# Paris-Roubaix post race discussion



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Tornado Tom. A little lucky as all the guys went down or were affected by someone else going down.

I was disappointed Hushovd crashed because that would have been a nice race between the 2 of them.

Tom time trialled really nicely indeed. I wanted another winner though just because I would have liked to see someone else but I'm a Boonen fan so I'm still glad with the result.

Great race. Too bad there wasn't mud/rain.


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## Unica (Sep 24, 2004)

An absolute classic!

It's exactly what I love about P-R, the fact that luck plays as much as strength as well as the conditions. There was carnage in Arenberg, and then the grinding down process started from there.

I thought Chavanel had a great race (like last week) - the move to QS seems to have really done him good.

And as ever, Hincapie was nowhere. I still don't understand why people even bother listing him as a favorite - he'll never win a classic.

Right, time for some Leif and frites and mayo


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

I hope you mean Leffe and not Leif!


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## Unica (Sep 24, 2004)

ultimobici said:


> I hope you mean Leffe and not Leif!


Dohhhhh! One to many already


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*part of that luck*

is knowing where to not be behind such and such
many times when Boonen is on the front it is because he knows he is safest there.
all the good P-R champs have been lucky, but all of them increase their luck by being good bike handlers and course savvy


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## jldickerson3 (Mar 9, 2006)

*Why no attack from Van Summeren or Hoste?!?!?!*

I'm glad to see that Hushovd got the last podium spot, but why in the world didn't the Lotto duo attack Hushovd before the velodrome? They had to have guessed, just maybe, that Thor would be a little faster in a sprint...just a little. They haven't had any significant results this year in the classics, and that kind of stuff is why!


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## Stogaguy (Feb 11, 2006)

*Hincapie = Luckless at PR*

I do not agree that it is unrealistic to think of Big George as a legitimate contender for a PR win. He is certainly Columbia's best hope. However, it appears that this best opportunities are behind him. IMHO the year of the "steer tube incident" was probibly his best shot. This, of course, leads to the inescapable observation that he is just plain luckless at PR. Too bad, as a win here would crown a career mostly spent working for others.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Hushovd was stronger at that point*



jldickerson3 said:


> I'm glad to see that Hushovd got the last podium spot, but why in the world didn't the Lotto duo attack Hushovd before the velodrome? They had to have guessed, just maybe, that Thor would be a little faster in a sprint...just a little. They haven't had any significant results this year in the classics, and that kind of stuff is why!


Hoste and Van Sumner were hanging on. Thor attacked Boonen countered, Flecha and the rest were trying to get back on when the crash occured. I'd say at that point (before the crash) the strongest left were Thor, Tom, JA and Pipo. I would have loved to see Tom and Thor duke it out over the last kms but Thor washed out in that corner.
So Thor went down and then caught the 2 lotto riders who passed him as he was getting up. Clearly if he was able to bridge up to them, they weren't gonna get rid of him.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*yup*



Stogaguy said:


> I do not agree that it is unrealistic to think of Big George as a legitimate contender for a PR win. He is certainly Columbia's best hope. However, it appears that this best opportunities are behind him. IMHO the year of the "steer tube incident" was probibly his best shot. This, of course, leads to the inescapable observation that he is just plain luckless at PR. Too bad, as a win here would crown a career mostly spent working for others.


twice in his career he was the strongest and got beat by sheep manpower (The mapei and domo farm frites 1-2-3s)
One time he had a shot with a teammate (a young Tom Boonen) helping and flipped into a ditch
finally he has form, and a strong supporting crew in the decisive move and breaks his steer tube
last year he flats or breaks a wheel

and I'd like to add that AGAIN the winner was riding 32 spoke 3x laced to ALUMINUM box section tubular rim
Congrats to FMB for making the winning tyres!


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## jldickerson3 (Mar 9, 2006)

atpjunkie said:


> Hoste and Van Sumner were hanging on. Thor attacked Boonen countered, Flecha and the rest were trying to get back on when the crash occured. I'd say at that point (before the crash) the strongest left were Thor, Tom, JA and Pipo. I would have loved to see Tom and Thor duke it out over the last kms but Thor washed out in that corner.
> So Thor went down and then caught the 2 lotto riders who passed him as he was getting up. Clearly if he was able to bridge up to them, they weren't gonna get rid of him.


