2014 Paris-Roubaix

La Reine or Queen of the Classics, the Hell of the North or l’enfer du nord,

How to watch the Paris-Roubaix

In person. Really there is no better way, but for those of us located 1/4 to 1/2 way around the road from northern France, we'll have to resort to traditional methods - online. Remember how last week I recommended waking up early to watch the Tour of Flanders, well this Sunday plan to wake even earlier.

Carrefour de l'arbre  Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

When it comes to the Paris-Roubaix you can count on crashes, and riders who woke up fully intending to finish the race and instead find themselves left behind in the dust of a cobbled path in France. All this happens well before the sleepy-heads in America wake up. So don't miss out - wake up early and check the usual suspects for links:

Where to watch the race:

• CyclingFans.com/Paris-Roubaix (live links provided)
• Steephill.TV/Paris-Roubaix  (select a Eurosport link for English coverage)
• Cycling.TV (paid $29.99 for 3 months) 
• NBC Sports (Cale TV - United States; Live online at 7am) 
• A.S.O. Live ticker (text updates) 

You can also pay via Cycling.TV, but I usually watch the free links. I like to juggle between two open browsers and play ping-pong x'ing out the ads so I don't miss any coverage during commercial breaks. I also read text updates for breakaway time gaps and placement of riders. I don't read Twitter anymore, annoys the heck out of me with the same people tweeting the same news, I would much rather watch the scenery and real race action.

Parcours of 2014 Paris-Roubaix

When to watch the race:

• Start time: Sunday April 13 10:15 CET (2:15:00 AM MDT)
• Earliest live video: 12:50 CET (4:50:00 AM MDT)
• Approximate finish: 16:50 CET (8:50:00 AM MDT)

Race Facts:

• April 13, 2014, (1 week before Easter Sunday this year)
• 112th edition
• 25 teams, 8 riders each, 200 riders
• Compeigne to Roubaix in France
• 257 kilometers
• 5,886,720 cobblestones
• The 3rd of 5 monuments in the classics season

Race details:

• Paris-Roubaix map, timetable, profile, cobble secteurs
• The leaders should be on the secteur pavé de la Trouée d'Arenberg at 14h15 CEST (08:15 EDT, 06:15 MDT)
• The race leaders should Entrée du vélodrome at 16h31 CEST (10:31 EDT, 08:31 MDT)
• Rider Startlist & teams at ProCycling Stats

Race Previews Paris-Roubaix 2014:

• C-Cyling
• Pez Cycling
• Team SKY Guide to the Paris-Roubix

Route marker   Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

Podium in 2013:

Fabian Cancellara (SUI) RLT
Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) BLA
Niki Terpstra (NED) OPQ

Previous Winners:

2013 Fabian CANCELLARA
2012 Tom BOONEN
2011 Johan VANSUMMEREN
2010 Fabian CANCELLARA
2009 Tom BOONEN
2008 Tom BOONEN
2007 Stuart O’GRADY
2006 Fabian CANCELLARA
2005 Tom BOONEN

Interest:

Teams reconned the course on Thursday (video: French, 03:13)
Best Of Paris-Roubaix 2013 (video: English, 03:02)
Organizers rate 28 cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix, By VeloNews
How to pronounce Compeigne Pronunciation

Bikes:

Bike Modifications for Paris-Roubaix, By Cycling Tips 
Interview: Scott Sunderland on Roubaix tech of the past decade, By Bike Radar

Walking into the Arenberg Forest on race day. Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

This race is guaranteed excitement!

Time to revisit my post from 2012 (story and photos) when I took a long anticipated trip to see the Paris-Roubaix in person: I was a fan at the Paris-Roubaix (including driving instructions on how to get to the Arenberg Forest and Carrefour de l'Abre). It is times like this that I am so happy I write a blog so that I can go back and read what happened that day, strange how memories fade overtime. It sure sounds like I had a blast being a fan in the Arenberg forest and Le Carrefour de l'Arbre, more at: Stories from Belgium. Also see: I went to Belgium and took pictures of cobbles (photos from Le Carefour de l'Abre). Or A Brief History of the Paris-Roubaix

This year I thought I would share photos from the day I visited the Roubaix Velodrome:

All photos below by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

When you know you are on the route of the Paris-Roubaix

This is the final sector of pave before the Roubaix Velodrome. I can't imagine the thrill for the first rider hitting this section.

As you walk along the cobbles, commemorative pave stones to past victors have been inserted

The inserted stones are a virtual walk of fame

I hope the year '2012' has been added to Tom's stone by now

After the last cobbled sector, the riders take a sharp right onto this last paved section leading into the velodrome ahead.

They race past this sign on the left to the famed Velodrome Club House

Leaving the Club House behind and all it's occupants at the bar

This is what every rider has dreamed of seeing first (without the car and rider of course). This is the entrance to the Roubaix Velodrome.

