From bikeben@u.washington.edu Wed May 2 17:17:33 2001 Received: from mxu4.u.washington.edu (mxu4.u.washington.edu [140.142.33.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.11.2+UW01.01/8.11.2+UW01.04) with ESMTP id f430HW071978 for ; Wed, 2 May 2001 17:17:32 -0700 Received: from fhcrc.org (uluc01.fhcrc.org [140.107.52.11]) by mxu4.u.washington.edu (8.11.2+UW01.01/8.11.2+UW01.04) with ESMTP id f430HWs21833 for ; Wed, 2 May 2001 17:17:32 -0700 Received: from fred.fhcrc.org (fred [140.107.52.52]) by fhcrc.org (8.10.2/8.10.2) with ESMTP id f430HVh00084 for ; Wed, 2 May 2001 17:17:31 -0700 (PDT) Received: from BenjaminLeung (dhcp020216 [140.107.20.216]) by fred.fhcrc.org (8.9.3+Sun/8.9.1) with SMTP id RAA28102 for ; Wed, 2 May 2001 17:17:27 -0700 (PDT) From: "Benjamin Leung" To: Subject: A first hand experience at Paris-Roubaix Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 17:25:06 -0700 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2911.0) X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 If you had any doubts whatsoever about what kind of hardman you need to be to race in Europe, this should clear them up. Below is Derek Bouchard-Hall's description of this year's Paris-Roubaix. For those of you not familiar with him, he's a pro with the Mercury team. While Derek may have been a domestique in Europe, he's clearly no slouch when it comes to cycling. He was on the US track pursuit squad at the Sydney Olympics, as well as 2000 USPRO national Criterium Champion. Incidentally, Derek got his start in cycling at the collegiate level-- I rode with him we were both at Princeton. Ben ------------------------------------------- Benjamin Leung Priess Lab / Division of Basic Sciences Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center 1100 Fairview Avenue, MS A3-013 P.O. Box 19024 Seattle, WA 98109-1024 (206) 667-4525 phone (206) 667-3650 fax AIM:drbikeben ------------------------------------------- >note: Paris-Robaix is the most famous and most difficult single-day bike >race in the world. It was held a couple weeks ago. The begian team Domo, >took 1-2-3 this year in spectacular fashion. Derek Brouchard-Hall, who >rides for the the Viatel-Mercury team, tells his story (try to forgive >him the early WWI comparisons): > >-r. >************ > >As we huddled in our cramped camper, Peter Van >Petegem, a hard man among hard men, looked out the >window pensively. When he turned to address the team, >we became silent in anticipation of his thoughts. >Devoid of emotion, he said, "This will be a day you >will never forget." He has a way of stating the >obvious in such a way that makes it seem profound >nonetheless. And he was, of course, correct. > >In the trenches of the Western Front of WWI, grown men >lay huddled in fear just moments from a battle they >could only imagine. Perhaps they had heard tales from >others. Perhaps they had previously experienced a bit >of battle themselves. But nothing could prepare them >for the hell they would encounter when the order was >given to begin the assault and crawl over that trench >wall. What would be going through their minds? Why >would they even obey that order? At 10:50 AM, Sunday >April 15, 2001, I felt like I now had a vague idea. >The commissars whistle blew, calling riders to the >start line. I donned my helmet, stepped out of the >safety of the camper, and entered the hell that would >be the 99th Paris-Roubaix. > >Here was out battle plan: First, we had to repel the >potentially devastating first strike attack. Many >teams would try to send riders up the road on the flat >to rolling and windswept initial 100 kilometers of the >race. If enough riders, from enough teams, got >together without representation from our team, a >dangerous alliance could be formed that would cost us >many casualties from a dreaded team chase. Our >counter to this strategy would be to dedicate two >riders to patrol the front of the race during that >long run into the pave to insure that if a large break >got away, it would have our team in it. A small break >of 6 or less without us would be acceptable, but a >large one would have to include us. The early break >patrol would consist of Jans Koerts and myself. Due >to the nature of that task, entailing a great deal of >effort very early in a very long race, we took on the >unofficial motto of the marines: "First to die." We >knew that our assignment would likely mean that we >would not survive the race long enough to see it to >the end. > >Second, we had to protect at all costs our two most >potent and destructive weapons: Leon Van Bon and Peter >Van Petegem. As the race is very, very long, it is >important to save all of their power for the fierce >battle on the cobbles. Because the run into the >cobbles is mined with dangerous crosswinds, without >protection they could be caught having to expend >energy before the real race begins. So, we created >two weapon protection units consisting of Gord Fraser >and Plamen Stainov for Leon and Wim Vansevenant and >Jamie Drew for Peter. Their mission would be to >follow their assigned leader, sheltering him from the >winds onslaught and supplying him with any needed >food or clothing. In crosswinds, the field will form >an echelon with a long tail on the leeward side where >the road edge prevents further continuation of the >echelon and hence protection from the wind. If one of >our key weapons finds himself in that tail ("in the >gutter") then his protectors will escort him, wind >sheltered, to