article by Nicola Pucci
Scrolling the very prestigious roll of honor of Paris-Roubaixwhat is defined as “the queen of the classics“, the names of Octave Lapize are recorded, the pioneer who scored a consecutive hat-trick between 1909 and 1911, the equally ancient one of Gaston Rebry, the first Belgian to score a hat-trick in the Thirties, the triptych of Flemish phenomena who dominated between the Sixties and Seventies, obviously Rick Van Looy, Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck, who was the first to bring poker into the “Velodrome” most famous in the world, the tricolor accent of Francesco Moser, also capable of establishing himself in series between 1978 and 1980, and that Johan Museeuw who in the pay of the giant Mapei marked the stones between the two Millenniums. They are the mammasantissima of a race without equal, which renews in spring an event that since 1896 has elected those who manage to tame fatigue, dust and mud among the immortals of cycling.
Museeuw hung up the bicycle, that’s it on the horizon there is a duel on the last pedal stroke between two other stone dragons destined to perpetrate the legend of the classic of hell, which are none other than Fabian Cancellara, the “Bern train”, and Tom Boonen, very worthy heir of the great Flemish men of the past. And if Tom himself, in the magical 2005 which saw him take part in the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the World Championship one after the other, has already triumphed in theVelodrome“, that’s it for 2006 it’s up to the Swiss to break the bankone and the other then capable, respectively, of obtaining a total of four and three victories in the French city.
The 104th edition of a classic that saw the light of day in 1896 will therefore take place on 9 April 2006. The official start is set at 10.58am, with 194 runners competing and Boonen himself, winner seven days before the Tour of Flanders, is the logical favorite to complete a historic double encore never before achieved by anyone.
At the start, in Compiegne, the race is already in full swing, with a succession of sprints and attacks, without any success, until at km 62, when Posthuma (Rabobank), Nicolas Portal (Caisse), Schreck (T-Mobile) and Konyshev (LPR) move. At km 87 Righetto (Liquigas), Stephane Berges (Agritubel) and Flores (Euskaltel) are in pursuit. The maximum advantage of the leading quartet was recorded at km 110, more than 4 minutes ahead of the group. At 2’25” there are the 3 immediate pursuers, at 2’55” Hoj (Gerolsteiner), Pronk (Unibet) and Verstrepen (Landbouwkrediet).
Along the 259 km that take the race from Compiegne to Roubaix, 27 sections of cobblestone are plannedand when in Troisvilles, at km 98, sector 27 begins (2,200 metres, three-star difficulty category), the runners’ legs get heavy, the pursuers of the fugitives give up, and the group, pulled by the Quick Step, gets closer. Konyshev is the first to give up among the leading 4. In the Arenberg Forest (km 163) the other 3 lose more than 1 minute and are caught by the peloton.
Quick Step disappears from the head of the group, pulled only by Boonen, by Hincapie (Discovery) and by Cancellara (Csc), who makes a good move and almost takes an advantage over the others. After Arenberg 17 men take the lead of the race: they are Van Petegem, Steegmans (Davitamon), Hincapie, Hoste, Gusev (Discovery), Cancellara, Michaelsen (Csc), Boonen (Quick Step), Wesemann, Schreck (T-Mobile), Guesdon, Eisel (Française), Flecha, Posthuma (Rabobank), Portal (Caisse), Ballan and Franzoi (Lampre). Hushovd (Credit) punctures and his Roubaix effectively ends there. The gap between the leaders and the group is 40″. Quick Step are the ones shooting behind, with only Boonen in front, exposed to cross attacks. The margin drops to less than 30″, but the escapees are motivated, and the breakaway regains strength. It will be these 17 fearless attackers who will compete for success.
Posthuma, Schreck and Portal break away at Hornaing (cobbled section 15, km 176). Michaelsen shoots hard in favor of Cancellara. Franzoi runs into trouble and breaks away, Wesemann tries to force it, Boonen closes. The Quick Steps behind give up, at km 180 the margin has returned to +45″ and will continue to grow. Portal, very tenacious, returns to a stretch of asphalt, Franzoi does not. In Warlaing (sector 14, km 184), the group is now cut off and the lotta si riduce has 14 corridori: Van Petegem, Steegmans (Davitamon), Hincapie, Hoste, Gusev (Discovery), Cancellara, Michaelsen (Csc), Boonen (Quick Step), Wesemann (T-Mobile), Guesdon, Eisel (French des Jeux), Flecha (Rabobank), Portal (Caisse), Ballan (Lampre).