Maybe something was happening off camera when they were focused on Tom and Pippo, and Thor was clearly very strong today, but if its me and another skinny teammate lined up against a guy who in another life might have played pro rugby, one of us has to go up the road and try to make him chase. Its the only shot they had at the third spot. What would be the worst that could happen, the one who attacks first gets dropped, comes in fifth, and Thor takes third. Would have been the same outcome granted a little more spread out time wise.


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## jldickerson3 (Mar 9, 2006)

atpjunkie said:


> twice in his career he was the strongest and got beat by sheep manpower (The mapei and domo farm frites 1-2-3s)
> One time he had a shot with a teammate (a young Tom Boonen) helping and flipped into a ditch
> finally he has form, and a strong supporting crew in the decisive move and breaks his steer tube
> last year he flats or breaks a wheel
> ...


And even that winning combination of 32, 3x + tubulars had one crash and a flat.


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## Unica (Sep 24, 2004)

jldickerson3 said:


> snip... but if its me and another skinny teammate lined up against a guy who in another life might have played pro rugby,...snip


That made me laugh!

Now you mention it, I could see him as an openside - he'd have the speed, but I'm not sure if he'd be happy doing the dirty on the floor like good opensides should


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd like to know if george had a puncture, or if a wheel broke. was he using CF again?! anyone know?
I hope George can take today, and work it into a BIG year, with some wins. 
I know that Mick Rogers was in Spain, and he's a GC rider. But he seems like the type that could do well at PR. He's a bit of a bigger guy, has a monster motor, and could have give Columbia another option. For that matter, same with David Millar of Garmin.


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## Stogaguy (Feb 11, 2006)

*+1 on hand built wheels*

Thank you for your observation regarding choice of wheels. I am sure that the equipment sponsors put a lot of pressure on teams to use their factory built wheels. However, it is clear that teams do this at their own risk. 32 spoke 3x wheels just seem to fair better in these extreme conditions.

I thought it was a shame that Big George went out last year with a wheels failure. One would think that after the steer tube incident, he would insist on having the most bullet/bomb proof equipment possible.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

jhamlin38 said:


> I'd like to know if george had a puncture, or if a wheel broke. was he using CF again?! anyone know?
> I hope George can take today, and work it into a BIG year, with some wins.
> I know that Mick Rogers was in Spain, and he's a GC rider. But he seems like the type that could do well at PR. He's a bit of a bigger guy, has a monster motor, and could have give Columbia another option. For that matter, same with David Millar of Garmin.


It was a flat, I saw it on Eurosport.

Forget George, he isn't in the same class as those other guys now.

What I love about P-R is that there are almost never any surprises. It's a true strong man's course. When you look at the 6 names in the final selection, none were surprising. Same deal last year...it was Boonen, Cancellara, and Ballan. Two years prior saw guys winning solo with huge engines (and known to have such). Then you have Boonan, Hincapie, Flecha. 

Same players usually.

I just finished reading the Cyclingnews write up (even though i watched the race), and they made a curious statement about it's good that Hushovd crashed out because he is the superior sprinter compared to Boonen. Isn't that a bit of a crazy statement? Especially in the context of a classic.

Unless I'm on something and don't know it, Boonen is odds on favorite for any sprint not involving Cavendish.


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## baker921 (Jul 20, 2007)

"Forget George, he isn't in the same class as those other guys now."

Sadly I agree with the sentiment but would argue that Big George will never lack class just a question of anno domini. He puncture about 60k out and had two team mates to pace him back on. I think the record for winning in recent years is three punctures!


