Good Morning. The 100th edition of Paris-Roubaix is underway. All190 starters listed on the startlist left Compiègne at 10:50 this morning.11:07 a.m. The weather is chilly (7 degrees Centigrade) and thereis a brisk wind coming from the Northwest, which translates into a head/crosswindcoming across the left side of the course.There was an early attack at kilometer 10 this morning from rider 177- Steffen WEIGOLD (Gerolsteiner) who was soon joined by 222 - StéphaneAUGE (Jean Delatour) . They were quickly caught and the peloton is intact.It should be fairly quiet for the opening kilometers. The real action oftoday's race, of course, begins on the famed cobblesand those begin at around 99kilolmeters11:25 a.m. At kilometer 20, a group of five riders scooted offthe front of the peloton: 016 Robert HUNTER (Mapei); 127 Franck PERQUE(La FRANCAISE des JEUX ); 176Saulius RUSKYS (Gerolsteiner) 221 Eddy SEIGNEUR(Jean Delatour) and 232 Guillaume AUGER (Big Mat). By Kilometer 26, theywere joined by a big group of 30 to 35 riders and the pace in the pelotonhas picked up considerably. Riders are already being dropped off the backof the field.11:28 a.m. UCI officials have announced the results of today'searly morning hematocrit tests. Twenty four riders from four teams -- Rabobank,:a Francaise des Jeux, Saeco and CSC -- were tested. None showed what the UCI euphemistically calls an 'unsafe' level of red blood cells.11:43 a.m. At kilometer 34 a group 33 riders now has an advantageof 38 seconds on the rest of the field. Domo, Mapei and Big Mat are wellrepresented. U.S. Postal only has one rider (Tom Boonen) in the mix andis leading the chase.Check the startlist for the names and teams of these riders. We will fill in the detailsas time permits.2, 8, 12, 15, 16, 22, 26, 33, 36, 38, 65, 68, 78, 85, 86, 92, 93, 98,102, 123, 131, 137, 144, 146, 155, 175, 180, 188, 191, 231, 232, 237 and238.11:58 a.m. At kilometer 52, the group of 33 riders now has anadvantage of 1:35. The wind is blowing fairly hard, but despite that thespeed for the opening hour of racing was a healthy 46.3kph. VeloNewsEditor Kip Mikler reports that the U.S. Postal team is leading the chase.Just a note. There 33 riders in the group, but we had numbers for only32 listed earlier (since corrected). The missing rider was number 86 -Raphael SCHWEDA (Coast). Give us a minute or so and we'll start fillingin names. In the mean time, of course, you can use ourstart list for reference.12:20 p.m. We are km 72. The weather is turning bad. Wejust passed through a brief, but nasty, rainshower.In the main field Tour of Flanders winner Andrea Tafi (Mapei) suffereda flat, switched bikes and managed to rejoin the field. Others aren't solucky. With Postal and Taconi Sport driving the peloton, the speed is toomuch for some and several riders have popped off the back of the main field.Up ahead the group of 33 riders is maintaining a lead of about 1:30.
