Preparing For Paris - Roubaix

It is quite a long time since I've spoken about Classics but Paris - Roubaix is a very special race.
I love to hear every year the same refrain about the new powerful and innovative suspensions that  bikes constructor have prepared for the race.
It makes me laugh so much.
Specialized Roubaix bikes have amused me enough. This year I want to talk about the new Pinarello Dogma FS. "The carbon frame features electronic front and rear suspension system. A battery pack is located in the seat tube of the bike and powers the two suspension units, enabling them to adapt to the road surfaces as they change."
We have now read the presentation of this new fantastic technology and we are nodding at this great idea.
Now, I invite you to watch the picture above.
What the hell are we talking about?
Do you believe that a battery pack under your ass can make you feel more comfortable while riding a humpback cobblestones sector? Please, be serious.
That's the reason why I love Paris - Roubaix, you can't bluff.
In recent year I decided to boycott brands that create silly bikes ahead of Paris - Roubaix.
These brands desecrate this incredible race just to have a bit more of visibility.
The preparation of Paris - Roubaix is something spiritual.
During the recognition you just try to be part of the sector, to become a cobble, to adjust the pressure of your tires so as not to hurt the cobbles too much.
This is the only preparation you need and your bike should be as basic as possible, because in order to merge yourself with the simplicity of a stone, you have to be simple as well.
See you on Sunday.

Cycling Impressions Interviews: Sofia Bertizzolo

Last Sunday we appreciated the fantastic ride of Sofia during Gent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields and after the race we had the great pleasure to interview her.
Here is what she told us.

Hi Sofia and thank you very much for your time! Your attack in the Gent - Wevelgem has been simply amazing. How do you feel on the cobbles?

I've started racing on the cobbles since my first year among the élite.
It took a long time to be able to race on the cobbles but with my new team I found out the mistake I made, for example the pressure of the tires.
Adjusting the mistakes, I'm starting to have much better performances.

That's a good news! We can't wait to see you in the next races. What is your favorite race?
I love racing in Italy!
Talking about my favorite race, It's a hard battle between Trofeo Binda and Giro Rosa.

You mentioned two fantastic races. We will support you during Giro Rosa. Do you have a sport hero?
I don't have a proper hero enlightening my sport path.
I admire Federica Pellegrini for showing her value since she was young and being able to remain at a certain level and I admire Valentina Vezzali for her huge career. (Yes, I know they are both women)

Let's go back to you and your career. Where did you start? Track cycling, cyclocross or road cycling?
I started with road cycling, the discipline I still love the most.
I had a short parenthesis with track cycling when I was Junior. It has been really interesting and full of adrenaline, but I chose to abandon it.

What is your goal for this first season with your new team, Team Virtu Cycling?
I've so much to learn.
I have so many elder teammates with a lot of experience, I've the possibility to learn a lot from them and I want to make the most of it.
I want to do the same with the great skills of the DS, of the massage therapists and of the mechanics.

You are very humble and this will lead you to great results. We have almost done, here is the last question: what are your hobbies when you don't cycle?
I study, I cook and I take care of my orchard and of my garden.

Thank you Sofia and good luck! Cycling Impressions will always support you! We wish you all the best!

Merry Christmas!!!

Rider of the Year 2018

Congrats Peter! You have been elected Cycling Impression's rider of the year!
Someone says that winning a Paris - Roubaix is worth a Word title, but in this case it seems more than just a hyperbole.
Despite Valverde's great victory in Innsbruck, Sagan impressed everybody with his solo attack 50 kilometers away from Roubaix and gained the last encomium of the year.
I think this happened also due to the fact that Paris - Roubaix is the last legendary race. It brings us back to the legendary old cycling, made of gravel roads, punctures and hazard.
Nevertheless, Sagan would be remembered as the last winner of THE Paris - Roubaix because I don't know if we will call the race with its legendary name in the future.
I am talking about the shameful request, made by the Amis de Paris Roubaix, to fill the gaps between the cobbles of the Arenberg Forest with mortar.
They say that, otherwise, the sector is too hard to clean.
I hope they are kidding! We are talking about one of the last legendary cycling places in a cycling world that is moving to new nice places like Oman or Dubai but where history still has to be written.
My final question is: these people, asking to add mortar between the cobbles in the Arenberg Forest, are Friends of Paris Roubaix or Friends of the Sofa?

