Paris-Roubaix is a brutal race and whilst in front the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel light it up on a yearly basis; for most riders it's a matter of survival. However it's a race that's far from just being about the legs, but more about the luck. Avoiding crashes and mechanicals is something that substantially helps in the pursuit of a strong result, but something few have. Pavel Bittner of Team Picnic PostNL recalls his own personal Hell of the North.
The sprinter went in as leader for the Dutch team but was unable to finish the race, whilst the team had John Degenkolb as their best finisher in 31st.
"We flew into the first couple of sections in decent positions and I was really happy because I was not expending any energy. I was always up there, I didn't have to chase any gaps." However, in an interview with Domestique, the Czech rider soon found himself in the true chaos of Roubaix.
"There were these banners from this sunglasses brand, straight into the grass. I rolled in, I was like, okay, I'm going to save it, I'm going to come back - and then it just took my front wheel." With fast leadout battles, narrow cobbled sectors and riders suffering mechanicals at all times, there are plenty obstacles on the road for the riders in the middle of the peloton.
Bittner found himself crashing and took the bike of a teammate right after. However, after losing ground to the peloton and then suffering a mistimed puncture, his race was figuratively over. Shortly after, it was literally over as he jumped into the 'broom wagon'.
A trip to Roubaix in a van
In Roubaix, plenty riders find themselves off the back quickly due to the race's unpredictable nature. But as the team cars move forward behind their leaders, many riders are left behind without support when they need wheel changes, or a separate mishap.
The brutal nature of the race makes it logical for early withdrawals if one has no more purpose to the team. The broom wagon is in the back of the race and collects riders who wish to withdraw from the race.
"This year the van was actually full. It was like fallen soldiers. There were guys from all the teams, you kind of have a chat, it's kind of funny, you're not going to cry there," he recalls. “The team supports you, because they understand how it works. If the race doesn’t go perfectly and you crash, it is what it is. In the end I had a week off the bike afterwards to prepare for the second half of the season.”
This was Bittner's fourth Roubaix, but certainly not the last. “For sure. I want to have a race that goes how I want, where I leave everything out there and see what the result is. It’s a race I have to do every year.” It's truly a race that brings fear and tension into the riders, but at the same time is perhaps the most unique in the professional road calendar - specially at this level. As a rider who has the potential to do well, the Czech recalls the 'Hell of the North' fondly.
"Sometimes it feels like you hit those cobbles and you have some kind of mechanical, you're like, maybe cobbles is not for me, maybe I'll just stick to the bouncy brands. And then after the race you're like, maybe next year I'll try one more time," he jokes. "It's a funny one. I think it's good that the short-term memory is not the strongest one. Luckily you forget how much you were in pain."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- He lives in Monaco
Rafionain-Glas03-11-2026 - It's also highly significant for Lorenzo Finn as he won there last year. Also Mateo Ramírez and Henrique Bravo if they goRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- This is a phenomenal course design. I do wish that they'd stretch these tours for the women to at least 2 weeks.RidesHills03-11-2026
- This is an amazing route, honestly. Let's hope that it attracts riders to make it a compelling and competitive race. Side bar amusement: going to Slovenia and passing pretty close to Pogačar's house. I wonder if they were tempting him to get all 3 jerseys at once after winning the Tour and Vuelta. After all, only a very few have ever had all three at the same time (Froome being the last).RidesHills03-11-2026
- He was a child two years agoRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route aswell. Col d'Arpy is a toughieRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- Let Torito have a shot at itRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- A great route, much more exciting than the Tour de France. Monte Livata is an interesting one, because they experimented with it at the 2026 Baby Giro, and it was fantastic. 4 km at 10%, then 10 km at 6.5% made for a great spectacle. The stage 16 is horrible. Montaner is also used in the U23s, in Giro del BelvedereRafionain-Glas03-11-2026
- I remember when Mark went through that. He was really experiencing lows and thought about quiting many times. It took him a long time to recover. I, like many others were overjoyed when he came back. I hope Lafay has been tested. I wish him the best.Paggss03-11-2026
- That sucks for him. I've always wondered what guys like him do after retiring from cycling - go back to uni? He's still a very young manCrashjames03-11-2026
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