Paris Roubaix!



Eldron

New Member
Jan 24, 2002
968
2
0
Our own Robert Hunter is on the starting list for the Mapei team! After good showings in the recent Belgian classics I reckon he's on song to produce a result. Unless of course he's only there to aid his leaders.....if he does he'll ride himself broken and we won't here a word....damn damn.

Either wasy: Go Robert!!!!!!!!!

Check out Eurosport from 11am onwards....I'm gonna be glued to the TV!
 
Methinks RH will be working up front to help Tafi bag the PR again this year. Robert seems to be happy at Mapei. His form so far this year has been very good.
 
i heard some story that RH is suffering from knee problems. does anyone know if this will affect his racing?!? :'(
hope not goooo Robert!!!!
 
I saw the race last night on TV5 (French channel) and it was AWESOME. I can't imagine myself staying upright on the muddy pave'! Too bad George Hincapie crashed around 35k from the finish. Had he stayed with Tim Boonen, he would've made the posium. Barvo to Tim Boonen. At 21 years of age, he has a podium finish in the Hell of the North! He is living the life!

Conratulations to Johan Museeuw!
 
The right man won! What a rider - 35 years old and a 40km solo to the finish!

I lost a lot of repsect for Geaorge Hincapie yesterday - in two words: WHEEL SUCKER! He did no work what so ever - never lead a group, gave up as soon as a gap opened and got caught 2km after crashing - he doesn't deserve a podium.

Boonen on the other hand deserved his piece of pave. Worked like a dog for Hincapie all day and still managed to hang on for third. He's the kind of guy that does the PR proud.
 
phew a 40k solo break and he one now that takes guts and power and hes 35 years old sounds like he could still ride a few more successfull years.

for all aussies SBS will show the Paris-Roubaix race on May 12 at 1:30. Man i cant wait.

Iv been doing a bit of Road Riding on My MTB lately ;D man its like riding a tank :) speed wize though im cruizing at 28-30kph with a push.
 
Yup, every time I ride my MTB on the road I feel like I'm as unfit as a coach potatoe. Jump back on the road bike and it just glides down the road with minimal effort.

I'm thinking of doing alot more road work on the MTB to build up my power and fitness
 
Robert Hunter finished 40th. Only 41 could finish within the cut-off time, so well done to Rob. If someone can ride like Johan at 36 years of age then it gives me a lot of hope and Robert a lot of time to still win it one day.
 
41 finished out of 190 starters. Did anyone see Bodrogi climb off - he was knackered beyond description.

Wesemann also had a hard day - I heard he changed SHOES and his bike....second after that is pretty impressive!

Robert Hunter is up to 32 in the world cup standings....
 
That was some performace by Museeuw!

It is a shame that Mapei boys didn't try their best (except for Hunter and Bodorogi). It was quite funny watching Laszlo on one of those pave sections, yet I believe he is a useful rider with whole career ahead of him. I am sure he will manage to finish P-R in future.

Tom Boonen - I am out of words....
 
Those in SA with DSTV can tune in to the Dutch TV network (channel 102) around 10:50pm for Sports News on the evenings of the events. They have a 10 minute roundup of the race (better than nothing since we don't have Eurosport) which lets you see some of the race action.

Saw Robert Hunter come down in one of the sections of pave' and the amazing breakaway by Museeuw - what a legend this man is.

Eldron was saying about Hincapie... I won't say I've lost respect for him, but the previous Sunday in the RVV he was the same - sat most of the way and when Tafi went away he just sat waiting for Museeuw and van Petegem to chase.

I got someone in Europe to tape the Eurosport P-R coverage : can't wait to see our own RH riding in the "Hell of the North".
 
Hey guys, here's a picture of poor Robert Hunter hitting the deck on the slippery cobbles of Brillon. Check out Graham Watson's web site, there are other good photo's of the P-R.