Paris - Roubaix 2018

How hard is it to be Sagan?
"You are a champion","you are the strongest one","you have to win", "Of course you have won, you were the strongest".
These are the main sentences we hear about Sagan. In addition to this, you have to deal with the fact that what you do will never be enough.
In Sagan's position, once you have won a race, you have just done your job.
In my opinion ,every Sagan's success is fully deserved and is praiseworthy like every other cycling victory.
We often forget that cycling is a sport for losers.
When 200 riders start a race with just one winner, it is easy to understand that 199 will loose and just one will win.
This consideration seems obvious but I invite my 25 readers to think about this sentence and repeat it as a sort of Mantra.
Sagan is accused to be more talkative than active but this is just his way to deal with the enormous pressure that he endures every race.
Imagine being in Sagan's position without laughing about it; it would be a nightmare.
It is already hard to be a cyclist, it is impossible to be a rider that must win every race he starts.
On Sunday, Sagan rode a fantastic race and deserved this incredible victory.
Celebrating his success, he said an incredible truth: you can attack and ride the perfect race but you have to be lucky.
Paris-Roubaix is such an extreme race that sometimes is the best way to normalize situations pumped too much up.
Sagan used the Paris-Roubaix to do this and he did it in the best way.
He didn't tried to arrive alone in the velodrome, starting a battle with his breakaway mate in the last kilometers, he just wanted to win.
Paris-Roubaix is a race that brings everybody back on earth, you can't theorize or preach too much, you have just to ride the most concrete thing on earth: the cobbles.
The riders know this but for people who never tried the cobbles is easy to forget.

***

I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Michael Goolaerts.

Netherlands on the Cobbles

The season on the cobbles has just started but this year, Belgium seems a Dutch colony.
On Sunday, Groenewegen won the Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne and on Tuesday, Terpstra won Le Samyn.
This means that Dutch riders have won two-thirds of the races on the cobbles so far, dethronizing the Belgian kings.
I know that Terpstra represents a Belgian team, but is that enough? We all know that the answer is no.
Will the Dutch dominion continue?
It is hard to say, nevertheless Netherlands has already made its move, now it is time for Belgium to react.
Will the Belgian riders repeat the fabulous 2017 cobbles season?
Stay tuned and enjoy the cobbles, the best is yet to come...

2018 Best Cycling Kit

What a start of the season for Trek-Segafredo!!!
Degenkolb has been elected rider of the month in the previous survey and their kit has just been voted as the best of the Peloton.
Trek-Segafredo riders seem to be in a really good shape and, with the spring classics approaching, the only limit to this great team in 2018 is the sky! Maybe...

Peloton 2018 - Rider Transfers

How will be the 2018 Peloton?
Here is a summary of the most important transfers: 

AG2R La Mondiale
In: Benoit Cosnefroy (Neo-Pro), Clément Venturini (Cofidis), Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal), 
Silvan Dillier (BMC Racing Team), Aurélien Paret Peintre 
Out: Christophe Riblon (Retires), Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida), 
Sondre Holst Enger (Israel Cycling Academy), Hugo Houle (Astana)

Extended: Romain Bardet, Oliver Naesen, Pierre Latour, Ben Gastauer, Axel Domont, 

François Bidard, Alexis Vuillermoz, Mikaël Chérel, Gediminas Bagdonas, Nico Denz, 

Julien Duval

Astana Pro Team
In: Omar Fraile (Dimension Data), Magnus Cort (Orica-Scott), Davide Villella 
(Cannondale-Drapac), Jan Hirt (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), 
Hugo Houle (AG2R La Mondiale), 
Yevgeniy Gidich (Vino-Astana Motors)
Out: Paolo Tiralongo (Retires), Michele Scarponi, Matti Breschel (Cannondale-Drapac),
 Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), Arman Kamyshev
Extended: Jakob Fuglsang, Dario Cataldo, Luis Leon Sanchez, Bakhtiyar Kozhatayev, 
Dmitriy Gruzdev, Ruslan Tleubayev, Pello Bilbao, Daniil Fominykh,
 Artyom Zakharov and Andrei Grivko.

