Paris Roubaix picks

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Cancellara was cooked and CSC gave O'Grady the all clear. He simply dropped the hammer and left then floundering.

Why do you say this? Has O'Grady fully recovered from injury?O'Grady says no, he's not in the same form: http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2008/04/11/1207856837555.html.

But then, last year he was immense, so perhaps he can still win at a level below!

Eisel for me. He is the man. Probably a better chance to podium.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Eisel and Hincapie in the top 10 - they looked strong the other day - Eisel loves the cobbles. Hincapie wants a win.

Bagstedt is also a chance for slipstream and Cancellara is a chance.

Cancellara, Bagstedt, Eisel and Hincapie will finish in the top 10 and one of them will win.

So Boonen, Cancellara and Ballan podium. I was a bit surprised that Cancellara and Ballan didn't even stand up on their bikes when Boonen attacked in the end. Maybe they were too spent...

So Boonen, Cancellara and Ballan podium. I was a bit surprised that Cancellara and Ballan didn't even stand up on their bikes when Boonen attacked in the end. Maybe they were too spent...

Nail biter.... 3-way keirn sprint to finish the race off was exciting.
Boonen looks like he didn't break a sweat for the whole race.
O'Grady did his job and Cancellara lacked the zap to escape away from Boonen before it was too late.
Ballan played his cards well and he was standing when Boonen started the sprint...
Hincapie had a chance till he punctured and he's looking stronger than he has over the last 2 or 3 years.
The dry conditions were not as hellish as last year.
O'Grady is a good rider on the velodrome too bad he wasn't in it at the end.

Ballan and Cancellara must have been absolutely stuffed because neither of them tried to drop Boonen, result was fairly obvious as soon as the entered the velodrome. Thanks to Eurosport missed most of the interesting part of the race, ah well.

And of course the decisive attack happened when Hincapie was chasing back on after a puncture (having to receive a wheel from neutral service 'cos his team car was so far back).

Flecha and Pozzato got really unlucky as well. Hoste crashed... 3 strongest riders on the podium? Maybe.

Ballan and Cancellara must have been absolutely stuffed because neither of them tried to drop Boonen, result was fairly obvious as soon as the entered the velodrome. Thanks to Eurosport missed most of the interesting part of the race, ah well.

And of course the decisive attack happened when Hincapie was chasing back on after a puncture (having to receive a wheel from neutral service 'cos his team car was so far back).

Flecha and Pozzato got really unlucky as well. Hoste crashed... 3 strongest riders on the podium? Maybe.Hincapie was shit IMO. Did you see Cooke chase back after his puncture and ride straight past Hincapie to get back on the bunch? Hincapie couldn't even get on and simply did not have the legs today IMO. He wouldn't have been able to go with Boonen etc. Flecha with all his crashes at bad times was the one I felt sorry for.

Ballan and Cancellara must have been absolutely stuffed because neither of them tried to drop Boonen, result was fairly obvious as soon as the entered the velodrome. Thanks to Eurosport missed most of the interesting part of the race, ah well.

And of course the decisive attack happened when Hincapie was chasing back on after a puncture (having to receive a wheel from neutral service 'cos his team car was so far back).

Flecha and Pozzato got really unlucky as well. Hoste crashed... 3 strongest riders on the podium? Maybe.Yeah, by the time Eurosport coverage started, there was only 18 km to go. Thanks so much. :rolleyes:

I guess bad luck for Hincapie. The live text in Velonews said that he was not getting assistance from the team car. How come the car was so far behind? Considering that he was one of the favourites, one would assume that they would keep tags on him to give prompt assistance.

Yeah, by the time Eurosport coverage started, there was only 18 km to go. Thanks so much. :rolleyes:

I guess bad luck for Hincapie. The live text in Velonews said that he was not getting assistance from the team car. How come the car was so far behind? Considering that he was one of the favourites, one would assume that they would keep tags on him to give prompt assistance.
Team car order was decided by lottery, High Road where right near the back.

Yeah, by the time Eurosport coverage started, there was only 18 km to go. Thanks so much. :rolleyes:

I guess bad luck for Hincapie. The live text in Velonews said that he was not getting assistance from the team car. How come the car was so far behind? Considering that he was one of the favourites, one would assume that they would keep tags on him to give prompt assistance.

Enough of this bad luck shit about Hincapie..... why does Boonen never have bad luck ? because he's so much better.... end of story.

Farkin good race again..... although the last 5km were a bit of a fizzer...... Cancellera tried to go a few times but couldn't shake big Tom..... Ballen was just playing a bit part.... he was farked....... ASO knows how to run a race including of a lottery on the team car ordering.... good idea......

In the post race interview Ballan said he had given his all, and had trouble hanging on when Cancellara and Boonen accelerated in the Carrefour... He says he had nothing left, knew he should attack Boonen, but was simply hanging on...

