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2022 Paris - Roubaix (World Tour)

119th edition: Sunday, April 17, 2022
Complete results

Paris-Roubaix podium history, race database | 2021 edition | 2023 edition | Course map & profile | List of cobblestone sectors | Photos | Race organizer's preview | Start list | Paris-Roubaix Femmes | P-R history video

Compiègne - Roubaix: 257.2 kilometers. 30 sectors of pavé totalling 54.8 km

Weather at the finish city of Roubaix at 1:20 PM, local time: 18C (65F), sunny, with the wind from the east at 11 km/hr (7 mph). No rain is forecast.

Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - All the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

The race: 169 riders began the race at 11:15 AM. There was one non-starter, Bahrain Victorious' Chun-Kai Fung, who felt "unwell". Less than 20 kilometers into the race Pascal Ackermann (UAE-Team Emirates) abandoned.

Here's the race organizer's 2022 Paris-Roubaix summary:

Ineos Grenadiers triumphed today at Paris-Roubaix after completing an excellent team race that was sealed by its Classics leader Dylan van Baarle with an impressive solo effort.

The Dutchman launched his winning move with 19 kilometres to go, at the Camphin-en-Pévèle cobbled sector, overpowering his breakaway companions Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Tom Devriendt (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert) and Yves Lampaert (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl). Second and third into the finish line came Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), who rode the whole day on the back foot after Ineos had split the race before the cobbles were even in sight.

The frantic racing favored an incredible average speed of 45.8 km/hr in what turned out to be the fastest-ever edition of Paris-Roubaix – and the maiden victory for Ineos Grenadiers (and its previous incarnation, Team Sky) at the Hell of the North.

169 riders took the start on the 119th edition of Paris-Roubaix at 11:15, off to ride 257.2 kilometres between Compiègne and the Vélodrome André Pétrieux in Roubaix. It was a hectic start, with no less than 48,8 kilometres covered in the first hour of racing, during which many riders tried (and failed) to establish a breakaway. It was at kilometre 47 that the bunch got split in two groups. Ineos Grenadiers led the charge at the front, along with EF Education-EasyPost, Bora-Hansgrohe, Bahrain Victorious and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, while many favourites were caught off guard and forced to chase. Amongst them, two out of the three podium finishers from 2021, Florian Vermeersch (Lotto-Soudal) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), along with marquee riders like Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Kasper Asgreen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) and Jumbo-Visma duo Christophe Laporte and Wout van Aert.

Here we are about half-way into the stage. It's a dry day and riding the cobbles is raising a cloud of dust and dirt. Photo: ASO/Pauline Ballet.

Enter the cobbles
The gap between the two groups reached 1’15” after 60 kilometres of racing, and was held around that mark until the first cobbled sector, 36 kilometres later. With cobbles came chaos: Pedersen and Asgreen crashed behind right before sector 30 (Troisvilles to Inchy, km 96.3), while at the front it was Ineos Grenadiers’ Filippo Ganna who punctured at sector 29 (Viesly to Quiévy, km 102.8), hampering his team’s efforts to dominate the race. The real carnage, though, came at sector 27 (Saint-Python, km 110.1), when a huge crash took down most of the front group, leaving Niki Terpstra (TotalEnergies) alone in the lead. The Dutchman was brought back at sector 25 (Haussy, km 123.7) by most of his former breakaway companions. The gap between the two main groups was still around one minute.

La fuga de la fuga
A courageous solo attack by Jens Reynders (Sport Vlaanderen) at sector 24 (Saulzoir to Verchain-Maugré, km 130.6) was shut down by a puncture. Soon after, at kilometer 146, five riders broke away from the breakaway: Davide Ballerini (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Casper Pedersen (Team DSM), Tom Devriendt (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert) and Laurent Pichon (Arkéa-Samsic). This led to disagreements that spelt the end for the initial skirmish. After a breathless 105-kilometer long chase, the first bunch was brought back by the second one at kilometer 152, just ahead of sector 20 (Haveluy to Wallers, km 153.7).

