"It's just like a war basically going into the cobbled sections" - Franziska Koch takes over Demi Vollering to conquer another cobbled monument

There was no doubt that FDJ - Suez were already a top team heading into 2026, however they might have taken over the top position in the women's cycling world. After Demi Vollering superb spring campaign which culminated with the victory on the Tour of Flander's, the French team's Franziska Koch has managed to beat some of the sport's best ever at the 2026 Paris-Roubaix Femmes.

"It's kind of hard to believe it. I've been dreaming about it, I've been really hoping that it would work out but Roubaix is a race where everything can happen. That in the end it worked out is a dream," Koch said in a post-race interview. But this isn't a win that came out of nowhere, as Koch has notably put in several top rides this spring, finishing third at Strade Bianche Donne whilst placing Top10 finishes at Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Tour of Flanders where she led out Demi Vollering to her uphill attacks that earned her both wins. It just couldn't be a better scenario for the French team.

"I think we did a really good race with the team, we knew our positioning in the beginning is really key. It's just like a war basically going into the cobbled sections and we were fully committed to already invest early in the race," the 23-year old continued.

"I always managed to stay out of trouble, I was always like Top10 in the cobbled sections. And then after Mons-en-Pévèle we knew we wanted to make the race hard and then I ended up in the perfect move I would say".

In the front group she was joined by Blanka Kata Vas and Visma duo Marianne Vos and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. It was a group of immense quality, where she was then outnumbered following Vas' difficulties.

"Having two riders of the same team is on one hand a challenge on the other hand a benefit a little bit, because the work is not necessarily on you," she explained. "I tried to get rid of them a little bit, but in the end I had to gamble in a sprint and it worked out".

In the final sprint, she didn't have the upper hand against a Marianne Vos that had been in the wheel all throughout the final kilometers, but had the legs to still beat the best of all time.

"I knew it when I threw my bike. I could feel her coming at the end of the corner and I was a bit shit because she got more downhill then me. But I just thought 'now I'm so close I have to win', there was no option," she joked. "I could feel her coming but I could just speed up a bit more in the end".

It is the race of her dreams, literally as she aimed for a triumph ever since her debut back in the race's opening edition of 2021. "I did actually, the very first edition I got seventh. So from the first edition onwards I knew I really liked this race and yeah one day I wanted to win it, and that day is today".

"Yeah I think I'm in a really good place right now, I'm really happy and I'm in the best shape so far of my career so I'm hoping for good coming seasons [...] It's a fantastic team, every rider just elevates each other".