In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy: Boy, that escalated quickly.
What started out earlier this week as a somewhat ambitious request by the pro riders’ union, the CPA, to Paris-Roubaix’s organisers to help slow the speed of the peloton, and therefore increase the safety of its members, as they enter the iconic, and terrifying, Forest of Arenberg on Sunday, quickly and surprisingly came to fruition yesterday afternoon, as ASO confirmed that it will modify the approach to the Arenberg by adding a motor racing-style “chicane” just before the sector.
For those unfamiliar with the Trouée d’Arenberg, the 2.3km stretch of jagged, unruly cobbles – even by the misshapen standards of the Hell of the North – forms one of the pivotal moments in the men’s Paris-Roubaix (it’s yet to be featured in the women’s version, despite the protests of the sport’s leading riders), and is marked both by the crash-filled chaos contained within the forest, and the fight for position that precedes it, with the bunch barrelling towards its gloomy entrance at speeds of over 60kph.
It’s that pre-Arenberg ‘sprint’, and the dangers of it, that prompted the CPA to request a change to the usual arrow-straight run-in. The Paris-Roubaix organisers then presented the union with a choice between continuing to ride straight into the Arenberg or choose one of three re-routes just before the sector.
The CPA then said anything was preferable to the traditional high-speed approach, so this is what – as captured by Italian journalist Stefano Rizzato yesterday – the ASO came up with:
Ecco la chicane introdotta all’ingresso della foresta di #Arenberg, appena ufficializzata per la #ParisRoubaix@RaiSportpic.twitter.com/9cJ4p2Omxa
— Stefano Rizzato (@stefanorizzato) April 3, 2024
Yep, that’s no F1-style ‘chicane’.
Instead, by the looks of things, the riders will still race down the arrow-straight approach at speed, before taking a tight right-hand turn, seemingly just around 50 metres before the Forest, into what can best be described as a bottleneck, before almost immediately taking a U-turn, then another 90-degree right hander into the forest.
Needless to say, the last-minute route change has divided opinion.
Is this a joke? 🤔 https://t.co/WkkUe2YC5U
— Mathieu Van der Poel (@mathieuvdpoel) April 3, 2024
“Is this a joke?” Mathieu van der Poel, last year’s Roubaix winner and the red hot favourite for Sunday, asked on Twitter (though ironically, ‘cross star and bike handler extraordinaire Van der Poel is probably one of the riders best suited to those incredibly tight turns).
Visma-Lease a Bike’s Dylan van Baarle, on the other hand, appears to be in favour of the updated approach (or maybe’s just seeking some divine intervention):
— Dylan van Baarle (@DylanvanBaarle) April 3, 2024
“May as well put a 50m walking transition zone like triathlon before Arenberg to slow them down,” former British champion and Eurosport commentator Brian Smith tweeted.
“Most will be walking round this dogleg. It’s not a chicane in my book. A dead turn in any race is asking for trouble.”
— Brian Smith 𝕆𝕃𝕐 (@BriSmithy) April 3, 2024
“Let's all be honest... Paris - Roubaix ain’t a safe race!” Smith continued. “Everyone knows this... Everyone knows the drill. Leave it as it is, or delete the race. Fans love it.”
Meanwhile, former American pro and history’s most eyebrow-raising Vuelta winner, Chris Horner added: “Personally, I’d rather crash on some holy cobbles than wrapped up in brutal fencing and/or pavement a few feet shy of the promised land.
“I think a lot of riders will end their day thinking, ‘well, I almost made it to the Arenberg’…”
(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
However, others weren’t as scathing of the change.
“Lots of sarcastic comments about a chicane also not being safe but if there’s a sharp corner people slow down and generally falling on asphalt at 35 km/h is a decent amount safer than falling on cobbles at 50 km/h,” wrote cyclocrosser-turned-commentator Jens Dekker. “A small improvement is also an improvement.”