A favorites group is established
The Trouée d'Arenberg (km 161.9 - 2.3 km), cobbled sector number 19, took its toll on Ballerini and Pedersen, who got dropped from the front group as the gap for Mohoric, Devriendt and Pichon increased beyond the two minutes. Only 50 riders survived in the main bunch at sector 14 (Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies, km 192). Into sector 13 (Orchies, km 197), Jumbo-Visma’s Nathan Van Hooydonck sped things up with his leader Wout van Aert on his wheel. Out of this move came the 12-strong favorites group that would play out for victory along with the three cyclists who were up the road. The favorites group contained: Mathieu van der Poel, Guillaume van Keirsbulck (Alpecin-Fenix), Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Ben Turner, Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers), Yves Lampaert, Florian Sénéchal (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), Adrien Petit, Taco Van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert) and Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates).

Impressive display of resilience by Matej Mohoric
At sector 12 (Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée, km 203.1), an acceleration by Van Baarle took Trentin, Van der Hoorn and Van Keirsbulck out of contention. Into sector 11 (Mons-en-Pévèle, km 208.6), Pichon got dropped from the break due to a puncture and Sénéchal lost contact to the favorites group. Right out of sector 9 (Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin, km 218), Mohoric suffered a puncture and left Devriendt alone in the lead. After many attacks, Mohoric broke clear from the favorites again, along with Lampaert, with 29 kilometers to go. Behind, Van Baarle gradually brought himself back to their wheel. The three, along with Devriendt, conformed a 4-strong group at the head of the race, while Van Aert and Küng undertook a duo chase behind.

A very dusty Dylan Van Baarle wins Paris-Roubaix. Photo: ASO/Pauline Ballet

The moment the race was won
Van Baarle waited until sector 5 (Camphin-en-Pévèle, km 237.3) to launch what would become his winning move. Mohoric and Lampaert initially tried to counter, but failed to regain his wheel. Furthermore, the Belgian crashed at sector 2 (Willems to Hem, km 249) after touching a spectator and losing his balance. Meanwhile, Mohoric was caught by Van Aert, Küng and Devriendt, who had managed to keep up with the pace of both powerhouses. On the velodrome, they sprinted for the remaining places of the podium. The main one was Van Baarle’s, and Ineos Grenadiers’, by his and their own right.

Complete results:

Photos | Riders not finishing (posted just below the results)

257.2 kilometers raced at an average speed of 45.792 km/hr. Fastest Paris-Roubaix ever.

