"Gobsmackingly Brilliant" rides of 2000

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Johan Museeuw

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I can't avoid mentioning the "hard men of Flanders", Tchmil and Museeuw. Their wins at the Ronde and Paris-Roubaix and the way they achieved them show to what extent cycling is alive and inspiring. If a sport's fascination and pulling-power is symbolized by a handful of its individual champions, these two have to be named top protagonists when answering the question of why cycling not only survives the heavy sea it is currently sailing, but also remains the mythical and exceptional sport it has been since the beginning. To see these men winning was to explore the sport's heritage and heart!

Christian Westhoff
Berlin, Germany
Monday, 11 December

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Museeuw winning Roubaix

Tom Nagle
USA
Sun, 10 Dec

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Museeuw in P-R

Michael Bauman
Hillsdale, MI
Sat, 9 Dec

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Johan Museeuw's win at Roubaix!

Timothy Dunnigan
Sat, 9 Dec

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My second place would be Museeuw's ride at Paris-Roubaix.

R. Baker
Wichita, Kansas
Sat, 9 Dec

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Museeuw - Brave and unstoppable in "The Hell of the North"

Brandon Gilhooly
Boulder, Colorado
Sat, 9 Dec

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Got to be Johan Museeuw, the Classics master. Despite his old injuries he had been jumping and looking for the break in most of the early season one days and it was poetic but also almost inevitable that he would blast off in Roubaix forcing the rest of the field into surrender. "Top Mentions" obviously for Millar, Armstrong, McKenzie (in the Giro), Hammond (Ghent/Wevelgem) and the GB World's and Olympics teams. Well Done!

Mark Wilkinson,
London, UK
Fri, 8 Dec

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The big rivals: Museeuw and Tchmil: If they could, these 'old' men would drink each other's blood. Especially in the Spring classics, it's a pleasure to see the way these two try everything to be in front of their eternal enemy. Besides this heroic clash, these two know how to concentrate, control the course and to attack. They don't need any help, their ambition is sufficient to win. I really hope Museeuw is able to return at his best level.

Maarten Treep
Den Haag, the Netherlands
Thu, 7 Dec

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Museeuw. Paris-Roubaix. Obviously

Francis Longworth
USA
Thu, 7 Dec

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Museeuw at Paris Roubaix.

Allan
[Long .sig snipped but quite emphatically from:] Canada
Wed, 6 Dec

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Museeuw coming back from the brink - a rider with true class.

Marty Power
USA
Sunday, December 3

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First, the best ride of the year - Johan Museeuw at Roubaix. Just like his win in '98 Flanders, he went early when most others thought he would die. But this man does not make many mistakes in "his" events. George Hincapie should have known to go with Museeuw especially with Andreu up the road - free ride to the front and maybe win the sprint. But Johan gave everything. He could barely come up with a finish line celebration just like in '98 when he finished with spit and mud all over his face. This guy has grit.

Adrienne Brown
USA
Sunday, December 3

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Johan Museeuw in Paris-Roubaix.

Wim Ponsaert
Belgium
Wednesday, December 6

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For me two things from 2000 really stand out. Firstly the frequently mentioned ride of Johan Museeuw in the Paris-Roubaix. It was a gutsy ride from a great competitor and you had the satisfying feeling of having willed him on and then seeing him get his reward.

Jan Buxton
SW Scotland
Wednesday, December 6

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In the film of Paris-Roubaix, at one point Museeuw rides past a duo of fans holding a flag. The flag is horizontal, with the edges snapping in that quick, short way that indicates a howling wind. He is alone, turning an enormous gear at over 50 kph. Tchmil at Flanders and Lance at Hautacam lack that one poetic moment that the above performances hold for me but are equally awesome. Thanks boys!

Barry White
Chicago, IL USA
Tuesday, December 5

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Museeuw. Let's face it at the age he was when he had his second serious accident retirment would have been sensible, to come back at all was amazing, to win in Roubaix, inspiring.

Kim Shearer
Switzerland
Saturday, December 2'

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Johan Museeuw - I fell out with this guy because he took the yellow jersey from Boardman in the '94 Tour when Chris had the chance to wear it in the UK and give cycling the coverage that it never gets there!! Since then Johan's life has been far from a bed of roses. He won my heart back MANY times over since. He has shown all of us quite simply that you should never give up - just keep trying!!

Richard Warmington
USA
Monday, November 27

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I thought that it might be fun to hear from all the other cycling fans out there regarding their favourite win of the 2000 season, and specifically the one day races, that is the World Cup. My number one for the 2000 season has to be the Paris-Roubaix, which as you all know was won by Johan Museeuw.

With such a strong headwind, Johan had to dig into the depths of his soul to find the will just to keep going, let alone win. It was fantastic, especially when you consider that he nearly lost his leg the year before. The man is a tank! Gobsmackingly Brilliant! And what about Frank Vandenbrouke's Liege-Baston-Liege win in 1999 - so, so classy! Personally I find the Classics much more exhilarating than the Big Tours, But that's me,What do you think?

David Voller
Sweden
Sat, 18 Nov

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Don Johan Museeuw winning in the Paris Roubaix.

Jose M Peña
Madrid, Spain
Mon, 11 Dec

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Johan Museeuw's win at Roubaix. From near death to total domination.

David R Wooten, Jr
Sun, 10 Dec

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A tie - just like Florida - between my main man Johan M's massive Paris-Roubaix and Axel M's stage win in the Giro. Since both chads have been punched I guess I'm disqualified!

Kjell Ljungskog
Mon, 11 Dec

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There is only one who in my opinion showed strength and determination beyond most others that being the Johan 'The Lion of Flanders' coming back to lay his ghosts to rest in 2000!

Steve Chitt
UK
Mon, 11 Dec

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Museeuw - Paris-Roubaix.

Christopher Lloyd
Mon, 11 Dec

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Revenge in Roubaix: Johan Museeuw.

Jonas Coertjens
Belgium
Thu, 14 Dec

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Museeuw - The legend, Roubaix).

Mark Windsor
Bathurst NSW, Australia
Fri, 15 Dec

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Paris-Roubaix: Museeuw. A man among boys on that day. Used Andreau like a derny for a little while toward the end and then just went about his business.

T Sexton
Rochester, NY
Thu, 14 Dec

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