Should a favorite say that? By leaving his usual reserve to question the chicane installed before the Trouée d’Arenberg on the Paris-Roubaix route, Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) sparked a nice controversy. Because if this new arrangement, demanded by the riders’ union and accepted by the organizer (ASO, the same as for the Tour de France), was already debated, seeing one of the best riders in the world criticize it caused trouble on an episode that will inevitably leave its mark.
How did we arrive here, at this solution which only seems to suit part of the peloton and at a time which raises serious questions? Adam Hansen and the runners’ union (CPA) of which he is President, started from an observation: many runners and certain teams have been raising for several months the dangerousness of the Trouée d’Arenberg, this strip of cobblestone of 2,300 m who did a lot for the myth of Paris-Roubaix. Hansen contacted the organizer to imagine an arrangement that would reduce the speed of the peloton and the machine took off.
A majority of runners agree for the change?
Thierry Gouvenou, the director of the event, proposed three solutions while asking that we ensure that all the riders agree to a change. This is where the vagueness begins. The riders’ union operates with a team representative but not everyone will race Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, so Hansen sorted things out, tried to reach as many people as possible and even joined the sports directors’ meeting before the Tour of Flanders last Sunday. “We are talking about a very large majority. There are very few runners who disagree“, defends Adam Hansen.
“Is this a joke?“, asked Mathieu Van der Poel while at Visma | Lease a Bike, we welcome the decision. “Great job“, applauded boss Richard Plugge while Matteo Jorgenson posted a photo of Mitchell Docker, his face bloodied after a fall in the gap in 2016 asking, “Is this what the fans want to see? Runners covered in blood after sliding headfirst at 80 km/h on sharp cobblestones in a forest.”
I spoke to Mathieu Van der Poel…
A dissonance in reactions that raises questions. “Who was really questioned?questions our consultant Steve Chainel, who also welcomes the communication between the riders’ union and the most powerful organizer in the world. Are these some athletic directors? Wasn’t it ultimately three riders who made the request?“
“Obviously Van der Poel would have preferred another decisionHansen defends. I spoke to Mathieu, he agrees. He told me he didn’t like entering Arenberg at 60 km/h and above. But we don’t represent the best runners in the world, we represent all runners“In question, undoubtedly, the decision taken by ASO and this U-turn, which could still evolve by Sunday, just before entering the sector.”I just hope it won’t be this U-turn, for me it’s even more dangerous. We’re just going to get to 60 km/h in a chicane“, our consultant Jacky Durand, ten Paris-Roubaixes on the clock.
Some runners would have liked another route to be taken but with such a short deadline, the organizer did not have much choice and will consider a more sustainable arrangement for future editions. “I wrote (to the riders’ union) that it could cause problems, in particular because there would be greater braking. I was told: we prefer to brake hard at the risk of falling on tar rather than entering the Arenberg gap at 65 km/h“, explained Gouvenou.
Gouvenou on the chicane: “Not the best solution, but the only viable one for this year”
Paris-Roubaix distorted?
A nice mic-mac therefore which will not do anyone any favors, as the manner and timing seem problematic. On the side of the riders’ union, we recall that although the decision was only made public this week, discussions began… before the Tour of Flanders. Others still point out a decision that does not go in the right direction, summoning a more heroic cycling of yesteryear.
“Let’s be honest, Paris-Roubaix is not a race without danger. Everyone knows music. Leave the race as it stands or remove it from the calendar“, was moved Brian Smith, Eurosport consultant. “We are going to distort Paris-Roubaixconfirms Jacky Durand. That’s how it is now in modern cycling. Maybe that’s good for the safety of the riders but there are so many pitfalls on Paris-Roubaix…”
Julien Jurdie, sports director of Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, to AFP or Marc Madiot, general manager of Groupama-FDJ for L’Équipe, welcomed the desire to slow down a peloton which is going ever faster. The second nevertheless regrets this U-turn which will almost certainly send many men to the ground. The chicane will be on the course and it will not stop being talked about between now and Sunday.