Press release: 20/10/2006 - a new cobblestone section to be included in the final stretch

Cancellara in the legend of Roubaix

 

Pre-race conversations mostly concerned the return of the Tranchée d’Arenberg on the course of Paris-Roubaix. Once cleaned and "humanised", would it be smoother, less tricky or simply different? Just before 3:00 AM the big moment occurred, the bikes tembled and the legs felt pain. After 2400 metres, a selection had been done, only a group of 17 riders had survived the cobblestones of Arenberg, version 2006.

The debate on the toughest cobbled section had almost made one forget about the riders in contention for victory. While Boonen remained the huge favourite, it looked like it was going to be a battle for second spot! Indeed the World Champion was one of the main actors of the selection in Arenberg! It however was another young athlete, Fabian Cancellara, rather used to battle it out with the master of cobblestones, who was to make the decisive move on the day. He indeed powered off, first in the Camphin-en-Pévèle path to get rid of the Belgian giant, then at the Carrefour de l’Arbre, another legendary portion of the race, as he distanced his last rival Vladimir Gusev. On his own, the Swiss rider entered the Roubaix Vélodrome to claim his first victory in a Classic. A real lesson on the cobblestones of the North.

 

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