The fitter you are the easier it is to ride over the cobbles and complete the challenge.
By: Dan Smith / primalblends Ambassador
Now that I have had time, to let last weekends adventure sink in, I thought I would share what riding Paris Roubaix Challenge is like. I have ridden bikes for over 20 years before I traveled to France, in all disciplines MTB, Road, cyclocross and track, but i have not ever ridden on the ‘french’ cobble stones.
I had been told, like all riders lining up for the event, the french cobblestones are different. ‘they are rougher’ ‘their are gaps that suck your wheels” its like holding on to a pneumatic drill’ ‘they are bigger than the Belgian clinkers’.
All of this is true, and however bad you think they are to ride over, its worse! Its the most fun i have had and the ‘quickest’ 145km i have ridden.
Mainly because after you hit the Arnberg forest at 50km in you do not have much time between the next 20 sectors to think! its a case of ‘is the bike ok’ ‘have i got any gels left’ ‘drink some water’ ‘hang on to the wheels of the group infront’. This is repeated after every sector.
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