the front of the echelon. Also, if the >race were to break apart into many echelons, then it >would be necessary to get Leon and Peter into the >first echelon. > >Third, all available personnel would be responsible >for proper positioning of our weapons for the start of >the real battle: the pave. Position into the first >pave section is critical. Because the roads are so >narrow, and passing nearly impossible in the muddy >conditions, ones position at the start of the cobbles >at kilometer 100 can virtually predetermine ones >finish at kilometer 254. As the saying goes, you >cant win Paris-Roubaix by having good position at the >start of the pave, but you most certainly can and will >lose Paris-Roubaix by having poor position. So, we >would have to use every means at our disposal to help >Leon and Peter be at the front at the right time. One >tactic would be to line up our team at the front with >our leaders behind the sacrificial lambs who would >push the wind. If that were not possible due to >general chaos, then individual sprints to the front >with Leon or Peter on the wheel would have to do. > >Fourth, hit the pave and go like hell. It would be >important for all our riders to ride the initial >sections of pave in the best position possible. If >Leon or Peter were to flat, a teammates wheel may >come faster than that from the team car, support >motorcycle, or roadside support. "Never give up >early," was the mantra proffered by the Belgians on >the team with experience in the event. They knew that >regroupings sometimes occur unexpectedly. Fight on >and suffer until the race has clearly sorted itself >out. > >I stepped out of that camper into heavy rain, >40-degree temperatures, and strong wind. Reports from >the pave fields told of 2 inches of slippery mud on >top of the cobbles. Johan Lammerts (team director and >former Tour of Flanders winner) and Greg Lemond (team >sponsor and former Cats Hill Criterium winner) gave >me last minute advice which consisted largely of >seemingly useful truisms as "ride the front" and >"start the pave in the top 10." Good ideas both. I >found my way to the start line and negotiated a >position near the front. The lead car drove away and >we followed. We cruised through the town of Compiegne >at 20km/hr to the cheers of thousands. Miraculously, >I was able to spot Kevin Moran and friends out of the >corner of my eye. It felt good to know that familiar >faces would bear witness to my saga. At the outside >of town we passed under the large banner which read >"Depart ? km 0." The battle was on. > >The attacks started instantly. I tried to be as >selective as possible with which ones to follow. >Because I dont know the riders and teams here as well >as I am accustomed, this proved difficult to do. I >jumped again and again in pursuit of attacks. I often >found myself in a group that had gotten a significant >gap on the field, but the right combination was not >there so we returned to the field. Our speed was >consistently above 50km/hr during this battery of >attacks. After about 40km, a group of five slipped >away on a long false flat in the crosswind. Because >the group was small enough to not be a threat, I could >let it go. The field stayed restless for about >another 20km, then finally settled down to await the >rush for the cobbles. We had 190km to go, and I was >already feeling fatigued. > >Now that the first strike threat was contained, I >could turn my attention to helping out Leon and Peter. > With about 20km to go before the pave, you could >sense the field was getting anxious. It was clear >that it would be impossible to get the team together >at the front and ride to the cobbles together. There >was just too much movement and aggression to stay >together just off the front and too much power from >other teams to remain the whole time at the front. >So, we just free-lanced as best we could. I saw Leon >was about half way back so I tried to stay near him. >With 15km to go, it was time to move up. But by then, >it was almost already too late. The field, despite it >going rather fast, remained completely bunched up at >the front from curb to curb. There simply was no >place to move up at all. Power was not an issue ? you >could not have moved up on a motorcycle. Even the >common practice of hopping onto the sidewalk and >dodging pedestrians and lampposts to move up would not >work because riders in front of you were already doing >that without success. All I could do was remain in my >position with absolutely no place to go. With 10km to >go, Leon was just behind me and asked me to move up. >Of course, it was just not possible. He wisely took >matters into his own hands. With about 7km to go, I >saw him hop onto the sidewalk. A completely blind >corner approached as we wove through a small town and >dove past a large brick building. When the others on >the sidewalk pushed back into the field before the >corner, Leon hit the gas and took the corner on the >sidewalk. There was no way for him to know what was >on the other side. He took a chance, and it paid off. > Narrowly missing a pole and several spectators, he >moved up about 50 riders and was now near the front. >Without a bit of luck, or a huge team leadout, that is >just what it takes. > >With about 3km to go, we hit a very narrow road with >heavy crosswind. This provided a bit of an opening on >the windward side of the road due to some echeloning, >but we were now going over 50km/hr and it was very >hard in the wind. I