[VdB]

Time for THAT poll...(for me) the second most exciting race of the year! I put up a lot more choices than there will realistically be contenders, since only Boonen, Pozzato and Ballan have proven to be in tip-top shape for the Northern classics so far this season. Hushovd, Boom etc haven't done anything much so far. Still, P-R is a special race that always sees a group of specialists move to the fore who may otherwise not be 'big winners'. Vansummeren, Oss, Vaitkus...so you never know. Maybe even Hushovd has a great day?

I'm going to stick with the winning mood and go with Boonen to equal De Vlaeminck in P-R wins. Pozzato is looking really really good, but I don't think he's good enough to shake off Boonen on the cobbles, a race that should suit him better than Flanders even. And when they go to the finish line we'll likely see a repeat of this Sunday.

[mapeifan]

Given that Tommeke was on a self-described bad day and Pippo looked to be on one of his best days, I am going to favor Boonen. If he wins in Roubaix, he would have equaled the RvV record, tied Monsieur Paris-Roubaix (the perenially overlooked De Vlaeminck in the "greatest riders of all time" conversations, IMHO) for Roubaix wins and added to his previous RvV-Roubaix double win totals- that's a heck of a week!

[N.B.O.L.]

mapeifan, your vote didn't register.

I went for Boonen as well. He has just looked great so far this year.

I'm looking forward to Sunday.

[Burkni]

Firstly, your polls are sorely missing Vino this season VdB!

Secondly, I am going to wildly predict that the future is here and say Oss. He definitely can handle the distance (he put in a mad surge in the final kms of the 2010 MSR to close down Pozzato) and he can handle the cobbles. I firmly believe that he has the winnings of this race in him physically, but mentally he may have too much of a domestique's attitude, a la Hincapie.

[The Rake]

Is Paolini riding? He looked super aggressive in Flanders, and the flatter Roubaix course will suit him better

[Burkni]

The Rake, on 05 April 2012 - 07:06 AM, said:

Is Paolini riding? He looked super aggressive in Flanders, and the flatter Roubaix course will suit him better

Not sure I agree there, I have always considered him to be a guy for the hilly one-day races, much like his best friend Bettini .

[Strategy]

Boonen.

He has the best team, and absent Cancellara no one else looks to be in the kind of shape that can match - let alone beat - Tornado Tom.

[crockett]

Burkni, on 05 April 2012 - 07:45 AM, said:

Not sure I agree there, I have always considered him to be a guy for the hilly one-day races, much like his best friend Bettini .

I don't know. Paolini looks a little more Commesso-esque than he did when he was riding with Bettini. That might better suit him for PR now.

[mapeifan]

crockett, on 06 April 2012 - 02:23 AM, said:

I don't know. Paolini looks a little more Commesso-esque than he did when he was riding with Bettini. That might better suit him for PR now.

Just wait until he goes for the full Pieri

[Burkni]

mapeifan, on 06 April 2012 - 02:28 AM, said:

Just wait until he goes for the full Pieri

Just the other day I was wondering whatever happened to Pieri. In the interview after his podium finish in Roubaix he admitted to being partial to Bistecca Fiorentina. Don't think anyone was surprised.

[VdB]

Added Vino as a poll option for Burkni, and removed Leukemans. He's suffering from knee pain following a fall in the RVV (behind Vansummeren and co when they turned up the Paterberg) and doesn't want to take any risks. He's gonna try and aim for the Brabantse Pijl and Amstel instead.

[mapeifan]

Johan Museeuw posted this pic on his twitter page @johanmuseeuw of Boonen andf Johan's son Stefano. Looks like dad makes him flog the family name on his bike and kit

Boonen and Stefano

[Burkni]

Thor Hushovd seems prepared for his share of negative riding:

Quote

“I think I can follow Tom on the cobbles and also I know that I can beat him in the sprint,” Hushovd told reporters in Kortrijk on Thursday. “That’s not that I say I can beat him every time but I think also he is afraid of me in a sprint on the velodrome.”

[mapeifan]

[mapeifan]

Parijs-Roubaix van dichtbij

Nice P-R footage from last year

This post has been edited by mapeifan: 07 April 2012 - 10:56 PM

[Burkni]

mapeifan, on 07 April 2012 - 10:33 PM, said:

De Vlaeminck and Goubert?

[mapeifan]

Burkni, on 08 April 2012 - 09:45 AM, said:

De Vlaeminck and Goubert?

Flaming Chance of Malaria
Fabian Cancellara (ok so the cartoonist didn't have the start list )

Flea Pea Gobaire
Phillipe Gilbert

This post has been edited by mapeifan: 08 April 2012 - 12:00 PM

[Strategy]

55km out? I hardly believe my eyes.

[N.B.O.L.]

What kind of coverage do you have when they pick up P-R after Arenberg?

[N.B.O.L.]

Boonen up to over a minute now.