Comments on Belgium Knee Warmers: Paris Roubaix: A Journey Through Hell

My copy of the book just arrived this weekend, and...

2008-01-15T09:23:00.000-06:00

My copy of the book just arrived this weekend, and i wanted to say thank you again for the great review and inspiring me to get this book. The photography is fantastic and the articles are extremely well-written and detailed.

While there are other cycling books that look as good, none of them have the writing to match the great photos, such as what is collected in A Journey Through Hell. Best cycling book I've ever owned.

Regards, Marco

Ahh, Museeuw in his prime is something to behold. ...

2008-01-11T05:18:00.000-06:00

Ahh, Museeuw in his prime is something to behold. I want to believe he didn't dope during ALL of his races, particularly his memorable classics wins, but...

This book is with out doubt the proverbial "bomb"....

2008-01-10T21:15:00.000-06:00

This book is with out doubt the proverbial "bomb".

Boom

Bravo BKW.

s

Wonderfully written review! I'm buying one right n...

2008-01-09T20:46:00.000-06:00

Wonderfully written review! I'm buying one right now.

Freddy, it was a pleasure to read your beautiful r...

2008-01-09T10:04:00.000-06:00

Freddy, it was a pleasure to read your beautiful review of Paris-Roubaix: A Journey Through Hell. Thanks very much for your kind words.

For your readers, save your component money and buy the book at Amazon.com, where the book is 34% off and (alone!) qualifies for free shipping.

Dave Trendler
VeloPress
dtrendler@insideinc.com

Paris-Roubaix at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Paris-Roubaix-Journey-Through-Philippe-Bouvet/dp/1934030090/

This is a great book! I bought the French version ...

2008-01-09T08:49:00.000-06:00

This is a great book! I bought the French version last year by L'equipe while skipping around France, but the English version is way more superior and great intro by Bobke!

Thanks for posting this fantastic review of this b...

2008-01-09T07:34:00.000-06:00

Thanks for posting this fantastic review of this book. You've inspired me to get it special ordered at my local book shop.

Thank you also for putting the link to previous post on Tchmil. Out of curiosity, do you (or anyone) know if that Caloi he's riding in the picture is a re-badged Merckx MX Leader? I know they did that on Motorola, but was unaware that the Caloi retail name was also used on another pro team during the 90's.
Regards, Marco

Damn. I've got Pascal Sergeant's Century of Paris-...

2008-01-09T07:08:00.000-06:00

Damn. I've got Pascal Sergeant's Century of Paris-Roubaix (cover signed by Roger De Vlaeminck!), and I thought I could resist buying this new one as well.

But like others -- having read the review, it looks like another costly visit to Amazon.

I'm supposed to be riding the Paris Roubaix Sportive in June.

Anyone who wants to follow my haphazard training process can do so at:

http://yearinhell.blogspot.com/2007/12/story-so-far.html

If you're riding the Sportive, or have done in the past, say hello. Pain shared is pain halved etc.

That book looks sweet RF! Thanks for the DL on it....

2008-01-09T06:14:00.000-06:00

That book looks sweet RF! Thanks for the DL on it. That is one of a few road races I look forward to seeing the 15 min. of race highlights on Versus every year.

Love seeing the vintage stuff too. Often more inspiring than today's pros.

i just sat down to eat some bratwurst and kraut af...

2008-01-08T23:51:00.000-06:00

i just sat down to eat some bratwurst and kraut after my ride home and flipped through a couple chapters of this fine book before i checked BKW. crazy! the midwinter motivational things that we do to stay inspired to ride in the rain and cold. great review. thanks.

I received this from the wife for Christmas, along...

2008-01-08T16:21:00.000-06:00

I received this from the wife for Christmas, along with Rouler's The Annual. I have to say I'm stoked to have both and will be happily ready the P-R book for the next several months.

...great quote at the beginning of the article & t...

2008-01-08T13:45:00.000-06:00

...great quote at the beginning of the article & the book looks totally fascinating...

...as you now have two victories in 'the hell of the north', when i drift into slumberland tonight, i'll hope to awake having matched your palmares' w/ a second victory at 'la primavera'...
...while the conditions on the run into san remo are never as deplorable, nonetheless, i consider it an worthy accomplishment...

this is a great book that I have been dieing to ge...

2008-01-08T13:28:00.000-06:00

this is a great book that I have been dieing to get my hands on, finally got it for christmas...my favorite line so far is: "Pass in peace, gentlemen, you have enough to deal with in Hell"

A beautiful book. There's something definitely add...

2008-01-08T12:27:00.000-06:00

A beautiful book. There's something definitely added in the translation from the writing of the French journalists that is evocative and captivating.

this was easily my favorite christmas present. ev...

2008-01-08T12:16:00.000-06:00

this was easily my favorite christmas present. even though my wife hates my cycling habit, she understood the need to keep me occupied during the snowy cold New England winter. or maybe she realized i'd stay inside with her to read this cover to cover...

Excellent wordsmithery RF. I have an empty spot o...

2008-01-08T12:10:00.000-06:00

Excellent wordsmithery RF. I have an empty spot on the large-format bookcase, where my "Toad The Wet Sprocket" song tablature book used to be..."Walked on the ocean, swimmed on the shore"...something like that.

Having been a fan of the classics since the era wh...

2008-01-08T10:41:00.000-06:00

Having been a fan of the classics since the era when looking at a 3 month old La Gazzetta that somehow wound up at the bike shop was as good as you could do, and having had the good fortune to ride most of the cobbled sections with my friends on two occasions, I also love this book. Watson's Road to Hell is also good but doesn't compare to the depth of this masterpeice.

With the free high resolution images from Google Earth, one can see and feel the potential that existed for much of the race's drama to be diminished (compare book photos of the cobbled Le Pas Roland with the smooth asphalt that exits today as the road climbs into Mons-en-Pevelle from the south. The modern construction (also visible in Google Earth) just west and south of the Lille airport has essentially eliminated the use of the sections that made Tchmil's victory, Museeuw's chase and Ballerini's misfortunes so memmorable in 1994. Fortunately, organizations such as http://www.lesamisdeparisroubaix.com/ will keep the current route (which is still excellent) from being ruined by development.

I liked the section in which famous French writers/artists/poets wrote about their individual experiences with the race. This section clearly dispells the notion that Hinault only rode the race once. Although a great story line, let's see if the English language cycling press stops perpetuating that myth?
-Mike Owens

Great review - looks fantastic. There goes a hunk...

2008-01-08T08:50:00.000-06:00

Great review - looks fantastic. There goes a hunk of my "components fund". Thanks a lot!

there are a few things that I am trying not to bre...

2008-01-08T07:29:00.000-06:00

there are a few things that I am trying not to break down and buy, this book being one of them, but after reading your post my willpower is just about gone