In some ways the early season builds towards next Sunday’s big cobbled showdown at Paris-Roubaix. This year the race seems especially interesting.
Just as I was mentally preparing a post about how Sky Procycling were a solid stage race team at the expense of drama and one-day racing thrills when they go and prove me thoroughly wrong. And this sets up a very interesting Hell of the North. The story was always going to be a strong win for Wiggins in his last race for Sky, where he would fulfil a childhood dream and win on the cobbles. To that end he has been recce-ing the course and working to build a heavier body shape to power over the race. This fairytale might be spoilt by members of his own team.
At the start of the season Ian Stannard smashed through to an awesome solo victory and he is still a definite contender to challenge at Roubaix, but there is clearly even more of a threat form the stunningly on-form Geraint Thomas.
Thomas won at E3 Harelbeke, a tough race in itself and even more impressive as he dispatched his breakaway companions, Stybar and Sagan who would surely have been favourite to take the race in a sprint.
Job done! Read our full report & reaction from @GeraintThomas86 on his #E3 win at http://t.co/8Rp619qMJa #HellOfARide pic.twitter.com/zSEN5hVejk
— Team Sky (@TeamSky) March 27, 2015
He then followed it up with a third-place after being blown off the road at Gent-Wevelgem:
You can't keep a good man down! From a ditch to the podium, @GeraintThomas86 gave it everything #HellOfARide #GWE pic.twitter.com/Sz4KcrcM0A
— Team Sky (@TeamSky) March 29, 2015
G is second only to Richie Porte in the UCI World Tour rankings and seems to be finally realising the potential he’s shown for years as a solid, selfless super-domestique, riding for his leaders even when heavily injured. He looks to me like the Classics rider to beat this year.
If nothing else the Sky trio should be a force to be reckoned with in Paris-Roubaix and II have to say my money is on Thomas to claim his place as an honestly talented rider who has earned his wins the hard way. That is, of course, unless he's riding for Wiggins.
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