1	DYLAN VAN BAARLE	INEOS GRENADIERS	5hr 37min 0sec
2	WOUT VAN AERT	JUMBO-VISMA	@ 1min 47sec
3	STEFAN KÜNG	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
4	TOM DEVRIENDT	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
5	MATEJ MOHORIC	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
6	ADRIEN PETIT	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	2' 27''
7	JASPER STUYVEN	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
8	LAURENT PICHON	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
9	MATHIEU VAN DER POEL	ALPECIN-FENIX	2' 34''
10	YVES LAMPAERT	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	2' 59''
11	BEN TURNER	INEOS GRENADIERS	4' 30''
12	ALEXANDER KRISTOFF	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	4' 33''
13	FLORIAN SENECHAL	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	4' 36''
14	JORDI MEEUS	BORA-HANSGROHE	4' 47''
15	MATIS LOUVEL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
16	TACO VAN DER HOORN	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
17	GREG VAN AVERMAET	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
18	JOHN DEGENKOLB	TEAM DSM	s.t.
19	ANDREA PASQUALON	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
20	MIKE TEUNISSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
21	STEFAN BISSEGGER	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
22	NILS POLITT	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
23	BAPTISTE PLANCKAERT	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
24	DRIES VAN GESTEL	TOTALENERGIES	s.t.
25	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA	MOVISTAR	s.t.
26	GUILLAUME VAN KEIRSBULCK	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
27	ANDERS SKAARSETH	UNO-X	s.t.
28	OLIVIER LE GAC	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
29	MATHIAS JØRGENSEN	MOVISTAR	s.t.
30	PHILIPPE GILBERT	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
31	CONNOR SWIFT	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
32	LUDOVIC ROBEET	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES WB	s.t.
33	WARD VANHOOF	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
34	VALENTIN MADOUAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
35	FILIPPO GANNA	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
36	JENTHE BIERMANS	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	6' 58''
37	NATHAN VAN HOOYDONCK	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
38	EDVALD BOASSON HAGEN	TOTALENERGIES	7' 00''
39	JORIS NIEUWENHUIS	TEAM DSM	s.t.
40	TIM MERLIER	ALPECIN-FENIX	7' 02''
41	DAVIDE BALLERINI	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	11' 38''
42	LEWIS ASKEY	GROUPAMA-FDJ	11' 51''
43	MATTEO TRENTIN	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	12' 35''
44	KASPER ASGREEN	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	s.t.
45	ZDENĚK ŠTYBAR	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	s.t.
46	STANISLAW ANIOLKOWSKI	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES WB	s.t.
47	LUKE DURBRIDGE	BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
48	MAX KANTER	MOVISTAR	s.t.
49	SEBASTIAN LANGEVELD	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
50	NIKI TERPSTRA	TOTALENERGIES	s.t.
51	NIKIAS ARNDT	TEAM DSM	14' 48''
52	OWAIN DOULL	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	15' 16''
53	JULIEN MORICE	B&B HOTELS-KTM	s.t.
54	OLIVER NAESEN	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
55	OIER LAZKANO LOPEZ	MOVISTAR	s.t.
56	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
57	JANNIK STEIMLE	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	s.t.
58	GIANNI VERMEERSCH	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
59	CEDRIC BEULLENS	LOTTO SOUDAL	15' 28''
60	ROGER KLUGE	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
61	BRENT VAN MOER	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
62	GUILLAUME BOIVIN	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
63	SILVAN DILLIER	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
64	JENS REYNDERS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
65	ALEXIS RENARD	COFIDIS	s.t.
66	CYRIL LEMOINE	B&B HOTELS-KTM	s.t.
67	EDDY FINE	COFIDIS	s.t.
68	SENNE LEYSEN	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
69	ERIK NORDSAETER RESELL	UNO-X	s.t.
70	ALEXANDRE DELETTRE	COFIDIS	s.t.
71	VEGARD STAKE LAENGEN	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
72	DANIEL OSS	TOTALENERGIES	s.t.
73	BRAM WELTEN	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
74	JONAS RUTSCH	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
75	PIET ALLEGAERT	COFIDIS	s.t.
76	JASHA SÜTTERLIN	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	15' 34''
77	MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
78	JENS KEUKELEIRE	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	15' 43''
79	KARL PATRICK LAUK	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES WB	17' 27''
80	BENJAMIN DECLERCQ	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
81	RETO HOLLENSTEIN	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
82	EDOARDO AFFINI	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
83	LUCA MOZZATO	B&B HOTELS-KTM	s.t.
84	CASPER PEDERSEN	TEAM DSM	s.t.
85	JONAS KOCH	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
86	JACK BAUER	BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
87	MACIEJ BODNAR	TOTALENERGIES	s.t.
88	SANDER DE PESTEL	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	17' 30''
89	ARJEN LIVYNS	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES WB	20' 11''
90	RUDY BARBIER	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	24' 44''
91	PIERRE BARBIER	B&B HOTELS-KTM	s.t.
92	MILAN MENTEN	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES WB	s.t.
93	LASSE NORMAN HANSEN	UNO-X	s.t.
94	CAMERON WURF	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
95	ANTOINE RAUGEL	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
96	LUKASZ WISNIOWSKI	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
97	MANUELE BOARO	ASTANA QAZAQSTAN	s.t.
98	GIJS VAN HOECKE	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
99	FRED WRIGHT	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
100	YEVGENIY FEDOROV	ASTANA QAZAQSTAN	s.t.
101	DMITRIY GRUZDEV	ASTANA QAZAQSTAN	s.t.
102	LUKE ROWE	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
103	TIMO ROOSEN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
104	MICK VAN DIJKE	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
105	ALEXANDRE BALMER	BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
106	JUAN SEBASTIAN MOLANO	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
107	SZYMON SAJNOK	COFIDIS	26' 44''

