Paris-Roubaix (2012) Photos April 8th

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Stage 2:  2012 recon with flashbacks  Full Results and Report

The calm before the storm; it's amazing how peaceful the Arenberg forest is on any other day	Arenberg is one of the best spots to watch the race. On race day, it's known as the Arenberg trench...	because, like 2008, it's where the race can be won or lost
Cobbles close-up		This could be a muddy-mess on Sunday... 50% 70% chance of rain
Team Europcar doing recon on Friday	Danilo Hondo and Lampre teammates in the Arenberg forest at km 172	Team Sky with Juan Antonio Flecha. It would be great to see him win on Sunday don't you think and he could.
Tom Boonen taking the sidepath	Moving to the Orchies sector at km 197 with Farnese Vini led by Filippo Pozzato. Four-time Paris-Roubaix winner Roger De Vlaeminck has called on Filippo Pozzato to show more courage in his quest to win the Hell of the North on Sunday. (The Farnese Vini bright yellow doesn't suit Paris-Roubaix hence the b&w)	Orchies on a normal day
Orchies on race day	Omega Pharma QuickStep is the big team to watch	Tom Boonen, second, is looking to extend his outstanding start to the season with another Paris-Roubaix win. He's the favorite...

Stage 3:    Full Results and Report

There aren't big crowds at every cobblestone sector; the Querenaing a Maing sector 150 km into the race	The famous Arenberg Forest (Trench) at km 172 is the fan favorite	You're not likely to win the race here, but you can lose it
Tom Boonen flatted here last year. This year, he led the peloton to the other side	The Orchies sector at km 197	It was a bad day for Team GreenEdge on the road. Six of their eight riders, including Baden Cooke pictured here, didn't finish and Stuart O'Grady was there top finisher all the way down in 53rd position + 9:37.
It was a bad day for lots of riders. Looks like a broken collarbone for this Argos-Shimano rider.	The main break formed after the Arenberg forest. Filippo Pozzato was well positioned on Boonen's wheel here, but Pozzato later crashed after Boonen attacked (photos)	Tom Boonen dropped everyone with 53 km still to go
The large chase never got organized	At times, Tom Boonen seems larger than life; Templeuve l’Epinette cobble sector km 224 / 33 km to go	Sky had for 4 and 5 guys in the chase at times, but they couldn't bring back one rider.
Rabobank also had two riders in the chase Lars Boom (6th + 1:43) and Maarten Wynants (10th + 3:31)	Last year's winner, Johan Van Summeren (Garmin-Barracuda), negotiating the Mons en Pevele cobble sector. He finished 9th + 3:31.	Carrefour de l'Arbre section with Tom Boonen's teammate Nike Terpstra (5th 1:39) who earlier helped disrupt the chase. Here he is with Luca Paolini (Katusha) , 11th + 3:31. Notice, Sébastien Turgot (Europcar) in the background. Over the final 17 km he would move up to finish second.
No gloves or tape; in every respect Tom Boonen made the cobbles look easy today	Tom Boonen had plenty of time to savor victory on his two laps of the Roubaix velodrome	Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma QuickStep) equals the record of four Paris-Roubaix victories.
"My greatest win ever."	Photo finish for 2nd with Sébastien Turgot (Europcar) barely holding off Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing). Imagine the discussion that would have transpired if this was for first. Juan Antono Flecha (Sky) was 4th and Tom Boonen teammate, Niki Terpstra was 5th	Lets backup a split second and take a look at the photo-finish. It's very close but it does look like Turgot held on by the slimmest of margins as they say.
Make way for the winnaar	And the winner is...	Tom Boonen hoists the winner's trophy which weighs 31 lbs. Remember Johan van Summeren struggling with the clean and jerk last year? (photo)
Your 2012 Paris-Roubaix podium, 3rd Alessandro Ballan (BMC Racing), 1st Tom Boonen (Omega Pharma QuickStep) and 2nd Sébastien Turgot (Europcar)