“We want to win, and we have a strong team" - Jasper Philipsen confident of Alpecin-Deceuninck chances at Paris-Roubaix

The third monument of the season is on us already this weekend as the peloton takes on Paris-Roubaix. The first two monuments both saw Alpecin-Deceuninck winners, a pattern Jasper Philipsen hopes to continue this Sunday.

“It gives us peace and comfort for Sunday,” Philipsen, who took the win at Milano-Sanremo explains to Wielerflits. “We want to win, and we have a strong team to make that possible. But there are many competitors too. Except for Mathieu van der Poel, no real super favourite. Mads Pedersen is one, the top is also quite wide. But in Roubaix everything has to go well.”

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With Philipsen second last year on the famous French cobbles behind his teammate, Mathieu van der Poel, the duo will once again try to control things this time around although this year, there is the added wrinkle of potentially bad weather. “My weather radar looks good. But if it is wet, I wouldn't necessarily be afraid," Philipsen says. "It is something we have to take into account. Saturday is a warmer day, so everything may dry out quickly.”

And of course, the main talking point is that new chicane that has caused a split down the peloton. “It is an attempt at a solution, an initiative. I doubt it's the right one," Philipsen assesses. "I think Sunday will tell something. For the same money, the race is broken up in advance and we arrive there with a smaller group. Let's hope it's a step in the right direction.”

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