CPA president Adam Hansen also claimed that the ‘chicane’ will not only make the race safer, but also increase the action once the riders hit the Arenberg cobbles.
“Riders reached, and we acted on their behalf. Now, with a slower entrance to Arenberg, riders won’t hit it with speed and momentum. It’s going to make this sector even harder than before,” he said.
What do you think? Will ASO’s new pre-Arenberg bottleneck system lead to safer and better racing on one of cycling’s holiest roads? Or will we instead simply witness carnage on the tarmac instead of the cobbles?
After a few stages marred by crashes, disaster has struck at the Tour of the Basque Country, after a horror crash on a corner with around 30km to go has brought down several riders, including Primož Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel.
Roglič and Evenepoel both appear injured, with the Belgian champion, who slid off the road at speed, seen holding his bloodied arm.
Tour de France winner Vingegaard, meanwhile, looks seriously hurt, and was seen on the television pictures barely moving as he was being treated. The Dane was then moved onto a stretcher, where he is receiving oxygen.
Another UAE Team Emirates rider also looked in a bad way, having crashed into a concrete drainage ditch, but was seen moving a few minutes ago.
The peloton slowed down following the crash, with Tao Geoghegan Hart asking the organisers for information, before a neutralisation was called, due to the number of ambulances required to treat the fallen riders.
It’s these kind of moments in cycling, a sport we all love, that make us sick to our stomachs, so you’ll forgive me for not including any images from the race.
We wish everybody involved the best.
After a period of confusion, as the likes of Jonas Vingegaard were treated and taken to hospital in the wake of this afternoon’s horror crash, the Tour of the Basque Country’s organisers, rather strangely, announced that the breakaway alone would be left to contest the finish and the stage win, after one ambulance was made available to follow the riders.
On the other hand, the peloton behind has been permitted to roll into the finish, with the GC times frozen and effectively neutralised.
Meanwhile, in promising news, UAE Team Emirates’ Jay Vine – who looked seriously hurt – was reported by Eurosport Spain to be conscious and talking in the ambulance.
➡️ La imagen que todos esperábamos ver, @rogla nos da el OK 👍. Seguimos pendientes del resto de afectados.
🔴 MORE INFO ⬇️
🔗 https://t.co/JABIxm2f7g#Itzulia2024pic.twitter.com/IuiTr27oe2
— Itzulia Basque Country (@ehitzulia) April 4, 2024
Primož Roglič was also seen sitting in his Bora-Hansgrohe team car, hopefully indicating that the Slovenian doesn’t appear to be too badly injured. Remco Evenepoel has also been taken to hospital to be treated, his Soudal-Quick Step team said.
Louis Meintjes wins, but our thoughts are with all the riders involved in the nasty crash. Safety and well-being of our colleagues, it's all that matters 🙏 #Itzulia2024pic.twitter.com/Z6pu0TV5Be
— Intermarché-Wanty (@IntermarcheW) April 4, 2024
On a day where results don’t really matter all that much, Intermarché-Wanty’s veteran climber Louis Meintjes secured a half-hearted win – evidenced in his less than effusive victory salute – after dropping his still-racing breakaway companions on the final climb.
Behind, Groupama-FDJ’s 23-year-old Kiwi Reuben Thompson outsprinted Karel Vacek for second, though by that point it was clear that the air had disappeared completely from the race as a spectacle.
Meanwhile, as Meintjes and co. reluctantly fought it out for the win on a grim, confusing day at the Tour of the Basque Country, Visma-Lease a Bike confirmed that Jonas Vingegaard is conscious and being examined in hospital – news that means much more than a bike race.
It’s only two more sleeps to Paris-Roubaix (not that you could tell by my excitable nature on this live blog, of course), so what better way to prepare for the Queen of the Classics than by sitting down with a cup of tea and tuning into the latest road.cc Podcast episode, where I am joined by two cobble stars past and present, Zoe and Magnus Bäckstedt, to chat all things Hell of the North.
