Paris-Roubaix – “Hell of the North” takes place without the dominator Tadej Pogacar

It is the toughest race in the series of spring classics: Paris-Roubaix will demand everything from the professional cyclists on Easter Sunday. Belgium in particular is hoping for a winner – after the scene’s dominator canceled.

Probably the most valuable praise came from the “cannibal” himself: “That was really great. I’ve had so much fun watching a bike race for a long time.”said Eddy Merckx after the Tour of Flanders last weekend.

He only had hymns of praise for winner Tadej Pogacar: “With his driving style, his drive and his daring, he went straight into history.” Pogacar drive like the cyclists used to – out of feeling. “Pogacar is the opposite of the computer cycling that has taken over the past few years,” said Merckx.

Paris-Roubaix – “My hands need to be tougher”

In fact, the Tour of Flanders was a crime thriller beyond compare and made us eager for the next hit in the series of spring classics: Paris-Roubaix, which takes place on Easter Sunday in northern France.

There, however, the fans have to do without the current dominator of the scene. Pogacar will not compete. “I need to gain a few pounds for Roubaix. And my hands need to be a little tougher for that. Then we’ll see.” says the Slovenian. It is definitely a goal for the future, according to the 24-year-old. And Merckx is certain: “If he says that, he will most certainly do it one day.”

Over 54 kilometers cobblestones

But even without the current Dominator, the “Queen of the Classics” will be a very special hit. It covers a distance of 256.6 kilometers from the starting point in Compiègne to the finish in Roubaix – 54.5 kilometers of which are over cobblestones. The favourites? Of course the two all-rounders Mathieu van der Poel from Belgium and Wout van Aert from the Netherlands.

But: Especially at Paris-Roubaix, team tactics are often decisive, and it is not uncommon for drivers to end up in front who were previously hardly among the favorites. This is due to the fact that the top stars eye each other very closely and then let one of the supposed helpers drive – and this is then not caught up again.

Jumbo-Visma – it should work on Sunday

The biggest “victim” of the Pogacar show this year was probably the Belgian Jumbo Visma team. Normally the black and yellow dominate the Flemish races. But in the shadow of Pogacar, they’ve only gotten a few crumbs so far. Last year’s winners Dylan van Baarle, Christophe Laporte, Tiesj Benoot and last but not least Wout van Aert have all won at least one race on the streets of Flanders in 2023. But with this strong block, the “Jumbos” from Belgium will take to the streets and paths on Sunday to finally win one of the really big races of the season.

The hitherto unlucky and winless men from Soudal-Quick Step around team boss Patrick Lefevre could also strike out on the pavés in northern France for a liberation. Kasper Asgreen, for example, is a very good candidate for the front and showed a great performance at the Tour of Flanders. And teammate Yves Lampaert is something like the “evergreen” on the hell ride. He started at Paris-Roubaix seven times and finished seven times – not a matter of course in this tough race. The Belgian has always been in the top ten in the past three editions.

Swiss Küng with a lot of horsepower

The Swiss Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) was also very impressive recently in Flanders. As a strong time trialist, the 29-year-old is almost predestined for a decisive solo attack in the last third of the race. After third place last year, it could work out for him this year if the course of the race plays into his hands a little bit. And after last Sunday’s performance, Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) must also be counted among the narrower circle of favourites.

From a German point of view, Jonasrutsch should be kept in mind. Two years ago, the 25-year-old finished eleventh in the race. In 2022, the classics specialist from the EF Education team was unlucky when he had to wait four minutes for the support vehicle when he broke down just behind Arenberg, thus squashing all his chances. “Paris-Roubaix may be a lofty goal, but of course I have ambitions for the race because I’m a good driver there,” says slip.

100 kilometers of “rest” – then it starts

Even if there are small changes in the pavé sectors compared to last year, the race is always the same in principle. On the first 100 kilometers or so from Compiegne in a northerly direction, the drivers are still “unmolested” by the cobblestones.

The first sector begins at race kilometer 96.3 with the Troisvilles to Inchy section. The next but one section from Quiévy to Saint-Python is highly demanding with four stars and could give a foretaste of the following passages.

Arenberg – 2.3 kilometers of roughest cobblestones

That’s where the first highlight of this spring classic takes place with the Arenberg forest. This 2.3 kilometer route over rough cobblestones has the highest level of difficulty with five stars and already opens the finale – more than 95 kilometers from the finish. Another nineteen cobblestone sections follow, two of which have five stars – and are therefore almost predestined for attacks and increased speeds.

Women not by Arenberg

Incidentally, the women’s race from Paris-Roubaix, which takes place on Saturday, will again not lead through the dreaded sector in the forest of Arenberg. The organizer ASO described it as too dangerous because the section, which is over two kilometers and has a maximum difficulty of five stars, is not far enough from the start. “If a closed field arrives there, it’s too dangerous”, said Franck Perque from the OSA. “If we want to go that way in the future, we have to put some other cobblestone sectors in front of it to divide the field.”

In the men’s race on Sunday, it is well over 100 kilometers from the start in Compiègne to the section. The Arenberg sector is so dangerous because it is downhill for the first 500 meters, has very poor pavement and the men there initially reach speeds of 60 km/h.