Watching the peloton - Professional Road Racing thread 2026

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No way that cobbles are removed from racing. They are a part of many, many races in Europe, not just the UWT races. P-R is special because those roads are not really maintained anymore. They are still around for farmers and cyclists to use. There are lots of cobbled roads, especially near cities, that are maintained, and ride well. I rode my steel Ritchey Breakaway on some Belgian cobbles in the rain about 8 years ago. Just put your weight back on the saddle and don't lay off the power. Of course, that was not at racing speeds, which changes everything. I've raced criteriums that had paver crosswalks just after a turn. Those were scary in humid weather, but not as scary as the plastic painted crosswalks. That stuff gets like ice.

Racers like anything that causes a challenge to others and creates an opportunity for an advantage for them.
 
I'm watching the replay of Stage 5 this morning. I have work to do but I can't stop watching the final climb. Seixas, Izagirre, Roglic, and Lipowitz battling it out for the lead. I don't want to look away.

Romo crashed because he ran into Lipowitz. Supposedly a fan pushed him. I didn't see it, but that's his story. Fans have been charged with assault for affecting a race.

What an outstanding finish. Lipowitz did too much work and went too early. I think he could have beat Seixas. That said, Seixas is starting to live up to the hype.
 
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stompandgo said:
I'm watching the replay of Stage 5 this morning. I have work to do but I can't stop watching the final climb. Seixas, Izagirre, Roglic, and Lipowitz battling it out for the lead. I don't want to look away.

Romo crashed because he ran into Lipowitz. Supposedly a fan pushed him. I didn't see it, but that's his story. Fans have been charged with assault for affecting a race.

What an outstanding finish. Lipowitz did too much work and went too early. I think he could have beat Seixas. That said, Seixas is starting to live up to the hype.
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Commentator on the highlights I saw said the fan made an ill advised effort to push him along, give him a boost, the result being he collided with Lipowitz. Stupid move but if correct, at least he wasn't being malicious, just an over excited idiot.
 
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Pog going 1x and running 38mm front tyre (Gp5000 35mm measuring 37.9mm) Rear tyre still 32mm. There were online guesses of 40mm, not far off!

 
Well, that wrapped up quite a 6 days of racing in the Basque Country! And now Paris Roubaix streaming on Peacock tomorrow. Will have some sleep to catch up on after that.

Happy for Seixas that he more than lived up to all the hype. Took all the special jerseys except most combative, which went to Skjelmose (sp?).

When will we see Seixas race against Pog and Jonas?
 
What a great finish to a difficult stage in awful conditions. Congratulations to Paul Seixas and AJ August. I am so proud of both of them. This is going to be an exceptional year for road racing.

I will be riding sweep for a gravel race tomorrow and will miss Paris-Roubaix. My predicition is that Tadej will lose another time, MVDP will fade, and Wout will lead out Brennan for the win. A sprinter is due for a win in this race.
 
Doing my Paris Roubaix homework, starting with 2023. Great race with MVDP, Philipsen, and WVA on the podium, in that order. A very late puncture may well have cost WVA the win.


Couldn't help noticing that the riders left the cobbles for the shoulders (sometimes dirt, sometimes paved) every chance they got. Otherwise, they preferentially rode the crown.
 
Another impressive solo PR win for MVDP in 2024 — this time as World Champion and winner of the Tour of Flanders the Sunday before. Philipsen in 2nd again, outsprinting Pedersen for 3rd. WVA was out nursing injuries.

 
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