Races and great moments · Paris–Roubaix · 2009

When the Roubaix favourites disappeared one by one

Six riders reached Carrefour de l’Arbre together. Minutes later several challengers were gone and Tom Boonen had a clear road to his third victory.

Tom Boonen winning Paris–Roubaix 2009 in the Roubaix velodrome — Tom Boonen finishes Paris–Roubaix 2009 in the velodrome. Photograph: Thomas Ducroquet/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Six riders reached Carrefour de l’Arbre together. Minutes later several challengers were gone and Tom Boonen had a clear road to his third victory.

Six riders remained

After Mons-en-Pévèle, Boonen was in a strong group with Pozzato, Hushovd, Flecha, Hoste and Vansummeren. As a twice winner, he was the rider nobody wanted to take to the velodrome.

Flecha makes his move

Flecha entered Carrefour de l’Arbre believing he could decide the race. He crashed in the first bend, damaged his bicycle and lost his chance within seconds. He later remembered 2009 as the year he came closest.

Hushovd hits the barriers

Boonen and Hushovd escaped, but the Norwegian crashed into the barriers on the following cobbled sector. Boonen had not caused either fall. His advantage was that he remained upright, carried speed and knew the road home.

Alone to Roubaix

Boonen rode solo and won 47 seconds ahead of Pozzato, with Hushovd third. It was his third Roubaix victory after 2005 and 2008.

The simple arithmetic of cobbles

Strength alone did not settle the race. Position, line choice, equipment and staying upright sorted a group that had looked evenly matched only kilometres earlier. Roubaix rarely needs help creating disorder.

Sources

Six riders remained

Flecha makes his move

Hushovd hits the barriers

Alone to Roubaix

The simple arithmetic of cobbles

Robic took yellow on the final day

Drillium – when the drill became a weight-saving tool

When cycling became a control room

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