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*yup*



Einstruzende said:


> It was a flat, I saw it on Eurosport.
> 
> Forget George, he isn't in the same class as those other guys now.
> 
> ...


it is the same cast and crew give or take a few
Flecha seems to be the next Hincapie. Always a bridesmaid and not for not trying his [email protected] off. Cancellera must have been having an off day. Boonen makes sure when a main rival is gapped they rarely get it back. Strongmen indeed, and it is nothing more than a battle of attrition. A Boonen-Thor sprint would have been good but I think Tom would have attacked outside on the 2nd to last set of cobbles. Once again, he remains upright when needed and gets back on quickly when he has an issue. It's not like he had all good luck, he had flats, tumbles, near slips. He keeps himself in the game and none of his rivals even as a group could dump him when they had a gap. Did you also see the way Boonen was taking those final turns? Trying to eek out a second anywhere he could.
I agree, though I think Thor is probably a superior sprinter in most cases, Tom has experience on the Roubaix drome and this is HIS big race. Thor is thinking "Green Jersey" in July, Tom is peaking now.


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

atpjunkie said:


> it is the same cast and crew give or take a few
> Flecha seems to be the next Hincapie.


Flecha is the next Hoste. OR Hoste is the next Flecha, whatever.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Spunout said:


> Flecha is the next Hoste. OR Hoste is the next Flecha, whatever.


At least Flecha attacks and tries to animate races. Big George doesn't have that reputation, and as far as I know, neither does Hoste. Actually, Flecha's attacking style will probably be the reason he is bridesmaid and never the bride.


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## Monty Dog (Apr 8, 2004)

Of the top 6 today, Boonen was the only one to take big pulls - he strung it out on Arenberg, Mons en Pevelle and Carrefour - testing the legs of everyone. It's his territory and for a Belgian, he only has to win one race a year. He was never really troubled today and nobody took the race to him. Regarding Flecha's and Hushovd's crashes - experience tells - knowing the lines and condition of the roads through the sectors is critical.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

Einstruzende said:


> Unless I'm on something and don't know it, Boonen is odds on favorite for any sprint not involving Cavendish.


No, I don't see Boonen that way, although he a fine sprinter, indeed. I'm always amazed that he can sprint as well as does, considering he's really a Classics Strong Man. 

Just my 2c.

JSR


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*on the two skinny guys (just watched the broadcast)*



jldickerson3 said:


> Maybe something was happening off camera when they were focused on Tom and Pippo, and Thor was clearly very strong today, but if its me and another skinny teammate lined up against a guy who in another life might have played pro rugby, one of us has to go up the road and try to make him chase. Its the only shot they had at the third spot. What would be the worst that could happen, the one who attacks first gets dropped, comes in fifth, and Thor takes third. Would have been the same outcome granted a little more spread out time wise.


VS was doing a huge amount of pacework so Hoste could sit on (rule of having 2 in the break)
after he did the awesome 180 slide when Leif went over Flecha he turned himself inside out trying to get them back to Pozzato. He got dropped but when Leif and Thor started cat and mousing he caught back on. Regardless he was cooked, he'd spent all his matches leading up to the crash doing pacework and then attempting to pace back


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*plus eleventy*



Monty Dog said:


> Of the top 6 today, Boonen was the only one to take big pulls - he strung it out on Arenberg, Mons en Pevelle and Carrefour - testing the legs of everyone. It's his territory and for a Belgian, he only has to win one race a year. He was never really troubled today and nobody took the race to him. Regarding Flecha's and Hushovd's crashes - experience tells - knowing the lines and condition of the roads through the sectors is critical.


Boonen's moves were the thinning agent all the way to the finish. When Flecha jumped it was Boonen who chased it down, he didn't look to the others for help. He's the one everyone is watching and he not only comes through, he dictates the terms of battle.
Panache, Tom is the Patron of this race. 

I agree Flecha's and Thor's crashes were their own faults.Hoste was just in the wrong place, wrong time. But he'd had VS running pace the previous chunk of time.Flecha launched off of VS's pull, it should have been Leif there then.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

I just finished watching PR on VS HD. This is the first race I've watched in HD. The thing that impressed me was just how much the bikes were bouncing on the pave. I've never seen that before. Boonen did everything right today. He was in the right place at the right time and put the power down when it counted. Congratulations Tom.
I did catch a few minutes on the net this morning. Did anybody see the moto plow into the spectators. I jumped out of my chair when that happened. Cyclingnews says 16 were hurt. Cyclingnews has some interesting reading about how mad and upset the also rans were.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/apr09/apr13news


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## gh1 (Jun 7, 2008)

Did anyone see what actually happened in the Arenberg crash? It was a distant view but looked like someones stem completely broke and then the bike just went across and into the crowd, did I see that right?