Bahrain-Merida
In: Gorka Izagirre (Movistar), Matej Mohorič (UAE Team Emirates), 
Kristijan Koren (Cannondale-Drapac), Hermann Pernsteiner (Amplatz-BMC), 
Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale), Mark Padun (Team Colpack)
Out: Javier Moreno (Delko Marseille Provence KTM),
 Tsgabu Grmay (Trek-Segafredo), 
Ondřej Cink (PMRA Racing Team), Jon Ander Insausti (Fundación Euskadi), 
Janez Brajkovic
Extended: Sonny Colbrelli, Franco Pellizotti, Heinrich Haussler

BMC Racing Team
In: Nathan Van Hooydonck (BMC Development), Alberto Bettiol (Cannondale-Drapac), 
Jürgen Roelandts (Lotto Soudal), Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott), 
Paddy Bevin (Cannondale-Drapac)
Out: Manuel Quinziato (Retires), Daniel Oss (Bora-Hansgrohe), 
Amaël Moinard (Team Fortuneo-Oscaro), Manuel Senni (Bardiani-CSF), 
Silvan Dillier (AG2R La Mondiale), 
Ben Hermans (Israel Cycling Academy), Sammy Sanchez (Fired), Martin Elmiger (Retires), Floris Gerts
Extended: Richie Porte, Michael Schär, Brent Bookwalter, Alessandro De Marchi, 
Danilo Wyss, Damiano Caruso, Jempy Drucker, Joey Rosskopf, Fran Ventoso, 
ohan Dennis, Stefan Kung, Tejay van Garderen, Tom Bohli

Bora-Hansgrohe
In: Daniel Oss (BMC Racing), Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky), Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Drapac), Felix Großschartner (CCC Sprandi Polkowice)
Out: Shane Archbold (Aqua Blue Sports), Jan Barta (Elkov - Author), 
Silvio Herklotz and Jose Mendes (Burgos-BH)
Extended: Sam Bennett, Michael Schwarzmann, Christoph Pfingsten, Rudi Selig

Cannondale-Drapac
In: Logan Owen (Axeon Hagen Bermans), Sacha Modolo (UAE Team Emirates), 
Dan McLay (Team Fortuneo - Oscaro), Mitch Docker (Orica-Scott), Matti Breschel (Astana), 
Kim Magnusson (Tre Berg-Postnord), Daniel Felipe Martinez (Wilier Triestina - Selle Italia),
Daniel Moreno (Movistar)
Out: Alberto Bettiol (BMC Racing), Kristijan Koren (Bahrain-Merida), 
Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe), Davide Villella (Astana Pro Team), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data), Andrew Talansky (Retires), Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo), 
Wouter Wippert (Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij), Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky), 
Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo), Paddy Bevin (BMC)
Extended: Rigoberto Uran, Michael Woods, Simon Clarke, Alex Howes, 
Lawson Craddock, Will Clarke, Tom Van Asbroeck, Nathan Brown

Dimension Data
In: Nicholas Dlamini (Dimension Data Continental), Louis Meintjes (UAE Team Emirates), Julien Vermote (Quick-Step Floors), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale-Drapac), Scott Davies (Team Wiggins), Amanuel Gebreigzabhier (Dimension Data for Qhubeka)
Out: Omar Fraile (Astana), Nathan Haas (Katusha-Alpecin), Kristian Sbaragli (Israel Cycling Academy), Daniel Teklehaimanot, Youcef Reguigui (Natura4Ever-Sovac), Adrien Niyonshuti
Extended: Steve Cummings, Jay Thomson, Jaco Venter, Johann van Zyl, Jacques Janse van Rensburg, 
Igor Anton, Mekseb Debesay

