[Closed] Paris Roubaix

I'm finding it very hard to think QS of one member or another won't be winning this. Their Spring form has simply been astounding, race after race, win after win... Doesn't seem to matter which ones of the team turn up they're just strong and powerful. Amazing.

I'd like to see Kwia (not spelling the rest) or even someone like Cummings maybe if he's riding (not checked yet), but as long as i get to see attacks and attacks... I'll be more than happy.

I didn't see ToF last week but a mate was saying about Quick step that there was no clear favoured man, so other team had trouble marking or knowing what was an attack. Sound like monsters.

I really find these one day races exciting. Really hardcore.

Thanks for the reminder.

Whats the forecast like?  Hopefully very rainy ?

It's wet at present but will be dry-ish for the race. Apparently because its flat and the pave is so exposed over there, the wind and sun dry it out very quickly so will be mostly dry for Sunday. It could be that horrible situation where it's wet/dry/wet etc. depending on where they are :).

Agreed, its hard to see past QS but this race has a habit of throwing up a random winner. I don't think Sagan or GVA quite have the form. As Lotto look a bit thin on numbers I'm going for a Lars Bak <span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">long ranger with others joining - possibly </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Mike Teunissen</span><span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">, reeled in by a select group of Stybar, Gilbert, Trentin, EBH, Sagan, Mads Pedersen and Moscon. EBH to win in the velodrome? </span>

Dry and 17-19deg C.

It was wet and muddy yesterday but we've just arrived in Roubaix and it's 16° and sunny with a bit of a breeze.

Hopefully it'll dry things out for tomorrow!

eurosport promo code UK99 should get you a month for 99p. you can cancel immediately and still get your month.

although you all should have done this last month for all the other classics

Plan - Watch it on a train back from Manchester marathon.

Winner - Head says someone from Quick Step, Terpstra is my bet. Heart says Vanmarcke or Luke Rowe.

Really hard to look past Quick-Step, i was stood at side of Pateberg on Sunday for Flanders and they looked so strong especially Terpstra, he went with Nibali and then he just rode away from him, bridged up to the front, then kept going.

They have 4-5 riders who could do it, Stybar has really good form with the race and looked good to, Gilbert will always be a contender and as above, how do you mark that many riders in one team?

I think Sagan is going to run into trouble again, listened to the Cycling Podcast and they were saying, he has the problem that he demanded such a high fee, that 99% of teams then don't have the cash to employ any domestiques to help him, so he is riding alone without support most of the time, and is constantly marked, he doesn't have anyone really that is strong enough to ride off the front for him to link up to and support him.

I'd like to see Gilbert do it but he will be so heavily marked, he's been publically stating he wanted this (and MSR) as his goal for the season - but given he was on the podium at the ToF his form looks bang on

Stannard, Rowe or Geraint would be fine by me also

Van Aert looks in good shape but is an outside choice - but then again the entire race is about outside choices, nobody expected Matthew Hayman to win..

Stybar for me. He's due a win

Plans?

For the racers, as I read recently, everybody's got a plan until you crash in the Forest of Arenberg.

For me, watching the whole thing at home this year. Can't wait - love the race and I'd really recommend going over and doing the sportive, which isn't half as crowded as Flanders and perversely enjoyable.

Stybar for me.

Me too, just 'cos I like the cut of his jib.

In reality it's impossible to predict with so many strong riders and no real stand-out classics/TT crossover guys like Cancellara.

Quickstep I reckon, but no idea which one.

Be interesting to see how Van Aert goes, he's had good legs so far. I'll go for G or Stuyven

Another hopefully stybar, reckon he’s earned a win now...

TT first thing then back to sit on the rollers whilst watching on Eurosport - recovery in the adverts. QS look awesome this year, but, how about big Sep Vanmarcke - it is time for him to win, and he's been showing good form. If he can stay on his bike

Anyone else see this  http://www.cyclist.co.uk/paris-roubaix-organiser-left-with-one-week-to-remove-tarmac-after-Arenberg-mistakenly-resurfaced

I saw it on 2nd so didn't so was shocked before realising the joke.

Normally I'd be inspired to get out on the roads, but I'm hobbling around with an arthritic ankle at the moment.

Terpstra's on fire at the moment, it'd be good to see Gilbert or Luke Rowe up there.

What's the Eurosport commentary like?  I normally watch on rtbf.be but might be tempted to a bit of something else

Hard to bet against QS at the moment. Gilbert and Stybar waiting their turn...

Shame it's not looking wet any more, but it will still be epic anyway.

Really looking forward to it. Ride in the morning, back in time for it to hit the cobbles.

QS are insanely strong and the interesting tactic of having multiple leaders has mean that no-one actually knows which attack to follow - if it's a dummy move to draw people out or the real deal to set up the win. I'd really like to see Stybar win, he deserves it by now and also has the coolest name in the peloton.