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*my fave*



jd3 said:


> I just finished watching PR on VS HD. This is the first race I've watched in HD. The thing that impressed me was just how much the bikes were bouncing on the pave. I've never seen that before. Boonen did everything right today. He was in the right place at the right time and put the power down when it counted. Congratulations Tom.
> I did catch a few minutes on the net this morning. Did anybody see the moto plow into the spectators. I jumped out of my chair when that happened. Cyclingnews says 16 were hurt. Cyclingnews has some interesting reading about how mad and upset the also rans were.
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/apr09/apr13news


Pipo
"Tom was going strong and there was nothing to do. Clearly, if I had been able to stick on his wheel it would have changed the whole story. It would have been a good duel"

yeah if you could have sucked his wheel the final 20 k you may have been able to pip him in the sprint

he was within sight. less than 10 seconds ahead and you couldn't close the gap

Flecha admitted he hadn't worked and thus even with fresh legs he couldn't get away from Boonen

Hoste mad cause Flecha wheelsucked and then crashed
he didn't pull and he can't steer, or something like that


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2009)

atpjunkie said:


> Pipo
> "Tom was going strong and there was nothing to do. Clearly, if I had been able to stick on his wheel it would have changed the whole story. It would have been a good duel"
> 
> yeah if you could have sucked his wheel the final 20 k you may have been able to pip him in the sprint
> ...



I think Pozatto was mentally unable to handle being more than inch away from Boonen, he has been like a security blanket to him the last three races.


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## lalahsghost (Aug 27, 2007)

Unica said:


> An absolute classic!
> 
> It's exactly what I love about P-R, the fact that luck plays as much as strength as well as the conditions. There was carnage in Arenberg, and then the grinding down process started from there.
> 
> ...


As of the time that I am posting this, Hincapie had 42% of nearly 4000 votes for him to win P-R on velonews.com

I, myself have given up on him. Let him cry like in 2006 with the stem/steerer tube ordeal...
*
***EDIT*** - I took a screencap several hours later and 1% shifted from hincapie to boonen:*


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

jldickerson3 said:


> Maybe something was happening off camera when they were focused on Tom and Pippo, and Thor was clearly very strong today, but if its me and another skinny teammate lined up against a guy who in another life might have played pro rugby, one of us has to go up the road and try to make him chase. Its the only shot they had at the third spot. What would be the worst that could happen, the one who attacks first gets dropped, comes in fifth, and Thor takes third. Would have been the same outcome granted a little more spread out time wise.


Dude, one of the guys, Leif's teammate got dropped when Thor took the chase up. Leif just wanted to be towed since if he didn't he won't even have a shot at 3rd at all. 

Thor was clearly strong enough but just unfortunate.


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

atpjunkie said:


> Pipo
> "Tom was going strong and there was nothing to do. Clearly, if I had been able to stick on his wheel it would have changed the whole story. It would have been a good duel"
> 
> yeah if you could have sucked his wheel the final 20 k you may have been able to pip him in the sprint
> ...


It's Pippo, not Pipo. Pipo is Flemish slang meaning something similar to 'bozo'.


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## ProRoad (Oct 13, 2008)

It bothered me to see George as the only one chasing later in the race, while his two teammates sat in.. Were they cooked or what? He was effectively alone.

Boonen looked like a true strong man, he made the race and the others were on the limit, which created thier mistakes.

Great race.

Brian


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## Unica (Sep 24, 2004)

lalahsghost said:


> As of the time that I am posting this, Hincapie had 42% of nearly 4000 votes for him to win P-R on velonews.com
> 
> I, myself have given up on him. Let him cry like in 2006 with the stem/steerer tube ordeal...
> *
> ***EDIT*** - I took a screencap several hours later and 1% shifted from hincapie to boonen:*


I'd not seen that. It's mad, but probably the most telling indicator of how in touch people who voted on the poll are is that Ballan has received 7% of the vote (in the screenshot)!


