wolfix said:
there is a separate U23 RR for each event... i watched it at the worlds when they were in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Paris - Roubaix
- Thread starter cyclingheroes
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there is a separate U23 RR for each event... i watched it at the worlds when they were in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
An enjoyable race to watch but also withs some tradegy. Big George was strong out their today, then had his chances blown by a mechanical, fortunately he wasn't hurt too badly. Still, it must have been devastating for him.
Cancellara was clearly very strong today, he definitely deserves the win. But as always with the P-R you have to have some luck as well as the strength at that definitely came through in this race. Gusev had crashed earlier and had a hard time pulling back on to the main group once he was back on his bike, that can't have helped. Cancellara probably would have dropped him anyway but when? And if GH had still been there, well who knows. All that said, luck aside, Cancellara does deserve the win.
On the DQ's on the riders who finished 2nd-4th, I think that they should have either been stopped at the crossing by race officials if they weren't allowed to pass through, or shouldn't have been DQed. I guess thats just bike racing though but a poor show on the part of the race organisers. DC were definitely out of luck today despite being the strongest team there (though not necessarily having the strongest rider).
Cancellara was clearly very strong today, he definitely deserves the win. But as always with the P-R you have to have some luck as well as the strength at that definitely came through in this race. Gusev had crashed earlier and had a hard time pulling back on to the main group once he was back on his bike, that can't have helped. Cancellara probably would have dropped him anyway but when? And if GH had still been there, well who knows. All that said, luck aside, Cancellara does deserve the win.
On the DQ's on the riders who finished 2nd-4th, I think that they should have either been stopped at the crossing by race officials if they weren't allowed to pass through, or shouldn't have been DQed. I guess thats just bike racing though but a poor show on the part of the race organisers. DC were definitely out of luck today despite being the strongest team there (though not necessarily having the strongest rider).
wolfix said:
There are separate races within mens and womens age categories for world titles.
Dpeneding on riders age - the races are categories as senior, under 23 etc, junior etc.
Cancellara was U-23 world champion if I recall correctly.
I don't know if any cyclist other than senior world champions are allowed to wear the stripes.
The train incident was described like this on cycling news:
A spokesman for organisers ASO admitted to Cyclingnews that, "It's an unpredictable accident de la course. The race was 15 minutes ahead of schedule and usually, we plan the route by considering the train schedule. But it was unpredicted that the race would be so fast."
Also, I agree that if Van Petegem, Gusev, and Hoste are DQed for crossing under the barriers then so should Boonen, Ballan, and Flecha who essentially did the same thing.
Nonetheless a great win for Cancellara and certainly a more interesting race with Boonen isolated. Impressive was the ease with which Ballan rejoined the group after the crash with Gusev. Terrible luck for Hincapie - he must be devastated.
What a race!
A spokesman for organisers ASO admitted to Cyclingnews that, "It's an unpredictable accident de la course. The race was 15 minutes ahead of schedule and usually, we plan the route by considering the train schedule. But it was unpredicted that the race would be so fast."
Also, I agree that if Van Petegem, Gusev, and Hoste are DQed for crossing under the barriers then so should Boonen, Ballan, and Flecha who essentially did the same thing.
Nonetheless a great win for Cancellara and certainly a more interesting race with Boonen isolated. Impressive was the ease with which Ballan rejoined the group after the crash with Gusev. Terrible luck for Hincapie - he must be devastated.
What a race!
firstly.. Cancellara is that man... holy ****.. holding off Hoste, VanPetegam, and Gusev all working together to bring you back... HE DESERVED THAT!! especially since last year he flatted out of the winning break.. still wounder what him and Flecha could have done if they were both there at the end (they were both on Fassa Bortolo last year)... plus 4th in 2004. nice!!