Here is the composition of that break. As you can see none of the pre-racefavorites are among them, though our favorite headbanger -- Jacky Durandis out there. He seems to always get into those early breaks and everyonce in awhile it actually pays off.DOMO-FARM FRITES:
002 CASSANI Enrico (I)
008 VAN HEESWIJK Max (Nl)
MAPEI -QUICK STEP
012 BODROGI Laszlo (Hun)
015 HORILLO Pedro (Sp)
016 HUNTER Robert (SA)
LAMPRE-DAIKIN
022 BERTOGLIATI Rubens (Swi)
026 SERPELLINI Marco (I)
LOTTO -ADECCO
033 DE CLERCQ Hans (B)
036 MARICHAL Thierry (B)
038 VIERHOUTEN Aart (Nl)
COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE
065 MATTAN Nico (B)
068 TOMBAK Janeck (Est)
RABOBANK
078 SENTJENS Roy (Nl)
TEAM COAST
085 KORFF André (G)
086 SCHWEDA Raphael (G)
TEAM CSC TISCALI
093 HOFFMAN Tristan (Nl)
098 VAN HYFTE Paul (B)
US POSTAL SERVICE
102 BOONEN Tom (B)
La FRANCAISE des JEUX
123 DURAND Jacky (F)
FASSA BORTOLO
131 BALDATO Fabio (I)
137 ZANETTE Denis (I)
TEAM TELEKOM
144 HONDO Danilo (G)
146 KLIER Andreas (G)
CREDIT AGRICOLE
155 HINAULT Sébastien (F)
GEROLSTEINER
175 RICH Michael (G)
180 HARDTER Uwe (G)
BONJOUR
188 VOECKLER Thomas (F)
ONCE -EROSKI
191 GONZALEZ GALDEANO Alvaro (Sp)
BIG.MAT . AUBER 93
231 GOUVENOU Thierry (F)
232 AUGER Guillaume (F)
237 SIVAKOV Alexei (Rus)
238 TALABARDON Sébastien (F)12:45 p.m. The leaders are now at 2:45. They are at kilometer90, about 9km from that firststretch of cobbles. One rider has fallen off the back of the lead group.We have yet to ID him and will update you ASAP.Our VeloNews car has just passed over that first stretch of cobbles.VeloNews Editor Kip Mikler, at his first Paris-Roubaix, said he suddenly"realized why they call this the Hell of the North. It's nuts to try andride across this."The weather is getting worse, the rain is picking up and the pavéis covered in a "gooey muck."1:03 p.m. The leaders have reached the first section of pavé.The goo that we mention earlier is quite slippery and some of the men inthe lead group appear to be having difficulty.1:16 p.m. The leaders have now passed through two sections ofcobbles. As they entered the first at Km 99.8 in Troisvilles, they hada lead approaching three full minutes. Domo's Max Van Heeswijk, Mapei'sRobbie Hunter and Laszlo Bodrogi were leading the group through the cobbles.As they emerged from that 2.2km-long stretch of pave' their lead was downto 2:50. The leaders dropped Jacky Durand and he is drifting back to oneof the chase groups. In the chase group, Taconi's Gianluca Bortolami, suffereda mechanical and switched bikes with a teammate.At Km 106 in the town of Viesly, the leaders entered the 1.8km stretchof pave' with that 2:50 lead intact. The three men who lead the group throughthat first stretch of cobbles remain at the front.Behind them a chase group of 20 is now 2:40 behind. That group is beingled by the U.S. Postal team's Floyd Landis, who is working hard to minimizethe gap to help his teammate george Hincapie, who is also in that groupwith him. About nine seconds behind them is another group that includesMapei's Daniele Nardello and Postal's Tony Cruz. We do not have a reportas to the location of Domo's Fred Rodriguez. We will try to get that informationas soon as possible.A slight rain continues to fall. This is going to be a tough day...there are still 150km left to go.1:30 p.m. The cobbles have taken their toll. That lead groupof 33 is now to just seven riders. The rest have either lost contact withthe leaders, suffered a mechanical or just become bogged down in the muck.Currently, the men in the lead are
DOMO-FARM FRITES:
002 CASSANI Enrico (I)
008 VAN HEESWIJK Max (Nl)
MAPEI -QUICK STEP
012 BODROGI Laszlo (Hun)
LOTTO -ADECCO
033 DE CLERCQ Hans (B)
TEAM COAST
086 SCHWEDA Raphael (G)
CSC TISCALI
093 HOFFMAN Tristan (Nl)
and
US POSTAL SERVICE
