On Tap...
Friday, April 11, 2008
A Sunday In Hell
As Dante passes through the gates of hell in The Divine Comedy there is an inscription that reads Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate, or roughly translated "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”
Such an inscription would be fitting for the start line at Compiegne for this Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix. The race, in its 103rd edition, has reached almost mythic proportions through its written and visual recounting. Nicknamed l'enfer du Nord, or the Hell of the North, sometime after World War I because of the visual after effects of the Great War along its course, Roubaix is one of cycling’s monuments.
With the fabled cobble stoned sectors, the deep ruts along the course, and the ever-present chance of inclement weather [the forecast for this Sunday is cold and rainy], the analogy to Dante’s Inferno is perhaps fitting. Riders who hone their bodies and perfect their technique year round to simply go fast are slowed to a crawl by bad weather, numerous punctures, and pile-ups. That certainly sounds like cycling hell.
Head out to participate or watch some of these local races this weekend in select regions of the country.
Up The Road
2 comments:
yes, this is the best week of cycling...th spring classics and one day races are the best...tooth and nail type of riding.
good Pez article about Steve Bauer's 1990 P-R finish I saw while being distracted :)
... and insightful quote about this true Cycling Classic:
"It took me some more years of experience before my confidence and full understanding of Roubaix came together."
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5811
I love this week of cycling!