The other name for Paris Roubaix is L'Enfer du Nord or Hell of the North. It can be an absolutly brutal race for the riders and there equipment. The various sections of cobble stone roads range from bad to terrible. The most notorious being the 3k stretch through the Arenberg Forest - ironically, scene of some particularly gruesome battles during the first World War.

Mechanics/riders do a variety of things to make the bike more comfortable and durable. Typically it's box rims with the absolute best and most bombproof tires on the wheels. Perhaps an extra role of bar tape on the handle bars or some form of gel padding under the bar wrap. Front and even rear road specific shocks were seen a number of years ago, but they have disappeared now.

It's become a bit of a specialists race these days with only the biggest, strongest Spring Classic specialists with the strongest support teams focussing on the event. Last years winner and this years favourite, Tom Boonen, personifies the type of rider that Paris-Roubaix is all about.

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Actually Discovery used Trek's new SPA technology last year and will use againg this year. It's a shock absorber at the top of the seatstay wishbone. Most teams run thicker tires and have frames with more tire clearance. They usually run 32 spoke wheels that are used only for P-R. Some teams have even been using extra brake levers under the tops. Most will either use extra padding or gel inserts on the handlebars.

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Proud Founder of the Jamis Mafia- Daring to be different.

The photo of Hincapie on this page says all that need be said about Paris-Roubaix.

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"Go yell at an M&M"

That is a great picture. I haven't looked at a roster, but I will be rooting for Hincapie if he is riding it again. Last year's finish was probably the my favorite moment watching cycling on TV.

Both Pezcyclingnews.com and cyclingnews.com have had information on riding the cobbles and bikes in the past. I've ridden the Arenberg Foret and other cobbles (Tour stage 2004 where Mayo crashed) and they are crazy to ride. I can't imagine it (1) at the speeds the Tour guys do and (2) with hundreds of people crowding the (very narrow) roads.

Arenberg:





Near the start at Compiegne:



Some of the nicer pave':

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Cathy,

Great pics. Thanks for sharing/ Looks so different at Arenberg with leaves on the trees and the sun shining!

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Ken,

Indeed, that is one of the classic PR shots of all time.

Amazing.

The big question for Sunday - Can Hincapie get himself in a postion to take big Tom Boonen?

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

We were talking about this last night at a bike club meeting. One of our guys that has ridden the course and spectated it a few times pointed a few things out.

The PR cobbles are horrible compared to the Flanders race.

Tourist riders usually put a ton of foam on the bars, and it still beats the hell out of you.

Most of the racers are on Tubulars and the tires are not the "normal" road ones but have been ordered and made up for that race.

More and more carbon wheels are showing up, but the journeyman wheel is still the box rim 32-36 hole.

Some do pad their bars extra.

Some teams/guys have tried shocks and trick stuff, but most ride a regular diamond frame with a bit more clearance for mud. He wasn't too sure if the frame geometry changed by looking at the bikes.

Not that hard to get close to the riders at all.

You can tip over real easy riding the cobbles.

It is easier to try and take them fast as to go slow, like a rock skipping on a lake. instead of falling into the great holes between the individual cobbles.

That is one of the best weeks you could go to spectate in Europe. Get to see three spring classics in one week, ride the course the day before. And PR you can see the race go by three times by using the highway instead of the course. His words not mine, as I have never been.

I say No, but would be happy to be proven wrong.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

This year, Discovery have Devolder, Hincapie, Hoste and Van Heeswijk. Four strong, tough, in form (at least the first three) guys. They may be able to prevent a finish with 15 QS riders and a couple of others, and put some pressure on Boonen.

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Thanks! That day was my personal highlight of the trip.

>>Can Hincapie get himself in a postion to take big Tom Boonen?<<

George hasn't had the best of luck at PR, but I hope this is his year. No punctures, no riding off into the ditch--remember 2002. Who was his Postal teammate who was with him and then carried on to take 3rd place?

Man, a trip to the Classics would be a BLAST!

clm

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Exactly!

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

I notice Ken how you used "may", so you don't believe it, eh? P-R is the sort of race that a strong single rider can suceed in more than most road races. And let's face it Boonen meets that criteria.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

People may be interested in looking at the whole series of pictures from the 1999 Paris Roubaix where Ken's picture of George Hincapie came from - one of the most ugly years in recent memory:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/...roubaix/photos.shtml

If you are ever considering not riding because of the weather or the road conditions, have a look at this series. Get out and ride!!

Fleck

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

"...the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong...", but that's the way to bet.

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Very astute comment, Ken. I shall be watching.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

George had even worse luck last year, when he pulled into the Roubaix veledrome with Tom Boonen.

Ken--he doesn't need 15 QS riders to win this race--just one Boonen.

The only way for George to win this will be to pull into the veledrome alone...

and as I said earlier, this is (one of) the best weeks in cycling.

Actually Van Heeswijk is out, and Gusev is likely to be there in the end with Hoste and Hincapie as Devolder is not going as well as they hoped. Hammond is likely to race, even with 50 stitches.

Jack

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"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.com
Sponsors: SciCon | | Every Man Jack

That's how I read it too. Be nice to see George go for it though.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

"The race no one wants to ride, yet everyone wants to win"

I'm riding P-R Amateur this June and absolutely cannot wait.

http://asso.nordnet.fr/...me/PRxPrincipale.htm

Lets say a group of 3-5 riders show up in the drome together. How many times out of ten do you think George will beat Boonen? My wild ass guess would be maybe 2 or three tops. PR also takes a lot of luck on position and not having a mechanical/tire issue.

Then there are a bunch of tough guys to contend with as well. Go Big Maggie

"Who was his Postal teammate who was with him and then carried on to take 3rd place?"


Boonen was told to ride; George bonked like a mofo. The interviews of George in the showers afterwards were absolutely painful to watch, he was so bummed out. I remember thinking he and Tommeke had it made once Michaelson and Max crashed, but alas, not to be. Once you saw how short the pulls George took were vs. Boom-Boom, it was easy to see it wouldn't happen.

Hopefully this Sunday. And why isn't Eki on the roster this weekend?

Now, I would put it at 6 or 7 out of ten. Luck is a big factor, for sure, but positioning is usually down to skill and acumen. I think Boonen's strength and acumen will make that happen, mechanicals could produce the deciding factors.

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS