that it could have been a lot worse given what has happened over the last few weeks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RYqZZtt3Uw

pelevin

Not sure is it Tony or Dan Martin driving things on big-time.

MPFGLB

SKY & Lotto need to help NOW

Its there big chance to get rid of the 2 strongest riders ...can;t leave it all to Tony Martin

pelevin

MPFGLB wrote: »

SKY & Lotto need to help NOW

Its there big chance to get rid of the 2 strongest riders ...can;t leave it all to Tony Martin

Sure it's not Dan?

MPFGLB

ETS are sitting pretty as have Boonen in front group but Terpstra, Stybar in 2nd group

MPFGLB

Its Tony Martin and he is worth at least 2 riders ....the man that can make or catch any beak

neris

The wind really aint their friend today.