| Not an exceptional Paris-Roubaix, I thought. Even so, I was rivetted to the
screen during the 4 hours coverage we got from National TV!! Some of the
images were truly incredible, although the tranche through the forest was, I
thought, less well-covered than usual.
Guesdon benefitted from being an (almost) unknown and also from the experience
of Marc Madiot, the DS of La Francaise des Jeux, who himself won Paris-Roubaix
twice. He must be fairly resilient, having suffered the misfortune of joining
Le Groupement for his first pro team. He was outside the time limit in P-R
1995, but finished in an empty stadium, - in 1996, he was 14th.
Personally, I'm glad that Tchmil got nothing, it was patently obvious that he
would rather see anyone win rather than Museeuw. It was a result that the two
(generous) sprinters deserved, although to give Moncassin his due, he did make
the race in the latter stages, together with Museeuw. Museeuw punctured with
14 to go while away with Tchmil and Moncassin - had this not happened, they
would have stayed away and the World Champion, who was obviously head and
shoulders above everyone else on the day, would have won.
They talk about needing 3 things to win Paris-Roubaix
- Luck
- Exceptional form on the day
- Courage
Museeuw had 5 punctures (2 at critical stages of the race) and 2 bike changes,
most of his team-mates had troubles (2 were riding with 'flu), 2 more were
replaced on the morning, and he still brought the chasing group back and had
the form and courage to get third place. Still, all the Mapei cash couldn't
buy the final element, luck.
I'll try to post the "film" if I get the time.
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| PARIS-ROUBAIX - DIMANCHE 13/O4
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PRINCIPAUX EVENEMENTS
PREMIERE ECHAPPEE: Jaermann lance la premi�re attaque au km27. Bonetti et
Pretot le rejoignent un peu plus loin. Les 3 hommes abordent les premiers
pav�s avec pr�s de 5' d'avance sur le peloton. Au ravitaillement de Solesmes
(km155,5) Museeuw change de v�lo.
TAFI EN TETE: Avant Arenberg, un groupe de 11 hommes se d�gage et rejoint
les 3 coureurs de t�te. Le groupe est compos� de: Cueff, Knaven, Auger,
Van Bon, Casarotto, Durand, O'Grady, Eeckhout, Lafis, Feys et Tafi).
Le trio est donc rejoint au km 158 d'o� sortent en t�te Tafi et O'Grady.
Moncassin et Sorensen sont bien plac�s dans les rangs du peloton.
MUSEEUW RETARDE: Sorensen puis Gaumont acc�l�rent. Dans la longue portion
pav�e d'Enneti�res (km 222), Zanini et Museeuw entra�nent Moncassin, Vogel
& Planckaert. Sorensen, Tchmil, Wauters et Sciandri
les rejoignent. Les poursuivants sont � 14 secondes. Museeuw, retard� par
une crevaison, est repris.
VOGEL EN AVANT-GARDE: Vogels d�marre � Louvil (km 236,5). Wauters l'imite
alors que le premier peloton rejoint les �chapp�s. Sciandri, intercal�,
se rel�ve � Wannehain (km 244). Les deux hommes sont repris par Museeuw,
Moncassin et Tchmil dans la zone de Camphin (km 246).
Au carrefour de l'Arbre (km 25O), Moncassin acc�l�re tandis que Museeuw et
Tchmil le suivent. A la sortie de la zone, Museeuw cr�ve une nouvelle fois.
Moncassin et Tchmil se relaient pour conserver un avantage d'environ 15
secondes sur un petit groupe (Planckaert Wauters, Casarotto, Guesdon,
Sorensen) que Museeuw a rejoint
GUESDON PAR SURPRISE: Tchmil puis Moncassin tentent leur chance � tour de
r�le. Les deux hommes sont rejoints � l'entr�e du v�lodrome. Moncassin est
d�bord� dans la ligne oppos�e et Guesdon surgit dans le dernier virage.
Il s'impose avec plusieurs longueurs devant Planckaert et Museeuw.
AND NOW, the pigin English ......
FIRST BREAK: Jaermann breaks away first at km27. Bonetti et
Pretot join him a little further on. The 3 attack the first pav�s with
nearly 5' avance on the peloton. At the ravitaillement de Solesmes
(km155,5) Museeuw changes bikes.
TAFI IN THE LEAD: Before Arenberg (the famous tranche through the forest),
a group of 11 gets away and joins with the 3 leaders. This group contains:
Cueff, Knaven, Auger, Van Bon, Casarotto, Durand, O'Grady, Eeckhout, Lafis,
Feys et Tafi). The trio are caught at km 158 at which point Tafi et O'Grady
lead. Moncassin et Sorensen are well placed in the peloton.
5 EN TETE: Casarotto (crevaison) et Auger (chute - very bad, he was
unconscious
for some time) are dropped. Sorensen tried a counter but fails.
Van Bon, Eeckhout et Lafis are dropped on the pav�s de Tilloy (km 18O).
Tafi, O'Grady, Durand, Feys et Knaven remain in the lead, but their
advantage drops. The Rabobank bring everything together again at the 5O
to go sign (km 217).
MUSEEUW DELAYED: Sorensen, then Gaumont acc�l�rent. In the long portion
of pav�e d'Enneti�res (km 222), Zanini et Museeuw lead Moncassin, Vogel
& Planckaert. Sorensen, Tchmil, Wauters et Sciandri join up with them.
The chasers are �t 14 secondes, and Museeuw, stopped by a puncture, is
recaught.
VOGEL EN AVANT-GARDE: Vogels breaks away at Louvil (km 236,5), and Wauters
follows suit while the first peloton recatches the breakaways. Sciandri,
who is between the two, gives up at Wannehain (km 244). Vogels & Wauters
are recaught by Museeuw, Moncassin et Tchmil in the zone of Camphin (km 246).
At the carrefour de l'Arbre (km 25O), Moncassin acc�l�re while Museeuw and
Tchmil follow (I saw this bit - Moncassin took off on an evil bit of pave
and cut from one side to the other, but Museeuw was too strong and dragged
Tchmil back to the Frenchman's wheel). At the exit of this zone, Museeuw
punctures once more (this was the decisive event of the whole day!!).
Moncassin and Tchmil relay each other, maintaining 15 secondes on a small
group (Planckaert Wauters, Casarotto, Guesdon, Sorensen) which Museeuw
manages to get back to.
GUESDON BY SURPRISE: Tchmil then Moncassin try their luck but are recaught
at the entry of the v�lodrome. Moncassin is overwhelmed with half a lap to
go, but Guesdon takes his chance by surging over the top on the last banking
to drop down to the inside and win by several lengths from Planckaert et
Museeuw.
L'Equipe
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