L'enfer du Nord - 2011

We left Paris at dawn and arrived at Compiegne a couple of hours before the start of the Queen of the Classics. After a quick breakfast a local cafe, we found prime front row real estate near where the riders would arrive and sign-in. The beauty of Roubaix is in its simplicity. Compared to the massive crowds and elaborate sign-in ceremony in Brugge for the start of Flanders, the start of Roubaix is very small and intimate.

Big George giving his favorite race another go. He continues to be a fan favorite in this cobbled-classics region of Europe. Shortly after this sign-in, Chuck held up his authentic Hincapiewear US Championship BMC jersey (ie, a replica of the one George had worn the prior year). George kindly came over and signed the jersey.

Pippo! Although his results have been lacking of late, this boy still knows how to ride a bike with style.

Tyler Farrar rolls up. He lived up to his good-guy reputation, as we gave him a "Good luck Tyler" shout in our best American accent. He responded with a friendly head-nod and big smile.

Johan Van Summeren preparing for the ride of his life! In just a few hours, he will ascend from being known as just a good classics rider to a bonafide cycling hardman!

I really enjoy watching the pre-race social dynamics of the riders. It seemed as though the younger riders, especially the French riders, were the most exuberant. But then why shouldn't they be...these guys are finally starting the race they likely have been dreaming of since they were small children. The veterans, on the other hand, generally displayed a more reserved, and at times, more nervous demeanor. I assume this is because they know all too well why it this race is called The Hell of the North.

Cav...telling it like it is (or at least his uncensored version of how he sees things).

Hofste starts his last race of the year just a couple of weeks after being hospitalized from a serious concussion stemming from a hard crash in Dwars. Despite major headaches and pains that would plague him for the remainder of 2011, he still lined up at Roubaix.

Yes, we were that close and could reach out and touch them if we wanted. No telephoto used by Chuck here. That's the beauty of this sport...the riders are accessible, probably too accessible for their own good at times. Standing right next to me on my left, there was a man with an official looking autograph book with gloss photos and names of all of the riders. After the riders would sign-in on the stage and come back down, this man would politely call out to many of them in their native language and request an autogragh. Pretty much everyone of them, as the rider in this pic is doing, came over and willingly signed for him. Very, very cool!

Defending champ Sparticus (aka "The Tank", as the Flemmish like to call him) appears to be in a reflective moment.

Tom Boonen shares a laugh with his former Quickstep teammate Wouter Weylandt. When I took this picture, I was just thrilled to catch Boonen in this light moment. However, this picture took on a whole new meaning just a few week's later after Weylandt's tragic crash in the Giro. R.I.P. Wouter!

Lining up just minutes before the start of the year's hardest one-day race. Few have any real chance to contend...most just hope to finish.

T minus Trois and counting. At this time, the race announcer proclaims that there are three minutes until the start. Here you see Kevin van Impe right in front of us lowering his head for a silent prayer of some sort. Unlike most other races I have seen, there were many riders praying and genuflecting before the start of this one. Cycling soldiers preparing for battle.

Here we are after leaving Compiegne en route to the Arenberg and drafting off a race van.

We have arrived at the Arenberg Forest.

While waiting for the race, these guys provided us with some unsolicited entertainment. They lived up to the "drunken Belgium Kermisse fan" stereotype.

The battle is heating up. World champ Thor a couple of lengths ahead of Cancellera.

Van Summeren being protected near the front on the Arenberg.

We, along with every other fan on the Arenberg, get on the main expressway in an attempt to watch the race somewhere near the finish. Here we are "racing the race" to Secteur 3. Chuck snaps this pic of the race off to our right from the passenger seat of our car.

Chuck contemplating a career change as a wrench for Highroad. Luckily, he didn't quit his day job given the eventual fate of this super team.

No real commentary needed here. Van Summeren makes a hard right off of sector 3. The biggest victory of life is just minutes away.

Note: I have to give props to Chuck for this pic and many of the following photos, as he was positioned just inches away from the riders on the their right side. I on the otherhand am on their left. I encourage you to double-click these photos for even better detail.

Cancellera lays down the hammer in a futile single-handed effort to chase down JvS.

