I was going to write that this is *finally* a signature win for the aero road bike. After waiting damn near a decade for one. It's the perfect signature win for aero road. Unknown (relatively) dude who really shouldn't have been there. Brutal, long course. And it could be argued that aero was instrumental not only in being there in the end, but in holding off Boonen in the velodrome sprint.

To your point, though, compliance/comfort *is* one of the primary marketing points of the new Scott Foil. (It may be real as well, just all I've heard is the marketing). So it could be true that at least some past aero road bikes *were* uncomfortable.

What?

It's like they knew we were talking about it :)

Just saw this:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/...-scott-foil-gallery/

I know right? Go in the break, roll turns all day, jump on the wheel of the favorites group when they come, start rolling some turns in that group, get chopped on a corner by Stannard when the sh*t goes down on one of the last main cobbles sectors and manage to fight way back, then take part in attacking, counter attacking and bridging back to other attacking riders (and no he shirked no turns whatsoever in that), make the last serious attack then roll turns without missing a beat when a 4 time winner bridges and still win the sprint.....but he did the least?

I'd say he made the race just as much as everyone else. The difference was he burnt up his matches at much smarter times than the others.

Has anyone else seen the video of the moto slamming into vivianni and others right after the crash in the arenberg entrance?
Why the hell are they following so close behind into a cobble section? I just shake my head at the guys driving these things. Sure the crash was unexpected, but you would think as a moto driver you would give the peloton some space heading into a cobble section as the likelihood of an accident is increased and stopping distances extended

Especially after killing a rider just a few weeks ago at Gent-Wevelgem. You would think the motorbikes would be on ultra-conservative behavior.

All of the 'challenges' you note are par for the course at Roubaix that everyone deals with. He made the early break but that was little more effort than what Boonen and co had to do to bridge up. He mostly sat on the selection, skipped pulls and let others close nearly all the attacks. "...would have been happy with the podium, and I was able to sit in, and save my energy."

Smart riding for sure, and he certainly made it count. I'm not faulting him, but he didn't anywhere near the work of Sep, Boonen or Stannard. Obviously the spoils don't go to who did the most.

for those that haven't seen it... I'm assuming the moto guy was updating his facebook page mid race cause he plowed into them well after the initial crash...

https://twitter.com/...s/719200478475743232

"Hey asshole why are you staying so close" - well said (I think) Stijn Devolder!

What a great race to watch but extremely nerve wrecking! I got up at 5am to watch it, it was still 120km to go and it was already full on racing. This was such an awesome battle, I almost lost it when Sep went on the Carrefour. Screamed at my computer but that doesn't help unfortunately. Towards the end it was a group of 5 who all rode to win, they all played their cards at some point or another, they all tried and gave it their all, 2nd place was of nobody's interest, only winning counted. Full on, all out racing.

Too bad no win or podium for Sep but he still had an amazing race to be proud of.

i clapped... i think the racers are at wits end with these motos

Most certainly. Once it was clear that Peto was out of the race (rather early on...unfortunately), I was definitely cheering for Sep. I know a lot of people wanted Tommeke to get one more but I thought, fuck him, he's already got 4. Sep seems like a nice dude and rode his heart out. He could have used the bonus with the kid on the way ;) When's it due? I got #2 due in July and I sure as heck could use some prize money :D.

Haha that is so funny, I had no idea he was getting a baby girl until he announced it on April 1 of all days so I sent him a message that it was funny how everyone felt for it. ;-) It'll be great for him, he comes from a family that's very close, he has 3 brothers and one sister, all with kids except for him (he's also the youngest). A really tight, positive group. Great place for a kid even if it has to grow up in Anzegem. ;-)

watching him post race it looked like he didn't even realize or think he had one it. I can't believe how close tommy was to a fifth, that is just crushing.

Hayman said he would have been fine with a podium, and he would have been happy if Boonen had won.

I'm exhibiting all the symptoms of moderate cobbled classic withdrawals this morning. I know the Ardennes and Giro and all that are around the corner but it's just not the same, and March 2017 is so far away.

classic

so ... he's got the race number on the frame, that means its the bike he started with, right?
it still has the team-issue wheels, so he either didn't flat (really?), or if he did flat, he got a wheel from the car or a teammate?

none of that seems likely. is it possible to do PR w/o flatting once?

Did you watch the bike race or just commenting on something you didn't see? He rode a foil the entire race. I know this because I watched it from the gun and thought it was odd he was ridding it. And yes it's possible to ride PR without getting a flat. Did Boonen flat? Did Stannard flat?