The roar of the crowd is now deafening as they make the right sweeping corner into the Roubaix Velodrome

Around the track they go

Making history on this surface

Using everything they have

Towards the bleachers and beyond

Across the new coat of paint and the fans standing on the hillside

It seems huge and yet so small

Looping around the green grass of the outdoor velodrome

The goal is that line, in front of all the fans

This line; where dreams are realized.

Then they will get their name on the wall above the bar in the Club House de Roubaix (and one of those nice paving stones with their name on it)

They will get a smaller version of this as a trophy.

And a well-deserved shower.

And their friends will buy their beer for the rest of their life (this one is inside the Club House)

See more of my photos from I was a fan at the Paris-Roubaix in the Arenberg forest. More info on the Pedal Dancer Page: SPRING CLASSICS

I was there!

If you go to a bike race in France in spring - be sure to bring a flag. I love this photo I found on Cycling Tips from 2012. This is the mood of the Paris-Roubaix:

And this one presented by Cycling Tips in a collection of photos: Paris-Roubaix: Moments in History

Sunday's race should be dry without rain and mud, which means dust!

A new Gran Fondo in Colorado

The Gran Fondo Italia comes to Colorado

Gran Fondos are certainly a growing trend in the United States and the long roads of Colorado are perfect for these challenging timed events. Cyclists now have reason to visit Colorado and enter one of many Gran Fondos on offer in our short but sweet season of road cycling in the high mountains.

The best fact about this newest Gran Fondo is the date. By August, cyclists are in shape and wanting something more. The popular Copper Triangle ride takes place August 2nd this year at the Copper Mountain Resort near Vail, Colorado. Why not continue deep into the mountains and try this new Gran Fondo in Aspen/Snowmass. There is truly fantastic bike riding in this central area of Colorado.

Gran Fondo Italia - Snowmass website
The company is organizing four events in 2014: Aspen-Snowmass, Atlanta-Roswell, Miami-Coral Gables, Rio de Janeiro.

If you missed registration for the tremendously popular early season Durango-Silverton Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, do not fear, you have more options for long distance timed cycling events. Here are your Gran Fondo choices for the 2014 season:

2014 Colorado Gran Fondos or timed events

May 17, 2014 - Pony Xpress (Gravel), Trinidad, Colorado. 160//90/50 
May 24-26, 2014 - Durango-Silverton Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, Durango (Sold-out)
May 25, 2014 - Growler Gran Fondo, Gunnison, Colorado
June 22, 2014 - Black Forest Classic Gran Fondo, Parker, Colorado
June 28, 2014 - Vuelta a Keystone, Keystone, Colorado
June 29, 2014 - Golden Gran Fondo, Golden, Colorado  
July 27, 2014 - Durango 100 Gran Fondo, Durango, Colorado
August 10, 2014 - Gran Fondo Italia - Snowmass, Snowmass Village, Colorado
Aug/Sept ??? 2014 - The Coal Miner Gran Fondo, Steamboat Springs, Colorado   
August 31, 2014 - Dave Wiens West Elk Bicycle Classic, Gunnison-CB (134 miles) 
September 4-5, 2014 - Rock 'n Road Challenge, Copper Mountain (MTB + Road)

Read a bit about the Golden Gran Fondo here: Photos of the Day - Lookout Mountain
See more nearby Gran Fondos here: 2014 Colorado Cycling Events and Bike Rides
The 2014 USA Pro Challenge begins again in Aspen/Snowmass, read more:
USA PRO CHALLENGE

Riding near Snowmass in 2013

On the road to the Maroon Bells

Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

You never know who you will see riding in the Aspen/Snowmass Valley

Chris Froome and Richie Porte riding up the road to Snowmass Village in 2013.  Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®

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I went to a bike race with a camera

Round and round they went

I went to a local criterium bike race on Saturday in nearby Louisville, Colorado. This one photo says a lot about the day:

I look at riders faces all day long, then come home and stare at them some more on the computer. A lot of those people I don't even know, but many I do, so going to any local bike race is like seeing old friends again and answering "what's new with you?" Besides the social fun, I am always looking for new shots, new angles, new stories - those creative shots in between the hundreds (and hundreds) of laps amuse me greatly.

Here are a few from the day (below). I feel they tell the story of what being on the sidelines of a criterium feels like. And to be quite honest, most race photographers start looking for something else to break up the usual leaning into the corner crit shot. Many times I have been with the best of the best at the Tour of California, for example, and by day five we are all kidding with each other, "Well I already got the palm trees and that cute kid over there, what else can I shoot before the call up."

It's the final lap bell - how creative of me!

One of my favorite parts of a local race is when teams gather with friends and family immediately after their category and go over the race highlights.

I also admire all these "old guys" whose bodies have yet to fail them. They are so strong (and their knees are covered in dramatic scars). If you want to watch a very impressive race, watch a 45+ 55+ category race near Denver/Boulder Colorado. Wow, these men are like the .0001 % of the population that can do this really well.

With my camera I try to catch the feel good moments like this

And share in happy moments like this

Plus take a few race shots - covering all the basics of race photography

The Classic leaning crit shot

The facial expression of effort shot

The SM3 peloton pack shot

The classic slightly blurred speed shot

The distant winding road shot

The here they come again shot. Is this lap 8 or 9?

