Tuesday, April 12, 2011

A Sunday in Hell - Watch the Movie of Eddy Merckx in Paris - Roubaix

Paris-Roubaix is one, if not, the toughest one day classic bicycle race. It is nicknamed as the "Hell of the North" in french (L'enfer du Nord).

It has been raced since 1896 from Paris to Roubaix (north of France). The race biggest threat to the racers are the Cobblestones portions. (The race starts from Compiègne since 1968, but keep the name of Paris-Roubaix).

Most of the great cycling legends have raced it such as Maurice Garin (1897, 1898), Fausto Coppi (1950), Louison Bobet (1956), Eddy Merckx (1968, 1970, 1973) and Bernard Hinault (1981). The victories recordman is Belgian Roger De Vlaeminck (1972, 1974, 1975 and 1977). The record of consecutives victories is shared by frenchman Octave Lapize (1909, 1910 and 1911) and the Italian Francesco Moser (1978, 1979, 1980).

In the time when Eddy Merckx was "cannibalizing" the race circuit by winning it all, a movie about the Paris-Roubaix was shot in full color over 1 h 30 min.
If you enjoy steel frames, tubulars glued on aluminium polished rims and wool jersey, you will sure find a lot of inspiration in this great movie.

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