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

All I know was that Boonen was the master of the race indeed. He pulled at the right times and didn't bother chasing on several occasions as he knew that it wasn't necessary.

Additionally, he was very, very strong too with how much he was out front and how he rode at the end too. 

I 'knew' he would win but I hoped it'd have been a little closer just for entertainment's sake. I was pretty bummed Hushovd missed his line and flipped over. At least he wasn't hurt bad. You could see that he was still going pretty strong too as he caught up to Hoste and then worked on catching Pozzato as well.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

ProRoad said:


> It bothered me to see George as the only one chasing later in the race, while his two teammates sat in.. Were they cooked or what? He was effectively alone.
> 
> Boonen looked like a true strong man, he made the race and the others were on the limit, which created thier mistakes.
> 
> ...


Yeah I was also wondering what's up with that but I suppose they were cooked. After all, they DID try and pace him back earlier as well.

But, what I find really strange was that with such a big(at least, bigger than the Boonen group of strong riders) group, they still couldn't gain on them. It's almost like nobody wanted to work. Or they were cooked. If it was the former, lame crap.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Velonews*



Unica said:


> I'd not seen that. It's mad, but probably the most telling indicator of how in touch people who voted on the poll are is that Ballan has received 7% of the vote (in the screenshot)!


has a huge American readership. Most want George to win. I think that poll indicates their hopes more than anything. Hell, I want George to win the damn thing, I just don't think it will happen.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*and this*



rogger said:


> It's Pippo, not Pipo. Pipo is Flemish slang meaning something similar to 'bozo'.


would make your point?????? ;o)

you know my history, you know I'm pro Flemish Cyclists

ahhh serendipity


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

atpjunkie said:


> would make your point?????? ;o)
> 
> you know my history, you know I'm pro Flemish Cyclists
> 
> ahhh serendipity


FWIW, Hoste was calling Flecha a "pipo" for not taking his turns pulling and crashing out.  

Leif Hoste: "Pipo Flecha verkloot alles"

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza.be/w...ix2009/090412_parijs-roubaix_reacties_Silence


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

this race looked like the tom boonen invitational. it was almost as if he said, "alright, i found these wicked hard roads. i want you guys to come out and ride with me. but this will be a drop ride."

i, too, wanted to see tom and thor duke it out. but it was also spectacular seeing the riders take each other, and themselves, out. it was a pure race of attrition. i wouldnt take the rider comments too hard. those quotes were taken pretty much right after the race, when tensions are still pretty high. who hasnt been in a ride where someone causes some "issues?" takes a bit of time to get over it, and thats not when a cobble (and a considerable amount of money/fame) is at stake. 

i am also on the fence with george. there was some talk earlier this week about his lack of killer instinct, and i always thought he did lack a certain hunger. stakes are so much higher for one-day races, and so much pressure is on to win paris-roubaix, but it never seemed (from interviews) like he understood you had to EARN the win. its almost like all the years of riding for lance brainwashed him into thinking, "we show up, ride, i work a little for him, and he wins. all i need to do is sit on my guys and they will deliver me, too." but thats not how you win. especially a one-day race. in a stage race "there is tomorrow."

all that said, there was a different side to hincapie in the post-race interview i saw on VS. he said before the race he didnt think he would ride it again after this year. but then with the wheel issue, getting cuaght in the wrong place, and everything else, he growled, "i just cant go out like this. i wont let it end this way." he wasnt firey, but for someone who interviews like paint drying, there was a spark. 
i just hope he didnt get it too late.

btw: didnt the wheel issue look like it happened in tha same place as last years? and paul sherwin was saying something like, "a complete and utter professional. staying calm while the mechanic works to untangle the wheel." i dont know about you guys, but it sure looked like george was in a panic. he casued more damage trying to get his wheel out himself. contrast that to the boonen bike change. did they show that on VS? i saw it on teh live webstream, but i dont recall seeing it on VS.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

weltyed said:


> btw: didnt the wheel issue look like it happened in tha same place as last years? and paul sherwin was saying something like, "a complete and utter professional. staying calm while the mechanic works to untangle the wheel." i dont know about you guys, but it sure looked like george was in a panic. he casued more damage trying to get his wheel out himself. contrast that to the boonen bike change. did they show that on VS? i saw it on teh live webstream, but i dont recall seeing it on VS.


