Christophe Laporte hopeful in Paris-Roubaix result: "It's a classic that cannot be compared to the Flemish races"

Christophe Laporte is in tremendous form. At the Tour of Flanders he raced in favour of Wout van Aert, but in Roubaix closer to home he will have more freedom and a race which suits him better. He starts as one of the many cards Jumbo-Visma have to play.

"It's an important race that I really like," the Frenchman said ahead of the race in a press release. "So I want to do well there. It's a classic that cannot be compared to the Flemish races, which are full of hills. Although this one is completely flat, it is still difficult. Some sectors are bad, but It's normal. It's Roubaix."

Laporte has shown his talent in Roubaix in the past, having a sixth place as his best result, but since joining Jumbo-Visma he's performed incredibly well both in and outside the cobbles. However after a promising 2022, this year he's turned his form into wins. Without a single stage-race in his schedule, Laporte has thrived in the one-day races, and recently won both Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen.

Alongside first and second at last year's race Dylan van Baarle and Wout van Aert, and Nathan van Hooydonck, the 30-year old has perhaps the best chance of his career to win a monument.