Author Topic: Spartacus takes off  (Read 7472 times)

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #25 on: 04 April, 2010, 06:59:30 pm »
Might have been predictable, but it was certainly impressive and not alot anyone could do about it

Agreed!  I'm not criticising him for it.  It was stunning.... but we all knew it was in the post  ;)

Sorry, way I worded my post, didn't think you were being critical. 

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #26 on: 06 April, 2010, 10:40:00 pm »
Roger Hammond got 7th, he seems to be riding better than ever - tho' he must be mid-thirtys by now?

"What a long, strange trip it's been", Truckin'

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #27 on: 07 April, 2010, 07:00:19 am »
Roger Hammond got 7th, he seems to be riding better than ever - tho' he must be mid-thirtys by now?



Be interesting to see how he goes in Paris Roubaix at the weekend.

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #28 on: 07 April, 2010, 11:15:23 am »
I was at the start of the Tour of Flanders and 'Spartacus' got the second biggest cheer riding to the start behind Boonan but more than Lance Armstrong.

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #29 on: 07 April, 2010, 11:41:26 am »
Love the commentary as he starts to sprint - flemish-flemish-flemish-riskeeey-business-flemish-flemish-oy-oy-oy-oy-oy-oy!

Made me giggle too.

gonzo

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #30 on: 07 April, 2010, 08:59:48 pm »
I think he's a one-trick pony. Solo break with 1km to go. Doesn't work every time.

That's about the most bizarre thing I've heard in an internet discussion board to date!

Rig of Jarkness

  • An Englishman abroad
Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #31 on: 11 April, 2010, 08:23:46 am »
I just watched Sporza's highlights of last week's Tour of Flanders. sporza: wielrennen
The way that Cancellara powered away from Boonen was just awesome. 
Aero but not dynamic

gonzo

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #32 on: 11 April, 2010, 08:26:33 am »
Apparently he was producing 1450 Watts at the time. After 3 hours of racing too!

Gus

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Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #33 on: 11 April, 2010, 03:34:19 pm »

And Spartacus have done it again,
Boonen  relaxed one minute and never saw him ride away  :smug:

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #34 on: 11 April, 2010, 04:15:56 pm »
Good to see Flecha and Huschovd so close too.

αdαmsκι

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Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #35 on: 11 April, 2010, 04:18:23 pm »
And Hammond in 4th.

Amazing ride from Spartacus.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

https://tyredandhungry.wordpress.com/

Rig of Jarkness

  • An Englishman abroad
Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #36 on: 11 April, 2010, 04:49:05 pm »
What's the story with Boonen ?  You'd think he'd have been watching Cancellara like a hawk but apparently not - from the Sporza highlights it looks as if he was caught napping.
Aero but not dynamic

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #37 on: 11 April, 2010, 04:52:59 pm »
I don't think that Boonen, or anyone else for that matter, could have done anything about it, whether napping or not at the crucial moment. Cancellara is in simply stunning form. Another fantastic ride from him.

The only down side was that it made the later cobbled sections almost redundant due to his brilliance.

Justin(e)

  • On my way out of here
Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #38 on: 11 April, 2010, 05:44:38 pm »
Wow, such a great race and such a worthy winner.
Hats off to this bloke for his unbelievable 'one-trick'.

gonzo

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #39 on: 11 April, 2010, 06:54:33 pm »
Gonzo's guide to how not to watch Paris Roubaix:
1) Head out for a heavy night the night before and sleep on friends floor thus having about 4 hours of disturbed sleep
2) Walk for 1.5 hours to get home the morning of the race
3) Pay for a months access to eurosport
4) Prepare food and drink and collapse on sofa just in time for start of coverage
5) Fall asleep for 3 hours
6) Wake up to see an emotional Cancellara crossing the finishing line

Could someone fill me in on what happened between about 80km to go and Spartacus getting emotional? ;)

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #40 on: 11 April, 2010, 08:35:24 pm »
Hahahahahahaha.


Cancellara was in the main peleton with Boonen at 70kms to go. 6 Odd riders 30s up the road.

They were pulled back and the bunch (looked about 40 odd riders to me) was split in a crosswind on a pave section the head of the course consisting of 12-15 riders.

