Paris - Roubaix.
My all time absolute favorite race. Yes, even more than De Ronde Van Vlaanderen. Ever since I was only yay high, I used to dream about winning Paris - Roubaix. When I rode the cobblestones close to home, I used to pretend I was De Vlaeminck. Starting here is a dream coming true. I have a lot of respect for this race. I hope to win it one day. But probably not today...
I have been putting in some amazing results. The DS gave me and Hayman protected roles for today. Roubaix is the most tough race of all, any professional cyclist will tell you that. I must stay realistic. Today I just hope to make it to the finish alive. My legs will decide where that'll be. Be it 100th, 50th or 10th.
In every paper, on every site, the same three names popped up for today:
Fabian Cancellara
Tom Boonen
Sep Vanmarcke
I was not as nervous at the start as I had been for De Ronde. I felt less pressure today. My season has been so great up until now, I felt I could just race my own race today. I'm a second year neopro and I've already scored 87 World Tour points, I think that's pretty good.
Since we're not the strongest team here, we tried to send someone with the break. And that we did. Their names:
Jarrier
Haas
Goss
Lamoisson
Selig
Fumeaux
With a race like this, it's handy to have a few team mates in the neighborhood. Four of us grouped together, quite at the front. Besides me there was Docker, Keukeleire, Hayman.
And then Paris - Roubaix really started. Troisvilles, the first cobbled section! I started recognizing the roads now, as I had reconned the route from this point several times this winter and last year.
Meanwhile, typically Roubaix, it rained flat tires and broken bikes. We were quite lucky to be spared, seeing how many stood at the side, waiting for help.
I felt amazing. I was secretly starting to hope to overdo my performance from last week. A top 10 would be simply fantastic. Riding on Orchie, I stayed alert, at the front.
And then, the Big Three made their move. Boonen, Cancellara, Vanmarcke. They didn't leave each others sight for a second.
A larger group tried to follow them but fell behind a little bit. Still, they were gone, too.
Me and Hayman had totally missed the break. There was some confusion so we decided to go into the chase, the both of us.
We were hoping some other riders would jump across and some did. But we weren't gaining any time on the Big Three, nor on the first chasing group.
At the front, Vanmarcke was showing his shear strength.
In our group, Hayman fell out, literally. On a cobbled section, he got his wheel stuck in a ditch and fell down. I was just able to avoid him.
Our group wasn't working together well and there were attacks left and right. I tried to counter. I still felt good.
But then, 15 kilometers from the finish, my fire died out. I completely lost power in my legs, I was empty.
When they started for the sprint, I noticed once again just how empty I was. I tried to sprint but I had to sit down soon because my legs were cramped up entirely. A sprint for place 13 was not within my capacities today.
Instead, I rode to a 19th place. That's definitely not bad for my first time here.
I felt really strong up until the final 20 - 15 kilometers. That's how much I missed in strength and endurance to fight for a top 15. So I know what I have to do to come back here next year and do better.
I tell you, finishing here is just something unique. Your body is completely empty, it feels broken. Everything aches. But you're proud, you did something amazing.
And there it ends, my first cobbled season. All in all, I can look back on a fantastic and successful first campaign. I put my name on the map. Now I have an entire year to work hard and come back here to do even better.
Now I'm going on a long competitive break. The DS believes in moderation for young riders. I was planned for a three-day stage race in Spain, but my legs are saying no. An effort like this requires recuperation. I'll come back into competition in June.
But of course I'll let you know something in between, especially about the Giro d'Italia!
Ollfardh - I totally forgot about that. Yes indeed. that's good news And he was 21 years old, then. Matthias is 22. Hope Matt can score a big win sooner than Vanmarcke, though
FonsDeSpons - Indeed, not a bad season so far for him Gent - Wevelgem and De Ronde were quite something!
Schleck96 - Thanks! He's definitely showing he's too good to become a domestique on this terrain.
Sutty68 - Too bad Hayman had that fall, though. But it's good for Matthias. He can start dreaming of a leading role next year!
Edited by Ian Butler on 15-04-2014 09:58
After Paris - Roubaix, I took about a week and a half off. It took me about four days to get back on my bike, my body hurt that much. But I was happy. My cobbled campaign was a big success and I can start dreaming about more.
Meanwhile, life outside went on, of course.
I started training again, harder and more motivated than ever. I returned to the Flemish Ardennes four weeks after my first Ronde Van Vlaanderen and I set the KoM on Strava for the Eikenberg!