sprinted into the wind as hard as >I could every chance I could get to try to move up, >but a huge effort would only gain me about 5 >positions. At one point I got back into the top 40, >but a crash on the shoulder of the road pushed me back >about 30 positions instantly when I hit the brakes to >swerve. When we finally turned onto pave sector 1, I >was probably in about 80th position and the field was >single file. > >The moment I hit the pave, the mud started splattering >up onto my face and everything else. It was a shower >of mud coming straight up off the ground. You could >not see the pave at all. The road simply looked like >it was mud alone. But you could sure feel the pave ? >the pounding was violent and relentless. About 100 >meters onto the pave, a Lotto rider (read: native >Belgian) spectacularly crashed. Several others piled >on top of him, many others coming to a stop just >behind the mess. I had to stop, dismount, and run >around the traffic jamb. I continued on. This >process was repeated again and again. It was carnage >? muddy bodies lay strewn about throughout the initial >sections of pave. > >Riding the pave in these conditions was like climbing >? it was nearly impossible to use the rider in front >of you for drafting. For one, the speeds were slow (I >typically rode a 44X16 or 15). Two, there was too >much mud coming off the rider in front of you too see. > Three, you really needed to be able to see a few feet >of road in front of you to navigate around the holes >(being so slippery, quick turning not possible - only >gentle drifting.) I felt like I was now racing >against the pave, not the other riders. > >I, like most riders, rode on the tops of the bars the >majority of the time on the pave. I frequently >switched to the drops for a short time, however, in >order to spread out the pounding to my upper body as >much as possible. Holding the bars further from the >stem actually gives you a bit more shock absorption >for the hands, though it is harder on the back. Three >examples of the pounding you get from the pave: 1) A >sensitive tooth of mine began to ache from the >vibration passing though my spine to my skull. It >continued to ache for several days afterward. 2) It >is difficult to see while on the pave because your >head is shaking so violently that your vision is >blurred. 3) While attempting to switch gears with my >STI levers, my hand somehow smashed against the lever >and tore my finger nail almost completely off. My >hands were already aching enough by this point that I >only realized the extent of the damage to my finger >when I reached paved ground again and could see the >blood running down my bars. > >I nonetheless found that I was surprisingly adept on >the pave relative to many others. I was encouraged >that I always seemed to be going forward, slowly >moving up one rider at a time. Many riders were >fishtailing awkwardly constantly, whereas I felt >smooth and in control. I was even able to pass riders >when needed, which is difficult. To do so you have to >slide down off the hump of the pave into the gutter, >accelerate around the rider, and quickly get back up >on the hump ? all without sliding out. A personal >triumph for me was passing Ekimov, who I found was >slowing me up. > >After the first few sectors of pave, I found myself in >a group of about 20 that was probably 2 minutes or >less behind the leaders. I could not tell how many >riders where in front of us, but I guessed that there >were about 40. There were some strong riders in my >group who were powering us along. I was starting to >tire rapidly, however, my earlier efforts and the cold >taking their toll. I started to lose position on the >pave now and found myself falling towards the back of >the group. When riders fell, as someone did on every >sector, I often found myself caught behind a >bottleneck. This was a particular problem for me >because I lost the ability to clip out of my pedals. >When I had to come to a stop, I simply fell over. On >the ground I could bang my heal out of the pedals with >a good blow from my fist. Clipping in was also >difficult because the vibration from the stones made >it hard to align my foot on the pedal. Each fiasco I >ran into meant a hard chase back to the group ? and >more fatigue. > >By the 6th sector of pave, I got split off from the >hard chasing group I was in on a false flat road in >heavy crosswind. I fell back into another chase group >which was less motivated. I rode with that group for >another few sectors of pave. Slowly, however, my >group disintegrated when some foolishly attacked on >the pave and others dropped out. They realized that >they would never see the front of the race again and >that their duties were over. Before long, on sector >9, I found myself alone. > >I really wanted to finish the race, but I had other >factors to consider. One, I had done my job and had >nothing left to contribute to the team. Two, I had >another race to do in two days and one more two days >after that. To ride the whole course would be fine >for the legs, but absolutely brutal on the upper body. > Finishing would likely mean being sore for a week. I >know its Paris-Roubaix, but I came to Europe for only >5 races ? and this one could ruin my ability to do the >last two of those. Three, I was unfamiliar with how >this race deals with stragglers. At Ghent-Wevelgem, >you were totally out of the race if you were just two >minutes behind ? and there was no broom wagon. I >didnt want to