 

Riders not finishing:

VERMEERSCH FLORIAN	LOTTO SOUDAL	WITHDRAWAL
CAMPENAERTS VICTOR	LOTTO SOUDAL	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
GRIGNARD SÉBASTIEN	LOTTO SOUDAL	WITHDRAWAL
VERMOTE JULIEN	ALPECIN - FENIX	WITHDRAWAL
LAPORTE CHRISTOPHE	JUMBO - VISMA	WITHDRAWAL
DAVY CLÉMENT	GROUPAMA - FDJ	WITHDRAWAL
LIENHARD FABIAN	GROUPAMA - FDJ	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
SHEFFIELD MAGNUS	INEOS GRENADIERS	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
DECLERCQ TIM	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
ARASHIRO YUKIYA	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	WITHDRAWAL
FENG CHUN KAI	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	DNS
PRICE PEJTERSEN JOHAN	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	WITHDRAWAL
TEUNS DYLAN	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	WITHDRAWAL
PEDERSEN MADS	TREK - SEGAFREDO	WITHDRAWAL
HOOLE DAAN	TREK - SEGAFREDO	WITHDRAWAL
KIRSCH ALEX	TREK - SEGAFREDO	WITHDRAWAL
SKUJINS TOMS	TREK - SEGAFREDO	WITHDRAWAL
THEUNS EDWARD	TREK - SEGAFREDO	WITHDRAWAL
VERGAERDE OTTO	TREK - SEGAFREDO	WITHDRAWAL
DEWULF STAN	AG2R CITROEN TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
SCHÄR MICHAEL	AG2R CITROEN TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
TOUZE DAMIEN	AG2R CITROEN TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
HALLER MARCO	BORA - HANSGROHE	WITHDRAWAL
LAAS MARTIN	BORA - HANSGROHE	WITHDRAWAL
SCHELLING IDE	BORA - HANSGROHE	WITHDRAWAL
SOUPE GEOFFREY	TOTALENERGIES	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
TURGIS ANTHONY	TOTALENERGIES	WITHDRAWAL
DENZ NICO	TEAM DSM	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
MAYRHOFER MARIUS	TEAM DSM	WITHDRAWAL
CAPIOT AMAURY	TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC	WITHDRAWAL
NOPPE CHRISTOPHE	TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
RUSSO CLÉMENT	TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC	WITHDRAWAL
JONES TAJ	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	WITHDRAWAL
SCHMIDT MADS WÜRTZ	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	WITHDRAWAL
MAAS JAN	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
MEZGEC LUKA	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	WITHDRAWAL
CIMOLAI DAVIDE	COFIDIS	WITHDRAWAL
VANBILSEN KENNETH	COFIDIS	WITHDRAWAL
SCULLY TOM	EF EDUCATION - EASYPOST	WITHDRAWAL
ACKERMANN PASCAL	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	WITHDRAWAL
BRUNEL ALEXYS	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
GROSS FELIX	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	WITHDRAWAL
TROIA OLIVIERO	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	WITHDRAWAL
HALVORSEN KRISTOFFER	UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
LEVY WILLIAM	UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
TILLER RASMUS	UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
WÆRENSKJOLD SØREN	UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
ERVITI IMANOL	MOVISTAR TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
JACOBS JOHAN	MOVISTAR TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
TORRES BARCELO ALBERT	MOVISTAR TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
BASSO LEONARDO	ASTANA - QAZAQSTAN TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
MARTINELLI DAVIDE	ASTANA - QAZAQSTAN TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
NIBALI ANTONIO	ASTANA - QAZAQSTAN TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
RIABUSHENKO ALEKSANDR	ASTANA - QAZAQSTAN TEAM	WITHDRAWAL
GOUGEARD ALEXIS	B&B HOTELS - KTM	WITHDRAWAL
JAUREGUI QUENTIN	B&B HOTELS - KTM	WITHDRAWAL
LECROQ JÉRÉMY	B&B HOTELS - KTM	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
DUPONT TIMOTHY	BINGOAL PAUWELS SAUCES WB	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
TIETEMA BAS	BINGOAL PAUWELS SAUCES WB	OUTSIDE THE TIME LIMIT
MARIT ARNE	SPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE	WITHDRAWAL
BRAET VITO	SPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE	WITHDRAWAL
VAN POUCKE AARON	SPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE	WITHDRAWAL
VAN ROOY KENNETH	SPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE	WITHDRAWAL