Flecha is wild, and it’s always him who shoots on the cobbles, in Tilloy (sector 13, km 187) as in Orchies (sector 12, km 198). Hincapie makes a few changes, Michaelsen alternates in the lead and Portal acts as a rubber band, breaking away and struggling to return. At Auchy-lez-Orchies (sector 11, km 205) Wesemann forces, then Flecha starts, and Boonen follows him. Cancellara is present. There is a minimum of selection and it is Discovery who close the gap. Steegmans goes into difficulty, Wesemann more, Portal as usual, but all three return shortly after. Guesdon starts on the asphalt, Flecha takes him, Hincapie makes the hole in favor of Hoste. Van Petegem and Michaelsen close.
On the very tough stretch of Mons-en-Pevele (sector 10, km 210) Cancellara sets the pace, with Ballan in good position. Flecha attacks again, progressing from the head of the platoon. Ballan is there in third wheel (behind Van Petegem and ahead of Boonen and Cancellara). Portal breaks away permanently, as does Michaelsen. Bad luck strikes Hincapie, who breaks his handlebars and falls, leaving himself in tears sitting on the side of the road. At that point Boonen starts to force, and the selection is real. At the exit from the sector, 45 minutes from the finish line, Boonen, Cancellara, Ballan and Van Petegem are in the lead. Hoste, Flecha, Gusev and Eisel chase behind. A third group, formed by Wesemann, Steegmans and Guesdon, is now cut off.
In Merignies (sector 9, km 216), Flecha leads the pursuit of the second group, and manages to get back to the leaders with Hoste and Gusev, while Eisel breaks away, but will also return after the Pont-Thibaut stretch (sector 8, km 219). In Templeuve (sector 7, km 225) the margin over his immediate pursuers widens. In Cysoing (sector 6, km 232) Boonen sets the pace. In a bend Gusev falls and takes down Ballan (whose bike bounces and hits Flecha from behind). But the Italian is phenomenal and comes back immediately, while Gusev takes a few kilometers (he gets back to the leaders at minus 20 from the finish line).
In Camphin-en-Pevele (sector 5, km 239), Flecha is in front as always, Ballan in third wheel. Gusev accelerates and Cancellara, on the counterattack, hooks him and leaves with him, immediately gaining ground. Behind is Flecha who pulls for a few meters, while Boonen hesitates, and in the absence of an agreement, the two fugitives take off.
On the Carrefour de l’Arbre (sector 4, km 242) Ballan is at the head of the group, and Van Petegem also gives a strong push (which costs Flecha something). In the meantime Cancellara breaks away from Gusev with 15 km to go and clears the gap. In Gruson (sector 3, km 244), Hoste starts strong, Van Petegem follows him and the two set off to catch Gusev. Boonen is in reserve, he is also separated by Ballan who however is unable to reach Van Petegem and Hoste, and is caught again by Boonen and Flecha at minus 11.
10 km from the finish line, something you don’t expect happens. After Cancellara passed through, a level crossing closes waiting for a freight train. The second group, after a moment of indecision, passes between the bars (which occupy half the road), while Boonen, Ballan and Flecha are forced to stop due to the arrival of the train. According to the regulation, when the barriers are lowered you must stop, as this unexpected event is considered the same as a mechanical accident. For this reason The sprint with which Hoste outwitted Van Petegem and took second place was of no avail, 1’23” after Cancellara, who had already arrived alone, celebrated with his arms in the air in the center of the Roubaix velodrome. Both they will be disqualified, just like Gusev. Good for Boonen and Ballan, who thus see themselves projected onto the podium despite having finished fifth and sixth.
And if Tom the Belgian had toasted in 2005, it’s up to “Bern train” this time do the same. AND for the years to come, we will see some beautiful ones around Roubaix…