Preview. The Hell of the North! Paris-Roubaix is the final monument and big day of the cobbled classics, the climax of month and a half of elite racing in Flanders and northern France region. In the 9th of April the riders will take on the third monument of the season.
One of the most difficult races in the calendar. Paris-Roubaix is an unique event, having a massive distance for the riders to go through in the north of France, including 30 different cobbled sectors which total to 54.5 kilometers away from tarmac. It's a race for the classics specialists, the powerhouse riders and the endurance monsters, who can fly over famous sectors such as the Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre.
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Profile & Route Paris-Roubaix 2023
Like it’s been for several years, the route will go through a massive 258 kilometers, starting in Compiègne heading north, where the first cobbled sectors will be encountered with just under 100 kilometers of racing, which will make for around 2 hours of racing to settle and establish a breakaway. Also, as it’s been the case for some years, the breakaway should be highly contested, which can make for a furiously fast start. The teams controlling should keep a tight leash on who can go free from the pack or not. And most teams will try to have riders in front for strategical purposes later, specially with the weather conditions that will be taking place.
And this should be a sight most riders recognize very well. Some will be relieved pleased to go through it, some won’t be very happy with it. The Troisville sector, the first of 29 comes with a little over 95 kilometers of racing, it’s 2.2Km long, but the initial combination of sectors last year caused some damage in the peloton quite early on. This is the place where the true race starts, some may say.
Haveluy to Wallers (2500 meters, 101Km to go), this one will come right before the most iconic sector of the race. Everyone who loves cycling knows it, the Trouée d’Arenberg is “only” 2300 meters but is famed with one of the most traditional view in modern cycling. The full sector is in a straight line but is one that demands technical expertise.
Line choice is crucial as the cobblestones in it are of an immense brutality. Adding the huge speed the riders will enter the sector it’ll make for maybe the most tense moment of the race, the lead-out to Arenberg sees truly remarkable fights, it starts slightly downhill and turns into slightly uphill, making for a really hard sector to make any acceleration, it’s a case of keeping the power up for the entire run. It comes with 93Km to go.
Hornaing to Wandignies is 3700 meters long and is the next 4-star sector with 78Km to go, then there’s Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières which is 2400 meters long and comes with 68.5Km to go. And with 50.5Km to go there’s the Auchy to Bersée sector and it’s 2700 meters in length, which set the riders up for the following sector. Obviously, the Mons-en-Pévèle sector, it’s 3Km long and finishes with 45Km to go, it will be the second 5-star sector of the race and comes in a crucial time where the decisive attacks are to come.
The final combination of sectors where it’s likely to see differences being made is the Camphin-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Abre. They are 4 and 5-star sectors respectively, feature 1800 and 2100 meters in distance and come with 18Km and 15Km to go.
They aren’t the final sectors, but with such a brutal race to that point and a very short distance to the finale, it’s the ideal place to make a move for everyone who has the legs, the Carrefour de l’Abre sector is one of great technical demand, and need of several accelerations, which is something not all riders will be capable of at that point of the race.
There’s still the Willems to Hem sector with 6Km to go, a 3-star sector that’s been recently introduced into the race, but it’s not usual to see gaps being made there, but who knows, with a group it can happen. The final kilometers will be well known, the entrance in Roubaix in flat roads, in case of a group coming into town it’s likely to see some attempts of surprising in it, which will lead to the velodrome, the race’s symbol almost, where a deserving winner will emerge from a brutal race.
The Weather
A slight southern breeze. It won't be strong enough to heavily influence the race, but it will make the speed higher on the day, and may favour attacks slightly in the closing stages of the race.
The Favourites
Jumbo-Visma - Jumbo depart with defending champion Dylan van Baarle, but the Dutchman shouldn't have his best form. However he and Nathan van Hooydonck will be crucial cards for Jumbo to use their depth and attack the race early on. Both Wout van Aert and Christophe Laporte are clear contenders for the win and in this race numbers are more important then in Flanders. The powerhouse duo can both sprint and they will be the team most will look to put under difficulty.
Mathieu van der Poel - In great form, van der Poel has won Milano-Sanremo and finished second at the Tour of Flanders recently. Roubaix isn't as well suited but his aggressive style of racing could be well fit. Alpecin-Deceuninck have an interesting team with two sprinters: Jasper Philipsen and Kaden Groves, who could themselves be ´curious to follow following their recent great run of form.
