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Paris-Roubaix: Arenberg cobbles © Simon MacMichael.jpgJohn Degenkolb takes Paris-Roubaix to continue stunning season
John Degenkolb of Giant-Alpecin has backed up last month's win at Milan-San Remo by taking his second Monument of 2015, Paris-Roubaix. The German won the sprint from an unusually large group of seven that contested the finish at the velodrome in Roubaix.
Etixx-Quick Step's Zdenek Stybar was second, with BMC's Greg van Avermaet, so often the nearly man in big races, once again on the podium but not the top step, finishing third.
Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins, riding for the WorldTour outfit for the final time, attacked the group containing the favourites some 32 kilometres from the finish but was brought back.
He finished 18th, 31 seconds behind the winner, with team mate Luke Rowe, who had worked tirelessly all day, winning the sprint from the group chasing the leaders to finish eighth. Geraint Thomas had crashed earlier and lost contact with the group containing the main contenders.
Reaction
Race winner, John Degenkolb
I am so happy with this win. The team was so strong and I received great support from the guys. Everything went perfectly.
I chose the right moment to attack. I knew if I waited longer, the same scenario as last year would play out, so I went. I was forced to do most of the work because the others know I am a fast finisher.
Etixx-Quick Step rider Zdenek Stybar, who finished second
I knew Degenkolb was for sure one of the fastest guys in the bunch. So it'd be hard to beat him in a sprint. But in such a hard race, including with him having to use energy bridging gaps, you never know.
So I was hoping he might be tired, but everyone was really at their knees along with him. It was really down to who had anything left.
He launched a very good sprint and I couldn't beat him. He was very strong and deserved the win.I hope to come back next year and fight for this victory, because that is what counts.
Sir Bradley Wiggins, on his last race for Team Sky
I’m relieved to get it over and done with and I’m happy with how it went. The tailwind made it tough out there because it meant the racing was on all day and there was no chance to relax like we normally do after the first few sectors.
It was a tough edition but nice to be able to have a few attacks. I had my first go where I said I was going to go on the bus this morning. No-one else seemed to be expecting it there and I got myself in a pretty good position. It was unfortunate though that I got lumbered with a few riders who didn’t want to work and that meant it was chased down quite quickly.
I felt like I had the legs to win, I think everybody in that group did. It could have been any one of us. When I made my attacks they said it was panic stations behind, but I think that came down to the pre-race hype when I said I was up for it. It is what it is.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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24 comments
That was very close to being horribly tragic. Whilst I can understand the almost blind following of riders in front and the urge not to be held up I don't buy into the 'nobody was actually hurt and they are racing after all' excuse.
Those barriers seemed to me to be down for a long time and it looked like some riders were pushing past those who did stop. I can see several possible ways to prevent a repeat; better route planning, better crossing barriers or signals, better marshalling, better control of the race as it neared the crossing point at the time a train was known to be due. Ultimately though it is down to the riders to take responsibility for their actions and to be held accountable, because if their excuse for breaking the rules at somewhere as dangerous as a level crossing is deemed to be acceptable then it introduces a grey area for the rest of us mortals to take undue risks when we feel it can be justified.
To reiterate what should be bleeding obvious to even the most thick headed anti 'elf & safety know-it-all: That train cannot stop, swerve or take evasive action to avoid anything or anyone on the line, just imagine the very possible scenario that the rider clipped by the barrier had brought down other riders across the actual track....
I have a bit of a thing against Giant-Alpecin......I suspect maybe primarily because Kittel has been busting Cav's balls recently and (whilst I know it's childish) because of his ridiculous hair/likeness to Sam Jones in Flash Gordon. By the way, do you think that's why they are sponsored by a shampoo company?
Anyway, all that aside, I have increasing amounts of respect for Degenkolb. Far from 'just a sprinter/lead out man' if ever there was any doubt before. You don't win Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo in the same year by accident. Brave, intelligent and very strong riding. Chapeau, sir. Any ideas what the German word would be?
Whilst it was TGV, they do run extensively on "classic" lines at normal speeds to serve more destinations beyond the LGVs )a bit like the high speed trains to Kent); the LGVs (high speed lines) have no level crossings.
It was a High speed train (TGV), so there is no chance the train would either be stopped in advance because of the race - or could stop on time in an emergency.
But for the riders it must feels like the traffic light just turning red to us commuters.
(Even I have to cross a busy railway line ( Two trains per hour
) on ground level twice a day, fortunately I know the time table 
Yeah, they should definitely fine the riders who skipped through after the barriers crossed.