The DS has already let me know he's very happy about my season so far. He hopes I'll make the second half just as good. With the National Championships and the Eneco Tour on the program, I'm eager to make something of it. The Road Race is very flat, so with my sprint I can hope for a podium place, maybe even the legendary tricolore jersey. We'll see.
Winners in the Ardennes
Amstel Gold Race: Roman Kreuziger Flèche Wallonne: Enrico Gasparotto Liège - Bastogne - Liège: Simon Gerrans
Giro d'Italia 2014
General Classification
1
Chris Froome
Team Sky
86h36'53
2
Vincenzo Nibali
Astana Pro Team
+ 3'48
3
Tanel Kangert
Astana Pro Team
+ 9'58
4
Rafal Majka
Tinkoff - Saxo
+ 13'05
5
Bauke Mollema
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
+ 13'07
6
Domenico Pozzovivo
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 13'53
7
Andrew Talansky
Garmin Sharp
+ 14'20
8
Ivan Basso
Cannondale
+ 15'26
9
Cadel Evans
BMC Racing Team
+ 20'37
10
Cameron Meyer
Orica GreenEdge
+ 21'42
Points Jersey: Marcel Kittel (Giant) Mountain Jersey: Chris Froome (Sky) Best Young Rider: Rafal Majka (Saxo) Best Team: Astana
Santaromita made his youth dream come true by winning stage 20, a mountain stage, in the Italian National Jersey.
Looking Ahead
Bradley Carroll is the name. 19 years old. Winner of both Paris - Roubaix and De Ronde Van Vlaanderen for Beloften. We signed him on a 2-year contract. Let's hope he can develop into a strong rider at our side.
For me, life will pick up again in the Tour of Suisse, approaching soon now. I will build up form to tacke the National Championships, especially the Road Race!
Wow, Matt is really on fire! Great to see him do so well in his home race, and then at De Ronde. Finishing in the Top 20 of P-R at his first attempt was very good too, really promising sign for the future.
Ah, great Roubaix. 19th is quite an achievement. Vanmarcke, Boonen and Cancellara in a league of their own today. Bad luck for Hayman though, but nice initiative from both of them to initiate together a chasing effort.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Dippofix - The Giro was decided rather quickly, with only Nibali showing some sign of resistance. Our cobbled season was quite nice and I think Matthias will know some successes later in his career there
TimoCycling - Santaromita really made our Giro, after Matthews failed to win a sprint. Meyer climbed to a 10th place GC on stage 20, too.
Shonak - Roubaix was good. Too bad he missed body for the final 15 kilometers, though. But next year that shouldn't happen
Thanks for the support!
Was struggling with a bad form in the Tour of Suisse with Matt, so I decided to make one report about the entire race. Didn't feel like making 8 reports of a struggling Matthias
The Tour of Suisse was my first opportunity to lead the team in the sprints. Despite my best efforts, I failed to deliver. Nearly two months without racing is a bit too much, so it took me a while to get back into a decent shape. My best result was a fifth place in the sprint.
Still, I'm looking forward to the Belgian Road Race with much expectation. I used this Tour de Suisse to build up form and I think I'm back on track now!
General Classification
1
Chris Froome
Team Sky
35h29'55
2
Richie Porte
Team Sky
+ 57
3
Michał Kwiatkowski
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 58
4
Pieter Weening
Orica GreenEdge
+ 2'22
5
Nicolas Roche
Tinkoff - Saxo
+ 3'25
6
Nairo Quintana
Movistar Team
+ 4'49
7
Sergio Henao
Team Sky
+ 5'18
8
Tanel Kangert
Astana Pro Team
+ 6'39
9
Daniel Martin
Garmin Sharp
+ 6'48
10
Giovanni Visconti
Movistar Team
+ 7'15
Tour de Suisse: In Pictures
In one of the tougher stages I attempted to breakaway, but without success
Tom Boonen with his stage victory. I finished 5th that day
Kruopis losing the sprint of the breakaway on stage 7
Greipel, good for two stage victories
All eyes are on the National Championships now.
Let's hope for the best!
Matt
Selwink - I placed a nice attack with him on stage 2, only Froome followed. He was in 2nd position GC until the final stage.
the_hoyle - Yeah, you know I don't like a slow pace it's going quite fast at the moment. But don't worry, I'll only keep up that pace until tomorrow, as my planning gets busier then
Paris - Roubaix 
and also the first Orica rider home 
And he was 21 years old, then. Matthias is 22. Hope Matt can score a big win sooner than Vanmarcke, though 
Tour de Suisse 
How the hell did he do that?
