How I Conquered PARIS-ROUBAIX Challenge 2024 - My First Sportive

[@danieletognozzi7641]

For his first sportive event Benji decided it´s a good idea to ride horrible roubaix cobbles on a decathlon bike with 25mm tires for literally no reason.

[@TheRflynn]

Tour of Flanders is a less brutal day out. LBL is supposed to be cruel.

[@boomshine7]

if you have to ruin a bike, let it be a cheap decathlon one

[@LukeGJPotter]

@@TheRflynn LBL is vicious. I did the 150 route in 2019 in the cold and rain. We could hear Race Cars at Spa, which was kinda cool.

[@thenoclue90]

“I’m gone. I’m dead” Pogi 🤝🏼 Benji

[@PeakTorque]

The mental boredom of the 25 x 3km laps would have killed me 😂

[@alpsalish]

Give me mountains any day over this route.

[@Timmsoski]

Finally, it has happened. Belgium have found their new Tom Boonen. Smashed it mate. 👏🏼

[@dersaftigesaft2526]

yeah

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Boonen will soon call out Decathlon for holding Benji back by not investing in better tech for him

[@JoseMartins-xn2sl]

3:36 You forgot to give your bottle to that amazing fan!

[@ShawnIsBatman]

First in the training montage, dropping some 4-digit watt bombs on Zwift! I thought that I felt a Disturbance In The Force a while back. Second, your video production and storytelling are on-point, really outstanding! Finally, Team Lotto need to hook you up with a bike! Their bike sponsor should be falling all over themselves to hookup with you!

[@91dave]

If @BenjiNaesenTV does the next distance up for 2025, then I'm in too! Let's get the likes going 😁 Well done, Benji very impressive (and insprising!). I have to say the bravery to try 20+km of cobbles in one go for your first training attempt is insane - Chapeau!

[@brabrabarabra5027]

„Exactly! And the medal is se same for everyone.“ He said it so wholesome.

[@Richz2]

Good for you Benji... and on your Bwin bike too! I sure there are bike brands out there who would love you to ride their bikes, You have more dedication, bike industry knowledge and guts in your little finger then plenty of biking KZbinrs out there.

[@vinniamsterdam700]

I still remember a young Benji taking on the Touree d' Arenberg on his city bike in a Vive le Velo episode.

[@kathyljohnson6203]

WOW, how far you've come! My eyes welled up with your joy of reaching the velodrome 🤗. Thanks also for letting us meet your #1 fan and chief supporter!

[@legrandaile1]

We rode the last 5 sectors last year. It's not something I want to do again 😁. Riding around the velodrome, which is open most days, makes it worth the suffering.

[@eltribun]

whenever you are toast,fatigued,destroyed just watch Benjis sufferface, instantly you feel better 😆 good job 👊 btw: your magic number tells your next challenge: 5812 mont ventoux in August!!!

[@stevekurian7131]

Agree - one of the best sportive for the experience to finish in the velodrome and ride the sectors the pros do. Hope you get a more suitable bike if you do the longer ride next year. Respect to the riders in previous years who raced the full course on 23-25mm tyres.

[@ellipticalsoul]

That's so awesome. Congratulations for finishing that course Benji, especially on 25mm tyres! 💪 I'd love to try this, may be one to add to the bucket list

[@volkervoit]

Shout out to the camera mount - impressive that this thing survived, which model was it?

[@tomasmarquesbarros2557]

your face when you arrived at the velodrome... just pure happiness. been watching you for a long long time and and i'm very happy to see how well everything has been going for you. hope to maybe meet you in lisbon for la Vuelta. congrats!

[@rallyking13]

Well done Benji. You may not realise just how inspirational this is.

[@Robinhootje]

Good job Benji! I remember my first sportive in Belgium 10y ago where 9/110km were cobbles and you just made my remember that pain in my fingers :D

[@JS-zb9vx]

Love it! Your content is getting ever better. 😊 Congratz for completed challenge

[@steve.mc73]

Awesome achievement mate! Great to see you use a normal bike that we can afford too, instead of a super machine.

[@jimdelong987]

You can tell that you have a love for cycling, great job!

[@abedfo88]

man epic, massive inspiration to do this now.

[@jarnea.7988]

Well done Benji! (very nice video to btw!)

[@Nosh_Feratu]

awesome stuff Benji, well done lad!!

