"There is a big difference between Paris-Roubaix then and now" - Jose de Cauwer trusts Tadej Pogacar's bid for Paris-Roubaix
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar turned heads on Wednesday with a Paris-Roubaix recon ride on Strava when he recorded some of fastest times on the race's iconic cobbled sectors. José De Cauwer has seen cycling change profoundly thanks to advancements in technology, training and tactics.
He particularly notices this change at Paris-Roubaix. "In recent years, there has been a big difference between Paris-Roubaix now and the past," he tells Sporza. "The choice of equipment has improved so much that specialist work is somewhat neglected."
De Cauwer believes that this is one of the reasons a rider like Tadej Pogacar can compete for prizes in a race that was never tailor-made for typical climbers. "You also see fewer and fewer riders with blisters. Bikes simply roll better, there are much heavier tires, different set-ups. That's why it's different. Suddenly, lighter riders can handle it too, they used to say that 70 kg was the minimum. You'll see, Pogacar will definitely be able to handle it."
And for them, but actually for everyone, training behind the motorbike is of vital importance. De Cauwer: "It's hardly comparable: riding into the Arrenberg Forrest at 35 km or 60 km per hour." It's why the debated chicane was introduced on the course last year to prevent carnage that may occur when a 100-headed peloton hits the 5-star cobbles at full speed.
Alpecin-Deceuninck's selection on echelons ensured an eventless passage of Arrenberg in 2024, but the approach to the famous sector will be much more straight forward again next Sunday. That means larger entry speeds and with that comes greater risk of crashes.
"Then you really have to survive the first 500 meters. That bike also has to be steered, that's a completely different picture. That's why it's really necessary to experience that behind a car or motorcycle to have that speed."
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- Tricky one as while I agree Pogi and UAE are simply faster over a long distance which means Visma and MVP need to be as smart with energy use as can, it's also been proven in the past that one way for Pogi to be beaten is relentless attacks, to put him into the red. However that does require a rider to as good as sacrifice themselves for that one move which makes riskHoopoeChai07-04-2025
- Even if not technically against the rules, this is just bad etiquette and frankly I hope the rest of pelaton remembers Arkea don't care about etiquette or honoring tradition which means they shouldn't benifit from it.HoopoeChai07-04-2025
- The other issue is that Mad Petersen and Wout would have let MVDP do most of the work, as he kept showing he was stronger. MVDP did the strategy with the highest likelihood of victory, he just wasn't strong enough.acem8207-04-2025
- Crash did not help, Out of position for first attack did not help, illness did not help, pacing was not the best either. MVDP has never raced to his limits against other riders but this is his characteristics when he cracks, he cracks big time just like his first elite men WC RR. Against Pogi he needed to be optimized and he is notabstractengineer07-04-2025
- Yes, I completely agree! Before going to a doctor, I give my immune system time to react. If a reasonable amount of time passes and I'm not cured, then I go to the doctor. Fortunately, I haven't needed a doctor in years!
maria2024202407-04-2025 - A lot of medicine does nothing more than speed up recovery time 4-5 days instead of 7-8, 10-12 instead of 2 weeks. It is questionable if it’s really a good thing for healthy people to rely on it as it also makes your immune system lazy and less responsive next time round, making you more and more reliant on medication (surprise, surprise). A bit like glasses, the less you succumb to adapting their strength, the slower the deterioration. Unfortunately many bacterial infections are not so easy to fight without help, your body should manage in the end but it can take really long, I once had strong fever for 3 months trying to fight an infection without reducing work or lifestyle (the antibiotics at the beginning didn’t help).Mistermaumau07-04-2025
- In this case, maybe is my fault (my ignorance). Fortunately, my family hasn't been sick for many, many years, so I can't say if doctors in Italy are still old-fashioned. When we catch a cold (very mild, nothing that requires medical attention), we recover completely in about a week. This may have reinforced my belief in the 7-day cure. Thank you so much, MisterMmaria2024202407-04-2025
- I appreciate the No Excuses thing...bobo07-04-2025
- It’s totally normal people don’t generally know, the way doctors continue in their old-fashioned ways. SHOCKING even to see how often they prescribe then without even knowing or testing if your infection is viral or bacterial, even when governments have already launched information campaigns. It’s as if their on the manufacturers’ payroll and exploiting patients.Mistermaumau07-04-2025
- Easy to say, but when you know you were not in the best of form and you don’t know how it’ll be on the day, the only way you can find out what’s possible is by testing what you can do what you can. The fact that he was “only” as good as MP and WVA makes the discussion pretty pointless, all unbiased people are interested in is who is the better when both are in top shape. I for one wouldn’t want to go back to the days of unhealthy gang rivalries such as the DV brothers against Merckx which could devolve into dirty tricks, quite happy everyone now tries to win in his own way.Mistermaumau07-04-2025