The Real Heroes Of Paris-Roubaix? Mitch Docker Meets Les Amis

Рет қаралды 58,293

Жыл бұрын

Paris-Roubaix is one of the longest and toughest events on the racing calendar, but it's the cobbles en route that give it its legendary status! For 2 days every year, the route is a path to glory, for the rest of the year it is used by farmers' tractors. Mitch Docker has been to meet Les Amis, who treat and maintains the cobbles ahead of race day!
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Пікірлер: 123

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Are you as excited as we are about Paris-Roubaix? Who's your favourite for the win in the Men's and Women's races? Let us know in the comments! 👇

@888johnmac Жыл бұрын

so cool .. i always assumed the cobbles were professionally maintained or prepped before the race .. not fixed up by a group of 15 volunteers fuelled by pain-au-chocolate

@tombladon8064 Жыл бұрын

And there’s some goats too

@gcn Жыл бұрын

It's amazing what a pain-au-chocolate can fuel 🙌

@chrisridesbicycles Жыл бұрын

Absolute heroes. The race organisers should give something back to people like that.

@ThomasVanQuaelle Жыл бұрын

I've heard the organisers let them attend the race free of charge

@calcradden6293 Жыл бұрын

@@ThomasVanQuaelle You don't need to pay to attend a race though you can just go outside

@cleekmaker00 Жыл бұрын

Expense Compensation at the least. I was thinking a ride in the Car, but which one? The Lead? The Peloton? How about a ride on one of the Motos? 🖖🙂🚴

@nl_2652 Жыл бұрын

Zero clickbait cringe. Just straight passion and respect for the racing and infrastructure. Good stuff!!

@russellperkins4139 Жыл бұрын

Really liking Mitch as a presenter, great enthusiasm and very polite to Les Amis. More Mitch!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Do you think we should be inviting Mitch back into the studio? 👀

@russellperkins4139 Жыл бұрын

@@gcn yes, that would be a great idea.

@jaysyate6161 Жыл бұрын

Mitch is bloody awesome, more of him please!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

He's great! We have some great GCN+ content with him in 👉gcn.eu/TCOTR

@monochromios Жыл бұрын

Thank you Mitch and GCN for highlithing rhe great hidden heroes of the Paris-Roubaix. After a short carreer in ciclyng, nowadays I supervision the roads on Haut Alpes for the Tour de France. Thank you for sharing.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Awesome work Stefano! What sort of maintenance do you have to do?

@swaffelkonijn5166 Жыл бұрын

Oh the French, bless 'em. "Zis is a pot'ole and it is a trap for ze cyclists, anyway, want some pain au chocolat?!"

@NELSON3947 Жыл бұрын

In better condition than most UK roads 🤣

@alinapopescu872 Жыл бұрын

Than most roads in most countries.

@888johnmac Жыл бұрын

lol , i'm in Edinburgh & many of the roads in conservation areas are still cobbled

@guussophie3074 Жыл бұрын

That’s because you don’t have “les amis” in the UK!

@AutiSam1974 Жыл бұрын

true, at least they don't have to endure the dreaded surface dressing, way worse than Arenberg 😆

@markrskinner Жыл бұрын

We've double the number of cars in the last few decades to thank for that. 😫🙄

@frankavenilla9668 Жыл бұрын

3:48 “No cobble, no race.” What more is there to say about Paris Roubaix?! These guys are excellent! 👍🏽👏🏽

@robinparker7032 Жыл бұрын

"Respect the stones". So true on so many levels. The world is a better place for the unsung heroes and volunteers like les Amis. Thank-you! PS - as per most other comments - more Mitch please!

@CG-99 Жыл бұрын

Heroes. Well done GCN for highlighting the work of these great people.

@craigr2167 Жыл бұрын

Love that these guys do this out of passion not money. Also love Mitch Docker and his trusty mustache. We need more Mitch, man's a legend.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Mitch and his mullet are always welcome on the channel! Have you seen any of his docs 👉 gcn.eu/TCOTR

@douglastong3208 Жыл бұрын

Merci beaucoup a Les Amis et Mitch! Vive les paves!!

@Livlifetaistdeth Жыл бұрын

That was a fantastic episode. From now on I'm calling myself and my friends "Cycling Riders" that was very endearing.

@daveansell2418 Жыл бұрын

Nice piece thanks!

@davidryan4053 Жыл бұрын

Best presenter GCN have used. Nothing fake about Mitch. A passionate human being.

@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589 Жыл бұрын

Better than the effete & constipated Poms, innee?