Nowhere did I see Hayman flat or have read he flat. I'm assuming you think the mechanics intentionally mudded up a foil frameset and moved his number card to a spare bike all for marketing potential for Scott?

none of that seems likely. is it possible to do PR w/o flatting once?

Yes. Flats, punctures and mechanicals happen more frequently at Paris-Roubaix. It is pretty brutal terrain, but it's not as many assume, off-the charts. Many will ride the entire race without anything happening.

Are you the type of cyclist that assumes a flat is lurking around the corner on every ride? That the minute you get off smooth pavement, my tires are going to blow up?

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

fleck - yes, i hate flats. i did two faux classics this spring (awesome!) and got three flats. though honestly, one was cause i locked up and went ass over tea-kettle, LOL.

fleck and previous - whoa! calm yourselves gentlemen. i don't know what nerve i touched but there's no conspiracy theory here. jeepers. I'm simply marveling at Hayman's good fortune. PR seems like a flat fest. having none would be a big advantage.

That's unfortunate about your flats in those races/rides. What do you think caused them?

Getting a flat in a race that this level( Elite level racing), depending on the timing of it, typically is not that big an issue. Either, a team car is right there with a wheel, neutral support has a wheel for you, or a team-mate has a wheel (if you are the designated team leader). Change it up and off you go!

I say "typically" because, the changing of the wheel, will require a stand-down on the side of the road, and if the whole of the peleton passes, you'll need to chase to get back on - so you'll burn a match or two, to do that. The chase to get back on could be easy, if the speed of the peleton is not high at the time, but if they are hammering along at 45K/hr or faster, your chances of getting back on solo, are slim!

Paris-Roubaix is a bit of a different beast. I am not sure if this is the case for all of the Sectors, but team cars are not allowed on some of them. They do seem to have more Mavic neutral wheel support than other races spread out through the groups. It's why you'll almost always see the big race favorites with at least one team mate with them at all times, as deep into the race as possible - if the leader get's a flat, or crashes and the bike is damaged, the domestique, just hands the leader a wheel or his whole bike! And the domestique will wait for other help.

The other thing is that this race get's terribly spread out, even at the front, you can have 3 - 4 groups that are spread out over a couple of minutes. We saw that yesterday. If one of the top-5 in that final group front group, had flatted in the final 5km, that might have been it for them!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

the last two were pinches with the second being a classic.

I recently got slightly wider rims (FLO30s) that I put 28s on. then, like a good slowtwitcher, I knew to lower the psi and went with 85 psi.

when I flatted, a support motorcycle was right behind me. he seized the wheel, changed the tube, and had the floor pump ready in under 90 seconds. when I said "85 psi please", he said "that's not enough". asked why he said that, and he responded with "well, if it was enough, you'd still be riding".

LMAO. touché

so I went with 95 and had no trouble in the next 50 miles.

From TB.

“It was a standard Paris-Roubaix. That’s it. We had no information. We were just racing. I had to ask 15 times what was going on. The first time I was really sure I was in front was when we caught the breakaway. It was like every year. Chaos, crashes, flat tyres. The best way to watch the race is on television because in the race you have no idea where you are, unless you are in front.”

Just watched the whole thing...such an incredible race! It had everything!

Hayman's reaction still gives me goosebumps. Watching a person living in their own dream, seeing Brian Nygaard having to explain to him 'yes, it's real, you won'.... what a spectacle. His track experience definitely seemed to be the difference, looked like he had a plan the second they hit the velodrome. His opportunism and form was on point all day, he earned the win - no doubt. I'm shocked EBH burnt out - I had him pegged for the win once it shook out in the last 10k.

Couple other observations:
-Fabian taking a spill in the velodrome, Swiss flag in hand, was hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing. Even Spartacus is a klutz, some times. Obviously not as costly as his first spill that day.
-And despite all the Etixx critics - How about Tony Martin this season riding the classics? the panzerwagen gives everything for his team every race despite all of his own accomplishments. Really went into overdrive for Boonen at the key moment. (I know he's the ITT guy on the squad but he won a TDF stage less than a year ago on the pave, beating the likes of Sagan/Degenkolb/EBH/GVA etc... can't help but feel like he will be a potential force to win these classics in his own right in the upcoming years)

and no fabian to watch power up the cobble sectioned inclines in flanders, dropping everyone like flies :(