 

---

Course map and profile:

2022 Paris-Roubaix map

List of cobblestone sectors:

2022 Paris-Roubaix photos by Fotoreporter Sirotti:

During the starting ceremonies the B&B Hotels-KTM team is presented

Cycling legend Thomas Voeckler was at the start.

Tour de France general director Christian Prudhomme

Dries Van Gestel in cobble sector 19, the famous Trouée d'Arenberg

Wout Van Aert on the Arenberg cobbles

Michal Kwiatkowski

Filippo Ganna

Bora-hansgrohe rider Nils Politt on the Arenberg cobbles.

Davide Ballerini

Dylan Van Baarle at cobble sector 15, Tylloy a Sars-et-Rosieres

Winner Dylan Van Baarle on the Roubaix track about to cross the line.

Dylan Van Baarle has plenty of time to sit up and enjoy his win.

Wout Van Aert (on left) beats Stefan Küng for second place. The group on the right is on its first of two laps around the track.

Van Baarle and INEOS team manager Dave Brailsford.

The photographers get more of Van Baarle

Dylan Van Baarle gets his cobblestone trophy.

The podum, from left: Wout Van Aert (2nd), Dylan Van Baarle (1st) & Stefan Küng (3rd)

Race organizer's preview, posted Saturday, April 16:

170 riders will start the 119th edition of Paris-Roubaix tomorrow, right in front of the Château de Compiègne, three years after the race’s last Spring edition. The sun is expected to greet the riders as they head for a 257.2-kilometer ride that includes 54.8 km worth of cobblestones.

The much-anticipated duel between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert might catch some eyes tomorrow, even though the Belgian rider’s build-up for the Hell of the North has been hindered by Covid-19. Ineos Grenadiers have arguably been the most powerful team of the Classics season and is lining up quite a packed squad, with ITT world champion Filippo Ganna as the leader on paper … and many cards to play like Dylan van Baarle, Michal Kwiatkowski and American young gun Magnus Sheffield, who comes to Roubaix fresh off winning De Brabantse Pijl.

Many outsiders will try to upset the favorites by making it into the break, as several underdogs did indeed manage to do over the last few editions. Amongst them we find Groupama-FDJ’s Stefan Küng and Valentin Madouas, and also Trek-Segafredo’s Mads Pedersen, who will try to emulate what his female teammate Elisa Longo Borghini did at Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift on the eve of the men’s race.

