STOP! Cobbles time. (Roubaix content, possibly spoilers)

Paris Roubaix is sneaking in to the end of the calendar this weekend. It’s been so long since the last Paris Roubaix that Alejandro Valverde was only 70 when it ran.

Even more exciting is that the first ever women’s Paris Roubaix tomorrow. Here’s a cool video about the run up. Called the run up.

The women’s race will be interesting – chief protagonists in the race often rely on an intimate knowledge of the parlours so a peloton relatively unfamiliar will create a more open race. That said, those from Flanders will know what’s coming…

Potentially first ‘wet’ men’s race since 2002 – media are focussing on the potential Wout vs Matthieu duel but how about Stybar as an outsider? He was up there at the finish last weekend and is on the ‘winningest’ P-Rx team.

Going to be a great weekend – hopefully no major injuries, given it might well be wet

Roadie/Crosser mixers are a bit thin on the ground in the women’s race. I know cross season has started but surely, …

I’d have bet on Lucinda Brand but she’s not on the list

I feel like the womens race is like a world champs or olympic race but with trade teams. There isn’t enough history to make any real form picks but you know it’s going to be raced all out because it means so much.

media are focussing on the potential Wout vs Matthieu duel but how about Stybar as an outsider

WvA not talking up his own chances, doesn’t sound like he’s up for a muddy crash-fest! MvdP sounding more keen though. WvA’s season on wind down whilst MvdP making up for lost time?

Really looking forward to this. That Run Up video – they’re all super excited to be taking part for the first time, I wonder if at the end of a hard season there’s as much enthusiasm in the men’s peleton having endured it before and with the majority of them frankly having no chance against the specialists!

Forecast says wet and windy. On summer dusted cobbles. What could POSSIBLY go wrong!

wet wet wet in the ladies race 🙂

is there a live feed anywhere, GCN Eurosport on TV seems to have a connection issue

Eurosport can’t seem to get any coverage or even updates- whats going on? Is it on anywhere else?

**** eurosport. Coverage starts at 13:45. No it doesn’t 3 people talking inanely in a studio starts at 13:45 and they’ll chatter on for 35 minutes before going to the race at 55kms to go.

What a shambles.

drying up nicely, come on lizzy 🙂

What a shambles

Don’t think that’s Eurosport/GCN’s fault, they apologised in advance during their preview show that the race wasn’t being filmed/broadcast until the last 55km, they’re just showing what is being made available to them.

carnage on Mons-en-Pevele!

the beauty of Paris Roubaix is it smashes teams like no other race.

are you allowed to say “shitting my pants ?” 🙂

my arse is knitting buttons watching Lizzie on the corners. It’s tough on your own but in a group on these cobbles you could be hacked down by anyone else at any moment.

Lead’s still increasing though, the MeP crashes removed a few of the stronger riders.

This is quite tense, I’m holding my breath on every cobbled turn!

So far so awesome!

The sight of those green cobbles is giving me horrible flashbacks. So slippery! I’m holding my breath for every corner too. I’m surprised that Lizzie’s teammates aren’t trying to get on the front before a sector and slow things up a bit – it’s impossible to overtake on them.

The group going through this sector should be interesting…

There we go.

Ugh, hope I didn’t jinx things!

Whoa! That’s some skill from our lizzie to hold onto that!

The rest of them are like domino’s 😬

That moto is way too close to Vos, whether in front or behind.

Hope Lizzie can hold on! It’s getting a bit tense!

Vos is making up time on the cobbles but the road sections are pretty similar. If the commentator could stop and think for a second, he could work out how this will pan out.

…and Joanna says exactly this!

This commentator is really annoying

“this is a straight fight between two riders”

thanks for that piece of insight, Mr Commentator

Surely can’t be caught now!

Go on Girl !

Amazing stuff

Just seen the state of her hands and blisters that have gone through where she’s been holding the hoods

brilliant

Awesome.

Just…wow!

Awesome ride Lizzie!

Brilliant.

Hmmmm. Does my head in seeing a big pack of chasers refusing to work properly together on the tarmac sections thus throwing away any chance of winning.
Sadly found that rather dull which considering the parcours and weather was extremely disappointing.

Brilliant ride from Lizzie, once that camera bike stopped motor pacing Vos she held the gap.

Sadly found that rather dull which considering the parcours and weather was extremely disappointing.

Bloody hell are you dead inside?

Does my head in seeing a big pack of chasers refusing to work properly together on the tarmac sections thus throwing away any chance of winning.

Maybe they were a bit tired!

Can’t wait for the men’s race now

See lizzies hands? Covered in blood, blisters like murder. That’s tough as nails.