I try to generally capture the mood of what it was like to visit with friends and watch bikes whiz by.

Observe that old technology has hit our local race scene (and these riders look pretty happy about that). Read: Our secret recovery weapon (Garmin-Sharp team, from 2008!)

Normatec compression system

pure bliss

The next time I will be back out to shoot a local race will be for the Sonic Boom. Until then, I will picture these brave strong racers going round and round, and round.

The 2014 Tour of Flanders

Big Day tomorrow in Belgium!

I had a friend ask me the other day, "How can I watch the Tour of Flanders?" I was going to begin my answer with - "Set your alarm for really early, get up, put on your bathrobe and slippers, make a big pot of coffee, grab a waffle to set the mood, and settle in to one of the best races of the pro season." But instead I gave a real answer, which was - "Go to CyclingFans.com or Steephill.TV, search for the race name Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen), click the link and then scroll down the page for live links."

Watch Tour of Flanders Live (links)
http://www.cyclingfans.com/ronde-van-vlaanderen/live
http://www.steephill.tv/classics/tour-of-flanders/

For English, select a Eurosport link or SKY link. I also recommend following live text updates on CyclingNews. To really know which climb they are on at the moment, refer to the official race website (even though it is not in English):

When to watch:
Start time: Sunday April 6 10:45 CET (2:45AM MDT)
Earliest live video: 12:00 CET (4:00:00 AM MDT)
Approximate finish: 16:41 CET (8:41:00 AM MDT)

I used to write up full race previews, but these days so many others do such a great job, I will simply refer you to the best resources I know: 

Route / Track / Parcours

Link to RVV route map and profile

Facts
200 riders, 25 teams, 8 riders each
Start: Brugge  -  Finish: Oudenaarde
Official Ronde van Vlaanderen Website
Flanders App
Live Wierlrennen 
Startlist & Top 15 Favorites via ProCycling Stats
Timetable 
Key climbs of the Tour of Flanders (Steephill.TV)
If it seems like they are going over the Kwaremont three times, it is because they are; the Paterberg is featured only twice this year. 

Race Preview
Team SKY race guide
C-Cycling preview (same as Cycling Tips)
Cycling Central
Top 10 Riders To Watch At The Tour Of Flanders GCN
Climb by Bike map of Ronde van Vlaanderen

Interviews
Boonen, Cancellara and Sagan on Tour of Flanders
Tom Boonen interview about the "Old Kwaremont"
Tom Boonen interview about the "Patterberg" 

Bike Set-ups 
Peter Sagan's Cannondale bike for the 2014 Tour of Flanders
Pro bike: Taylor Phinney's BMC GF01
Gerald Ciolek’s Trek Domane SRAM RED 22 
Bikes and Gear for the 2014 Tour of Flanders 

Interest
Excellent Edition of Ronde van Vlaanderen Sportive
Fabian Cancellara is flesh and blood like the rest of us, By Matthew Beaudin

Results from 2013
1. Fabian Cancellara
2. Peter Sagan
3. Jurgen Roelandts 

And here is my tip on how to drive from the start in Brugge to the Kwaremont the back way and avoid traffic (from my trip to the Tour of Flanders in 2012, note the exact race route has changed since then): Stories from Belgium. And story from the day: A day on the Kwaremont.

I have such great memories of being at the Tour of Flanders in Belgium in 2012. I bought a VIP pass so I could get great access to the teams before the race start in Brugge. They treated us to an enormous breakfast first, which was the perfect way to begin the long day. Later a four-course dinner in the city of Kortrijk and a Westmalle Triple, was the perfect way to end one of the best days I have ever had being a fan of cycling.

 All Photos below by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer
 
At the start of the RVV in Brugge, it was so exciting to be there.

t'Zand square in Brugge on the morning of Tour of Flanders

Looking at bikes

And people

And teams

And riders

And cobble secteurs

I almost got run over by Fabian Cancellara just before the race started. Then I drove south from Brugge ...

And parked in a field in Belgium, hosted by some nice neighbors near the Kwaremont.

I waited on the Kwaremont with the fans for the peloton to arrive

To watch Tom Boonen on the cobbles

First time up the Oude Kwaremont

Watching the TV between laps (This is The ChainStays TV for their clients)

Second time up the Kwaremont

Narrow cobbles as the line of team cars rushed by

Waiting in between laps on the Kwaremont

Third time up Kwaremont

And then we all walked over to the nearby field to watch the free public large screen TV

And saw Tom Boomen eventually win the 2012 Tour of Flanders. A huge cheer rung out.

I can't wait for the race tomorrow!

2014 Tour of Flanders Race Results:
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Ronde_van_Vlaanderen_2014 
2014 Tour of Flanders Gallery by Tim De Waele

“You want to show you’re the strongest. And then when you win and you have this feeling, this new experience … tactics and feelings and mentality and power and luck and so many things, and it’s just something beautiful.” ~ Fabian Cancellara