Well, he was struggling to get the wheel off for sure. 

Boonen was anxious as well when he waited for a bike change. 

My mom commented that if he crashed coz of a spectator, he would probably punch them in their faces for it!


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

also, did you guys notice how pippo and thor looked on the podium? tells a tale.

from CN:


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

boonen was anxious. anxious but cool.
hincapie was freaking out. it looked like he was trying to pull hot cobwebs off his cotton candy.



uzziefly said:


> Well, he was struggling to get the wheel off for sure.
> 
> Boonen was anxious as well when he waited for a bike change.
> 
> My mom commented that if he crashed coz of a spectator, he would probably punch them in their faces for it!


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## TedH (Jan 1, 1970)

jhamlin38 said:


> I'd like to know if george had a puncture, or if a wheel broke. was he using CF again?! anyone know?
> I hope George can take today, and work it into a BIG year, with some wins.
> I know that Mick Rogers was in Spain, and he's a GC rider. But he seems like the type that could do well at PR. He's a bit of a bigger guy, has a monster motor, and could have give Columbia another option. For that matter, same with David Millar of Garmin.


I was at the race and George had 3x, box-rimmed wheels. He looked good coming out of the forest in the front, but spent too much energy getting back and Boonen wisely attacked when he did. Saw him in the group at Sector 14 and then after sector 6, he was 2min behind. Crazy race yesterday, but very entertaining to chase.


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## jldickerson3 (Mar 9, 2006)

weltyed said:


> also, did you guys notice how pippo and thor looked on the podium? tells a tale.
> 
> from CN:


Pippo (Pipo?) Dirty Sanchez mustache is hilarious! He really needs to shave that thing off.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Thor*

mad a missed opportunity cause he lauid it down. Flecha has the same regrets
Pippo/Pipo had his chance. It was the 2 of them both with their noses in the wind. Both with a sector of Pave left. Pippo should have had the advantage because Boonen's earlier attacks to thin the herd should have made him less fresh. So we had a less fresh Boonen vs. a fresher Pippo with a 5 second gap. Last I checked Boonen put close to half a minute into you over those final 10-14K. Oh yeah, he got to draft the motorcyles.......... 

you couldn't put him away when he made his bike swap. that was your moment. Boonen made damn sure Hincapie couldn'tcome back.

wahhh wahhh wahhhhh 

face it ya got beat by a better, stronger man with more race savvy


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Boonen was more than lucky. He was the strongest and was able to handle his bike on the cobbles better than the rest of 'em. 

I think Hushovd was tired. He took wide lines through the turns - one time leading into Flecha's crash, the other when he ran himself into the barriers and crashed. 

I don't like the way Pipo has been racing. Gluing himself onto Boonen's wheel is pretty lame. Especially when he can't hold onto Boonen's wheel.


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## ru1-2cycle (Jan 7, 2006)

*Bravo Boonen!*



il sogno said:


> Boonen was more than lucky. He was the strongest and was able to handle his bike on the cobbles better than the rest of 'em.
> 
> I think Hushovd was tired. He took wide lines through the turns - one time leading into Flecha's crash, the other when he ran himself into the barriers and crashed.
> 
> I don't like the way Pipo has been racing. Gluing himself onto Boonen's wheel is pretty lame. Especially when he can't hold onto Boonen's wheel.


I was very happy for Boonen and his squad. Now, I can not help but remember other great champs looking "too strong, too smooth", particularly for a grueling and bone shattering race like P-R, uummm, deja-vu...Hopefully we will not be facing another situation involving unacceptable performance enhancing strategies. Hopefully is all plain and legit great conditioning and stamina from superb and efficacious training. Congrats Boonen!