102 BOONEN Tom (B)The leaders have just passed through the first feed zone at Solesmes.They have 145km to go and we do not have a precise time gap at this time,as there are so many riders scattered between them and what might constitutea serious chase.1:42 Soon after the feedzone, the seven leaders were joined bysix others -- we will ID them ASAP -- and entered the pave' at Haussy (km121.9) with a lead well over four minutes.As they emerged from that 900-meter stretch of cobbles, our latest timecheck gave the group of 13 a lead of 4:35 over the main chase group of30 riders. U.S. Postal's Tony Cruz, Floyd Landis and George Hincapie arein that chase group. We still do not have information as to whether Domo'sFred Rodriguez is in that chase.1:55 p.m. The 13 leaders -- including the break's biggest threatCofidis's Nico Mattan -- passed through the pave' at Verchain-Maugre àQuerenaing (km 132.9) with a lead of 4:55. They are just past the halfwaypoint of today's race, so nothing is certain yet, but with a lead of nearlyfive minutes, this is a serious, serious threat to the day's early favorites.The leaders are being chased by a group of 30 that includes U.S. Postal'sTony Cruz, Floyd Landis and George Hincapie. The group also includes AnreaTafi and Domo's Fred Rodriguez. Both Tafi and Rodriguez suffered mechanicalsback around the feedzone and worked together to regain contact with thatchase group.2:05 p.m. The leaders have entered the 2.5km stretch of pave'at Maing (km136 -- 125 km to go). Mapei's Robbie Hunter has punctured.We are still awaiting a complete breakdown of the riders in the group.We will post that as soon as we get it.2:10 p.m. Postal is still leading the chase. As of km 145, --the end of the 17km stretch of pave' at Haspres -- the leaders still havean advantage 4:30.2:20 p.m. U.S. Postal is still powering the chase. They havea big 4:35 gap to close over the remaining 115km.Ahead the breakis composed of 16 riders: Cassani, Van Heeswijk, Bodrogi,Horillo, Hunter, De Clercq, Mattan, Tombak, Korff, Schweda, Eriksen, Hofman,Boonen, Hondo, Klier and Talabardon.2:25 p.m. A reminder for American TV viewers with Outdoor Life.You can watch the rest of the race live on OLN TV starting in about fiveminutes. of course, if you turn it on now, you'll get to watch the restof "American Shooter." As for the rest of you, stay tuned here. We'll bedoing live updates from John Wilcockson and Kip Mikler for the remainderof this 100th edition of Paris-Roubaix.2:35: p.m. The 16 leaders are now approaching the famed pave'of the Forest of Arenberg.The news from road is that Fred Rodriguez has suffered another flat,but has rejoined the chase group.2:40 p.m. The lead group is down to 14. Danilo Hondo (Telekom)and Robbie Hunter (Mapei) have suffered mechanicals and have slipped back.The gap over the main group -- now up to about 60 riders -- is at 4:08.2:45 p.m. The lead group -- down to 12 riders -- is just enteringthe Forest of Arenberg. They now have less than 4:00 minutes on the maingroup that includes all of the day's pre-race favorites.2:50 p.m. Domo's Enrico Cassani is driving the leaders throughthe Forest of Arenberg. Things have changed in recent years. The organizershave lined this difficult section of course with steel barriers to keepthe massive crowd off of the pave' and the gutters along the side.2:51 p.m. Cassani, Postal's Tom Boonen, Hans De Clerq and oneother rider have emerged from the Forest with a slight lead over the restofthe lead group. Just as they emerge, the main group begins this tough stretchof pave'2:56 p.m. The four leaders -- Cassani, Boonen, De Clerq and Coast'sRaphael Schweda -- still have a slight advantage over the reast of thelead group.The main chase group has broken up and a small group -- including FredRodriguez, George Hincapie and Johann Museeuw -- has a slight advantageover the rest.3:01 p.m. The leaders -- the four that emerged from the Forestof Arenberg and the eight others of that lead group -- have all regroupedat the front. A powerful chase group of ten -- including Hincapie, Museeuwand Rodriguez -- has advantage over the main field and are now just 2:59behind the leaders.3:13 p.m. The lead group of 11 has advantage of 2:16 over theHincapie chase group, which includes Johann Musseuw and remnants of thatoriginal breakaway group.The leaders are
