The Dutch favorite, the Belgian unknown, the ambition of the French neophyte, Paris-Roubaix will line up, this Sunday, multiple centers of interest launched to attack a legendary race.
“La Pascale” has, after an autumn edition (postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic) regained its place at the heart of the spring of the classics. This Sunday, the “Queen of classics” will roll out her carpet of cobblestones and open her legend to the daring. Before offering its obstacles to the riders of the Tour de France, in July. Paris-Roubaix, always a highlight. The muddy, breathless 2021 edition had been exciting. Here are some reasons not to miss the appointment with “the hell of the North”.
The incomparable magic of Paris-Roubaix
Muddy (and tricky) or dusty (and ultra-fast), Paris-Roubaix is always an appointment of choice, an essential date in the calendar. After the rain last October (the edition had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic), the weather forecast announces mild, dry weather for the big parade on the cobblestones, this Sunday (departure at 11:15 a.m. from Compiègne; arrival around 5 p.m. at the Roubaix velodrome). The race, a fascinating test of strength: 257.2 km; including 54.8 km of cobblestones, divided into 30 sectors, including the famous Arenberg (161e km), Mons-en-Pévèle (208e km) and Carrefour de l’Arbre (240e km).
Le match Van der Poel-Van Aert
The Dutchman and the Belgian have, since their young years, used to cross swords. On all terrains, from cyclo-cross to the road. Spring didn’t give them much of a chance to do battle. They were in the game at Milan-San Remo (Van der Poel 3eVan Aert 8th), Van der Poel then took advantage of the good momentum (success on A Travers la Flandre, the Tour of Flanders and 4e of the Amstel Gold Race). He wants to extend the good series at Roubaix (3e last year). Stopped by the Covid-19, Wout Van Aert was forced to step back. The rider from the solid Jumbo-Visma formation announces that he is coming to the “Queen of the Classics” in the shoes of a teammate (to support Christophe Laporte, Mike Teunissen or Nathan Van Hooydonck). To share his experience and (perhaps) take advantage of the circumstances. He lined up with Paris-Roubaix three times (13e in 2018, 22e in 2019, 7e in 2021).
Ambitious French people
Julian Alaphilippe had not planned to play Paris-Roubaix. Its objective remains (after the spectacular fall but without damage during the Flèche Brabançonne) Liège-Bastogne-Liège (April 24). But one day, he promised, the world champion will come and rub shoulders with the cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix. In the wake of a successful spring (Anthony Turgis 2e from Milan-San Remo, Valentin Madouas 3e of the Tour of Flanders, Benoît Cosnefroy 2e of the Amstel Gold Race), the French want to distinguish themselves on Paris-Roubaix, like Christophe Laporte who has taken on a new dimension since his arrival at Jumbo-Visma (stage winner on Paris-Nice, 2e GP E3 and Ghent-Wevelgem), Florian Sénéchal (Quick-Step), the regional of the stage, Valentin Madouas (Groupama-FDJ) who will discover the event or Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies), who has become a safe bet on the classics and who, this season, was able to benefit (a little) from the advice of Peter Sagan.
A record race?
In 2017, at the end of a dry Paris-Roubaix pushed by a three-quarter back wind, the Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (45.2 km/h) sprinted a small group to win the Paris-Roubaix the fastest in history. It erased the 45.13 km / h of the 1964 edition won by Peter Post. The conditions, dry surface and mild temperatures could release a new and furious obstacle course that does not offer the slightest respite and breaks the record. Riders can embrace the pavement, suffer less and pull out of the game. At breakneck speed…
What role for Quick-Step?
Patrick Lefévère’s team used to reign supreme during the spring classics. Experienced, essential, she has won 6 times in Paris-Roubaix since 2005 (the last with Philippe Gilbert in 2019, the Belgian who, at 39, will compete in his last Paris-Roubaix this Sunday). Deprived of bouquets during one of the (very) strong times of its season, the Belgian team, revanchist, aligns specialists: the Dane Kasper Asgreen (winner of the Tour of Flanders 2021), the Czech Zdenek Stybar (2e of Paris-Roubaix in 2015 and 2017), the Belgian Yves Lampaert (3e in Roubaix in 2019) and the robust Frenchman Florian Sénéchal (6th in Roubaix in 2019) who is tackling the race of his dreams.
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