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## farm (Jul 10, 2008)

I agree with what others have said about Boonen dominating and putting the pressure on the others. The guy looked like he was thrilled to be there on the cobbles, totally at home.

"Once more it's been proven that you can't win a race by sticking on someone's wheel," Boonen said. (from Cyclingnews.com)


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

ru1-2cycle said:


> I was very happy for Boonen and his squad. Now, I can not help but remember other great champs looking "too strong, too smooth", particularly for a grueling and bone shattering race like P-R, uummm, deja-vu...Hopefully we will not be facing another situation involving unacceptable performance enhancing strategies. Hopefully is all plain and legit great conditioning and stamina from superb and efficacious training. Congrats Boonen!


I'm in your camp with this one; I wish that those kinds of thoughts didn't have to come up in our minds. I really hope it was clean too. Until I hear otherwise, congrats to Tom. That was a hell of a performance; he was a total beast. I thought that Thor might have had a chance in the Velodrome, but when he crashed I knew it was over; Once Boonen put the hammer down, NOBODY was stopping him.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

farm said:


> I agree with what others have said about Boonen dominating and putting the pressure on the others. The guy looked like he was thrilled to be there on the cobbles, totally at home.
> 
> "Once more it's been proven that you can't win a race by sticking on someone's wheel," Boonen said. (from Cyclingnews.com)


I think he's aiming that comment at Cadel.


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## botto (Jul 22, 2005)

atpjunkie said:


> VS was doing a huge amount of pacework so Hoste could sit on (rule of having 2 in the break)
> after he did the awesome 180 slide when Leif went over Flecha he turned himself inside out trying to get them back to Pozzato. He got dropped but when Leif and Thor started cat and mousing he caught back on. Regardless he was cooked, he'd spent all his matches leading up to the crash doing pacework and then attempting to pace back












yep. here they are, +/- 1.5km from the crash, on sector 3 of the pavé.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*great shot*



botto said:


> yep. here they are, +/- 1.5km from the crash, on sector 3 of the pavé.


and VS was pulling like that before the crash
his work and presence gave Hoste the right to sit on everyone


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*funny cause AIG*



uzziefly said:


> I think he's aiming that comment at Cadel.


I think he was aiming it at this guy

Tom, discussing somebody

"He has a lot of talent, but he never takes the initiative to decide a race. He is always there, but he never attacks. I think that's how it's possible to beat him. He always has the legs, but not the head to say, 'OK, this is the moment.'

We have to see, maybe he has changed, but I am not sure."


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

ru1-2cycle said:


> I was very happy for Boonen and his squad. Now, I can not help but remember other great champs looking "too strong, too smooth", particularly for a grueling and bone shattering race like P-R, uummm, deja-vu...Hopefully we will not be facing another situation involving unacceptable performance enhancing strategies. Hopefully is all plain and legit great conditioning and stamina from superb and efficacious training. Congrats Boonen!


From a cost/benefit analysis, it is most likely that Boonen is bloodboosting no more nor less than anyone else who is winning bike races these days.


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## ProRoad (Oct 13, 2008)

Lets change the subject. It was a great race to see.

And Cadel is still the only Silence Lotto rider to win this year!

Brian


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## botto (Jul 22, 2005)

atpjunkie said:


> great shot.


thanks. it's probably the pick of the litter.


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## botto (Jul 22, 2005)

ProRoad said:


> Lets change the subject. It was a great race to see.
> 
> And Cadel is still the only Silence Lotto rider to win this year!
> 
> Brian


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## lalahsghost (Aug 27, 2007)

botto said:


>


Reminds me of the guy from lazytown:












Also, I can't wait for the answer to this question in the new hincapie Documentary:
@ 1:07 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw43-ftsk2U&feature=player_embedded

The way the guy said it.... It just made me bust out laughing.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

atpjunkie said:


> I think he was aiming it at this guy
> 
> Tom, discussing somebody
> 
> ...


Who is this guy?

:idea:


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## farm (Jul 10, 2008)

uzziefly said:


> Who is this guy?
> 
> :idea:



Pozzato. Boonen had been pretty diplomatic up to that point, but that comment after the race was a slam.


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