Who will win Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Roubaix Femmes, and how will they do it?
That’s what’s on everybody’s mind ahead of this weekend’s “Hell of the North” double-header.
We put the question to CyclingTips editors Andy Hood, Sadhbh O’Shea, and Jim Cotton, and Outside‘s Fred Dreier, and here’s what they said:
Paris-Roubaix Femmes: Lotte Kopecky on track for a Flanders-Roubaix double?
Sadhbh O’Shea (CyclingTips): I just can’t look past Lotte Kopecky for this one. While SD Worx has been hugely dominant this spring, Kopecky has stood head and shoulders above the rest. She’s in such a determined and focused mindset this spring that I doubt there will be much that can get in her way over the French cobbles. After she blasted away from the rest at the Tour of Flanders, she will do it again Saturday and it’s likely that a mechanical or a crash are the only way she’ll be stopped.
Jim Cotton (CyclingTips): My brain is telling me to say Lotte Kopecky, but I can’t help but feel that Trek-Segafredo makes it a Roubaix Femmes hat trick Saturday. SD Worx marks out defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini while cross-discipline ace Lucinda Brand gets into the winning move and drops them all on the grim stones of the Carrefour.
Andy Hood (CyclingTips): My hunch is that Lotte Kopecky barrels away from everyone and never looks back. SD Worx will be missing the experience of Chantal van den Broek-Blaak this year. Anything can happen in Roubaix, but if Kopecky can avoid punctures and mishaps, there’s no one else at her level at the start line who can beat her.
Paris-Roubaix: All eyes on Jumbo-Visma?
Andy Hood (CyclingTips): Van Aert – the flats of Roubaix will suit his power more than the bergs of Flanders. He was on the ropes from Pogačar-bombs on Oude Kwaremont and then Van der Poel smartly gapped him on Kruisberg, but there are no hills on the road to “Hell.” I think through sheer willpower and determination Van Aert will gut his way to the finish line. Van der Poel is rival No. 1, and perhaps one of his Jumbo-Visma teammates will get up the road. If Van Aert can stay upright and avoid mechanicals, redemption is near. I’m a believer.
Fred Dreier (Outside): Christophe Laporte wins by pulling a Niki Terpstra 2014. A strong breakaway goes, and with 70km to go the favorites attack and begin clawing back time. Mathieu van der Poel is in there alongside Filippo Ganna, Wout van Aert, Laporte, and Mads Pedersen. Despite van der Poel’s attacks, he’s unable to shed the other strong riders. During a lull in the action with 25km to go, Laporte attacks alongside a few riders who survived from the breakaway, while van der Poel marks van Aert. Laporte drops his companions on the final few sectors and takes a solo win.
Jim Cotton (CyclingTips): It’s Mads Pedersen’s big day Sunday. The Dane was roaring hot at Tour of Flanders and has been nipping at the heels of the “big three” of Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogačar all spring. If Pedersen’s going to do it though, everything will have to play his way. After all, he DNF’d his last two appearances at Roubaix and never hit into the top-50 in his three starts before that. Pedersen wins by beating Van Aert, Van der Poel and a couple others in a small group sprint in the velodrome.
Sadhbh O’Shea (CyclingTips): Wout for the win. Wout van Aert looked bitterly disappointed after he missed out on the podium at the Tour of Flanders last week. Despite winning the E3 Saxo Classic, he looked to be the weakest of the so-called ‘three kings’ and that was evident at De Ronde. Paris-Roubaix is a different kettle of fish and it’s not just about pure strength. Team tactics and clever riding will be key and Van Aert has a strong team around him. I can see him attacking clear of an elite group over the Carrefour de l’Arbre and taking one or two riders with him only to take the win from a sprint in the velodrome.
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