Albertina does Paris-Roubaix: Carrefour de l'Arbre
by Albertina on Apr 14, 2009 6:11 PM EDT
43 comments
Dear readers, you left us in the car, haring across northern France in search of some more cobbles. Well, I am happy to report that we arrived in the village of Camphin-en-Pevele about half an hour after leaving Arenberg, parked, and followed the crowd on foot towards the Carrefour de l'Arbre, with barely a hitch. I think we have already established that many Flemish fans are a little bonkers. Happily we didn't see any of the trouble described by Pippo and others from where we were, but gosh was it mad! These lion wielding souls danced for hours (we later learnt that in their midst was none other than CycleGirl, who is officially the Party Girl of the Pave).
We heard on the radio that Tommeke was doing well. His fans awaited....
In the distance, across the massive ploughed field, we spotted this chap. Question for you...where do you think he comes from? Scotland? Yes, so did we. But he was Belgian. We only discovered this after going up to him and declaring our excitement at finding someone else from the UK. Woops. How embarrassing. But what the heck is this flag?!
And then came the riders. I'm afraid I didn't manage to get picture of any of the leaders as I was too busy jumping up and down in excitement. We had no idea of the carnage which had gone on earlier in the sector.
The stragglers looked exhausted:
We saw Tom Boonen win and collect his cobble on a TV in someone's campervan:
And then, what must have been 20 minutes later, came Pablo Urtasun, he of the tongue sticking out incident in Arenberg. The broom wagon almost upon his wheel, he would not give up. Pablo, we salute you.
All the photos are mine apart from the last one, which was taken by my friend PK
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+1
you’ve got to like that never-say-die attitude…
by Le Comte on Apr 14, 2009 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah he's great
I love that the Euskies send guys.
Great photos!
by plinytheelder on Apr 15, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Go Pablo!!
Hah, I think that I have a new cycling hero :-)
So you didn’t find out why that dude was waving the flag of Scotland? I’m intrigued.
by Lou... on Apr 14, 2009 6:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Pablo is defo my new hero.
I couldn’t believe he was still going. I was gutted when I found out he’d missed the time limit :-(
My Mother, who is a Scot, informs me that that thing is not a Scottish flag as the cross is the wrong way round. So who knows what it is. The chap wielding it didn’t appear to speak English, unlike most of his countrymen…
by Albertina on Apr 14, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn't necessarily call Scottish English, I can't understand wtf they are saying most of the time
First place in monuments so soooooo overrated, 2nd is were it's at.
by Phil H. on Apr 14, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ha! Neither can I if they come from Glasgow!
But he was most certainly Flemish….
by Albertina on Apr 14, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've got a decent handle on it
except for that Glaswegian conductor who once nearly kicked me off the train because he thought I was mocking him when I said I couldn’t understand him. But my grandmother, who grew up in Grimsby? Might as well be speaking German.
(And of course, as everyone knows, the best way for an Englishwoman to make herself understood by a German is to SPEAK LOUDER. Oh, those made for fun visits to us when we were living Germany (where we would also be – repeatedly – reminded “You’d never know we won the War.”.)
by Sui Juris on Apr 14, 2009 8:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The cross is the wrong way round!
Bwwwaaahaha! Love it!
But yeah, the flag seems more… squarish
by Lou... on Apr 14, 2009 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's also a signal flag
Meaning “I am stopped.” OR “I have a doctor on board.”
Oh my, I've just fallen in love with Roger De Vlaeminck's sideburns.
by TheFigurehead on Apr 15, 2009 3:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you don't took
any picture from Rui Costa?!
He was 58th, 2nd best of CGE, and i think the first portuguese to finish PR. He will be a star, but not in cobbles :P
by semprenaroda on Apr 14, 2009 6:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Not to my knowledge! But I was generally in a bit of a daze.
There were many things I didn’t notice…..!
by Albertina on Apr 14, 2009 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Like not taking a picture of the man who made your day: Franzoi!
Crashdan: "Veni Vidi Vici beats Wing Kong Exchange... … and I’ll change my signature to a backwards smile for a month."