http://www.grahamwatson.com/2002/roubaix/roubaix.htm

image8.jpg
 
[quote author=Eldron link=board=15;threadid=826;start=0#7486 date=1018903017]<br /><br />The right man won! What a rider - 35 years old and a 40km solo to the finish!<br /><br />I lost a lot of repsect for Geaorge Hincapie yesterday - in two words: WHEEL SUCKER! He did no work what so ever - never lead a group, gave up as soon as a gap opened and got caught 2km after crashing - he doesn't deserve a podium. <br /><br />Boonen on the other hand deserved his piece of pave. Worked like a dog for Hincapie all day and still managed to hang on for third. He's the kind of guy that does the PR proud.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />Although I'm not really aware of what goes on inside US Postal, I gues the main reason why Boonen wants to quit the team is because he would probably have to ride for Hincapie next year. We'll see what the outcome is going to be...<br /><br />And I'm always happy to see Musseeuw win (he's actually from my home town Gistel ;) ) Currently I see no one who's capable of beating Musseeuw in Paris-Roubaix if he doesn't have any accidents.... hope he'll break the record of De Vlaeminck <br /><br />btw, anyone of you guys ever tried out the kind of pave they have in Paris-Roubaix, it makes you respect the guys riding there even more, absolutely terrifying... You also need to have the technique to shine in Paris-Roubaix: Musseeuw has got his cyclo-cross background, De Vlaeminck as well. We've even seen Sven Nys in front, even though he's not a road racer<br /><br />Niek
 
[quote author=Eldron link=board=15;threadid=826;start=0#7486 date=1018903017]<br /><br />The right man won! What a rider - 35 years old and a 40km solo to the finish!<br /><br />I lost a lot of repsect for Geaorge Hincapie yesterday - in two words: WHEEL SUCKER! He did no work what so ever - never lead a group, gave up as soon as a gap opened and got caught 2km after crashing - he doesn't deserve a podium. <br /><br />Boonen on the other hand deserved his piece of pave. Worked like a dog for Hincapie all day and still managed to hang on for third. He's the kind of guy that does the PR proud.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />It doesn't really matter whether you're leading the group or not in Paris-Roubaix. The 'rolling ;) resistance' is the main force you've got to overcome on paves. Anyway, apparently Hincapie got the bonkers that day and all he could do was follow. US Postal should have let Boonen ride his own race though.<br /><br />In the end, I don't think Hincapie was - or ever will be - good enough to win Paris-Roubaix, when Musseeuw unleashes his powers, he should be very happy to be able to follow and in a sprint against Musseeuw he doesn't stand a chance<br /><br />Niek
 
Musseeuw is definitely a power rider...it is an amazing site to watch how he just glides over the pave as if it were freshly paved road. However, he doesn't possess much of a sprint in comparison to the professional peloton. If Hincapie manages to stay with Musseeuw to the velodrome, Hincapie will easily outsprint Musseeuw.
 
[quote author=Barbour link=board=15;threadid=826;start=15#22680 date=1037378066]<br />Musseeuw is definitely a power rider...it is an amazing site to watch how he just glides over the pave as if it were freshly paved road. However, he doesn't possess much of a sprint in comparison to the professional peloton. If Hincapie manages to stay with Musseeuw to the velodrome, Hincapie will easily outsprint Musseeuw.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />I think you're wrong there. In the beginning of his career Musseeuw has won a lot of bunch bunch sprints. The reason he stopped involving himself in those sprints was threefold:<br />1) The old Mapei team had a better sprinter in Cippolini, so the choice for the team was obvious<br />2) Musseeuw lost some of his 'sharpness' when growin older and would probably have had to go for 2nd and 3rd places in buch sprints. Attacking hives him a better chance of winning<br />3) Musseeuw declared on several occasions that he was not feeling comfortable enough anymore to fight for his place in a bunch sprint<br /><br />When push comes to shove though, he can still outsprint most riders in the peloton (have you seen his win in the HEW classic?).<br />I also know that Hincapie is pretty fast, but you shouldn't forget it's Paris-Roubaix. Suppose Hincapie manages to stay with Musseeuw to the velodrome, how much power would he have left for his sprint?<br /><br />In a one-on-one in the Ronde Van Vlaanderen I would give Hincapie a slight advantage over Musseeuw. In Parix-Roubaix never.<br /><br />Niek<br /><br /><br />
 
[quote author=Barbour link=board=15;threadid=826;start=15#22680 date=1037378066]<br />Musseeuw is definitely a power rider...it is an amazing site to watch how he just glides over the pave as if it were freshly paved road. However, he doesn't possess much of a sprint in comparison to the professional peloton. If Hincapie manages to stay with Musseeuw to the velodrome, Hincapie will easily outsprint Musseeuw.<br />[/quote]<br /><br />Musseeuw is alot older than Hincapie, IMO Hincapie comes across as a rider who will have been great but never was. He has a habbit of failing to come through with the goods when it counts.<br /><br />Musseeuw is one of the greatest riders we will live to see, Hincapie on the other hand is another Ullrich IMO. <br /><br />
 

Similar threads