Hats off to Fabian Cancellara for winning the second Paris-Roubaix of his career on Sunday.
The Swiss time trial specialist escaped from his rivals on one of the 27 sections of cobblestones that interrupt the 160-mile bike route and led all the way to the finish.
That the Swiss cyclist is one of the few cyclists to win the race multiple times is a testament to the difficulty of the aptly named “Hell of the North.”
If the distance and uncertain weather along the course doesn't get you, the cobblestones surely will. There are 33 miles of cobblestones spread out over 27 sections of the course. The cyclists always face a slip, a fall, a puncture, or mechanical failure.
Just ask American George Hincapie.
Hincapie's illustrious career is full of disappointments at the Paris-Roubaix. Although he finished in the Top 10 seven times, but never on the top of the podium. He has disappeared from view after riding into a roadside ditch one year, and led going into the final lap in the Roubaix velodrome only to be beaten in the sprint.
In one notorious episode, the steering tube on Hincapie's bike broke and he crashed to the cobblestones, suffering a separated shoulder.
That was 2006, the year of Cancellara's first Paris-Roubaix win. That race ended in controversy after three riders who were chasing front-runner Cancellara rode around a closed train crossing near the finish and were later disqualified. At least two of them would have been awarded a podium finish.
Other cyclists with mutiple wins at Paris-Roubaix are Tom Boonen, Eddy Merckx, Johan Museeuw, and Rik Van Looy, all with 3, and Franco Ballerini, with 2.
In addition to the Paris-Roubaix, Cancellara has won the E3 Prijs-Harelbeke and Tour of Flanders this spring.
Cervelo's Thor Hushovd (Norway) finished in second place, two minutes behind Cancellara, and Sky's Juan Antonio Flecha (Spain) finished third.
Hincapie, riding for US-based BMC Racing, finished in 29th place, 7:05 behind the winner.
Reports and results at CyclingNews and VeloNews. Versus is televises the race from 3 to 6 to 9 p.m. (ET)
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