Vanmarcke has ridden to third at Gent-Wevelgem, proving he still has the legs and form to fight for wins in the big cobbled classics. He leads
Israel - Premier Tech at the Hell of the North following a 24th place at the Tour of Flanders. The 34-year old is very aware that in Roubaix surprises are frequent and tactics matter a lot, instead of climbing power as was the case in the Flemish classics.
"Because it's mainly about wattages per kilo on the Flemish climbs. Those are gears that only the top riders have in their legs. In Paris-Roubaix it's a different kind of effort. Maybe they throw a gear on the cobblestones, so you just can't keep up. But 100 meters later you might be able to join again. It is a grueling race where riders like me come to the surface," he concluded.