Warm weather … and some wind
Over at the team presentation held on Saturday, the weather forecast for tomorrow’s race was by far the most widely discussed topic. After last year’s cold, rainy edition, sunshine is expected to cast over the peloton all the way from Compiègne to Roubaix. The temperatures, however, will remain around the 20ºC and won’t reach those 27ºC we experienced back in 2007, when Stuart O’Grady triumphed on Summer-like conditions. Most riders are happy with the promise of a blue sky, but some aren’t. Par example, Bahrain Victorious’ Matej Mohoric. “I would have preferred some rain in order for the race to be more demanding skills-wise,” he asserts, while Greg van Avermaet echoes the peloton’s general feeling that it will be “nice” to race on warm weather: “It’s the one there was when I won in 2017 so yeah, I love this weather.” Another factor that will come into play is the wind, which will blow from the east. According to race director Thierry Gouvenou, this will favor the attackers. “There will be tailwind at the exit of the hardest cobbled sectors. Therefore, it will be harder for the groups to come back together. Riders shall not miss the cuts.”

WVA vs MVDP: an anticipated duel
The rivalry between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel has long become a fixture to some of the most exciting races of the cycling season, both on the road and on the fields – but it is yet to be staged to its bigger extend on Northern France’s cobblestones. It’s only last year that we first saw both riders starting Paris-Roubaix. The Dutchman managed to sprint for the win and cross the finish line on 3rd place, while the Belgian fell out of contention due to some bad luck with 70 kilometers to go and had to settle with 7th. As for this year, Van Aert is on the back foot after catching Covid-19 as recently as two weeks ago. “I’m here with a big question mark over my shoulders,” says the Jumbo-Visma rider. “I feel good right now, but it’s hard to say what my current level is. I’m just happy to be on the start line, as I didn’t want to miss this beautiful race. But this year it will be more difficult than ever for me.” On the other side, Van der Poel shows a remarkable confidence on his possibilities. “I’ve felt in good shape these last few weeks,” asserts Alpecin-Fenix’s leader. “My goal is to win, as it always is.” Will this much-anticipated duel on the Hell of the North take place tomorrow?

Strength in numbers for Ineos Grenadiers
Ineos Grenadiers has long been deemed as a stage-race team, yet this season it has proven its prowess on one-day races time and again. Last Sunday, Poland’s Michael Kwiatkowski won his second Amstel Gold Race, while on Wednesday it was USA’s Magnus Sheffield who raised his arms in victory at De Brabantse Pijl. Both of them will take the start tomorrow along with Netherland’s Dylan van Baarle, who stood second at the podium of the Tour de Flanders two weekends ago. “I love all the Classics, but Roubaix is the most special one for me,” says the Dutchman. “We are in a good place, as we have shown these last few weeks that we are able to play a major role on these races.” Italy’s Filippo Ganna is touted as the team’s leader, yet the promising Magnus Sheffield does also catch some eyes too. And not only because the American is just 19 years old and thus the youngest rider of this year’s race – also because of his power and his recent victory in Belgium. “I am still on shock after that,” he admits. “It’s crazy to think I’m already racing the professional Paris-Roubaix, only three years after participating on the junior version. Sometimes I have to remember myself where I am in order to enjoy the moment I’m living. This race is not a playground, though. It separates men from boys. My role will be to remain in contention for as long as possible, supporting our leaders. We want to have strength in numbers on the final kilometres.”

Stefan Küng: “I dream of victory”
Groupama-FDJ has long relied on Arnaud Démare as its leader for Paris-Roubaix. This year, though, there is a new kid on the block to carry the French hopes on his shoulders: Valentin Madouas, who scored an excellent 3rd place on the Tour of Flanders and will debut tomorrow in the Hell of the North. “I feel very good, duly recovered from Amstel Gold Race,” says Madouas. “I asked to line up in Roubaix right after my podium in Flanders because I felt my legs were relatively fresh. I’ve been granted a free role by my team, which has some other cards to play.” Amongst those, Switzerland’s Stefan Küng, who has also delivered some remarkable results this year (5th at Tour of Flanders, 8th at Amstel Gold Race) and approaches tomorrow’s appointment with optimism. “This is the climax of the Classics season,” he affirms. “I dream of victory. I hope for my legs to be up to the task while my eyes follow the moves of the two biggest favorites, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel.”