Thor, the reluctant team player, doing his job keeping Sparticus in check and allowing Van Summeren to push on free and clear.

Ballan, sporting the World's stripes and demonstrating why he is currently Italy's premier classics rider.

Greipel chasing hard!

Dirt, pain, blood, road rash! Young boys/fans in the background cheering from the tops of their parent's shoulders. This scene is what a typical Roubaix is all about!!

Big George narrowly avoids a crash in the turn. See next pic.

Guy from Radioshack had to slow due to tire going flat. Check out George checking him out.

Jens Keukeliere of Cofidis gets a flat changed right in front of me. There is actually a lot more going on here than meets the eye in this photo. First of all, this wheel change took way too long. Secondly, the lady with the white hair and white top had had way too much French wine and was what I will politely say quite inebriated. Prior to the arrival of the racers, she had been going up to everyone (Chuck and me included) and just chatting and rambling about who knows what (it was all French to me). We jokingly attributed this slow wheel change to her distracting the mechanics with her non-stop talking.

For this shot and most of the ones that follow, the riders' expressions say it all.



Remember how clean van Impe and his bike were at the start back in Compiegne? Well, here he is a few hours later.

As you can see, this is no ordinary Sunday race.



The eyes say it all!

Even though the Tete de la course is many minutes ahead, there is still a lot of hard racing for those still in the game. If you have any doubts, just look here.

Jeff, Chuck, and I peek over this guy's shoulder to watch the finish of the race. Chapeau Johan, Vaughters, and Garmin - well played!

Bis später!

April Classics 2011: Non-Race Excursions

The Monday after Flanders, Chuck, Jeff, and I awoke with plans to drive south to Ieper, Belgium (aka Ypres in French and English) before heading north to Amsterdam. Upon leaving the our hotel in Brugge, we saw a big Radioshack team bus parked in the hotel across the street. Of course, we were obligated to stop in and invite ourselves (ie, pay 15 EUR) to the small buffet breakfast in order to be a fly on the wall, as a few members of the team ate and chatted about yesterday's race in a small private room next to us. What did we learn/hear? Well, the consensus was that having a relative no-name win the Flanders was good for the fans and the race. As well, being a profi at that level means that you get a small specially prepared sack fully filled with a clean team kit, water bottles, various gels, and sundry items for your morning training ride. After breakfast, we spent the remaining morning and early afternoon in Ieper (city center shown above). A remarkable little town that is infamously known for the multiple gas attacks and being in the crosshairs of some long and intense trench warfare during WWI. It was literally destroyed except for a few buildings. However, it was rebuilt to look much like it had prior to the war. During the afternoon, we drove a couple hours north into the Netherlands to spend a quick night in Amsterdam.

This picture was taken in Ieper. I assume this is a promo for a local Kermisse that recently had taken place. Everywhere in Belgium, signs (literally and figuratively) of cycling are omnipresent.

A typical subway station in Amsterdam. You have never seen cycling-centric cities until you have been to the Netherlands. Based on my unscientific observation in Amsterdam, bicycles appeared to outnumber cars by a high multiple.

On Tuesday, we decided to stop at Waterloo on our drive back to Köln. We took an interesting guided tour of the battlefield. While hindsight is 20-20, Napoleon's attack did not seem to make a lot of sense based on his very unfavorable battlefield position relative to Wellington's. Nonetheless, there were valid reasons from his perspective to engage, despite his troop's disadavantage position (such as starting at the bottom a big open hill and trying to charge up this hill against well established opposing troops). Well, the bad weather (heavy rains and soft ground) and the unanticipated flanking enemy Prussian troops being led by Blücher resulted in one of the greatest defeats in European history.

Today this famous battlefield is literally just a field, as it grows crops and is actively farmed by the locals.

Mid-week was spent back in Köln. Here you see Chuck "Zu gewinnen in Winnen", with Jeff also successfully ascending a somewhat steep climb into this little village. When I wasn't showing them some of my favorite local riding routes, we spent our time hanging out in the city, taking in the sites, and sampling Kölsch whenever possible.

On Friday, we headed to Paris for a couple of days of touring prior to Sunday's big race.

Bis später