As usual Paris-Roubaix lived up to it's expectations and did not disappoint at any level.
The race had it all. The drama. The tension. The surprises. The rise of some veterans and pre-race favorites. The fall, literal and figurative, of the heros, and as it often does a surprise winner in Matt Hayman who combined a superlative effort, with being at the right place at the right time, with an early roll-of-the-dice. As it turns out, getting in that established break, while perhaps part of a grander master-plan for Orica-GreenEdge, proved to be the winning formula for Hayman and the team.
Ironically, Hayman, the race winner was the only one of the finally five-some, that seemed "out of place" - Boonen, Van Marcke, Stannard and Boosen-Hagan, were all part of a short list of fancied riders who, could be serious contenders for the win.
One interesting side note - all three podium placers, Hayman, Boonen, and Stannard are bigger men/riders physically - three of the bigger riders in the whole of the pro peleton
Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
The race had it all. The drama. The tension. The surprises. The rise of some veterans and pre-race favorites. The fall, literal and figurative, of the heros, and as it often does a surprise winner in Matt Hayman who combined a superlative effort, with being at the right place at the right time, with an early roll-of-the-dice. As it turns out, getting in that established break, while perhaps part of a grander master-plan for Orica-GreenEdge, proved to be the winning formula for Hayman and the team.
Ironically, Hayman, the race winner was the only one of the finally five-some, that seemed "out of place" - Boonen, Van Marcke, Stannard and Boosen-Hagan, were all part of a short list of fancied riders who, could be serious contenders for the win.
One interesting side note - all three podium placers, Hayman, Boonen, and Stannard are bigger men/riders physically - three of the bigger riders in the whole of the pro peleton
Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog