Victorious At Roubaix!

“A Life’s Work”

After years of just missing out, years of falling victim to the bad luck that goes hand in hand with the most demanding race on the calendar, Wout Van Aert entered the velodrome in Roubaix with just one other rider–a feat in itself. The cycling world held its collective breath. Would Wout be the king of Roubaix? Would Tadej, resplendent in the stripes of the World Champion, just…do what he always does? The meters ticked by, the crowd roared, then Wout wound up for the sprint and barreled ahead in a way that was giving Montmartre. He crossed the line, finger pointed at the heavens in honor of Michael Goolaerts. An 8-year promise finally kept. This was a win that meant more than any other. Chapeau, Wout. There’s simply nothing else to say. 

The whole team was using their standard-issue S5s—capable of both maximum speed and serious tire volume. Even with a 32mm tire that stretched out to nearly 34mm on the Reserve 42|49 wheelset, there was room for mud, should it have appeared, and plenty of room for rogue debris to squeeze through. In addition to the pure speed the S5 delivers, there’s an intangible advantage for the riders racing on the bike they ride week in and week out. They know the feel, they know the handling, and they know when they wind up the sprint, it’ll do exactly as they expect. 

Held for the first time on the same day as the men’s race, Paris-Roubaix Femmes had even more excitement in store. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Marianne Vos, and Franziska Koch went clear of the front group, leaving no question the winner would be amongst the trio. Pauline and Marianne worked hard to set up for a sprint finish, but in the end, Koch had the legs in the final turn of the iconic velodrome. An absolutely heartbreaking near-victory for Marianne, but a fantastic display of teamwork between two icons of the sport. All in all, a fantastic, “Sunday In Hell.”