FDJ
In: Ramon Sinkeldam (Team Sunweb), Georg Preidler (Team Sunweb), 
Valentin Madouas (Neo-Pro), Romain Seigle (Neo-Pro), Bruno Armirail (Neo-Pro)
Out: Odd Christian Eiking (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Arnaud Courteille, Kevin Reza, 
Lorrenzo Manzin, Johan Le Bon and Marc Fournier (Vital Concept), Cedric Pineau (Retires), 
Jérémy Maison (Team Fortuneo - Oscaro), Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie)
Extended: Benoît Vaugrenard, Mickael Delage, Ignatas Konovalovas, Matthieu Ladagnous, Daniel Hoelgaard

Katusha-Alpecin
In: Nathan Haas (Dimension Data), Ian Boswell (Katusha-Alpecin), Matteo Fabbro (Friuli Cycling Team), Marcel Kittel (QuickStep-Floors), Alex Dowsett (Movistar), 
Stef Crass (BMC Development), Willie Smit
Out: Angel Vicioso Arcos (Retires), Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates), 
Rein Taaramäe (Direct Energie), Michael Morkov (QuickStep-Floors), 
Sven Erik Bystrøm (UAE Team Emirates), Matvey Mamkin (Burgos-BH)
Extended: Ilnur Zakarin, Simon Spilak, Tiago Machado, José Gonçalves, Reto Hollenstein, Jhonatan Restrepo, Pavel Kochetkov, Maxim Belkov

Lotto Soudal
In: Victor Campenaerts (Team LottoNL-Jumbo), Lawrence Naesen (WB Veranclassic Aquality Protect), 
Jens Keukeleire (Orica-Scott), 
Bjorg Lambrecht and Harm Van Houcke (Lotto Soudal U23)
Out: Tony Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale), Jürgen Roelandts (BMC Racing), Kris Boeckmans (Vital Concepts), Louis Vervaeke (Team Sunweb), Sean De Bie (Veranda's Willems - Crelan), Rafael Valls (Movistar), Bart De Clercq (Wanty-Groupe Gobert)
Extended: Jelle Wallays, Jasper De Buyst, Maxime Monfort, Jelle Vanendert, Frederik Frison, Tomasz Marczynski, Sander Armee

Movistar Team
In: Eduardo Sepulveda (Fortuneo-Oscaro), Jamie Roson (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Mikel Landa (Team Sky), Jaime Castrillo (Neo-Pro). Rafael Valls (Lotto Soudal)
Out: Adriano Malori (Retires), Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida), Jonathan Castroviejo (Team Sky), Rory Sutherland (UAE Team Emirates), Alex Dowsett (Katusha-Alpecin), 
Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), Jose Herrada (Cofidis), Dani Moreno (Cannondale-Drapac)
Extended: Nelson Oliveira, Jorge Arcas, Antonio Pedrero, Winner Anacona, Carlos Betancur, Dayer Quintana

Orica-Scott
In: Mikel Nieve (Team Sky), Cameron Meyer, Matteo Trentin (Quick-Step Floors), 
Jack Bauer (Quick-Step Floors), Lucas Hamilton (Mitchelton-Scott)
Out: Magnus Cort (Astana), Ruben Plaza (Israel Cycling Academy), Simon Gerrans (BMC Racing), Jens Keukeleire (Lotto Soudal), Mitch Docker (Cannondale-Drapac)
Extended: Svein Tuft, May Hayman, Chris Juul Jensen, Michael Hepburn, Sam Bewley, Jack Haig, 
Michael Albasini, Luka Mezgec