And forget about Hincapie. The guy is off the programme from the good ole days. He is a good rider, not a champion. This guy makes Pozzato look like a hard man... LOL.

Hincapie was shit IMO. Did you see Cooke chase back after his puncture and ride straight past Hincapie to get back on the bunch? Hincapie couldn't even get on and simply did not have the legs today IMO. He wouldn't have been able to go with Boonen etc. Flecha with all his crashes at bad times was the one I felt sorry for.
Yep, exactly right. He was pissed with the riders on his wheel for not pulling, but when Cooke and a Rabo (Flecha probably) flew by, I wondered why he felt he couldn't do it himself. Regardless, he wouldn't have beaten Boonen. In the end their might have been 4 left (though I think he would have gone with the Devolder move and gotten caught). Either way, he was sprinting for fourth in the most likely scenario.

Enough of this bad luck shit about Hincapie..... why does Boonen never have bad luck ? because he's so much better.... end of story.

Farkin good race again..... although the last 5km were a bit of a fizzer...... Cancellera tried to go a few times but couldn't shake big Tom..... Ballen was just playing a bit part.... he was farked....... ASO knows how to run a race including of a lottery on the team car ordering.... good idea......You are such a turd. Mr. "Its those who take the chance and win against the possibility of finishing 40th " Brilliant Observation Guy. Yea, that is what Boonen Cancellara and Ballan did to win.....

Hincapie was shit IMO. Did you see Cooke chase back after his puncture and ride straight past Hincapie to get back on the bunch? Hincapie couldn't even get on and simply did not have the legs today IMO. He wouldn't have been able to go with Boonen etc. Flecha with all his crashes at bad times was the one I felt sorry for.
cos he is probably clean. Even Rollin rode away from him at Cali.

No way you could ride away from a rouleur of Hincapie's doped quality on the flat.

You are such a turd. Mr. "Its those who take the chance and win against the possibility of finishing 40th " Brilliant Observation Guy. Yea, that is what Boonen Cancellara and Ballan did to win.....

All class. Hincapie is no longer relevant well he never was. Even when he was winning mountain stages of the Tour de France... LOL ! Hincapie is a joke.

Anyway dickbrain... Cancellera tried several times to get away but its obvious your just an internet feed man and don't see live coverage...... penis breath !

All class. Hincapie is no longer relevant well he never was. Even when he was winning mountain stages of the Tour de France... LOL ! Hincapie is a joke.

Anyway dickbrain... Cancellera tried several times to get away but its obvious your just an internet feed man and don't see live coverage...... penis breath !I watched the last 120k; and moron, comma usage is the same in the States as it is in the UK, look it up.

As to Cancellara attacking....I am sorry, did he finish 40th? Oh, wait, no he didn't. (you might also consider spelling his name correctly if you are using him to illustrate a point)

I would also suggest that Hincape is more relevant than.....well........you.

"dickbrain" and "penis breath." Is that a show of the British wit I hear so much about? Actually, you don't have to answer that question. You are representative of a more universal phenomenon. You are an ill-informed moron with a computer.

I usually charge for lessons like this, but I am pretty sure you couldn't afford it. This one is on the house.

Cheers!

Cancellara's attacks where hardly balls to the wall efforts, more like little digs to test the other two's legs. They responded, he probably didn't have anything more in the legs to do anything harder otherwise one would assume he would have done it. Best attack in the race was, once again, Devolder. O'Grady's cover was awesome as well.

Good result by Maaskant, I'll be honest, never heard of him before.

Just to recap, the top 15 are:
1. Tom Boonen (QUICK STEP) 5:58:42"
2. Fabian Cancellara (TEAM CSC) at 00:01"
3. Alessandro Ballan (LAMPRE) at 00:01"
4. Martijn Maaskant (SLIPSTREAM CHIPOTLE) at 03:39"
5. Stuart O’Grady (TEAM CSC) at 03:57"
6. Leif Hoste (SILENCE - LOTTO) at 03:57"
7. Stijn Devolder (QUICK STEP) at 03:59"
8. Johan Van Summeren (SILENCE - LOTTO) at 04:35"
9. George Hincapie (HIGH ROAD) at 05:12"
10. Fabio Baldato (LAMPRE) at 05:12"
11. Frédéric Guesdon (FRANCAISE DES JEUX) at 05:12"
12. Antonio Flecha Juan (RABOBANK) at 05:12"
13. Manuel Quinziato (LIQUIGAS) at 05:12"
14. Wim De Vocht (SILENCE - LOTTO) at 05:12"
15. Staf Scheirlinckx (COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE) at 05:12"

Why 15?

Why 15?I don't know ... just seemed to be a good number.

Then, I would include Ljungqvist too. He has the same time as riders placed from ninth to fifteenth place.
It's fair.