Tech news for April 19, 2001Paris Roubaix—beforeBetween the appalling weather conditions and the cobbles, Paris-Roubaix is the nastiest race of the year from a bike's point of view. Bikes that like to spend their days on warm roads of Southern Europe are subjected to the inhuman punishment of the cobbles of Northern France. Is it any wonder so many of them revolt by dumping the air from their tyres and refusing to continue? This year, 142 of 197 bikes escaped the full horror of Paris-Roubaix and went for an early hose-down. It's a testament to the skill and dedication of the mechanics who service these heroic machines that the remaining 55 reached Roubaix. Tim Maloney got close to the bikes before the race.
TLC for an Ag2R Prevoyance DecathlonAn Ag2R mechanic coaxes a reluctant machine into pointing forwards so it can carry eventually finish in 21st place with Christophe Agnolutto on board. In a race that claimed so many bikes, this was the only one of the Ag2R Prevoyance fleet to reach Roubaix with its rider still pedalling it. | ||
Plotting for total Domo-nationWilfried Peeters and Servais Knaven's Eddy Merckx bikes are seen here at the top of the heap as Domo's machines meet to plan the tactics and strategy that will allow them to take their riders to the full set of podium positions. After the race Johan Museeuw was full of praise for bike sponsor Eddy Merckx: "He has given us a bike that's a lot better than the one that Colnago has given us for the last few years." | ||
Museeuw's MerckxMuseeuw's not saying much about his ride: "I don't want to reveal the measurements. I want to keep it to myself, because next year I want to ride another Paris-Roubaix." Whatever the secret of this bike, it enabled Museeuw to delivery one of the strongest Paris-Roubaix rides on record. If anyone could create the perfect Paris-Roubaix bike, it'd be the combination of Museeuw and Merckx, with five wins and nine podium spots between them. | ||
Museeuw's Clement GrifoJohan Museeuw must have been chuckling when he hit the first section of pavé and ploughed through the mud propelled by the tread of this cyclo-cross tyre. Fortunately the rain kept the mud liquid enough not to clog—tyres this fat don't leave much room for mud build up in a road frame. | ||
Credit Agricole's RockShoxIn recent years several teams have used RockShox suspension forks to try and take the edge off the bumps and improve handling on the cobbles. Suspension was rarer this year, with these Look bikes being the only ones we spotted with suspension. It's an equipment strategy that probably made little difference to the outcome. Only Jens Voigt (that's his bike in the middle) finished the race from the eight Credit Agricole starters. | ||
Les BMWs de la GendarmerieMudguards to keep the spray down and a nice warm engine to wrap yourself round—maybe the accompanying police had the right bike choice.
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More from Paris-Roubaix in The Aftermath… | ||