Quick-Step Floors
In: Jhonatan Narvaez (Axeon Hagen Bermans), Florian Sénéchal (Cofidis), Elia Viviani (Team Sky), 
Fabio Jakobsen (SEG Racing), Michael Morkov (Katusha-Alpecin), James Knox (Team Wiggins), Alvaro Hodeg (Coldeportes - Claro)
Out: Matteo Trentin (Orica-Scott), Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin), David de la Cruz (Team Sky), 
Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Julien Vermote (Dimension Data), Jack Bauer (Orica-Scott), 
Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo), Martin Velits (Retires)
Extended: Bob Jungels, Julian Alaphilippe, Fernando Gaviria, Max Richeze, Philippe Gilbert, 
Pieter Serry, Iljo Keisse, Niki Terpstra, Fabio Sabatini, Tim Declercq, Dries Devenyns, Enric Mas, Zdenek Stybar, Davide Martinelli, Eros Capecchi

Team LottoNL-Jumbo
In: Pascal Eenkhoorn (BMC Development Team), Neilson Powless (Axeon Hagens Berman), Sepp Kuss (Rally), Danny van Poppel (Team Sky)
Out: Jurgen Van den Broeck (Retires), Steven Lammertink (Vital Concept), Twan Castelijns, Alexey Vermeulen, Martijn Keizer, Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal), JJ Lobato (Fired)
Extended: Paul Martens, Koen Bouwman, Primoz Roglic, Tom Leezer, Bert-Jan Lindeman, 
Bram Tankink

Team Sky
In: Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar), David de la Cruz (QuickStep-Floors), 
Egan Bernal (Androni Giocattoli), Pavel Sivakov (BMC Development Team),
 Kristoffer Halvorsen (Team Joker Icopal), Chris Lawless (Axeon Hagens Berman), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), 
Leonardo Basso (Neo-Pro)
Out: Peter Kennaugh (Bora-Hansgrohe), Mikel Nieve (Orica-Scott), Ian Boswell (Katusha-Alpecin), Mikel Landa (Movistar), Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors), Danny van Poppel (Team LottoNL-Jumbo)
Extended: Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Michal Kwiatkowski, Christian Knees, Ian Stannard, Michal Golas, Beñat Intxausti, Gianni Moscon, Philip Deignan, Vasil Kiryienka, David López, Sebastián Henao

Team Sunweb
In: Martijn Tusveld (Roompot–Nederlandse Loterij), Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), 
Louis Vervaeke (Lotto Soudal), Jai Hindley (Mitchelton Scott), Michael Storer (Mitchelton Scott)
Out: Ramon Sinkeldam (FDJ), Georg Preidler (FDJ), Warren Barguil (Fortuneo-Oscaro), 
Bert de Backer (Vital Concept), Zico Waeytens (Veranda's Willems - Crelan), Sindre Lunke (Fortuneo-Oscaro)
Extended: Tom Dumoulin, Laurens ten Dam,Søren Kragh Andersen, Sam Oomen, 
Nikias Arndt, Max Walscheid, Johannes Fröhlinger, Chad Haga, Roy Curvers

Trek-Segafredo
In: Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac), Alex Frame (JLT Condor), Gianluca Brambilla (QuickStep-Floors), Niklas Eg (Team Veloconcept), 
Tsgabu Grmay (Bahrain-Merida), Nicola Conci (Neo-Pro)
Out: Haimar Zubeldia (Retires), Alberto Contador (Retires),
 Jesús Hernández (Retires), Edward Theuns (Team Sunweb), Marco Coledan (Trek-Segafredo)
Extended: Fabio Felline, Julien Bernard, Kiel Reijnen, Michael Gogl

UAE Team Emirates
In: Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin), Dan Martin (Quick-Step Floors), Rory Sutherland (Movistar), 
Sven Erik Bystrøm (Katusha-Alpecin), Alexandr Riabushenko (Neo-Pro), 
Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team)
Out: Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Merida), Louis Meintjes (Dimension Data), Andrea Guardini (Bardiani CSF), Marko Kump (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Federico Zurlo
Extended: Matteo Bono, Kristijan Durasek, Roberto Ferrari, Simone Petilli, 
Simone Consonni, Valerio Conti, Marco Marcato (all through end of 2019), Przemyslaw Niemiec

Le Vélodrome de Roubaix (Paris - Roubaix)