[@lucvanschevensteen]

echt weer super vet benji top video en zo puur in afzien daar draait het om emotie top

[@escgoogle3865]

Smart by the organizer's combining the sportif and the ladies race.

[@canarycityreefer8148]

Brilliant well done, the smile at the end said it all.

[@deborahmarr2210]

Epic ride. A real closeup of Paris Roubaix. I loved it.

[@fabianbottcher2452]

Very well done Bro! I can recommend the 135 k version having done it in 2023. A comment on the hands: A (brutal) lesson I had to learn in the forest of Arensberg is that it's best to have your hands on the upper handle bar - nowhere near the brakes. Cause I fucked up my hands there for good and the remaining 70+km were a deep pleasure ;-). Just same your hands up high and pray you don't have to break :).

[@jjcarley]

So good!

[@danroberts007]

NICE!! I've been up Alpe D'Huez, but I didn't know there was an event that covers the Paris-Roubaix route including the velodrome! Wow. Kudos to Benji for sticking to the middle of the road in all those cobblestone sections and not taking some of those easier sections off to the sides. He paid for the full experience, he got the full experience. And yeah, having all those other riders blast past you when you're just trying to stay upright would be startling. GREAT JOB! Looking forward to the 2025 edition, where apparently you'll be going through the Ardennes forest. ;-)

[@crapilanofridge7745]

When you crossed the finishing line, I felt your joy. I look forward to the extra cobbled sectors next year. This should smash way over 2000 likes. Bravo

[@august_b]

Wow, Benji! Awesome job. I got gooseflesh when you hit the velodrome.

[@jonasstaelens3850]

Ichtegem ftw, the lookhuisstraat is actually a really nice street

[@charliedillon1400]

Rim brakes and old school tires!! Love it!!

[@SirSamTheThird]

Incredible. Inspirational video mate. Congratulations on finishing.

[@willatkinson1271]

Benji, you are a great motivator and an easy guy to root for! Way to go!

[@rodulfomartinus311]

So proud of you bro,at least you try. Keep going,there is always a new day!

[@christopheribeiro4325]

Congrats on finishing your first sportive. So there we have it the required 2k. The road for paris-roubaix 2025 has started. Get in there that exercice.

[@xorpidxult]

Congrats! You're going for a longer Roubaix next year!!! Enjoyed that a lot!

[@xwiick]

Man what great video! Thanks for the work on the video! That combined with those hellstones is quite a load. Almost putting Dag Otto and Norwegian TV2 to shame

[@duttyvegan]

Great job and well done 👍🏾

[@funnykreeft]

Great ride Benji! You conquered them cobbles 👏

[@scottytremaineplays9461]

Absolutely smashing those final sectors! Well done 🎉

[@adamloake]

Awesome Benji! Well done!

[@AndrewBrown-em3ti]

Top ride Benji, chapeau.

[@RyanCondon]

Next level achievement only equalled by how good this video is. Awesome Benji!

[@Falkao92]

Great content. So happy, that you enjoy your personal journey so much.

[@Gurkhyvel]

Congrats on finishing Benji! 🙌🏼

[@ChryskylodonInstitute]

well done Benj! Fantastic bike choice :D

[@neilmylott]

Fantastic video Benji! Congratulations on conquering that ride - gutsy stuff! Looking forward to more of these

[@teleotto]

Cuddle that cobble. Well done!

[@TerjeRiisnaes]

Fantastic job! Very inspiring! I see the video has more than 2k likes now, so I’m already looking forward to seeing you do the longer ride next year:-)

[@austynhughes134]

Awesome video. You are definitely going to need to do some more sportives, I really enjoyed this video. Keep up the great work!

[@larrygrossman8021]

Good stuff, champ! Next year I want to see a Colbrelli-esque celebration from you.

[@christinacooper3954]

Chapeau Sir 🎉👍👏

[@timdhaeyer4253]

You mentioned it yourself in the video, your bike was a mistake. Try hitting the cobbles on a carbon bike with 30 or 32 mm and you'll feel the difference. It goes so much smoother and you suffer less. It was an eye opener for me. Bonus points for tubeless tyres with low pressure.

[@solarmilonga3170]

Hey Benji, just as I "Liked" your challenge, you already have 1.9K likes so a longer challenge is pretty much on your calendar! Well done, man!