@KFc-pm1rz Жыл бұрын

Excellent video Mitch!! Keep him on GCN!! Very surprised only 15 volunteers though. They are the real heroes for keeping this beautiful event alive.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Mitch has done lots of bits for us in the past, have you seen any of his GCN+ docs? 👉 gcn.eu/lrbp

@andrewmcalister3462 Жыл бұрын

More Mitch! Les Amis do great work, and repairing cobbles in the middle of winter takes true passion. Vive la pain-au-chocolate.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Is this harder work than the race itself? 👀

@andrewmcalister3462 Жыл бұрын

@@gcn I don't know, but the event nutrition sure is better than a gel.

@svenshipman3612 Жыл бұрын

Ive watched this race many times. Its incredible the cobbles are maintained ny hand like this. It also is crazy seeing those cobbles close up and how rough that race really is. Respect for those guys, there wouldnt be a race without them.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Hopefully they will be proud of their work after the weekend! 🙌

@joshfleetwood145 Жыл бұрын

Not all heroes wear capes 👍🏻🔥

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Some lay cobbles 🙌

@Wapps7 Жыл бұрын

Loving Mitch on the videos

@richardrutishauser4689 Жыл бұрын

In the countryside with pastries talking about bike racing...heaven!!

@talanoso.4791 Жыл бұрын

Oh my word. These are boulders. They appear small during the race. Much respect to the “Cycling Rider”

@gcn Жыл бұрын

They really are massive 🤯

@scartlidge408 Жыл бұрын

Mitch is an awesome presenter. He defo needs to be in more videos.

@kaltonian Жыл бұрын

brilliant👍....thank you for the repairs gentlemen🏆, bad thing with cobbles is they sink due to the weather but the flip side is the cobbled roads are much easier to repair without digging up to much road, hence the reason they were laid in the first place, the Romans built them like this to

@filippopogacar Жыл бұрын

Precious men

@KevinAxt-om5on Жыл бұрын

Pointe du chapeau to Les Amis! Only 15 of them doing the repair work is darn impressive. I'll enjoy Paris-Roubaix all the more for learning about them.

@cub8556 Жыл бұрын

Mitch is so great!

@marty197666 Жыл бұрын

He’s the best presenter gcn has for sure

@johnengland8619 Жыл бұрын

Great volunteers

@Ok_rouleur Жыл бұрын

Congratulations for their work and for their English

@ajreycer3294 Жыл бұрын

Mitch Docker is literally laying the ground work!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Ba Dum Shhh 🥁

@rob_cd Жыл бұрын

Waaay cool! I'm loving these bts moments.

@gbach4348 Жыл бұрын

absolute legends

@AutiSam1974 Жыл бұрын

Even more Mitch please!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Here you go 😉 gcn.eu/lrbp

@NathanEide Жыл бұрын

YES!!! More Mitch!!

@reprobate337 Жыл бұрын

Total legends, they're right to be proud of something as perfect as Paris Roubaix

@terrycollins3117 Жыл бұрын

Loved it !

@davidortiz8815 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely heroes!!

@markhagen7777 Жыл бұрын

Every time we pedal,Advocate or do the work related to riding bikes, young or old, fast or slow we are contributing to its legacy. One that will outlive us all, such as the work of these fine gentlemen. Thanks to them.

@jeffreywills105 Жыл бұрын

Love this one Mitch. And love Les Amis

@graememorrison333 Жыл бұрын

Convenu. Nous avons besoin toujours d'un beautiful fight á Paris-Roubaix!

@jeremynorth Жыл бұрын

Excellent

@rolopolo66 Жыл бұрын

Legends.

@caet49 Жыл бұрын

Respect for Those unsung hero’s 😊

@davehollingworth5537 Жыл бұрын

Merci Les Amis ❤

@delivrance3961 Жыл бұрын

comme je le disais sur twitter, chapeau les gars! sana vous...et mon favori évidemment c'est flo sénéchal!!!

@MudguardFan Жыл бұрын

Chapeau les Amis

@Stirling1989 Жыл бұрын

Les amis are les legends. Incroyable! Bien joue

@Jean-jk4zv Жыл бұрын

Starting the day with a Pain au Chocolat 🥰

@jlb5980 Жыл бұрын

Bravo à ceux qui entretiennent les pavées

@cgtnetwork Жыл бұрын

The real hero's

@marosi93 Жыл бұрын

pls more videos with Mitch

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Your wish is our command ... 👉gcn.eu/lrbp

@_Rafiki. Жыл бұрын

Not all heroes wear capes

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Some eat pain au chocolat

@adriankite8849 Жыл бұрын

So good having been presented by Mitch Docker I'm glad gcn got him to do it, the others get so boring, and Mitch has presented it his way 👍 life in the peloton.

