Mathieu Van der Poel, World champion on the highway and up to date winner of the Tour of Flandes, is the nice favourite to take dwelling the third monument of the course this Sunday, the Depart-Roubaix. The Dutch, favored by the losses of Matteo Jorgenson, Tadej Pogacar and Wout Van Aert, amongst others, looking for to deliver out the rainbow in the course of the Hell of the North. He needs to be the winner of an occasion that, as regular, ends on the Roubaix veldrome after a route of 259.9 kilometers, of which 57.7 on cobbled sections.
Van der Poel, who already is aware of what it means to win this occasion, has one other of the massive favorites on his staff: Jasper Philipsen. The one from Alpecin additionally comes from successful in San Remo. As for rivals, VdP ought to take a look at Merlier, Van Baarle, Laporte, Lampaert, Wellens, Pedersen, Bettiol or Asgreen, to call just some.
As for the Spanish, Cortina and Lazkano They need to proceed growing their ‘hype’ after the great picture they left in Flanders even though the ultimate outcome was not the brightest. The 2 Movistars have been very combative within the basic battle and right here they intend to do battle once more on some cobblestones that appear to be coated in mud.
Again with the chicane
In any case, the principle protagonist of the day will even be a chicane that they’ve put from the group earlier than getting into the Arenberg forest to attempt to cut back the hazard of this entry to a really particular space of the race. “Is that this a joke?” Vdp mentioned when he noticed the chicane on the networks. I understand how to speak about it, particularly if falls seem. The basic of classics, maybe essentially the most epic, the one that gives images of males coated in mud yearly, this yr will even have the most important variety of cobblestone sections within the final 30 years.
That is the revolutionary ‘chicane’ positioned earlier than the Arenberg
The restoration of the sectors of Briastre (km 111.3) and the village of Buat (km 128.5) represents a complete of 55.7 km of cobblestones, in comparison with 54.5 km in 2023. The primary 100 km of The race takes place on asphalt, a warm-up for the combat on the stones that begins on the exit of the city of Troisvilles (Km 96.3) and continues the rattling in Quievy, one of many two longest sectors at 3.8 km, adopted on this version by one other powerful 3 kilometer sector (Viesly – Briastre), which has not been used for the reason that 2019 version.
Slightly additional, you come back to the uphill sector of the village of Buat (Capelle-Ruesnes) which constitutes the second change made this yr. Demanding sections will instantly seem, earlier than the Arenberg Forest (km 164.6, 2,300 meters).
In 2023 the choice was made within the Haveluy sector (km 156.4) because of an assault this yr absent Wout van Aert. There will likely be 18 sectors left till the end line, together with essentially the most legendary, five-star sectors: Mons-en-Pvle (km 211.3, 1,800 meters) and Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 242.8, 2,100 meters), the place Van der Poel went straight to victory in 2023 after a puncture from Van Aert. One thing related may come up this Sunday on one other monumental day of biking.
final winners of the race
. 2023. Mathieu Van der Poel (PSB)
. 2022. Dylan Van Baarle (PSB)
. 2021. Sonny Colbrelli (ITA)
. 2019. Philippe Gilbert (BEL).