Just don’t tell Magnus it’s been 20 years since his Roubaix win…
> “It’s Paris-Roubaix!” Zoe and Magnus Bäckstedt on “blood, mud, and tears” at the Hell of the North, plus cycling and climbing from the lowest to the highest point of each continent (and avoiding getting arrested) with Oli France on the road.cc Podcast
Mathieu van der Poel may not be too fussed about the Paris-Roubaix organiser’s decision to add a few super tight turns directly at the entrance to the Forest of Arenberg, but one of his main rivals of the spring, Visma-Lease a Bike’s Matteo Jorgenson, has this morning come out strongly in support of the route modification.
In a bid to underline the need for increased safety measures on the Arenberg, the 24-year-old American, a Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen winner already after a breakthrough start to 2024, posted a (distressing) photo of a bloodied and battered Mitch Docker, who infamously crashed headfirst on the forest’s cobbles in 2016, fracturing an eye socket, cutting his tongue in half, cutting his lip in half, and breaking six teeth.
Is this what fans want to see? Riders completely covered in blood after sliding face-first at 50mph/80kph on sharp rocks in a forest? I’ll take a couple of turns and some guys sliding out on pavement any day… https://t.co/Xi6OZnZSa9pic.twitter.com/jNHtu5ndjc
— Matteo Jorgenson (@MatteoJorg) April 4, 2024
“Is this what fans want to see?” Jorgenson asked. “Riders completely covered in blood after sliding face-first at 50mph/80kph on sharp rocks in a forest?
“I’ll take a couple of turns and some guys sliding out on pavement any day…”
Another day, another update from the land of the cycling PSPO (that is, basically every English town or city), where Windsor and Maidenhead council have extended their ban on riding bikes in pedestrianised areas for another three years.
Introduced in April 2021, the Public Space Protection Order permits community wardens (always reliable with their interpretation of the rules) and police officers to tell cyclists to stop and dismount in the pedestrianised areas of Peascod Street, Windsor, and High Street, Maidenhead, the BBC reports.
> Cyclists to be banned from cycling through Windsor and Maidenhead high streets
Like elsewhere in the UK where such PSPOs are in force, cyclists can be fined £100 for failing to comply (the same punishment meted out to dog owners who let their pet foul in public).
However, following feedback from local cycling groups, the council has requested a follow-up consultation on whether to limit the PSPO so it only operates between 10am and 5pm.
Council leader Simon Werne thanked residents for their feedback and said there was “clearly wide support for continuing” the orders.
“While these measures do give wardens the ability to issue fines, their focus is allowing wardens to have meaningful conversations with the minority of people who break the rules to encourage voluntary compliance and changes in behaviour,” he said.
😈Discover the design of the #ParisRoubaix collection, a tribute to the iconic Vélodrome André-Pétrieux, with @SANTINI_SMS👉 https://t.co/CGSrs5tDz9
🔥Découvrez le design de la collection #ParisRoubaix, un hommage au mythique Vélodrome André-Pétrieux 👉 https://t.co/CGSrs5tDz9pic.twitter.com/VzEV3JObLJ
— Paris-Roubaix (@parisroubaix) April 4, 2024
Apparently inspired by the boards of the Roubaix velodrome, our own VecchioJo reckons it looks like a front room floor made from upcycled velodrome planks (though he says he quite likes it, so there’s a glimpse of what Jo’s house must look like).
I for one can’t wait for next year’s ‘Arenberg Chicane’ jersey…
Arenberg this, and Arenberg that – but maybe we should be paying more attention to some of the other sectors this weekend at Paris-Roubaix, including this brutally muddy corner between Haveluy and Wallers, the stretch of cobbles immediately preceding the infamous forest:
Une photo prise hier du secteur 20 de #ParisRoubaix, de Haveluy à Wallers, avec beaucoup de boue. Pour rappel, ce secteur intervient juste avant la Trouée d'Arenberg. pic.twitter.com/5CKIhZMTvW
— Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) April 3, 2024
Local newspaper reports in France have also noted that the pavé in general at the moment is “damp, muddy, and dangerous” after a winter punctuated by persistent flooding, with more rain expected to fall tomorrow and Sunday.