Secrets and successes of the Roubaix break
“Paris-Roubaix is the most beautiful race to go on the breakaway,” said Silvan Dillier on an interview with L’Équipe. Alpecin-Fenix’s Swiss national champion did indeed feature on the break of the 2018 edition and that enabled him to cross the finish line second... as Bora-Hansgrohe’s Nils Politt did on the following edition, and as Lotto-Soudal’s Florian Vermeersch did last year. Furthermore, in 2016, Australia’s Matthew Hayman set the foundations for his win by making it into the day’s breakaway. “This might sound too obvious, but Paris-Roubaix does not start on the cobbled sectors,” asserts Sebastian Langeveld, road captain for EF Education-EasyPost, who has taken part on 13 editions of the race. “Depending on the wind, the breakaway group that might go away on the tarmac has a great chance of getting pretty far into the race. As for tomorrow, I expect the first two hours of racing to be very fast and for a relatively big group to get up the road, as there will be tailwinds that sometimes will blow from the sides.” Another rider with some expertise to share on this domain is Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl’s Tim Declercq, a powerhouse that has featured in the breakaways of four out of the last six editions of the event. “My role at the races is usually to be at the front of the bunch, trying to let go a break that is easy to control,” explains ‘El Tractor’. “This task is way more difficult at Paris-Roubaix, because the roads we ride at the start are very wide and there are attacks right and left - and also from the back of the bunch. I try to follow as many guys possible, as that way it is easier to make it into the front group… But usually, by the time the break is established, I have spent so much energy that I devote myself to working for a teammate that is up there too and has better legs than me.”

Double act for Trek-Segafredo?
Trek-Segafredo women’s team put on an excellent show on Saturday at Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, with Elisa Longo Borghini taking the win from a solo break while her teammates Ellen Van Dijk and Lucinda Brand frustrated every attempt from their rivals to counter the Italian national champion’s long-range attack. Brand even landed a podium placing to buckle up the act. Now it’s time for their male counterparts to try and emulate their feats. “This is not just ‘one of the objectives’ of my season – it is ‘the’ key objective of my season,” says Denmark’s Mads Pedersen, spearhead of Trek-Segafredo’s bid. “My shape has been very good these past few weeks, so I hope to be on the mix and racing for the win tomorrow. I don’t think I’m the biggest favorite at the start line – just one of them. I want to do my own race while watching out for the strong guys, but I am aware that this is a tough, open race, where surprise contenders usually come along.”

Start list with backnumbers, April 16, 2022:

Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Saturday, April 16: Denain - Roubaix, 124.7 km. 17 sectors of pavé totalling 29.2 km

Elisa Longo Borghini takes a solo win in Roubaix. Sirotti pohoto

Course map and list of cobblestone sectors | Photos

David L. Stanley's masterful telling of his bout with skin cancer Melanoma: It Started with a Freckle is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the finish city of Roubaix at 3:15 PM, local time: 19C (67F), sunny, with the wind from the northeast at 18 km/hr (11 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: Here's the race organizer's report.

After Lizzie Deignan’s inaugural one-woman-show, Trek-Segafredo imposed their collective strength in the 2nd edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes until Elisa Longo Borghini went solo to claim victory in the André Pétrieux velodrome.

Ellen van Dijk and Lucinda Brand lit the first matches on the cobbles for the American squad before the Italian Champion launched her decisive move with 34km to go, to claim another major success in the classics, after the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Trofeo Alfredo Binda, Strade Bianche, GP de Plouay… Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) dominated the sprint for 2nd, ahead of Lucinda Brand, and Ellen van Dijk joined her Trek-Segafredo partners in the top 10 (7th).

