Have you ever heard of semantic satiation? I’d hazard probably not, so let me start by distilling it here for you.
Semantic satiation is a psychological phenomenon, tracing back to 1962, in which words lose their meaning as a result of repetition.
You’ve probably experienced it before. You know that feeling when a word, a simple word, just doesn’t seem to make sense anymore? That, dear reader, is how I currently feel about the word ‘chicane’.
This week, an oblong-shaped traffic island in northern France has been at the centre of world cycling. It will be one of the stars of the men’s Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, when it steps in to slow down the peloton on the entrance to the feared Forest of Arenberg.
A video of the traffic island – or chicane, if that word still means anything to you – has been circulating on social media this week. At the time of publishing, it has 2.1 million views. Never before has France’s D313 road known such stardom.
After the safety measure was announced by the organisers on Wednesday, it triggered a wave of disagreements. Mathieu van der Poel, Roubaix’s reigning champion, questioned whether it was a joke. Others praised it as a smart way of stopping riders from hurtling into the stony trench at over 60km/h.
Fortunately, there was one thing everybody on social media could unite over. One animal, I should say. If you stand at the chicane and listen close enough, you can probably hear them bleating.
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Yes, I’m talking about the Paris-Roubaix goats, the race’s fleet of cobble cleaners, and the real celebrities of the Forest of Arenberg. This year, their appeal has skyrocketed, with our friends at Velo even seeking an exclusive interview with them. It makes for a surreal read, with, as expected, a lot of bleating.
We broke the goats story last year (no brag), and are delighted to see them finally getting the mass attention they deserve. So the next time someone tries to talk to you about the chicane, ask them if they’ve seen the goats. Show them a picture, if they haven’t. And tell them about their insatiable appetite for muddy grass. It’ll stop you getting semantically satiated yourself.
1. Long live the goats of Arenberg
🐐 The goats of Arenberg at work.🐐 Les chèvres d’Arenberg au travail.#ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/KD4Sq7qAyzApril 2, 2024
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2. Since nobody asked, here’s what the inside of their mouths look like
POV: you are a blade of grass on the Arenberg #Arenberg #ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/EssvLWsU9WApril 4, 2024
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3. This goat doesn’t look like any I’ve ever seen, but maybe things are different in northern France
A team dog’s work is never done 🐾Aslan was up bright and early this morning to check out the pavés ahead of today’s training ride. Can confirm all smells fine 🫡#ParisRoubaixFemmes #WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/5QjCda0keEApril 5, 2024
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4. There’s nothing funnier than a traffic island
Is this a joke? 🤔 https://t.co/WkkUe2YC5UApril 3, 2024
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5. Earlier this week, we wrote about six ways to tackle the Arenberg conundrum. It turns out we missed one
Paris-Roubaix 2025. pic.twitter.com/lXakbkLrt4April 3, 2024
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6. The chicane discourse has gotten too much for some (me included)
7. Can Elena Cecchini and Florian Sénéchal add their names to the list this year?
The only rider to win Paris-Roubaix since WW2 who has all the letters of chicane in their name:1994 – Andrei Tchmil pic.twitter.com/ub6E6ZG4IhApril 4, 2024
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8. While we’re on stats, here’s one that Lotto-Dstny’s Jacopo Guarnieri was glad to be reminded of
9. It was kind of Dutch champion Dylan van Baarle to lease a bike to Tiesj Benoot at the Tour of Flanders
10. Graphic design is Mads Pedersen’s passion
Asked a friend for some help with the #RVV24 #RVVmen #RVVwomen graphic! pic.twitter.com/yfmtzWA4dzMarch 29, 2024
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11. Who remembers the scooter steward from Opening Weekend? Elisa Longo Borghini does, and she managed to nab a photo with him. Thumbs up all round
Finally a picture with my idol of this season! The man with the skate is real and not only someone on the tv screen! 😎 https://t.co/PidSRnhsmaApril 1, 2024
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12. It’s a thumbs up from Lizzie Deignan, too, albeit an ailed one
A broken arm but not a broken spirit 🫶#RVV24 #RVVwomen pic.twitter.com/Xwg2w4QEf0March 31, 2024
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13. Sometimes you’ve just got to lie down in the luscious grass
That commitment to never letting go 😲Krists Neilands 🎩 pic.twitter.com/sB3RIE8PBfMarch 29, 2024
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14. Podium gifts are getting stranger and stranger these days. What happened to a simple, inanimate trophy?
👏 @juann_ayuso (with his dog joining in too🥰) on the podium as best U23 #Itzulia2024. #WeAreUAE pic.twitter.com/NkH3H5RcFHApril 2, 2024
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15. And finally, to get us in the mood for Roubaix, here’s Marta Lach with her best ‘allez!’