@smimi2333 Жыл бұрын

they should start a gofundme or something to let us support them

@mstrasser Жыл бұрын

really curious what the average age of Les Amis is. Feels like it's trending higher..wonder when the next gen of Les Amis will take over and protect them for future races?

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Great point! We hope the next generation step up 🙌

@fuzzyjaeger9739 Жыл бұрын

👏

@peterleffler2062 Жыл бұрын

Love Mitch's complete non attempts at French pronunciation! Classic 😂. Respect des amis de Paris-Roubaix!

@gcn Жыл бұрын

He's trying his best... you should of heard there Aussie 😂

@MavusRevnox Жыл бұрын

What jacket was Mitch wearing here?

@shepshape2585 Жыл бұрын

So who's it going to be this year? Wout? MVP? Remco? I think this is Wout's year. He always rides this race really well.

@neilbardsley Жыл бұрын

Hard to look past MVP surely but P-R often has a different idea about who should win?

@shepshape2585 Жыл бұрын

@@neilbardsley Quite right about that. The cobbles have a way of deciding. I think this race, more than any other, is decided more by a man's heart and mind more than his legs.

@gcn Жыл бұрын

He looked strong didn't he... what did you make of the race 👀

@shepshape2585 Жыл бұрын

@@gcn Well, it was on its way to being a great climax, right up until MVP wrecked Dege and then Wout got a flat. As soon as he flatted it was over. Disappointing really, all those miles, all those hours, and then it ends in such an anti-climactic way.

@mlee6050 Жыл бұрын

When is hands free over them Anyone know minimum tyre width on them? I use 22mm tubular and think to try

@pdlngsqrs9547 Жыл бұрын

Docker's new occupation.. There is life after cycling after all. 🤣

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Life after the peloton looks good us 😉

@AG-io5wr Жыл бұрын

Pain-au-chocolate 🤤

@johngannon1 Жыл бұрын

Great work although wondering why the farmers don’t look after the roads they use. Is it because they don’t have enough people with moustaches?

@andrewmcalister3462 Жыл бұрын

The potholes aren't a problem when driving a tractor.

@adeka59 Жыл бұрын

It's kind of tricky : those are public roads but local authorities don't want to pay to maintain cobbles, they are only willing to pay for laying tarmac like any modern roads. And since it's public it's not the farmer's job to maintain the cobbles and they are not bothered by potholes. So in the end only volunteers (sometimes with financial help of local authorities) are willing to do the job. That's why some sectors are lost to tarmac but some other new ones are regain from underground.

@willmo1725 Жыл бұрын

Looks like a roman road.

@ryanshout8652 Жыл бұрын

Like!

@mlee6050 Жыл бұрын

Just avoid the pot holes then, also must just tarmac over this to see what do next race lol

@joshuaboyle8003 Жыл бұрын

More Mitch talking to French people, bloody love it. Great presenter, great knowledge, excellent podcast. More pain au chocolat for Mitch.

@zygmuntthecacaokakistocrat6589 Жыл бұрын

Mitch can speak French, I know, I've talked in it with him. I wonder why GCN insists on Anglophony?

@johnstrac Жыл бұрын

It's just not the "longest race there is" though is it ?

@joowwwllllll666 Жыл бұрын

Mitch needs some gloves

@philipcooper8297 Жыл бұрын

So much chain slapping...

@gcn Жыл бұрын

Welcome to Roubaix 👀

@rusty2222 Жыл бұрын

Mountain biker in first just to irritate everyone.🤟

@alinapopescu872 Жыл бұрын

🤣🤣🤣You can't beat the guy's hair and accent. They irritate me instantly.

@brandonwilkinson8037 Жыл бұрын

DH GANG!! 🤣

@SonnyDarvishzadeh Жыл бұрын

Why do you think a non-roadie posting the first comment would be irritating to us? it only reflects your way of thinking towards roadies.

@rusty2222 Жыл бұрын

@@SonnyDarvishzadeh You sound fun 🤡

@LouieBaLLz Жыл бұрын

They trying to talk while chewing is pretty annoying.

@carolmak1062 Жыл бұрын

Why the difference in style when y'all comment on the female than male competitors? Looking pretty comfortable to make personal comments towards the females and keeping it situationally general when it comes to the males.