| Paris- Roubaix Pre-Ride - "Welcome to Hell" |
| Written by Bob Cullinan | |
| Friday, 11 April 2008 | |
 It's a few miles of good roads and highways, strung together by 28 sections of cobbled pave...just about the nastiest surface you'd ever want to ride a bike on. Stories of broken bikes and broken bodies are legendary at Roubaix, but if you want to get a real feel for how damn tough this is, you've got to experience it on a bike. Ride along as CycleTo rides through the Forest of Arenberg, the worst section of cobbles at Paris-Roubaix. It is said that the rocks and stones of this road are like the heads of small children. As a Belgian said to me this week, "You will feel the children's heads on your ass." It rattles your teeth, jams your saddle into your seat and shakes every bone in your body. Clip in and come along...but hang on tight. It's going to be a bumpy ride. Click image to launch video Our ride on the Roubaix course was made possible by Peter Easton of Velo Classic Tours. ...and it was made memorable by CSC team director Scott Sunderland. Scott showed us the way to ride the roughest parts of the Roubaix route, and we shared the cobbles with some of stars who will race on Sunday.                |