Filippo Ganna - The big man, Ganna is perhaps the heaviest of all contenders but here that plays in his favour. His pure power has been proven, and this spring he's dialed in the endurance factor too. If he doesn't suffer from mishaps such as last year he definitely has the potential to put the power down on the gruesome cobbled sectors. Magnus Sheffield is also an interesting second card for the team who impressed in Flanders.
Stefan Küng - Third last year, it's the ideal cobbled race for Küng. Lacking the climbs, it'll be very hard to drop the heavyweight in the flat cobbled sections, and his time-trialing skills make him very dangerous if he gets a gap. Similar to Ganna, but the Swiss rider has more experience in the cobbles and can put it to use here.
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Matej Mohoric - Mohoric is another big engine who should be able to thrive in this terrain. Although a good climber he's found riders a level above, but here they can't take advantage of that. The endurance and aerodynamic abilities of the Bahrain - Victorious make him extremely dangerous to let up the road. The team also has Fred Wright who's recently raced to 8th at the Tour of Flanders and can be dangerous.
Quick-Step - An interesting team with plenty cards. Davide Ballerini and Tim Merlier are in great form and here they can really put their power down. Local legend Florian Sénéchal and former podium finisher Yves Lampaert form another strong block, and finally Kasper Asgreen who's just finished 7th at the Tour of Flanders has a strong skillset to contest for the win too. The Belgian team have depth on their side, but they need to use it.
Outside of the big hitters there will be other figures to strike. Within those trying to turn their spring around they have here their final chance such as Peter Sagan or the AG2R trio of former winner Greg van Avermaet, Oliver Naesen and Stan Dewulf. Sagan's teammate Anthony Turgis is also someone to look out for, and when it comes to veteran Sep Vanmarcke will definitely be a card to play in an open finale.
Nils Politt is another rider that comes in good form, he finished second in 2019 and will be a dangerous rider if he finds himself isolated in front. UAE Team Emirates come without their big leader Tadej Pogacar, but both Mikkel Bjerg and Matteo Trentin have shown great legs at the Tour of Flanders and will be well capable of fighting for a result of their own in Roubaix.
Some fast men
Mads Pedersen - Pedersen just finished third in Flanders with a performance as promising as could be. Without the climbs here the Danish powerhouse will be even harder to drop. He's got all the qualities including endurance and tactics intelligence needed to win Roubaix, this could be the year it all clicks together. Trek are an experienced team and in both Jasper Stuyven and Edward Theuns they have cards to play.
Arnaud De Lie - The Lotto Dstny rider is an enigma. He's shown endurance skills last year, power in the cobbles at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and a strong sprint everywhere else. On paper he's a candidate for this race in the future but currently he's likely an outsider looking to gain experience. Lotto have a strong card in an in-form Florian Vermeersch, but also Frederik Frison who's been riding a very strong spring with fourth places at Classic Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem.
Iván García Cortina - Movistar has Oier Lazkano who was second at Dwars door Vlaanderen as a wildcard, not a contender for a victory but he does have the raw power necessary. Iván García Cortina will be the leader here, fresh off a 5th place at the E3 Saxo Classic and a 21st at the Tour of Flanders. He's got the form and this race will suit him better, he's one of the few Spanish riders who's got chances of succeeding.
Some more fast men will be present and could be a danger, however more for the Top10. With the right feeling, tactics and luck some big surprises are definitely possible in the Top10. Riders such as Alexander Kristoff and John Degenkolb also have a lot of experience in this terrain and could feature in as outsiders, whilst others such as Max Walscheid, Hugo Hofstetter and Luca Mozzato are also very experienced in the classics.
Jordi Meeus, Marijn van den Berg, Gerben Thijssen, Dan McLay, Sam Welsford and Alberto Dainese are also important figures to take into consideration, but more within a fight outside the Top10.
Prediction Paris-Roubaix 2023:
*** Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel, Mads Pedersen
** Christophe Laporte, Stefan Küng
* Dylan van Baarle, Nathan van Hooydonck, Filippo Ganna, Kasper Asgreen, Matej Mohoric, Nils Politt, Florian Vermeersch, Mikkel Bjerg, Jasper Stuyven
Pick: Christophe Laporte
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