The Arenberg Trench

by Chris... on Apr 9, 2009 2:58 AM EDT in News Comment 37 comments

In keeping with the theme of a slow, sequential race preview, here's a great video of Le Trouee d'Arenberg: showing all the various challenges a rider faces just getting through it. My favorite part is where the solo rider loses momentum and looks like he's about to keel over. These are some of the top pros in the world, and this is no more than a slight uphill grade. Anyway...

paris roubaix arenberg (via jimadorX)

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It's always over too fast (for us spectators anyway)

I love the moments after they get out of the trench and people start looking around to check out who survived and if it’s worth putting the hammer down to once and for all kill off the poor bastards who didn’t.

Is it Sunday yet?

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 3:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Remember a few years ago when

Boonen went into the forest first, and when they exited he had exactly zero teammates left?

Note to Tom – don’t blow up your own team in the process of riding the trench.

"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."

Tom Boonen

by Drew... on Apr 9, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's the beauty of complete mayhem

People are so busy trying to survive themselves they can’t be spending time looking at others and making sound tactical decisions. What happens happens. That’s why I love that moment after the storm when people check out the damage. They literally have no idea what just happened.

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

by Le Comte on Apr 9, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Totally agree

There was either a miscommunication among the team, in that no one knew Boonen was going to go to the front so hard, or the team failed in getting close to him before he blew it up. Either way he ended up isolating himself when he shed some of the other riders. If you weren’t him it must have been comical coming out of there when he looked behind him.

“Let’s see, Hincapie, Spartacus, Ballan, Hoste, Gusev, Devolder……..and non of my fucking teammates!”

"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."

Tom Boonen

by Drew... on Apr 9, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But

what choice did he have? The race was going to hot up, and his guys weren’t there. I guess he could have let someone else do it and maybe hope that a few of his guys catch on if it’s slower. But the Forest makes you hit it hard, for your own safety.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Apr 9, 2009 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not saying he necessarily made a mistake

I’m saying there wasn’t good communication within the team. If his mates weren’t in position he could have stayed in the first 5-10 and left it up to someone else to drill it. As it was I think he thought they were right behind him (relatively) when he dropped the hammer, and certainly expected to see at least one of them when he looked up afterwards.

Conversely, they probably didn’t expect him to go to the front full bore if they didn’t have the right position to stay with him. So, miscommunication could well have left him alone mistakenly. They sure didn’t draw it up that way in the team bus.

"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."

Tom Boonen

by Drew... on Apr 9, 2009 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What speed do they have when they enter Le Trouee d'Arenberg?

50-55 kph? I’m not going to try that.

No longer that I call them tights, I call them freedom ware.

by TheFigurehead on Apr 9, 2009 3:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Knaven says 60kph in latest CycleSport

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 4:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Try

this video for a clearer idea. No Wagner, but even more frightening for that. The AG2R rider is Rene Mandri.

by Monty. on Apr 9, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ouch.

by tedvdw on Apr 9, 2009 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

great video

formerly known as cyclingchallenge

by Willj on Apr 9, 2009 5:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Did I mention I'm going to be there?

I did? Oh well, just a reminder…. ;-)

by Albertina on Apr 9, 2009 5:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The rider who just slowed down to nothing is Rolf Aldag

the same guy who enters the trench alone at the start of the race. You’ve either got it or you haven’t I guess. I like seeing one rider bunny-hopping over the chap who had fallen inn front of him at c1:03. Not a move you often see on the road.

by Monty. on Apr 9, 2009 6:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Get there

To ride the Arenberg is probably the best experience I’ve had on a bike ever. Almost undescribable. The adrenalin-kick, max-puls at the same time you hit the first stone, yourself absolutely focused on the next cobbles, less than a second ahead – the wow-feeling when you get to the end.

by Forstoppelse on Apr 9, 2009 6:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The shaking

should have helped to loosen the forstoppelse too one whould think?

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 6:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nah

Better than reverse-forstoppelse, you know. That would urge for some rain over Arenberg.

by Forstoppelse on Apr 9, 2009 6:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes, just ask Boonen

I’m not going to post the pic this time.

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 7:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's time to watch A Sunday in Hell

Again. And I’ve just learned that one can buy Jørgen Leth’s films from the Danish Film Insititute. Collection #2 contains the Sports Films, both A Sunday in Hell and Stars and Water Carriers (plus a film about Pelota, go figure).

No longer that I call them tights, I call them freedom ware.

by TheFigurehead on Apr 9, 2009 7:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Collection #2: also known as "the Albertina Box Set."

People say I'm cocky or arrogant when I win, but they don't see the deep self-loathing when I lose a race I think I should have won. It really hurts me, you know. --Mark Cavendish

by majope on Apr 9, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A film about pelota?

Why have I not seen this?!

by Albertina on Apr 9, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great video

I gues that I am one sick pup in that I am wishing for rain this Sunday………

by bbnaz on Apr 9, 2009 9:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You are definitely not alone

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually think my favorite bit

is watching those two guys dragging a motorcycle that had fallen out of the way of the cyclists. If it’s that tough for a motorcycle, jeez…

by Le Comte on Apr 9, 2009 9:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Cofidis rider lying in the middle of the road, more or less motionless

is Philippe Gaumont with a broken femur.

by tedvdw on Apr 9, 2009 10:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

oh I so can't wait...

by lyne on Apr 9, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Have you seen Roubaix live ?

(or just Flanders?)

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes, I've been to Flanders, GW and Roubaix

but I did not go to Arenberg as I wanted to be in the Velodrome, went to the start, an early pave section, Orchies and the velodrome to see Boonen win – that was the year that the trio came in together w/ Hincapie in there.

by lyne on Apr 9, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

saw that

last night on the trainer. Love the straight-up two arm salute. Could you hear him whoofing?

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Apr 9, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nope too noisy

but there is a large screen in the velodrome to watch the riders coming in. I got goosebumps

by lyne on Apr 9, 2009 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

actually I didn;t go to Arenberg becasue that was the year it was taken out if I remember now

by lyne on Apr 9, 2009 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can't figure out why the

motorcyclists can’t e ahead of or behind the riders. Why do they have to pass during the melee?

by Teel22 on Apr 9, 2009 4:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

so all the cycling media can get photos and news

by lyne on Apr 9, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We need one of those railmounted cameras

that they use in track & field (and on the Champs Elysee). Or rather 10 cameras mounted on that rail to follow all the action.

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

Have the EU build a 265km rail for this camera. Of course you still need official cars to make sure guys aren’t getting help by holding on to the moving camera.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Apr 9, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't tempt the Boys in Brussels

If someone mentions this idea to them and sweetens the deal by saying the rails need to be greased twice daily with surplus oliveoil I’ll have to go and dig a hole in my garden to hide my lifesavings again..

by Jens on Apr 9, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs