Cycling: 2009 Paris-Roubaix

 

It's cyclings biggest one day race. One of the oldest too. 1896 it was first held. It has rough terrain and a lot of cobblestones. It's a monument.

 

It's nickname is the Hell of the North. Other people call it a Sunday in Hell. Because it is. It's so physically demanding and it's a spectacle. You have to be a very strong rider to win it. Not to mention it's on Easter Sunday every year.

It's the race riders dream about winning basically. It's the Queen Classic out of all the Classics.

 

Plus you get the heaviest trophy in sport - a cobblestone.

If you were living in Australia, we have it live over here. The only event outside the TDF we have live in Australia.

Quick Step have a strong team in Van Impe, Tossato, Devolder, Boonen and Chavanel
Columbia have a strong team in Hincapie, Eisel, Burghardt, Hansen, Sieberg
Quick-Step are dominating the entire peloton at the moment and Columbia think that winning sprints is the way to win races.
So the Hell of the North is on Sunday. What do we reckon?

Tom Boonen

Current Odds: $3.50/$1.60

So Tommeke this year hasn’t been setting the world on fire only recording a win in Qatar and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. He has recently made a 2nd in E3 and a 3rd in the Dwars. He is a 2 time winner of this event in 2008 and 2005. Last week Devolder was the man for Quick-Step. This week, will Boonen be the man. His form is peaking for this event and this is a goal of his.

Stijn Devolder

Current Odds: $7/$2.50

Stijn has said he wants the double. I believe he can get the double if he wants it. He won Flanders last week in a similar way he won it last year. Powering off on a solo ride 15km before the finish. He has a strong team around him and must be considered.

Fabian Cancellara

Current Odds: $12/$3.75

Fabian has had an interrupted year with injury and is struggling to get back to what he is capable of. A former winner here in 2006. He had bad luck in Gent-Wevelgem on Wednesday having a flat at a crucial stage. We know what he is capable of, but can he get up to where he is capable of after his interrupted year? I say no, but yet again, this guy is class.

Juan Antonio Flecha

Current Odds: $12/$3.75

In the cycling world he is a huge chance. I rate him a good chance. He came 4th here in 2006 and a 2nd in 2007. He is a solid classics rider. He notched up a 3rd in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and 10th in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. You think he will be up there when the decisive moves are made. Consider.

George Hincapie

Current Odds: $13/$4

He has got to be the rider with the most bad luck in this event. Last year 2 punctures. In 2006 his handlebars broke. He has 2 podium finishes here and he is fitter this year than he has ever been and riding in brilliant form at the moment. This is his 2009 goal. He will be a major chance if luck comes his way. He’s never been in this form before.

Sylvain Chavanel

Current Odds: $16/$4.75

Another one of QS firepower. His first Roubaix so he will be used as a domestique. But again could be an underdog if Boonen and Devolder are neutralized. But I don’t see it.

Heinrich Haussler

Current Odds: $17/$5

Haussler has taken the cycling world by storm this year notching a few wins and a lot of podiums. He nearly beat Cav in Milan San-Remo a few weeks ago. He came second in Flanders. He is riding in good form. However I think his form has gone. Cervelo’s luck might be out. Unless he grows his legs back, he’ll be making up the numbers. But again, his form has been solid but every indication he has given us is that his form has gone. But with the right luck, he can figure.

Leif Hoste

Current Odds: $18/$5.25

Hoste for Silence Lotto Is a nice underdog. He was in the break last week in Flanders and looked strong. Lotto are having a shit year with only one win thanks to Evans. I don’t know how Evans did it because he is a wheel sucking arsehole but anyway he is a chance.

Filippo Pozzato

Current Odds: $18/$5.25

Pozzato has come on in form over the last few weeks winning stage 1 in De Panne and winning E3. He had a crash on Wednesday so I don’t know how bad he is. A solid rider but I don’t think he is a chance this year due to that fact.

Martijn Maaskant

Current Odds: $18/$5.25

My roughie right here. The Garmin rider will podium or come close to it. He rode a 4th here last year and a 4th last week in Flanders. He is a solid rider who I personally think will shake this up. I will tell you right now this guy will finish ahead of Pozzato, Hoste, Haussler, Chavanel and Cancellara. That should tell you something.

Mark Cavendish

Current Odds: $22/$6.25

Not a chance in hell. He is a solid sprinter but give him 5 – 10 years. I know he proved the doubters wrong in Milan San-Remo and I am a huge fan of his. Always have been ever since he was a Stagliare in T-Mobile. The race is focused around Hincapie and Burghardt.

