Australian Stuart O'Grady became the first Australian to win the trecherous Paris-Roubaix bicycle race on Sunday, finishing nearly a full minute ahead of his nearest challenger.
Called the Hell of the North because of 30-some miles of cobblestones, many crashes and frequently inclement weather, this year's 161-mile race appeared to be sunny and warm, but still bumpy.
In winning, the 33-year-old cyclist for Team CSC said his victory fulfills a dream he's had for 13 years. Victory in Paris-Roubaix has been a long-time dream for US cyclist George Hincapie also, but the Discovery Channel rider sat it out this year to recover from a broken wrist and compete in the Tour de Georgia, which begins Monday.
Hincapie
Hincapie, who previously has finished in the top 3, crashed out last year when his bike literally came apart under him. He suffered a shoulder injury that sidelined him until the Tour de France.
The only American in this year's Paris-Roubaix was Discovery Channel's Antonio Cruz, who did not finish.
O'Grady finished 52 seconds ahead of Juan Antonio Flecha, Rabobank; last year's winner Tom Boonen of Belgium trailed by 55 seconds, finishing in 6th place.
The Versus cable network (OLN in Canada) will air a one-hour broadcast on Paris-Roubaix beginning at 5 p.m. (ET) on Sunday. I can imagine commentator Phil Liggett's reaction to the win by a fellow countryman.
Full results at CyclingNews and VeloNews.
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