Luke Rowe is being talked up as a bit of a dark horse - he was going well at Flanders until he rode like a **** and got DQd. Stannard I don't think quite has the form, he's not as strong as in previous years but then this race is as much down to luck as it is to form so if he's in the right move at the right time and doesn't get a mechanical, who knows.

Anyway, should be a great one to watch. I've barely seen any of the Classics so far this year, in fact hardly seen any racing at all so this is sort of my season opener!

Good shout with the code - thanks

Hard to see past QS - it's definitely a race where having numbers at the front pays-off and Lefevre's team has won 11 or the last 22 editions. If Terpstra has recovered then he has to be in with a chance, but I'd also like to see Stybie or PhilGil up there. Sadly, it won't be wet - we haven't had a proper filthy one this century!

I'm hugely looking forward to it. Not just the best bike race of the year, probably the best sporting event of the year so far. Got a nice selection of Belgian beers chilling and some tasty Belgian chocolate to go with them. And before anyone points it out, I know the race is technically in France but it's Belgian in all but location.

Will be watching all six or so hours on Eurosport. Along with Flanders these are the two races where it's often all action from the word go. Pity it looks like another dry one; that said when we did the sportive a couple of years ago I doubt I'd have finished had it been wet. The skill (and bravery) of these cobbles riders has to be seen to be believed.

As everyone rightly says, hard to see past QS at the moment, but I have sneak feeling Sagan's going to do it this time. Terpstra was awesome last week but it takes a lot to do the double. Would love to see Vanmarke do it. He's in good form though I suspect his big chance was that cracking edition of P-R about five years ago.

So head says Sagan, heart says Vanmarke.

Would love to see Wout Van Aert win it

Got a nice selection of Belgian beers chilling and some tasty Belgian chocolate to go with them. And before anyone points it out, I know the race is technically in France but it’s Belgian in all but location.

Sooo wrong

I have proper French frites, French cheeses and a baguette. And some Normandy cider.

I do, however, salute your efforts to celebrate the best race of the year.

Niki Terpstra again for me. QS will be unstoppable and anyone else in with a shout will be dropped whilst they mark Sagan again.

I hate to say it, and maybe especially here - and I know they're all about the classics

... but Quickstep are looking a bit too "Mapei" for my liking this year

🙁

Don’t worry, they won’t come the Grand Tours. This is what they built the team for. Nice to be able to mark the World Champion knowing nobody wants to go with him.

Excited, but I prefer RvW as race of the year, velodrome sprint notwithstanding.

I have proper French frites, French cheeses and a baguette. And some Normandy cider.

Ha, I hoped you'd be doing that! Did you have alarmingly strong  Belgian Trappist Monk beer last weekend too?

Anyway, Gilbert FTW I think. I reckon he's been keeping his powder dry behind Terpstra.

Ha, I hoped you’d be doing that! Did you have alarmingly strong  Belgian Trappist Monk beer last weekend too?

Yes the Chimay nearly took my head off!

Gilbert is a good call since he says he's targeted PR as his 4th Monument. I'm wondering if Sky will try and take QS on and leave Rowe or Moscon for the win.

Another cheers! for the code! 🙂

Sagan has Oss who has an outside chance in his own right.

Stannard is the only rider who has ever beat QS at their own game, but is quiet this year.

I am going for the romantic win for a random journeyman who secretly targets the race.

watching on Eurosport now thanks to the UK99 deal, why is there no commentary?

watching on Eurosport now thanks to the UK99 deal, why is there no commentary?

That got me as well. You need the ES2 feed else you just get motorbike exhaust note in the background!

Thanks for the code!

The way Sagan just bridged across to the leading quartet was phenomenal. Knew exactly when to go - proper smart move. Quick-Step slightly on the back foot for the first time in the entire race.

Sky are having no luck whatsoever - the Welsh Crash Magnet went down in the first section of cobbles, Luke Rowe seemed to be going OK until he went down in that crash with Kristoff. Moscon caught behind it all.

Good fun to watch though, seems really open still. I was really rooting for Stybar went he put that big attack in.

Well done to the Swiss rider, a good straight ride.

Gotta love Sagan - never does things the easy way; thoroughly deserved that.

Great win for Sagan. He just seemed to drift off the front at 50km to go and the bunch just looked at Quick-Step expecting them to chase which they didn't until it was too late.

Fair play to Dillier. I thought Sagan was just waiting until Carrefour de L'Arbre to finish him off but he managed to stay with Sagan until the end. Sagan probably wouldn't have managed to stay away without him.

A fine win. Really pleased for him.

Dillier might have been trounced in the sprint but he's done a lot for his career with that ride.

After all if that I only got to see 15 minutes. Try for the highlights tomorrow.

yeah, good on him because rolling into the velodrome with Sagan only had one outcome!! No need to worry about tactics for the sprint 🙂

Not necessarily. After 257 hard km no one knows what they have left in their legs. Even very good sprinters have got to the velodrome and stood on the pedals to find they have nothing left so it was worth a punt.