Road to Roubaix. This DVD ably checks off all the requirements for a Roubaix related item. Testimonials to its epic nature, close ups of the cobbles, historical footage, and of course, another Hincapie interview. Roubaix is such a monument and its fans such rabid obsessed geeks that it is hard to come up with a new angle on it. This DVDis well done and heads into an artier rouleur style with some B/W action. Regardless, if there is Roubaix footage, there is a hardcore group of super fans that will buy it. I am one of them for sure(even if Flanders is becoming by favorite Spring Classic)It all started with Mapei's dominance in the 90s. Tchmil in 94.(on VHS well after the fact) 2001-2003 Roubaix were unreal. So many key moments from Knaven, Musseew,etc. Epic mud covered solo attacks and counter attacks. Now we are in the dusty years, but back to the feature presentation.
A few things that stood out....
The commonly held "fact" is that "heavier" riders do better at Roubaix. Cancellara and Boonen may be heavier than a pint sized climber, but this film catches them looking super gaunt. When you seem them next to regular humans you realize they are only "heavy" compared to emanuelle sella or something. PVP looks like a corpse and Boonen is super gaunt.
Training footage is always cool. Ditto for the brief mechanics coverage(especially the deja vu footage of the mechanic lubing the cassette with a brush a la A Sunday In Hell) Some of the race footage really captures how fast they are going-better than WCP footage. The Lars Michelson crash is super gnarly.
PVP talking about "loving the stones" is a rad moment.
Post Race and shower footage is pretty rad. (do I have to say "no homo"?) 06 was super dusty so dudes look wasted and covered in filth.
As always Sean Kelly is amazing-he needs subtitles more than Oasis.
I would have been stoked if the interviews with non-Roubaix guys like Lance, Levi, or Basso were more confrontational. I would have loved to see Levi being like "are you serious? Roubaix? Me? Fuck that" instead of being all reverential. Were Tafi,Ballerini,Tchmil, Backstedt, Hammond,Peeters,Knaaven, etc not available? Never Mind Museew,De Vlaeminck, or Merckx. Too much Disco training camp footage.
Overall a good film, but like Julien DeVriese, I might be over it. Way better than "cobbles baby" and nice accompaniment to watching the 06 O'Grady win
Came is very "green" dvd case and minimal shipping packaging. Also got a poster with mine. Nice. Masterlink films. Go get it.
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