🎥 A year after van der Poel's "Is this a joke?" Paris-Roubaix modifies chicane before Trouée d’Arenberg
Cycling
Mathieu van der Poel and fellow competitors succeeded in getting their way: the entrance to the Trouée d'Arenberg has been changed compared to 2024. Then, a remarkable chicane with some barriers was introduced to reduce the speed towards the dangerous strip. This will not be the case on Saturday and Sunday.
In recent years, the Trouée d'Arenberg has seen numerous crashes, not to mention the serious sidelines of many of the favorites. The organization made the slightly downward-sloping entrance to the cobblestone section less dangerous by allowing riders to start almost from a standstill. A chicane along some barriers ensured that the Trouée d'Arenberg in 2024 resulted in virtually no incidents.
Yet many riders were not very happy with the strange solution of some barriers, which created a kind of U-turn. "Is this a joke?" shouted Mathieu van der Poel, who is not usually so vocal, on X. The Dutchman riding for Alpecin-Deceuninck did not have any trouble with the passage because, just as in 2023, he won the race after an impressive solo.
Read more below the video
Paris-Roubaix listens to Van der Poel
However, the organization has found another solution to the Trouée d'Arenberg problem. This time, the riders will not be coming straight down the cobblestones, where they would have to reduce speed considerably. Instead, they have opted for a small detour. The riders will come from the left and thus turn onto the strip with a slight bend in the 200 meters before the men and women must make two right turns.
It will not completely stop the riders in their tracks, but it may meet the peloton's expectations more.
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Latest Comments
- Such negative comments that are truly inappropriate and actually ridiculous. He sounds like an old man, bitter that he can't race anymore. Why can't he just be gracious? Or just shut up. Instead of howling for attention, in such a rude manner. Must be Dementia creeping in. We are all living in the Now. Records are there, and some are being broken, some are unapproachable. If he doesn't like it, and it makes him sick, maybe he ought start watching some other sport. Don't want the old mans health to be upset.
reemmo031-03-2025 - Roger De Vlaeminck inspires me to create a new beer: "Bitter Old Twat Belgian".JackInhof31-03-2025
- Shoot, I'll ride it for 1/10 of what his pay for that day is😅Veganpotter30-03-2025
- What is this? The Lance Armstrong daily cheaters channel? I could care less about Johan and Lance the seven times cheater. Greg Lemond was right all along, Why don't you write about that instead of these two knuckleheads.velodrone28-03-2025
- Are we all doomed to hear from Lance Armstrong and Johan bruneel until the end of time? It's not enough the stain they left on cycling? Do we have to see that shadow forever?bigyakman26-03-2025
- I am not sure if it is the hardest to win. In Flanders and Roubaix well before the finish the Peleton will be decimated and the race will normally be won by the best rider of the day or maybe 2nd or 3rd in case of a mechanical or unlucky break especially in case of Roubaix. In San Remo just before the finish there will still be several riders in contention and they are hard to ditch. For the best riders it is a race hard to win since it is not so selective. But if you are not a top 5 rider but still a top 10 rider this race is your best change to win. You will see more Milan San remo Winners with only 1 monument win than any other monumentsJoostmehrtens19-03-2025
- "fap fap fap oh Lance oh oh OHHHHHHH" again. Does he pay you to dredge up people with nice things to say about him? He was an giant a$$hole to people. It is a fact. Whatever his contrition about the doping, he is unapologetic about being a giant a$$hole to people. (Why yes, I do only login to complain. *I* am however only a giant a$$hole to people who laud giant a$$holes.)ericjensenridesbikes25-02-2025
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025 - If she thinks talent alone will put her there she will not see many podium finishes much less a GC finish.....work as a team utilizing tactics to consistently be at the top.Germanrazor10-01-2025