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And just like that, the Cobbled Classics are over. This past weekend, the world’s best riders descended on northern France to race in the ‘Hell of the North’, Paris-Roubaix.
Our wonderful photographers – Kristof Ramon, and Jered and Ashley Gruber – were there and captured all the wonderful images you see below. We start with Saturday’s fourth edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, which started in Denain and concluded in the legendary Roubaix Velodrome.
Defending champ Alison Jackson had plenty of fans at the start.All smiles from the pre-race favourite …… and from UCI big-boss, David Lappartient.Paris-Roubaix is one of the few big races Marianne Vos hasn’t won.There was time for some fun at the start for Lidl-Trek, the best team of the Classics season.Jackson had an early crash …… but got back to the bunch fine.Ellen van Dijk rode a super-impressive race, particularly given she’s only just returned to racing after becoming a mother.Kopecky was on the front foot all day, attacking multiple times throughout.One of many small groups that formed during the race, before being caught from behind.Zoe Backstedt, future Roubaix winner?Kopecky, the GOAT, and the ever-impressive Pfeiffer Georgi.Elisa Balsamo would find her way into the winning move.Tiff Cromwell on the charge as co-leader of the Canyon-SRAM squad.A group of six entered the velodrome to contest the final sprint. Van Dijk led them in, for teammate Balsamo …… with Kopecky way back.But Kopecky timed her run to perfection …… hitting the front inside the final few hundred metres …… then lunging for the line …… to win her first Paris-Roubaix, ahead of Balsamo and Georgi.Few races are quite as taxing (and satisfying to just finish) as Roubaix.The Backstedt sisters – Elynor (left) and Zoe (right) – after the finish.Roubaix winner, in the rainbow bands.The sport’s most iconic trophy.A quality podium in a thrilling race.It takes a team to win the biggest races on the planet. This was SD Worx-Protime’s first Roubaix win.The famed Roubaix showers.
The action continued Sunday with the 121st edition of the men’s Paris-Roubaix, raced from Compiègne to the Roubaix Velodrome.
Tom Pidcock was a surprise starter having missed Itzulia Basque Country with a crash in recon.Fan favourite John Degenkolb was there too, nine years after winning this race.The chaos of Roubaix.Alpecin-Deceuninck were on the front early, setting a high tempo for Mathieu van der Poel.The mythical Arenberg trench. The controversial chicane at the entrance did little to impact the race, given the peloton was already thinned down by then.Groupama-FDJ teammates Stefan Küng and Laurence Pithie in the Arenberg forest. They’d both finish in the top 10.Van der Poel surged in the forest, further splitting the field.Mads Pedersen (far right) was one of the few riders tipped to be able to beat Van der Poel.On the Orchies sector, around 60 km from the finish, Van der Poel put in a blistering attack …… and was soon on his own …… apart from all the roadside fans cheering him on.It was an audacious move attacking from that far out, but if anyone could make it work, Van der Poel could.Pedersen, Küng, and Jasper Philipsen were in pursuit …… but it was soon clear that Van der Poel wasn’t going to be beaten.The Dutchman ended up winning by exactly three minutes, the largest margin for several decades. It’s his second-straight Roubaix win.Just like last year, Philipsen led in the chase group for second, securing another Alpecin-Deceuninck 1-2.Respect among rivals.Pedersen took third and said after that there was nothing more he could have done; that Van der Poel was just on another level.Australia’s Cyrus Monk was the very last rider to finish, outside the time cut, roughly 48 minutes after Van der Poel.Impeccable product placement again from the world champ. Flanders-Roubaix double? Check.
