"Pogacar obviously has a considerable head start" - World Champion's rivals discuss tactics, tech and race weight

Mathieu van der Poel is the one rider who can confidently challenge Tadej Pogacar at Paris-Roubaix, but for the grand majority, how can it be done? Tactics are discussed by former winner Dylan van Baarle who is starting from an outsider position these days; whilst a few other riders have referenced how race weight is seen differently nowadays due to the improvement in the tech.

"I think you mainly have to look for a moment, once Mathieu and Tadej have attacked each other," Soudal - Quick-Step's Dylan van Baarle told IDLProCycling. "Hopefully, I’ll still be close by then and I can pick a moment. That is the only way to beat those guys".

The Dutchman is the last winner of the race aside from Mathieu van der Poel, at the time winning it on power. Currently however he is far from the best, and requires very different tactics to succeed in the Hell of the North. It is a race where luck is required and opportunists can thrive, and the veteran certainly wants to use that.

"Maybe they won't drop me, but if you're not in position, it will happen. I’ve done everything I can to be as good as possible here, and then we’ll see what happens".

Decathlon's Cees Bol is also a rider hoping to perform in France, however he is well aware that the race is so difficult that the best will inevitably be in front and there's a hard chance of surprising.

"For the first 95 per cent, you mainly need to be a good bike rider, and Pogacar obviously has a considerable head start there," he said, asked about the World Champion. "All the other things, technique and a high absolute power output, will help you."

"But fundamentally, you need to be a good rider, especially with the equipment getting better and better. Paris-Roubaix will never become a race like all the others, but it is less and less of a specialism".

Astana's Mike Teunissen argues that the modern tyres make it easier on the lighter riders to be in contention: "I can already see Pogacar riding tomorrow with 35mm tyres. It's getting easier and easier, basically. Plus, the speeds keep going up".

"I still remember riding Roubaix in my first year as an under-23, back then on a different bike. That was a completely different challenge to what it is now," he explained.

"It's not an easy race, but it is getting easier. They used to say 'this is a race where you need a big backside (he refers to heavy weight, ed.).' Well, that's gradually becoming less true too."