The especially damp nature of the Paris-Roubaix cobbles this spring was verified to us by Canyon-Sram’s wunderkind Zoe Bäckstedt – who knows a thing or two about handling her bike in tricky conditions – on this week’s episode of the road.cc Podcast (which should be coming your way very soon).
“We’ve done a couple of recons and it’s been quite wet on the cobbles,” the British star said.
“And when I say quite wet, I mean puddles everywhere, to the point where you couldn’t even see where the cobbles were anymore, so you’re just riding and hoping you don’t fall off.”
Is only the second properly muddy Paris-Roubaix in two decades on the cards?
Bora-Hansgrohe have issued an update this lunchtime on the condition of their German Tour de France stage winner Lennard Kämna, who was struck by a motorist while training in Tenerife yesterday.
Bora say Kämna suffered “numerous” injuries in the collision, which according to the team occurred when the driver of an oncoming vehicle turned left into the cyclist’s lane and hit him. The 27-year-old was riding as part of a Bora training group, accompanied by team coaches, at the time of the crash, though no other riders or coaches were involved.
The German squad also revealed that Kämna is currently in “stable condition” in hospital, and is “awake, responsive, and able to communicate”.
“He is receiving very good care in the hospital on Tenerife and will be monitored in the intensive care unit over the next few days. Members of his family and the team are with him,” the team said in a statement.
Bora-Hansgrohe team manager Ralph Denk added: “We are relieved that Lennard’s condition has stabilized after this serious accident and that he is doing well under the circumstances.
“The whole team feels for him, and we all wish him a speedy recovery. From the team side, we will continue to do everything necessary to ensure that he makes a full recovery from this accident. That’s all that matters now, anything else can wait.”
I know all the focus at the minute is on the inherent dangers of Paris-Roubaix, but the Tour of the Basque Country certainly hasn’t been one for the fainthearted so far, with crashes blighting the race’s opening two road stages.
And with Primož Roglič bandaged up in yellow and deemed good to go, the Ineos Grenadiers’ young Spaniard Carlos Rodríguez also joined the ranks of the pedalling wounded this morning, showing off the rather gnarly hand injury he sustained in a crash during yesterday’s run-in…
Heridas de guerra 🤕💪🏼
A pesar de las heridas que sufrió en la etapa de ayer, @_rccarlos tomará la salida en la etapa de hoy.
🏆 @bancosabadell#Itzulia2024pic.twitter.com/45rMbQnxux
— Itzulia Basque Country (@ehitzulia) April 4, 2024
Ahhhh….
I think I’ll just leave this particularly baffling Twitter exchange here…
That’s an accident,not a deliberate act unlike those wankers on their bikes.
— Stephen king (@Stephen92165934) April 3, 2024
Cheers Stephen Bunch of Numbers, top class input there.
In case you missed it last night, we reported on the curious, and downright baffling, case of a Colchester cyclist who was left stunned when she was handed a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice by a council warden who claimed that she was “riding on the footpath”– despite the path in question being designated as a shared-use cycle route since 2011.
The fiasco has also raised concerns about the use of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) in the city – ostensibly to stop people on bikes riding in an annoying, intimidating, or damaging manner – against cyclists riding safely and considerately.
And this morning, a spokesperson for Colchester City Council got back to us, admitting that the penalty notice in question was an “error” and “inappropriate”, and announcing that they are working with Colchester-based cyclists to “ensure clear signage and consistent enforcement across the city”.
Read more: > “Why pick on a lone female cyclist?” Cyclist slapped with £100 fine – for riding on a cycle path
“We appreciate the Colchester Cycling Campaign bringing this matter to our attention,” the spokesperson said.