get caught having to ride 100kms on my >own in the cold rain on pedestrian crowded pave only >to find that the Roubaix velodrome had already been >closed. Fourth, I was tired as hell. Fifth, in my >mind, the honor of finishing a race comes from >actually being part of the race to the end. Simply >riding the distance, at training speeds, with nothing >left for grabs like prize money or UCI points, is not >what racing is about. > >At the beginning of the 10th sector of pave, after 145 >kms with 17 kms of pave, I called it quits. More than >half the field had already done so. I saw a group of >team cars from other teams. I had hoped to hitch a >ride with one of them to the second feed zone where my >teams staff would be. But, they had no room. They >told me that a van would be coming soon and that I >could get a ride from it. Well, that van took 15 >minutes to reach me ? I must have been not too far off >the pace at that point. While I waited, I was passed >by my teammate Plamen Stainov and one other. Were >they really going to try to finish? When the van did >arrive, I discovered that it was the broom wagon ? >meaning that it would be following the entire length >of the course. With 100kms to go, that would be 3 >hours in the van. Unless, we reached the 2nd feed >zone before the staff left for the finish. Any hope >of that was dashed when we caught up with Plamen and >friend, who were creeping along. The broom wagon >would not pass them, so we would be stuck behind them >for the rest of the race. I respected their >determination, though also knew that by finishing >Plamen would be useless for the rest of the week in >the races to come. > >It actually turned out to be good fun in the van. It >was filled with defeated riders, but no one was in bad >spirits. We all had done our best in a very special >race. Also, the under-appreciation of domestiques was >the root for camaraderie. We listened together to the >race radio and shared thoughts on how the race was >unfolding. > >When we reached the last feed zone, Plamen and friend >were now 45 minutes down. All team cars were gone. >We would have to go the last 50km behind the >struggling duo. When their speed became unbearably >slow, the policeman who was accompanying them began to >motor pace them. We in the van were happy to be going >faster, but we were now less impressed with their >determination. Soon, they stopped motor pacing all >together and started simply hanging onto the >motorcycle. The van became very irritated with that >maneuver. To be stuck behind a valiant, if misguided, >effort to finish was one thing. But to be stuck >behind two guys hanging on to a motorcycle was >another. That was just poor form. I took some heat >for being on the same team with one of the offending >riders. > >Alas, nearly 40 minutes down, we arrived at the >Roubaix velodrome. I climbed out of the van and >walked to the showers. The 99th Paris-Roubaix was now >officially complete. It was a race I will never >forget and would do again in a second. > >Misc. Race notes: > >Our team used very little special equipment for the >event. The most important thing we did (like many >other teams) was use 25mm tires with a kevlar bead, >rather than our standard 23mm tires. This may seem >like a small difference, but it is not. I dont know >whether we were lucky or the Vittoria tires we used >were brilliant, but our team didnt have a single flat >in the event. The other thing we did was wrap our >bars with a thin, closed-cell foam under our usual >handlebar tape. I found that helped my hands quite a >bit. Leons bike was outfitted with an extra set of >brake calipers that could be used when the hands are >on the tops of the bars. > >Most mechanical problems encountered by riders were >not from flatting, but from the mud. In particular, >only riders using mountain bike pedals escaped >problems clipping in and out. For instance, Telekoms >Steffan Weseman rode for 80kms in the front group >without being completely clipped into his pedals. >Other problems included the loss of shifting and >tremendous chain drive friction. Many riders did bike >changes just to get a clean bike. > >The Domo team, which dominated the event, did not do >so by accident or strength alone. From perfect >equipment choices to intimate knowledge of all the >pave sectors, they invested heavily in the race. For >instance, they recruited friends, family, and fans to >form an army of roadside support for the team. They >had literally dozens of people spaced out on the >course with spare wheels for the team. This army >would leap frog the race from spot to spot to minimize >the distance the team could go without having wheels >available. > >At one point when Domos Wilfried Peeters was off the >front solo, he flatted right in front of one of our >team mechanics on the course who had spare wheels for >us. Wilfried rode right up to him and asked for a >wheel. Our mechanic, despite Leon being in the chase >group 45 seconds behind, didnt hesitate ? he changed >his wheel and pushed him back into the race. Despite >taking some heat from our teams management for the >benevolent act, he later said that as a fan of bike >racing he could not help but to give a wheel to the >leader of Paris-Roubaix. I could not agree more. > >-- >Flying Pepper Design ~ Animation and Effects > 7151 Wilton Avenue, suite 102, Sebastopol CA 95472 > v: 707.824.2007 f: 707.824.9673 > http://www.flyingpepperdesign.com > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com .