13 years in the making 🤩 The sweetest of victories - and the fastest ever #ParisRoubaix 🔥 Amazing teamwork, finished off by @DylanvanBaarle 👏
Dylan van Baarle "lost for words" at incredible Paris-Roubaix win
CyclingSunday, 17 April 2022 at 21:00
After his second place in the World championships last year in Leuven and another second place at the Tour des Flandres two weeks ago, it came as little surprise to see Dylan van Baarle enter the old Roubaix velodrome alone and comfortably into a win. It was however, a very emotional one, as the INEOS Grenadiers rider benefited from tremendous collective prowess to take the biggest win of his career.
"It’s unbelievable. I couldn’t believe it when I went on to the velodrome. I looked at the other side to see if there were some other guys but I was completely alone. When the DS car came next to me with Servais [Knaven} then I really started believing in it. It’s been crazy," van Baarle said at the finish. "It’s a Monument so of course I want to win a Monument. To be second in Flanders and winning Roubaix – I’m lost for words."
INEOS Grenadiers found themselves on a strong position early on, as with 210 kilometers to the finish the peloton suffered a major split which saw many of the pre-race favourites behind, having to use team resources to close the gap. INEOS however, had their full team near the front and was the main force driving the peloton: "Was not planned at all but it turned out like this. We were super focussed from the gun. And that’s what we wanted – we didn’t want to chase. We wanted to be on the front foot and that’s what we did. From that moment I knew that we would have a good chance because we spent less energy than everyone else. We were a bit unlucky – I had a puncture, Pippo had a puncture, I think everyone had something. We just kept calm and this result is amazing."
Despite the move eventually being closed, INEOS' work had burn teammates of many teams, and they also chased down Matej Mohoric and Tom Devriendt who were a big threat to the race when working together. When it came to the final hour of racing though, it was up to van Baarle to make a difference and he tried several times, however it was in the final 25 kilometers to go that the decisive attack was done.
""We wanted to make the race hard before the second feed zone. That’s what we did. After that Kwiato said I was super strong and he wanted to ride for me. It gave me so much confidence and I can’t thank the team enough for today. It’s been a great spring classic season so far. We’re going to enjoy this," he added.
Van Baarle forged the gap over Matej Mohoric and Dylan van Baarle with 18 kilometers to go and always looked in control of the race. Despite riding solo, he was increasing his gap to the chasing groups, which were no match to the Dutchman's endurance.
"We have worked so hard for it. In the last couple of years we had some bad luck but now everything is just going in the right direction. The whole team is lifting off that and it’s been amazing," he concluded.
Van Baarle is one of the most successful classics riders in the current peloton and this win comes as an addition to his illustrious palmarès. In the last few days he's been rumoured to be in negotiations with Jumbo-Visma, however today he seemed to be in perfect synchrony with the British team.
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