It is always hard to put emotions into words, it is impossible to describe what's the feeling of being in the Vélodrome for the arrival of such a unique race.
"L'enfer du Nord", "la dure des dures", etc. So many nicknames for a race are the symptom of the uniqueness of this crazy race.
Sunday I arrived when the Vélodrome was still empty. It seemed  asleep, collecting energies for the hard day ahead of it.
It is important to consider that in Roubaix a brand new modern velodrome has been built, so that the old Vélodrome is not used anymore and it is abandoned during the rest of the year.
The Vélodrome comes back to life just one day a year and it is one of the most emotional event you can attend in your life.
Hour after hour the old Vélodrome de Roubaix starts to fill up, slowly coming back to life after a year of lethargy.
When the race arrives at the Arenberg forest, the Vélodrome is the beating heart of the city of Roubaix and of the cycling world; when the first rider drops in, the Vélodrome has to face its annual heart attack, the last 600 meters are a breathless epilogue of its day of the year. It is something inexplicable, you find yourself in a sort of cycling-centred parallel universe.
Once crowned the winner of the year, the Vélodrome, after having warmly embraced the last rider of the race, slowly goes back to its annual hibernation, preparing himself for its next resurgence.
The Vélodrome this year decided it was time to give Van Avermaet his first Monument but, while you are reading this fleeting Impression, it is already thinking about the new emperor to crown. Who will be? Continue...

Impressions After a Week On the Cobbles

A week on the cobbles has just finished and Van Avermaet comes out confirming his class in one day races.
Nevertheless, I think he wasn't the strongest rider in the peloton, he was just the smartest.
Gilbert lost two races in which he was clearly the strongest, trying to ride in the Sagan's way, a spectacular way to ride but that is not paying back in 2017.
We have also to consider that in order to ride like Sagan you have to be extremely stronger than the other riders and not just in a very good shape.
Allow me now to focus on what happened today in Gent-Wevelgem: while Sagan and Terpstra were arguing, Van Avermaet and Keukeleire, remaining focused on the race, silently rode away.
Van Avermaet took an incredible win that embellishes his palmarés proving that you have to be smart to win without caring too much about pulling as the others or showing that you are the best in the peloton.
I think that Sagan learned a lot from Gent-Wevelgem 2017 and we will enjoy an incredible Ronde Van Vlaanderen.
In conclusion, I want to celebrate the only rider that this week (at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya) won conjugating show, class and cleverness: El Imbatido, Alejandro Valverde.

Answer The Survey And Find Out Who Will Be The Rider Of The Month

Who is the Rider of the Month?

Van Avermaet

Sagan

Rui Costa

Valverde

Quintana

Ulissi

Felline

Roglic

Kristoff

Hermans

 

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The Smell of the Cobbles

Saturday Omloop Het Nieuwsblad will open the season of the Cobbles 2017.
Most people identify the essence of cycling with climbs and Grand Tours.
I understand this but we can't forget the magic of the Classics and in particular the Cobbles Classics.
It is how ask a baby if he prefers mom or dad, It is just a stupid question without answer.
Cobbles Classics are races that allow us to feel part of history and closer to our ancestor.
The cobbles roads are always the same, the Ancient Romans built and trod them with their bigas.
Riders tread them with their bikes, Boonen, Coppi and Merckx have won on the same stones, those trod by the Ancient Romans too and by so many historical figures. Winning or riding a Cobbles Classic means being part of history.
This is the reason why Cobbles Classics are so magical, because history is linked by a sector of Cobblestones.

Neoprene Cycling Gloves (Bontrager Trek Factory Racing)

I've tested these gloves the 31st of  December, It was -4° C and at the end of my training my hands were boiling.
The Bontrager Trek Factory Racing gloves: 100% neoprene with a bit of silicon on fingers and palm are an incredible product, one of the best I've tested so far.
They are incredibly comfortable and easy to slip on and slip off.
The gloves present a little padding that makes them confortable even on cobblestones; the silicone part on fingers and palm allows you a better bike handling.
The gloves are completely waterproof, even in the worst weather conditions.