D-1 / INFO
April 7 th 2018 - 18:05
The 175 riders about to tackle the Hell of the North were introduced to the public at Compiègne, on Saturday. On the eve of the highly anticipated race, big guns such as Greg Van Avermaet and Peter Sagan are looking for a way to derail Quick-Step.
VAN AVERMAET: “HOPEFULLY I CAN FIND THE RIGHT TACTICS”
“It will always feel good to be back here”, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) stated on the eve of tackling Paris - Roubaix, where he claimed his first victory in a Monument last year. “I did the recon yesterday and it felt great to be back on the cobbles. I also did one lap on the track… I’ll always have great memories in the back of my mind when I come here.” Although he hasn’t won on the cobbles so far this year, the Olympic champion claims his shape is “pretty similar” to what it was last year. “I didn’t make the right choices so far but hopefully I can find the right tactics. First of all, I’ll take care of myself, try to control the race. I’ll try to be in the right moves and I have a good sprint also. I don’t have to go solo before the Vélodrome and that’s one of my strong points.”
QUICK-STEP’S POWER TRIO IS READY
Niki Terpstra, Philippe Gilbert, Zdenek Stybar… The big names from Quick-Step Floors attracted most of the attention at Compiègne since many expect the Belgian powerhouse to pursue its string of successes in 2018 (already 25 wins). “We race like we always do, we’re on the attack, full gas”, Niki Terpstra explained one week after dominating the Tour of Flanders, his second Monument after Paris-Roubaix in 2014. “Winning the Ronde was amazing but now I’m excited about Roubaix. It’s one of my favorite races. Let’s go!” Zdenek Stybar also highlighted the importance of a collective strength for Sunday: “You never know when things will happen. It’s such a specific race, you have to be prepared for everything, good or bad luck. We’re riding good as a team and that’s our strength.” As for Philippe Gilbert, who comes back to Roubaix as part of his bid to wining the five Monuments of cycling, he hinted at waiting and seeing, despite his aggressive style: “I can’t say if I’ll be fighting for the win or a good position. It’s been eleven years since I last came here… But the shape is good and I can rely on a very experimented team, with a great dynamics. The key will be positioning, it’s more important than ever on the cobbled sectors.”
SAGAN: “THE BEST DEFENCE IS A GOOD OFFENSE”
World champion Peter Sagan was once again an attraction on the eve of Paris - Roubaix. Main question was: how to get away from Quick-Step’s grip? “The best defence is a good offense”, he claimed when his Bora-Hansgrohe team was introduced to the public. “I have to stay calm and cool. We also have a good team and it’s up to us to invent a new tactic. Quick-Step dominated the first classics but we’re not done yet. To wear the rainbow jersey doesn’t put an extra weight on me. I’m serene. I’ll do my best. I’ve never won Paris - Roubaix but I’d love to cross the line first on the Vélodrome. It’s an interesting race and, to me, the most important one.”
RIDING THE COBBLES… WITH THE TOUR AT THE BACK OF THE MIND
Stage 9 of the 2018 Tour de France will feature most of the cobbled sectors the peloton of Paris-Roubaix are ready to tackle on Sunday. Riders such as Marcel Kittel (Katusha Alpecin) came to Compiègne to prepare for July. “My presence at Paris-Roubaix is highly motivated by the preparation for the Tour de France”, the German sprinter said. “It’s very important for me to test myself on those roads.” Kittel only participated once, in 2011, his first year as a professional rider.
AMATEURS TAKE ON THE COBBLES FOR A RECORD SETTING CHALLENGE
The 8th edition of the Paris-Roubaix Challenge was once again a popular success: 6.000 amateur riders took on the infamous cobbles, setting a new record of participants. Lovers of the “Hell of the North” came from 58 different countries, with an average of 45 years old. Participants from the United Kingdom were among the most represented (20% of the peloton), only second to the French (24%) but ahead of Belgians (16%). After riding alongside retired champions such as former Paris-Roubaix winner Stuart O’Grady and Tour de France champion Andy Schleck, they’ll enjoy a dedicated space in the Vélodrome to celebrate the finishers at Roubaix on Sunday.
PARIS-ROUBAIX AND THE TOUR DE FRANCE COMMEMORATE THE ARMISTICE OF 1918
Ahead of the teams presentation for the 116th Paris-Roubaix, at 14h18, the municipality of Compiègne and Amaury Sport Organisation commemorated the armistice of World War I, also known as the Armistice of Compiègne, with a movie highlighting the part cyclists played in the French military. Another ceremony was set in the evening in the Glade of Rethondes. The route of Paris-Roubaix will come as close as possible to this historic area as an hommage to the millions of victims of the Great War, including two winners of the Tour de France, Octave Lapize and François Faber. Christian Prudhomme climbed up the carriage where the Armistice. “More than just sport, our cycling events are part of France’s history and today’s life”, the director of the Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix. The iconic name of the “Hell of the North” was born in April 1919, when the organisers of the race discovered devastated roads.
190 COUNTRIES TURN TO ROUBAIX
As it does on the Tour de France, the TV broadcast of Paris-Roubaix increase to 190 countries with a full live on ESPN International. Although no Colombian rider is facing the Hell of the North this year, Caracol TV, the leading channel in Nairo Quintana’s homeland, will broadcast the event live. So will national televisions in France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Australia, Canada. Leading stations dedicated to sports (Eurosport, Sportsnet, NBC Sports, Supersports, BeIN Sport, J-Sport, Skysport New Zealand) will also broadcast the race live.