The 'rest stop' has extra meaning for this club of local junior riders
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Credit Agricole's Brad Wiggins at the start
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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T-Mobile's Erik Zabel: "Everybody dreams about the podium,"
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Discovery Channel's George Hincapie, at the start
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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England's road champ Roger Hammond had a plastic brace for his broken thumb
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Lampre - Caffita's Alessandro Ballan (Ita) had had a great Tour of Flanders
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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For Cannondale owners - one view of Ballan's special
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And another view
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Stuart O'Grady's Wilier
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The popular O'Grady signs an autograph prior to the start.
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Juan Antonia Flecha before the start.
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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A close-up of Flecha's special 'cross-style Pinarello.
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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The rear stays
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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The headset assembly
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Last year's winner of Paris-Roubaix, Magnus Backstedt
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Another previous winner, Andrea Tafi, stopped to sign autographs
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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On the other hand, the somewhat fashionably late Tom Boonen
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Peter Van Petegem (right) makes a last-minute adjustment to his eyewear
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Australia's two best prospects in Paris-Roubaix
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Spotted waiting expectantly prior to the peloton's arrival
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This is what the crowd has been waiting for
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And the peloton literally rumbles through
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With almost 70km to go at Tilloy-les-Marchiennes the early break
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Inside the Cyclingnews humvee
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Any vantage point will do
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Following a CSC team car in the final 50km, only minutes ahead of the leaders.
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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And the crowds became thicker.
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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One of the many heavy vehicles parked in the paddocks
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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As the leaders cross the finish line for the penultimate time
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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The distant expression says it all.
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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A pleasantly surprised Juan Antonio Flecha
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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Two former winners of Paris-Roubaix - Magnus Backstedt and Andrea Tafi
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp
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