At 55kms, a couple of riders (no hopers) went off the front at this point, and boonen started attacking out of the saddle on cobbled sections to bridge. Each time Cancellara pulled him back slowly, not getting out of the saddle. After 3 attacks by boonen in about 10 minutes, there were 3 riders being pulled in up the road. Cancellara bridged the 20m to them, sat in for 5 seconds, then shot off like a rocket up the inside, still seated throughout. He opened up 20 bikelengths in a matter of 15 seconds!! One rider tried to follow him for over 2 minutes and then gave up. This was at 45km mark.

Tom Boonen with 8ish other riders in the chasing group tried to get everyone working on the road sections. He'd drop to the back of the chain, pushing riders forward with his arms, move up and through and they wouldn't follow him, leaving him on the front. Cancellara quickly built up a minute+ gap, so he could get his team car across, and the rest is history, with a 3m10s gap being the maximum gained before Flecha and Hushovd broke away from the chasing group.

Boonen had little hope. Cancellara was the stronger and the one who broke away succesfully. After that the rest just hung on boonens wheel waiting for a 2nd place.


Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #41 on: 11 April, 2010, 09:33:32 pm »
Or just read here for a description by a professional.  ::-)
Tom Boonen Angry With Roubaix Quitters - BikeRadar

Boonen was hard done by, but I didn't see the point in his attacks. It was too far for him to go alone. It did whittle down the group a little (Pozzato looked screwed), but didn't seem to trouble the danger man cancellara. 

gonzo

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #42 on: 11 April, 2010, 09:57:11 pm »
Hammond looked quite strong at the finish, how come he wasn't with Hushovd and Flecha in your opinion?

David Martin

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Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #43 on: 11 April, 2010, 10:08:02 pm »
Hammond looked quite strong at the finish, how come he wasn't with Hushovd and Flecha in your opinion?

If your team mate atacks you don't counter attack. When Flecha and Hushovd set off, Hammonds job would be to police the remainders, not chase.

..d
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #44 on: 11 April, 2010, 10:54:09 pm »
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/j7xjsPqHg3o&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/j7xjsPqHg3o&rel=1</a>

Commentator does a nice reworking of the Apollo 13 quote.

"Boonen, we have a problem" 


tlottrike

  • Scottish Trike 12hr and 50 mile record holder
Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #45 on: 12 April, 2010, 09:30:08 am »
Commentator does a nice reworking of the Apollo 13 quote.
"Boonen, we have a problem" 

Funnily enough today is the aniversary of Apollo 13's launch.... I'll get my coat

Ray 6701

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    • Tamworth cycling club
Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #46 on: 12 April, 2010, 05:32:50 pm »
Boonen should take a look at his own team when winging about loosing.  His team were nowhere to be seen for the entire coverage on eurosport (other than Devolder crashing & p*n*t*r*ng).  At the end of the day he was beaten by the better man again.  
One trick pony indeed  :o
SR 2010/11/12/13/14/15
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mattc

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Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #47 on: 12 April, 2010, 06:03:39 pm »
Boonen should take a look at his own team when winging about loosing....  At the end of the day he was beaten by the better man again.  
Perhaps by saying something like this?

And then Cancellara just went. But you can't argue with that. I would probably have done the same thing. I'm obviously disappointed. But if Cancellara attacks and I can't follow him that's fair enough.

<stolen from the BikeRadar comments>
Has never ridden RAAM
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No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

gonzo

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #48 on: 12 April, 2010, 06:20:05 pm »
Hammond looked quite strong at the finish, how come he wasn't with Hushovd and Flecha in your opinion?

If your team mate atacks you don't counter attack. When Flecha and Hushovd set off, Hammonds job would be to police the remainders, not chase.

..d

I know that you don't counter attack, but I was wondering why they didn't both go with Flecha. a 3 man break with 2 team mates is a very good thing for the team mates!

Re: Spartacus takes off
« Reply #49 on: 13 April, 2010, 12:30:09 pm »
Hammond looked quite strong at the finish, how come he wasn't with Hushovd and Flecha in your opinion?

If your team mate atacks you don't counter attack. When Flecha and Hushovd set off, Hammonds job would be to police the remainders, not chase.

..d

I know that you don't counter attack, but I was wondering why they didn't both go with Flecha. a 3 man break with 2 team mates is a very good thing for the team mates!

But then Flecha would have stopped working and just taken a tow to the finish.  hammond/Hushovd might have been strong enough to outsprint a much fresher Flecha (see what i did there?) but safer to let the two get away knowing that Thor is much the better sprinter
"What a long, strange trip it's been", Truckin'