Franzoi wins Parijs-Roubaix and I win a date with the VDS of Team Txirrindulariak..
by Frinking on Apr 15, 2009 3:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He made my day? I wasn't aware..... ;-)
by Albertina on Apr 15, 2009 4:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
By not winning?
Oh my, I've just fallen in love with Roger De Vlaeminck's sideburns.
by TheFigurehead on Apr 15, 2009 4:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He was leading the peloton
For a while in the first part of the race. That should count for something, right?
Should be worth a telephone call at least…
by Lopex on Apr 15, 2009 7:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was not part of the deal!
A win or nothing ;-)
by Albertina on Apr 15, 2009 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ah, come on
Have mercy with this poor young soul!
by Lopex on Apr 17, 2009 6:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
He did?!
I had familie business… Saw only 20km of the race AAAH! Thank God theire are more beatifull races coming!
Crashdan: "Veni Vidi Vici beats Wing Kong Exchange... … and I’ll change my signature to a backwards smile for a month."
Franzoi wins Parijs-Roubaix and I win a date with the VDS of Team Txirrindulariak..
by Frinking on Apr 15, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think I have a new favorite word
I had not heard of “haring” before. I presume it’s derivation is from the animal? I can now think of Boonen haring across the cobbles, or perhaps Contador haring up the Ventoux, and wishing I was there to see it…
by Le Comte on Apr 14, 2009 8:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The Blue and white flag
I went to a flag identifier web site and the flag looks the same as international Code of Signals flag meaning:
“My vessel is stopped and making no way through the water "
http://www.flagid.org/found.asp?qa=1000000&qDI=SAL10,35,73,82,,,,,&zastava=805&strZ=1
So maybe he is a Cadel Evans fan?
;)
Separately, congrats on what looks like an incredibly fun trip …. good practice for your upcoming Ventoux adventure.
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
by Willj on Apr 15, 2009 3:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Bahaha! I think there were plenty people making no way through the 'water' on Sunday!
I think I need plenty more practice before even thinking about cycling on the Ventoux. I tried the Koppenberg on Monday, and did I get up it? NO WAY!!!
by Albertina on Apr 15, 2009 4:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, but
Ventoux isn’t cobbled nor is it as steep. It’s only a touch longer…
by Le Comte on Apr 15, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
lol
What’s a few kilomters between friends?
At least on the Ventoux you can stop and have a look at the scenery without falling over.
by gavia on Apr 15, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah! See!
I bet Willj’s going to climb Mt Ventoux… ;-)
by Le Comte on Apr 15, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That is so true.
I can even do it in 10 metre bursts with a refreshment stop after each one! Although that might take several weeks…..
by Albertina on Apr 15, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
the classic main route up Ventoux
is perfectly surfaced … smoooooooooth
shall we get a tandem? ;)
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
by Willj on Apr 15, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ha! You can do all the pedalling while I admire the view.
Do we have a deal?!
by Albertina on Apr 15, 2009 5:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The secret
is to put it in such a low gear that you are going slower than you would if you got off and pushed. Then just sit up, spin it slowly and say hi to all the hikers who go past you.
by Monty. on Apr 15, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tandem is perfect
Trek has just the bike for you two:
by Le Comte on Apr 15, 2009 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can't believe none of you have come up with the fact that blue and white are also QuickStep's colors.
Could it be that dude just found a blue and white flag and felt himself to have what he needed?
by Ed K on Apr 15, 2009 7:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hmmm, maybe...I'd have asked him if he'd spoken English!
by Albertina on Apr 15, 2009 7:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Aaaah, now that makes sense
Truly, I am awed. I bow to you, Ed K!
That honestly would have never occurred to me.
(I am somewhat relieved to know that the man was not, in fact, an adrift Scotsman)
by Lou... on Apr 16, 2009 5:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Awesome Albertina..
More photos of the partying to come.hehe
"the rest was over 30. And that doesn't mean old and useless, but experienced and with the stamina"
Jens! Voigt, Crit Intl Interview, 2009
by CycleGirl on Apr 16, 2009 3:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
When in Kortrijk I always find it best to speed up and drive on
Nasty hub of highways.
by tedvdw on Apr 16, 2009 6:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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