hell of the north

as the sun gets a little higher and the temperature eases toward twenty degrees, it means that the most famous one day classic ushers in the cycling year proper. the paris-roubaix is on sunday and the 165 mile amble through the french countryside is notoriously severe - the famous cobbled sections having snapped frames and broken limbs. if it rains, as anyone who has cycled on wet cobbles will testify, it's kinda like cycling on ice. so all in all a nice way to spend a sunday afternoon.

the change of weather also means the leggings will be replaced with shorts and my spindly goat-like legs will be on display. I don't like shaving my legs but I will this year. I did it for the first time before a tour in italy (a holiday, not the giro) for a laugh. the next time I think I did it was when I started racing in scotland - felt a bit like peer pressure (if those more talented were doing it then there must be a good reason). now I will do it basically becuase it's hygenic - you get a lot of crap congregating on your lower legs during a long day, but also it's:

1. easy to rub warm-up balm into,
2. easy to clean after a fall,
3. good looking,
4. aerodynamic, and
5. easy to massage.

you believe that?

""update monday 10th april""

cancellara had a great win on sunday where many fell by the (cobbles) way side. boonen was second - the level crossing wait for a goods train to pass probably not helping the world champion's progress. nice to see a handicap system in operation in the pro tour!