Cobbles Special Photo Gallery: As we start the northern Classics season with Brugge-De Panne today (Wednesday) and Gent-Wevelgem on Saturday, our man with the camera, John Thomson, has put together another top photo gallery to whet your appetite for the coming cobbled battles.
*** You can see more of John Thomson’s photo galleries HERE. ***
John Thomson: This is my “Beers, Badgers and Cobbles Holy Week Special” photo gallery from 2023. It includes shots from the Oude Kwaremont at the Tour of Flanders, the Scheldeprijs and the Carrefour de L’Arbre sector at Paris-Roubaix. Plus some other goodies.
If you shoot the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix it is required by French law to convert at least one image to an artsy black and white version in Photoshop
No Pog at Flanders this year but here he is putting on the pressure on the second time up the Oude Kwaremont
The hard core fans were out early on the Carrefour de l’Arbre and an excellent excuse to wear a nice frock
Canadian Alison Jackson had the biggest win of her career at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift
Mathieu and Wout on the Carrefour de l’Arbre
MvdP had one of his best days on the bike at Paris-Roubaix 2023
Mathieu was “Elegant” on his Canyon Aeroad CFR Edition MVDP
Antwerp beer in the sun
Rudy Altig as world champion here at the 1967 Tour of Flanders and the winner in 1964
Lotte Kopecky on her way to winning De Ronde Women
And the world road champion later in the year
Wout van Aert and Florian Vermeersch on the Oude Kwaremont
Not sure about the Oude Kwaremont
Jasper Stuyven came down hard in the big crash but battled to the finish at Flanders
Mathieu van der Poel chasing Pog on the last time up the Oude Kwaremont
Raymond Poulidor at the 1966 Tour of Flanders
Tinkoff yellow and Molteni Eddy orange entertaining the fans on the Carrefour de l’Arbre
Jasper Philipsen and Sam Welsford sprinting for the line at the Scheldeprijs
This beer delivery on the Oude Kwaremont got huge cheers from the fans
Luke Rowe slid out with teammate Josh Tarling but they both battled to the finish at Paris-Roubaix
A tough last Flanders for Peter Sagan
His best Flanders in 2016
Running and chugging up the Oude Kwaremont
Davide Ballerini hit the deck more than once but battled to the finish at Flanders
Lorena Wiebes, Charlotte Kool and Chiara Consonni sprinting for the line at the Scheldeprijs Women
Top photog Tim De Waele checking his Nikon at Flanders
Jhonatan Narváez was the 2017 Ecuadorian road champion, here at the Tour of Flanders
Retro Roubaix magazine covers
Vintage rider on the Carrefour de l’Arbre
Tim Merlier as Belgian champion at Paris-Roubaix
Lorena Wiebes and Charlotte Kool sprinting for the line at the Scheldeprijs Women’s 2023
em>Laurenz Rex was fastest through the Trouée d’Arenberg sector according to his Strava file and finished in the top ten at Paris-Roubaix
In twenty years maybe the Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift
34- The world champion had hip and knee abrasions after a heavy fall. Annemiek van Vleuten battling at the Tour of Flanders 2023
Pretty sure not a badger at the Lille Natural History Museum
The Badger did win Paris-Roubaix in 1981. A tattered magazine picture that I had taped to an old training diary from years ago. One of my favorite shots of Bernard Hinault seen here at the Giro d’Italia. Photo: Egidio Riva
Mads Pedersen rode an epic Tour of Flanders and finished on the podium for the second time
One half of the great Gruber photo team. Ashley Gruber shooting the Tour of Flanders Women
The podium of the Paris-Roubaix Juniors. Matys Grisel (FRA) far right, Oscar Chamberlain (AUS)(world junior time trial champion) centre and Theodor Storm (signed with INEOS Grenadiers) (DEN) at left
Selfie of the well lubricated crowd coming off the Oude Kwaremont after the race
Floortje Mackaij at the Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift
Canadian Derek Gee had a memorable debut at his favorite race (Paris-Roubaix), from the Trouée d’Arenberg incident to the last rider inside the time limit
Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio here at Flanders is a big supporter of women’s cycling
The world champion had a great day out on the Oude Kwaremont
Gleb Syritsa looking good sans dark glasses on the Carrefour de l’Arbre
Rik Van Steenbergen riding old school to win the 1952 Paris-Roubaix carrying his own pump and spare. Photo: Le Miroir des sports
Kasteel Cuvée du Château
Julian Alaphilippe here at Flanders is looking forward to a good contract year in 2024
The consumption of beverages starts early on Tour of Flanders day. Fans getting ready to board the shuttle bus to the Oude Kwaremont
Nils Politt as German champion at the Tour of Flanders and now riding for UAE Team Emirates
Magnus Sheffield here at Paris-Roubaix had a tough 2023 but is on the comeback this year
Tim Merlier as Belgian champion at De Ronde
Silvia Persico, here at the Tour of Flanders, won the women’s 2023 Brabantse Pijl
Wout van Aert at the Tour of Flanders
Wout had huge fan support on the Oude Kwaremont
Except for Ballan and Nuyens, these are the only winners of De Ronde in the ten years from 2005 to 2014. Tom Boonen, Stijn Devolder and Fabian Cancellara
# Keep it PEZ for all the cobbled Classics… #