I remember seeing a similar thing happen in the TdF last year or the year before, and a bunch had to wait for a train to pass. I guess it must happen, but presumably you plan around the train times so that you're not expecting the group to hit the level crossing at the same time as a train.
Yeah, they should definitely fine the riders who skipped through after the barriers crossed.
I remember seeing a similar thing happen in the TdF last year or the year before, and a bunch had to wait for a train to pass. I guess it must happen, but presumably you plan around the train times so that you're not expecting the group to hit the level crossing at the same time as a train.
In the races I've done in Europe trains are considered to be an act of God; if a train comes and you get caught, it's tough. It did allow me to get on the back of the bunch again though for another few kms...
Good win by Degenkolb. He fought to get in the lead bunch and deserved to be there. Shame that Wiggins got caught by that. 2nd place for Stybar was about what you'd expect now….I bet they're getting fed up with that position.
Felt sorry for Thomas. Puncture and then a crash. Not like him to throw in the towel. You could tell he wasn't feeling it when he allowed two cyclists to just pass him when he was trying to get back onto the peloton.
It was a lead out train.
Very poor scheduling of the race organisers to meet a train
The race was much much quicker than expected. Dry conditions, tail/crosswinds - they averaged 54kph for the first hour. Race schedule/timings only goes up to 44kph. No idea how busy that train line is but it looked like a TGV so I'd assume it's a main line - just a matter of good/bad luck as to whether you get there as a train is due.
Could have done with better marshalling but other than that, not a lot you can do
Good job that TGV was idling along rather than doing 300kph. There normally would be a very very short time between the barriers dropping and the train coming through.
Mind you, I thought that TGVs all went on specially built lines without level crossings...
I think they can use ordinary lines but they can only go at really high speeds on the specially built lines without level crossings.
According to the news section on BBC breakfast this morning, the organisers schedule it to avoid them, but for some reason there was a delay in getting the race started.
I nearly punched the TV at the smugness of the host's remark after that news item.
They knew there was a tailwind so delayed the start deliberately. The riders then went even faster than predicted, so hit the time when the train was passing.
The race (and others) has crossed level crossings before, people have got held up before, I don't quite understand why it's such a story.
Well done big John. As soon as that group came into the velodrome everyone else was racing for second place.
Great to see such a talented rider getting the results he deserves.
Train misses Paris-Roubaix cyclists by seconds
Those riders crossing after the barrier is down should be heavily fined.apart from the tragic loss of life, if the train had hit a rider could you imagine the press, all cyclist are dangerous bla bla bla! Not a good example to kids either.
Behave.
Do you say the same of Formula 1 when they are driving round at over 100 mph?
Of course not, so stop being so precious.
What loss of life? What are you talking about? You're just making things up to justify your rant here.
Try laying off the glue, sunbeam.
Please reread the original post. It uses the word if at a key point. It also suggests crossing rail tracks when the barriers are down is stupid and sets a poor example, which is correct.
Read it.
Read it again.
Reread it at your request.
It's still hysterical nonsense and bollocks, regardless of where or when your "key" word 'if' is used.
Do you honestly believe that there is going to be some hypodermic method style influence and were going to have gangs of kids jibbing train crossings? of course not, let's just chill out about it, this isn't the end of the world.
Read this then:
French rail company SNCF says riders should be prosecuted for acting "against all safety rules".
"SNCF has decided to lodge a legal complaint and will leave it up to the investigation to determine who was responsible. We regret that such foolhardiness took place."
Guy Dobbelaere, president of the race jury, said: "It wasn't possible for the leading riders to stop sufficiently safely.
"By neutralising the race for a few moments to not penalise those who stopped, we respected the spirit of the rule."
The rule in question reads "It shall be strictly forbidden to cross level crossings when the barrier is down.
"Apart from risking the penalty for such an offence as provided by law, offending riders shall be eliminated from the competition by the commissaires."
Biggest troll post I've read in a long time...........read properly, are you condoning their actions from your statements above, and what the hell has a closed circuit F1 track got to do with this.
I was comparing F1 with your average, common or garden driving, as it's as closely related as a professional bike race (which occur on on closed roads by the way, in case you missed that) is to kids riding their bikes.
It's all a bit Daily Mail/Ban this sick filth hysterical really, it's part of bike racing and it happens. It's happened before and it will happen again.
http://thoseposters.com/emailPosters/poster1978.jpg
And I'm more of a goat than a Troll.