[@derekschick4880]

That looks super fun! Maybe next year’s vacation

[@struancochrane753]

Benji, great effort. I don't know how you had the mental fortitude to do a 3km lap 21 times on your own. I imagine a few world tour pros will watch this and laugh.....think that serves you right for all your race comments.😂

[@gulfgal98]

Great video! Now let's all get those likes up to 2K so that Benji has to ride the longer version next year.

[@waitbalthy6342]

Gg man ! Beast. Really puts into perspective how hard this race is, the pros must be animals to make it look that easy

[@FrictionCollective]

Nice one Benji! Going to become a bona fide cobble legend soon mate.

[@liamday453]

cant even begin to imagine the feeling of riding into that historic velodrome after a ride like that. must have been amazing

[@geoffbadger9597]

Great job Benji. Love your videos, enthusiasm and willingness to suffer. Giant pile of cow shit cracked me up. My buddy and I were going to do Tour of Flanders in 2020 which unfortunately was cancelled. Still would love to try it. You are getting a vote as well so it looks like you are getting 2000 and riding longer next year.

[@stianpollestad754]

Over 2k likes. Better start to train for next year Benji 💪

[@framedman]

Looks like youre doing the biggies next year 🎉❤

[@malamutes6868]

F’in awesome man👏🏻💪🏻🤘🏻congrats!

[@VendetaBrown]

32mm tubeless tires at low pressure and the difference in fatigue would blow your mind. Even the pros are running the wrong tires.

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

Yeah, I was planning to put at least 28-30s on but I simply didn't have the time. 🙈

[@Ian-Saxon]

Cobbles, pain, fans, heart of a lion and so forth 👍

[@billyblanco8106]

Allez...allez...venga...venga...die...die...die...Chapeau Mon Ami !!!

[@benridingbikes]

Mate fair play on that 1000w+ sprint! 💣

[@chrisridesbicycles]

Congrats Benji, well done! 🙌 Did the camera pole survive the whole ride? That‘s incredible on its own. I have heard things about bottle cages falling off left right and center in this sportive.

[@juergeng4216]

Great job, amazing ride.

[@markuspaulini912]

Incredible job!

[@manfrommontreal]

Congrats!

[@carinedewitte4127]

goe gedaan Benji

[@davess61]

Superb effort Benji :-)

[@paperjourni8964]

I love that you stayed in the middle of the cobble and not tooke the easy way :)

[@123aston456]

nice work Benji!

[@oldoddjobs]

Top effort

[@DBxCooper]

Great video benji. Especially your little previews of the cobbles. Holes in the fucking floor was a personal favorite

[@davidnolan8366]

Well done. What happened to the Specialized you practiced with? Looked tough, but satisfying/ looking forward to more of the same! 👍

[@TeoSluga]

I would definitely take my gravel bike to this event... 40c tires would make it enjoyable.

[@aarons-n-b-g6642]

16:59 2000 likes easy reached... what if the video gets 4000? Youre doing the 200k edition then, Benji? :D

[@ScottColbourne]

"I'm gone, I'm dead." Well done mate!

[@ricardocamacho1627]

Well done!

[@alexbarry5288]

Benji has lived in the UK for a matter of months and already started using Drum & Bass as background music

[@roberthbailey]

Let’s get him to 2000 likes! I am curious about your bike change from the pre ride to event day? Chapeau!

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

Front chainring perished on the specialized allez elite bike the day before. 😂

[@roberthbailey]

@@BenjiNaesenTV Oh, that stinks. Kudos.

[@ImranShaikh-gh2wd]

Benji - hope you keep your promise , see you on the start line of the 145Km next year ! :)

[@antzxz]

Nice work Benji! I'm wondering if something like Unbound Gravel Race is on your radar? I'm in the US and I would be curious to see what you'd think of those courses (one day in the future).

[@MrgKerck1]

Goed bezig Benji

[@Jcrossland1980]

Benji are you doing a weights/stretching programme as well? Well done mate

[@sveng5319]

Well done 👍

[@MacLeanWright]

Great job!

[@rolandhoward8421]

You’ve inspired me… to stick to Zwift! Love the casual cheerful swearing! Great effort all round!

[@matthewfyffe8688]

Great content. Wondering why you didn’t ride the specialised on the day?

[@chrisko6439]

Do you announce these on the podcast? They deserve way more views for all the effort that is put into this!

[@BenjiNaesenTV]

Every now and then, I do, but this time I forgot. 😂 Either way, it's on 11K views in 7 hours, I can't complain. 😅

[@newttella1043]

You're looking great, Benji! Really enjoying your ride videos.