Paris-Roubaix

Quite a Paris-Roubaix on Versus today (for more info, go to: http://www.versus.com/epiccycle). A shame about George Hincapie; something went wrong with his back wheel and he had to get a wheel switch from the mechanic. That was it ... he never caught up after that. Poor George. Not his year, again (but he sure does make things interesting).

Other than the Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix is probably my favorite race to watch. It reminds me of the Boston Marathon here. Sleepy little roads that no once notices all year long suddenly have their big day in the sun. But those roads in northern France ... can you really call those cobblestone paths roads?! It looks like a car could barely get by on them. Maybe they're ancient highways going back to the Romans ... or something like that. I'll have to look it up. Anyway, I love the tradition that each of the cobblestone "sections" are numbered, 1 through 27. Reminds me of the numbered switchbacks on the Tour de France's Alpe d'Huez. It's as if some mystical force descends on those little roads during the darkest nighttime hours, illuminating them with magic numbers for the day ahead. Very cool.

Here are some photos I took of my TV with my digital camera during the race (came out pretty artsy, don't you think?):

Oh no, I just read on the VeloNews website that some spectators were injured by an organizer's motorbike that ran off the road (http://www.velonews.com/). Sure hope everyone is going to be o.k....