DOMO-FARM FRITES
002 CASSANI Enrico (I)
003 CRETSKENS Wilfried (B)
MAPEI -QUICK STEP
012 BODROGI Laszlo (Hun)
COFIDIS CREDIT PAR TELEPHONE
065 MATTAN Nico (B)
068 TOMBAK Janeck (Est)
TEAM COAST
086 SCHWEDA Raphael (G)
TEAM CSC TISCALI
092 ERIKSEN Thomas (Dk)
093 HOFFMAN Tristan (Nl)
US POSTAL SERVICE
102 BOONEN Tom (B)
TEAM TELEKOM
146 KLIER Andreas (G)
JEAN DELATOUR
221 SEIGNEUR Eddy (F)3:19 p.m. Hans DeClerq and Nico Mattan have slipped ahead ofthe rest of the leaders.The Hincapie group is now less than 2:00 behind the leaders. Includedin the Hincapie group areDOMO-FARM FRITES
006 MUSEEUW Johan (B)
MAPEI -QUICK STEP
015 HORILLO Pedro (Sp)
016 HUNTER Robert (SA)
LOTTO -ADECCO
036 MARICHAL Thierry (B)
TEAM COAST
081 MICHAELSEN Lars (Dk)
US POSTAL SERVICE
101 HINCAPIE George (USA)
TEAM TELEKOM
148 WESEMANN Steffen (G)3:20 p.m. We are now at 195km. There are about 65km remaining.The leaders are finishing up one of the longest stretches of pave' -- adouble stretch actually: Warlaing À Brillon (2.4km) and Tilloy ÀSars Et Rosieres (2.4km).The leaders are holding an advantage of 2:00.The big news is that Fred Rodriguez has joined up with the Hincapie/Museeuwgroup. That adds to Domo's strength in the two lead groups.3:33 p.m. Rodriguez and Hunter tangled up and crashed on thepave' on Tilloy À Sars Et Rosieres.Please note that the Hincapie group also includes last year's winnerServais Knaven -- another powerful Domo rider in the mix. If Rodriguezjoins up, that will make five Domos in the two lead groups... and justtwo Posties: Hincapie and Boonen. Of course, that's one better than whatHincapie had last year in Paris-Roubaix.Up front, the lead group is down to seven riders. Their advantage iscomng down quickly -- now at 1:20 -- and we can expect that the Hincapie/Museeuwgroup will reel them in before too long.3:39 p.m. It looks like that crash cost Fred Rodriguez some serioustime. He is now 1:00 down on the Hincapie/Museeuw group. That group isnow less than a minute behind the leaders.3:47 p.m. The leaders are now entering the pave' of the CheminDes Prières, at Orchies.Their advantage is just 40 seconds and Rodriguez has rejoined the Hincapie-Museeuw-Knavengroup.3:52 p.m. The leaders have just emerged from that last stretchof pave' (there are still 10 sections of cobbles left). They still havea small lead over the Hincapie Musseuw group. There are about 55km remainingin this 260km event.3:55 p.m. The leaders -- a group of 8 -- are now just around40 seconds up on the chase group of 7. The Domo team will have five riderswhen those two groups get together.Andrea Tafi's group is another 1:49 back.4:00 p.m. Mapei's Boonen has slipped off the back of the leadgroup. He faded quickly and was soon caught and passed by the Hincapiegroup. We are now less than 50km from the finish.4:05 p.m. Nico Mattan is still driving the lead group. The gapis still at around 40 seconds.Museeuw is driving the chase group. George Hincapie is on his wheel.4:08 p.m. The lead group is falling apart -- now down to fiveriders -- and the advantage is at 30 seconds.The chase group has fractured with Museeuw, Hincapie Max Sciandri andStefan Wesemann no well ahead of the rest.4:11 p.m We are about 40km from the finish. The Hincapie chasegroup of seven is now just 100 meters behind the lead group of five. Domo'sRodriguez and Knaven have been dropped from the chase group.4:13 p.m. The two groups are now together. There are 12 ridersat the front, including George Hincapie and Tom Boonen from Postal andJohann Museeuw, Wilfried Cretskens and Enroco Cassani from Domo.4:18 p.m. As the 12 leaders close in on the 700 meter stretchofcobbles at Merignies, they have a 15 second lead over three chasers: Domo'sServais Knaven and Fred Rodriguez and Hans De Clerq. Just as the chasersentered the cobbles, De Clerq crashed. The other two survived.Ahead Museeuw has attacked and he has built a 10 second lead. Hey! Wasn'tthis guy supposed to retire this week?!??!!4:23 p.m. There are now 37km to go and Johann Museeuw holds a15 second advantage over the other members of the