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TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing?
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Stage 9 (July 15) ends in Roubaix and has sections of cobbles (see route below).

I will (luckily) be in the area for work the next week, and was thinking of trying to see the stage. Anyone who's maybe been to Paris-Roubaix have thoughts on the best way to do that? e.g., just pick a section of cobbles? Or is it possible to go to one then race to get to another before the race gets there (not sure that is really feasible). I will have a bike with me, and was also thinking of parking somewhere and riding to get to watch so as not to get stuck with traffic.

thanks for any input.


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Re: TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing? [BrianB] [ In reply to ]
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I have nothing helpful to add, but am supremely jealous. Maybe bring a bottle of wine to a bike shop and try to sweet talk some beta out of a Frenchie?
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Re: TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing? [BrianB] [ In reply to ]
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I haven't ridden these roads, but it looks like if you watched at point #9, near Orchies, you could then shortcut to point #3 and #4. You would ride 13km while they have to ride about 32km.

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Re: TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing? [robgray] [ In reply to ]
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robgray wrote:
I haven't ridden these roads, but it looks like if you watched at point #9, near Orchies, you could then shortcut to point #3 and #4. You would ride 13km while they have to ride about 32km.

yeah, looks like that might be a good option, thanks. Will have to study the map a bit.

Also wondering how early those sections may get packed with people. e.g., if you're not there 5 hrs before you would not get close enough to really see?
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Re: TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing? [BrianB] [ In reply to ]
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BrianB wrote:
robgray wrote:
I haven't ridden these roads, but it looks like if you watched at point #9, near Orchies, you could then shortcut to point #3 and #4. You would ride 13km while they have to ride about 32km.


yeah, looks like that might be a good option, thanks. Will have to study the map a bit.

Also wondering how early those sections may get packed with people. e.g., if you're not there 5 hrs before you would not get close enough to really see?

Not knowing anything about the course, if I had to guess just looking at the map, sector's 3 and 4 would likely see the most action, or at least splits would be generated by that time. That's where I imagine most fans are going to want to be. Sort of like how most fans congregate around the last mountain on a typical road stage. Might be a better idea to get to sector 9 early, then pick a non cobbled area up ahead to get a second viewing. The tarmac sections shouldn't be nearly as crowded (unless you're in the last 2 km) or hectic and will have better access to side roads that lead to the course rather than the cobbles which don't have a lot of easy access.
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Re: TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing? [mackey] [ In reply to ]
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mackey wrote:
I have nothing helpful to add, but am supremely jealous. Maybe bring a bottle of wine to a bike shop and try to sweet talk some beta out of a Frenchie?

haha ... I probably shouldn't tell you then that lucky work circumstances have allowed me to see:
Worlds 2002 (Zolder), Worlds 2006 (Salzburg), Deutschland Tour (where I talked my way into a press pass, very long story), Munich Six, Dortmund Six, Some top-level 'cross races in NL, TdF stage last year + ride the Etape du Tour. Plus race in a few masters races in Germany and Italy. Makes it a little easier to tolerate the normal work BS.
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Re: TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing? [BrianB] [ In reply to ]
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BrianB wrote:
Also wondering how early those sections may get packed with people. e.g., if you're not there 5 hrs before you would not get close enough to really see?


My bro and I rode the PR sportive and then watched the pro race on the Sunday this year, we had a hoot, although my body was a broken shell by the end of the ride.

Not sure how helpful my experiences will be as the course is pretty different, but as a general observation it seemed far easier to get a good spot next to the pave in the open secteurs, vs somewhere wooded like Arenberg Forest which was a bit of a scrum, although they did have beer.

We drove down to the start at Compiegne, took in the sights and watched them roll out. Then we drove up to Arenburg with plenty time to spare to grab aforementioned beer and wait for the pros, but it was busy when we got up there so we had to climb a tree to watch.

Then we drove straight up to the Velodrome because we had priority passes for the middle of the track having ridden the day before. We drank a bit, watched on the screens and waitied for Sagan to arrive. Happy days. I don't think the TDF finishes inside? It was pretty easy to get parked up at Roubaix, the French are a bit more relaxed about that kind of thing.

If I could have changed anything it would have been to scrap Arenburg and hit a more open secteur. Or maybe tried to squeeze another in between Arenburg and Roubaix, we cocked up a bit and had to nip back to Lille to our hotel for passes that we had forgotten. Travelling around on the A roads it is easy to get ahead of the more circuitous race route if you plan it a bit, but allow plenty time to get parked and find your way. Orchies looks doable, mons en pevele might be pushing it a bit.

Get some European data allowances on your cell phone and a subscription to Eurosport..

And enjoy the bread. Man, they make good bread over there.
Last edited by: knighty76: Jun 29, 18 5:18
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Re: TdF stage 9 (cobbles) viewing? [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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Following up on this, as I'm on my way back home now ...

I ended up NOT going over to see Stage 9, as it was going to be too much driving to get there the day before.

BUT ... I did end up getting to the area the following weekend. I rode from Tournai to the Pave d'Arenberg section, just to check that out. Which was interesting in a bucket-list kind of way. A lot rougher in person than I expected. But the riding to get there and back was not all that great. Maybe if you made it a tour of a bunch of the different cobble sections. But I would have needed different tires for that.

What was super cool then was the next day riding in the other direction to hit 5 of the Ronde bergs, with a stop in Oudenaarde. Great riding just to get there, then hitting the hills was pretty ... amazing. Highly recommended. Lots of other cyclists doing the same that day.

Also will put in a plug for riding in the Mosel-Rhine area near Koblenz. Great roads, nice climbs of 5-8km, lots of different routes that you can construct crisscrossing the river valleys.
Last edited by: BrianB: Jul 28, 18 6:42
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