4.15.2009

059: Belgium (and France) — Part Two: Paris Roubaix




This is the second spot that we set up for on the day. After one of the craziest rides in a car that I've ever taken. Mind you it was about to get a whole lot crazier. This time though we passed a line of about 10-12 cars on the road, drove over the median and through a red light. But we made it.

We were then situated right at the end of the Arenburg section of cobbles. Surprisingly there were not a high number of flats, but I did catch a couple quick changes. One from our notorious Italian friends at Liquigas. And I have to say, I love these guys. They are rocking some of the best kit out there too. No one misses that green moving through the pack.

I know that this isn't the most exciting clip of race footage, but at this point I was just excited to be there, to be a part of the action. Plus, everyone covers the cobbles at Arenburg and I thought it benificial to provide you, dear viewers, with what happens in between all the action.


This is the spot where Erik Zabel and Oscar Pierro hand out waterbottles. This is the spot where amatuer photographers ask me not to get in their shots. This is the spot where I had to sneak through the barriers to get on the course. It wasn't that hard actually, I just waited for a team mechanic to walk through with extra wheels and then followed him through.

Although for some I could see that this was a brutal spot.


The selection would and could be made here. After coming off of a section like Arenburg this is a great place to attack. If you don't have a flat and you're not totally cooked, why not hit the gas?

Other Things to Note:

— There is a dropped bottle that happens at 1:15, and I love how the course worker dispenses of it.

— 1:33 Mavic support rolls through. Awesome. I love that you can't miss these guys and that they are riding over the cobbles in their badass Mavic motorbikes.

— The Liquigas wheel change that you see was about 10 times faster than the Landouwkreit/Colnago one you see happening here:

What's next?
More cobbles? Presumably...but also some good old crowd fun.


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