I'll find some solid head to heads. If you find a good one with Maaskant, pound it.

Paris--Roubaix: Matchups - Thanks to Pinacle. My favourites are bold. But I'll confirm it later.

Sun 4/12 Tom Boonen vs Stijn Devolder
12:00 AM 501 Tom Boonen 1.318
502 Stijn Devolder 3.840

Sun 4/12 Martin Maaskant vs George Hincapie
12:00 AM 503 Martin Maaskant 2.120
504 George Hincapie 1.820

Sun 4/12 Matti Breschel vs Roger Hammond
12:00 AM 505 Matti Breschel 1.746
506 Roger Hammond 2.240

Sun 4/12 Marcus Burghardt vs Manuel Quinziato
12:00 AM 507 Marcus Burghardt 1.800
508 Manuel Quinziato 2.150

Sun 4/12 Martin Elmiger vs Nick Nuyens
12:00 AM 509 Martin Elmiger 2.150
510 Nick Nuyens 1.800

Sun 4/12 Serguey Ivanov vs Andreas Klier
12:00 AM 511 Serguey Ivanov 2.000
512 Andreas Klier 1.909

Sun 4/12 Leif Hoste vs Juan A Flecha
12:00 AM 513 Leif Hoste 2.550
514 Juan A Flecha 1.606

Sun 4/12 Staf Scheirlinckx vs Kevin Van Impe
12:00 AM 515 Staf Scheirlinckx 1.952
516 Kevin Van Impe 1.952

Sun 4/12 Johnny Hoogerland vs Gerben Lowik
12:00 AM 517 Johnny Hoogerland 1.800
518 Gerben Lowik 2.150

Sun 4/12 Kristoff Goddart vs Sebastian Hinault
12:00 AM 519 Kristoff Goddart 1.676
520 Sebastian Hinault 2.380

Sun 4/12 Niki Terpstra vs Joost Posthuma
12:00 AM 521 Niki Terpstra 2.080
522 Joost Posthuma 1.847

Sun 4/12 Murillo Fischer vs Wouter Weylandt
12:00 AM 523 Murillo Fischer 1.645
524 Wouter Weylandt 2.450

Sun 4/12 Pedro Horrillo vs Johann Vansummeren
12:00 AM 525 Pedro Horrillo 1.952
526 Johann Vansummeren 1.952

Sun 4/12 Mikhail Ignatiev vs Svein Tuft
12:00 AM 527 Mikhail Ignatiev 1.952
528 Svein Tuft 1.952

Sun 4/12 Edvald Boasson Hagen vs Mathew Goss
12:00 AM 529 Edvald Boasson Hagen 1.800
530 Mathew Goss 2.150

Sun 4/12 Aurelien Clerc vs Jose J Rojas
12:00 AM 531 Aurelien Clerc 1.800
532 Jose J Rojas 2.150

Sun 4/12 Andreas Klier vs Frederic Guesdon
12:00 AM 533 Andreas Klier 2.250
534 Frederic Guesdon 1.741

Sun 4/12 Juan A Flecha vs Martijn Maasskant
12:00 AM 535 Juan A Flecha 1.952
536 Martijn Maasskant 1.952

Sun 4/12 Leif Hoste vs Stijn Devolder
12:00 AM 537 Leif Hoste 1.952
538 Stijn Devolder 1.952

Sun 4/12 George Hincapie vs Tom Boonen
12:00 AM 539 George Hincapie 3.410
540 Tom Boonen 1.383

Sun 4/12 Thor Hushovd vs Bernhard Eisel
12:00 AM 541 Thor Hushovd 2.260
542 Bernhard Eisel 1.735

Sun 4/12 Sylvain Chavanel vs Fabian Cancellara
12:00 AM 543 Sylvain Chavanel 1.699
544 Fabian Cancellara 2.330

Sun 4/12 Leif Hoste vs Stijn Devolder
12:00 AM 537 Leif Hoste 1.952
538 Stijn Devolder 1.952

 

It looks like the best pick. Devolder is the 2nd man for Quick Step in this race, if Boonen fail, he won't probably clinch to the top.

 

Pinnacle offers it @ 1.952 compared to 1.68 for Unibet.

 

Devolder to finish on top 3 @ 2.50 sounds good as well.

 

Unibet is offering a matchup for the top 20 between Quick Step and Columbia HighRoad. I expect at least Boonen and Devolder in the top 20 for Quick Step and probably only Hincapie will make it for Columbia.