The 139-woman peloton roll from Denain with beautiful weather conditions but without Meava Squiban (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime) and the Dutch icon Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), who returned a positive test to Covid-19 hours before the start.

Attacks and tension ahead of the cobbles
The opening circuit in Denain, with 4 laps to cover, sees early attackers launch an intense battle for the breakaway. Gaia Masetti (AG Insurance-NXTG Team), Leonie Bos (Parkhotel Valkenburg), Amalie Lutro (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) and Katie Clouse (Human Powered Health) are the first riders to manage to get away. Tanja Erath (EF Education-Tibco-SVB) makes it a 5-woman group at the front at km 6.

More riders try to join them but the peloton control the counter-attacks. The attackers exit Denain with a lead of 1’40’’. The gap increases to a maximum of 1’55’’ at km 32. But Trek-Segafredo up the pace as they get closer to the cobbles.

First skirmishes
The gap is done to 1’10’’ as the peloton hit the sector from Hornaing to Wandignies. At the front, Bos and Klouse are dropped by their breakaway companions. The bunch explodes with Ellen van Dijk (Trek-Segafredo) setting a strong pace on the cobbles.

The race of attrition is on, and Trek-Segafredo are willing to make the selection, but they quickly lose two cards on the third sector of the day. Van Dijk suffers a puncture. Then Chloe Hosking crashes on the side of the cobbles. Meanwhile, Erath goes solo at the front, with a gap of 20’’ to the bunch with 69km to go.

The German attacker is eventually reeled in with 61km to go, just ahead of the Orchies sector, where Chantal van den Broek-Blaak ups the pace for Team SD Worx, whose leader Lotte Kopecky won the Ronde van Vlaanderen a couple of weeks ago.

Kopecky goes from far
Van Dijk returns to the bunch just ahead of sector 12, from Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée. But Kopecky immediately attacks. Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ) is the first to react, and Lucinda Brand joins them at the front, while her Trek-Segafredo partner Elisa Balsamo suffers a mechanical. She is then disqualified as the jury of commissaires rules the World Champion had an irregular return after her mechanical.

The three leaders increase their lead to 20’’ on the first 5-star sector of the day, Mons-en-Pévèle, with 46km to go. Emma Norsgaard’s Movistar lead the chase, and the attackers are reeled with 33km to go, on the cobbles of Templeuve (sector 8).

Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) immediately launches a counter-attack. She enters the last 30km with a lead of 30’’. She survives a near miss on the cobbles of Camphin-en-Pévèle and enters Carrefour de l’Arbre (17km to go) with a gap of 25’’.

Another 1-3 for Trek-Segafredo
Kopecky puts the hammer down in pursuit. Only Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope) and two riders from Trek-Segafredo, Brand and Van Dijk. The Belgian champion doesn’t manage to get closer than 20’’ behind Longo Borghini, who keeps setting a strong pace at the front.

The gap is back up to 40’’ when the chasers are joined by Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (SD Worx), Floorte Mackaij (Team DSM) and Elise Chabbey (Canyon//Sram Racing) with 12km to go. This support is not enough to get back to Elisa Longo Borghini.

The Italian champion savours her triumph in the velodrome, eventually claiming victory 23’’ ahead of Kopecky. Brand finishes 3rd, repeating Trek-Segafredo’s 1-3 from 2021.

Complete results:

Photos

124.7 kilometers raced at an average speed of 39.193 km/hr

2022 Paris-Roubaix Femmes map & list of cobblestone sectors:

2022 Paris-Roubaix Femmes map

List of cobblestone sectors.

List of women's cobblestone sectors.

Women's Paris-Roubaix photos by Fotoreporter Sirotti:

The first cobbled sector, Hornaing a Wandignies

Elisa Longo Borghini dishing out some suffering to the others in the same cobbled sector

The Orchies sector here is rated three stars out of five.

On the Orchies cobbles

Another shot of the riders on the Orchies sector.

Elisa Longo Borghini wins Paris-Roubaix