“On this specific occasion, following a review of the circumstances surrounding the FPN, it was determined that a penalty notice was not appropriate.
“We will be reviewing our internal procedures to minimise the chance of similar errors occurring in the future.
“PSPOs are important tools to ensure the safety and enjoyment of public spaces for all users. We are committed to working collaboratively with Colchester Cycling Campaign and other stakeholders to ensure clear signage and consistent enforcement across the city.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused to the cyclist involved. We are committed to providing safe and accessible cycling routes for everyone in Colchester.”
In happier news for Bora-Hansgrohe, the squad’s stage racing talisman Primož Roglič is set to start today’s fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country, despite suffering cuts and bruising on his right side during yesterday’s stage to Altsasu.
Roglič is leading the relentless hilly stage race after a blistering opening time trial – despite a late detour off course – but became the latest victim of what has been a crash-marred event after sliding out yesterday on a left-hand bend, footage of which was captured by a fan:
Video of the crash of Primož Roglič 😱 #Itzulia2024pic.twitter.com/4eGf9lKUPY
— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) April 3, 2024
Despite suffering several cuts in the crash, and ripping a good portion of his jersey and shorts to shreds, the misfortune-prone Slovenian continued to battle near the front, finishing in 18th behind stage winner Quinten Hermans and retaining his overall lead.
“Initial examinations indicate that Primož suffered superficial wounds on his right side, contusions and bruising. A roadside assessment excluded concussion,” Bora said in a statement last night, adding that Roglič was also taken to hospital for further examinations.
But this morning, the team confirmed that the 34-year-old had recovered sufficiently to start today’s stage to Leguito, which features a potential GC-changing nine per cent climb just ten kilometres from the finish.
A typical Roglič day then…
Yesterday, Bora-Hansgrohe’s Lennard Kämna became another member of the increasingly large bunch of pro cyclists injured while training in recent years, after the team announced that the German was involved in a “traffic accident” while training in Tenerife yesterday.
The 27-year-old, a stage winner at all three grand tours, was taking part in an altitude camp on the Spanish island when the collision took place and is currently in hospital.
“Today we were unfortunately reminded once again how dangerous our sport can be,” Bora said in a statement.
“Lennard Kämna was involved in a traffic accident today that occurred during a training ride on Tenerife. He is currently in hospital for further examinations. More details asap. Get well soon Lenny!”
How to create beautiful and sustainable urban transport:
1️⃣ Put trams on a carpet of grass
2️⃣ Put cyclists on a carpet of red asphalt
3️⃣ Combine 1 and 2 pic.twitter.com/yVaAUiNEsh— De Filmende Fietser (@FilmendeFietser) April 3, 2024
See kids, this is why you don’t believe everything the road book tells you.
Because, according to the organisers of the Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Cup Tour of Thailand (to give the stage race its full name), stage three’s final climb to Ban Rak Thai was supposed to average 10.4 per cent over its 4km length, with the route profile even pointing out that the first 1.2km of the climb average over 12 per cent.
So, extremely tough indeed.
But one thing the organisers failed to highlight was a particularly nasty 600m section averaging 17 per cent, and topping out at over 20, which – if this clip is anything to go by – seemed to take more than a few riders by surprise:
Today's uphill finish in Tour of Thailand, nice murito. Soon to be seen in Vuelta a Espana. 🐐
🎥 @ciclodelmundopic.twitter.com/ZEDk5CypO6— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) April 3, 2024
After the tarmac Koppenberg was over and done with, home rider Peerapol Chawchiangkwang – who rather accurately described the climb as “hell” on Strava – outsprinted 31-year-old Dutchman Adne van Engelen for the win.
Today’s much less ferocious fourth stage was won by Australian-born Irish rider Jesse Ewart in a small group sprint, while poor Peerapol lost the leader’s jersey to Van Engelen, his legs presumably still stinging from the previous day.