Boonen just didn't seem to have it today... wonder if he's starting to burn out alread or if maybe he just started to believe his press too much and thought he was invincible and could do whatever he wanted and still win, why was he working in that break, he was alone, he should have been soft peddaling... seems that QS's DS was going to try to get Pozzatto back to the lead group and Boonen said no... he was ok.
i just love the way Flecha rides... attack, attack, attack! he just goes for it... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... what an exciting rider to whatch though.
van petegam.. what is he 36? he's still obviously strong as hell but it doesn't look like he has what it takes to win these races any more.
bad luck for george... i think no one can deny that Hoste is more than deserving of all the help that discovery has to offer in the classics... back to back 2nd places in flanders and now a second in roubaix (even though it was taken away from him)... i really think this guy need to be Disco's goto guy for the classics he's young, agressive, talented, has the results and he doesn't day dream and get out of position time after time like hincapie... road racing is not just about strenght it's about being smart too... no about of strenght is going to allows you to teleport yourself though 10 guys to get on the all important break.. hincapie is one of the best time trialer around but you just don't see him doing what cancellar did today? he's just too safe or he's scared.. i don't know, but he needs to take a book out of Flecha and take a chance every once in a while.
Ballan... what a talent... 2nd place in the Pro Tour now!! this guy needs to find a sprint in a bad way though.
Boonen just didn't seem to have it today... wonder if he's starting to burn out alread or if maybe he just started to believe his press too much and thought he was invincible and could do whatever he wanted and still win, why was he working in that break, he was alone, he should have been soft peddaling... seems that QS's DS was going to try to get Pozzatto back to the lead group and Boonen said no... he was ok.
i just love the way Flecha rides... attack, attack, attack! he just goes for it... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... what an exciting rider to whatch though.
van petegam.. what is he 36? he's still obviously strong as hell but it doesn't look like he has what it takes to win these races any more.
bad luck for george... i think no one can deny that Hoste is more than deserving of all the help that discovery has to offer in the classics... back to back 2nd places in flanders and now a second in roubaix (even though it was taken away from him)... i really think this guy need to be Disco's goto guy for the classics he's young, agressive, talented, has the results and he doesn't day dream and get out of position time after time like hincapie... road racing is not just about strenght it's about being smart too... no about of strenght is going to allows you to teleport yourself though 10 guys to get on the all important break.. hincapie is one of the best time trialer around but you just don't see him doing what cancellar did today? he's just too safe or he's scared.. i don't know, but he needs to take a book out of Flecha and take a chance every once in a while.
Ballan... what a talent... 2nd place in the Pro Tour now!! this guy needs to find a sprint in a bad way though.
hombredesubaru said:
I can't imagine you arguing like a spoiled child if it wasn't a disco rider that was disadvantaged.
There's lots of rules that have different interpretations for different riders and in different races.
You can't tell me that letting riders go after a train has passed is the same as letting the go before the train has passed.
Before you start crying foul we could easily open a can of worms with regard to relaxation of rules to suit LA, from relaxing time limits to following the correct route - but that could be seen as fishing of sorts so I won't do it.
YOu need to apply your astute sense of justice more impartially.
If being able to see sense means I have a slow brain then I suppose you are right.
Having not seen the race but read the commentary, it seems fair to acknowledge the fantastic ride by Cancellara. Sounds like he would have won anyway. Have to watch some highlights tonight.
And commiserations to George. Noone needs a crash like that.
George this, George that. Sure you can win the hardest stage at Le Tour, in a non-GC contention breakaway and you finished 2nd at Roubaix but for goodness sake. Cancellara was awesome. If anyone deserved it then he did, not George and not the DQ'ed riders. Oh and by the way George won't be wearing yellow on the Champs Elysees.
Let's not begin to hate on Hincapie. He had some extremely bad luck.
Don't take anything away from a non-GC break away, plus, it's only a GC breakway if you look at it from the entire TdF. A win is a win.
Like a lot of people say, P-R has a lot to do with luck. All the riders at the front worked hard and earned where they placed. It stinks some were DQ'ed, but they still did very well during the race.
Yellow isn't relevant in this discussion.
Don't take anything away from a non-GC break away, plus, it's only a GC breakway if you look at it from the entire TdF. A win is a win.
Like a lot of people say, P-R has a lot to do with luck. All the riders at the front worked hard and earned where they placed. It stinks some were DQ'ed, but they still did very well during the race.
Yellow isn't relevant in this discussion.
mitosis said:
The UCI rule states that "It shall be forbidden to cross level crossing when the barrier is down." (source: http://www.uci.ch/imgArchive/Rules/2road-E.pdf) So the rule doesn't even mention trains, coming or going.
Regardless I do agree that rules are bent and adapted to specific riders and situations.
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