lead group. Boonen andHincapie are leading the chase.4:27 p.m. Museeuw is pounding huge gears and flying through theturns on the narrow roads to Roubaix. Behind, Domo's Van Heswijk and Coast'sMichaelsen have crashed. Sciandri, who had been dropped, was just regainingcontact with the group when the crash occured and missed his chance torejoin.Museeuw continues to hammer down the road. He still has six sectionsof pave' and 35km to go. Can he stay off the front?4:33 p.m. Museeuw has built his lead to 24 seconds. That advantageis over just two riders: The Postal team's Hincapie and Boonen. The threeare all on the gross, mucky and difficult stretch of pave' at Moulin DeVertain.4:37 p.m. Museeuw is just 28km from the finish. He has an 28-scondadvantage over Hincapie and Boonen, who are now about 20 seconds up onthe remnants of that group of 12 that was briefly in the lead. Boonen isstill riding strong despite the fact that he was one of the original 33riders who broke away just 52km into this 260 km race. Hincapie has gotto be happy the young Belgian was picked for this race.4:41 p.m. Approaching the kilometer-long stretchof cobbles atCysoing (25km from the finish), Museeuw has built his lead to 45 seconds.Hincapie and Boonen have an advantage of just 30 seconds over the nextchase group that includes two more of Museeuw's teammates.4:44 p.m. Boonen and Hincapie are on the cobbles of Cysoing.Museeuw has an advantage of 55 seconds.4:46 p.m. Despite being pursued by two riders working together,Johann Museeuw continues to build his lead. He is now on the 400-meterstretch of cobbles at Bourghelles.His lead is now approaching a minute.4:51 p.m. Hincapie and Boonen are now 1:01 behind Museeuw. The36-year-old Belgian is flying across these final 20km of Paris-Roubaixand barring a disaster looks set to take his third victory in this greatclassic.4:54 p.m. Museeuw's lead is now at 1:21.4:59 p.m. Museeuw is on the 1.8kn stretch of cables at Camphin-En-Pevele,with 18km to go. Museeuw is now off on his own with an advantage of 1:30over Hincapie and Boonen.Hincapie has crashed into a ditch and Boonen has moved on without himto go it alone after struggling through this mucky stretch of cobbles.5:01 p.m. Museeuw is now taking on the long 2.1km stretch ofcobbles at Le Carrefour De L'arbre, with 15k to go. Boonen is chasing.Hincapie has climbed out of the ditch and has been joined Stefan Wesemann.Boonen is behind.5:02 p.m. The Postal team's Boonen is in second place. He isnearly 2:00 behind Museeuw. Hincapie is chasing with Stefan Wesemann.5:06 p.m. Wesemann has dropped Hincapie and moved into thirdplace. Boonen is in second place, 2:19 behind Museeuw.5:08 p.m. Wesemann is closing in on Boonen. This is turning intoa much better race for the Telekom racer than it was last year, when hesuffered constant problems with his cleat. Musseuw's advantage is now upto 2:20 with 12km to go.5:15 p.m. Museeuw is now 2:48 ahead of Wesemann and Boonen. Thereare just 6km to go. Hincapie has just been reabsorbed by the main chasegroup at 3:48.5:18 p.m. Musseeuw continues to push his advantage close to threeminutes over Wesemann and the amazing Postal rider, Tom Boonen. Another50 seconds back, a group of six that includes Boonen's teammate, GeorgeHincapie - who is back there only by a stroke of bad luck.5:22 p.m. Museeuw is entering Roubaix with an advantage of 3:00.Not bad for a guy who talked about retiring from the sport just a weekago.5:24 p.m. Museeuw is now just 1km from the finish line in thevelodrome of Roubaix. Wesemann and Boonen - who has been out at the frontof this race for 225km - are 3:02 behind. George Hincapie's group is anotherminute back.5:26p.m. Museeuw has entered the velodrome and is now completing the required 1.5 laps.5:27 p.m. Museeuw has won his third Paris-Roubaix. Boonen andWesemann are heading toward the velodrome and to the finish.5:30 p.m. Wesemann has taken second. Boonen gets a podium spotfor his Postal team. It appears that Tristan Hoffman has taken the sprintfor fourth and Hincapie looks like he finished in sixth.