MVDP: A LIVELY CHALLENGE

April 3 ^rd 2024 - 17:43

• For the 121st edition of Paris-Roubaix, set to start from Compiègne on Sunday, 7 April, spectators and riders alike will focus on Mathieu Van der Poel, who will attempt to retain his title and succeed the last winner in the rainbow jersey, Peter Sagan, in 2018. After his impressive showing in the Tour of Flanders, everyone knows he can do it.
• However, the Queen of the Classics often holds surprises that could allow several candidates to make their mark and, why not, threaten the prohibitive favourite. That's what contenders like Mads Pedersen, Matteo Jorgenson, Nils Politt, Kasper Asgreen, Stefan Küng, Matej Mohorič, and others keep in mind.

Twelve different riders have won the last twelve editions of Paris-Roubaix. The Queen of the Classics may be untameable. Still, it's hard not to designate the defending champion as the overwhelming favourite for Sunday's race, which concludes the cobbled classics’ campaign in which the big guns have also suffered injuries on the asphalt. Amid this hecatomb, Mathieu Van der Poel has maintained a dignified and solid posture on all terrains and imposed his power at the right moment to go for a third victory in the De Ronde, which puts him on a par with the six other record-holders. When the time comes for him to don the number 1 jersey in Compiègne, the world champion will be as confident as ever and will send an image to his rivals of a rider in complete control, calm and invulnerable. None of them would be ashamed of a runner-up finish, even if far behind Van der Poel, but they will all try to get ahead of him: with power or by surprise, a stroke of luck or an improbable mistake. Although unforeseen events have thinned the ranks, the crash on Dwars door Vlaanderen that has sidelined Wout van Aert has also put a damper on Mads Pedersen's convincing season. The Dane is the only rider to have beaten the man to beat this year in their duel at Ghent-Wevelgem. And it's certainly the former world champion that the new champion is most wary of.  

In addition to his physical prowess, today's most efficient classic rider also has a significant strategic advantage in the company of Jasper Philipsen, who finished runner-up at the velodrome last year and with whom he has enjoyed a particularly successful partnership on the roads of both the Tour de France and Milan-Sanremo, where the Belgian also became a classic's winner. The partnership works perfectly and opens up numerous options for the Alpecin-Deceuninck team. For Visma | Lease a Bike, Matteo Jorgenson's talent has been on full display: in the wake of his victory in Paris-Nice, the young American's power made all the difference on the roads of Dwars door Vlaanderen. He, too, can count on a reassuring team, with former winner Dylan van Baarle and European champion Christophe Laporte. Likewise, UAE Emirates had a strong line-up for De Ronde, with Nils Politt, Mikkel Bjerg and Antonio Morgado taking 3rd, 4th and 5th place, respectively. Soudal-Quick Step will likely have a strong squad with Kasper Asgreeen, Yves Lampaert, Tim Merlier and Gianni Moscon. The list of contenders also includes regulars in the places of honour, such as Stefan Küng (3rd in 2022) or Matej Mohorič (5th in 2022). Still, it could also make room for on-form riders such as Oliver Naesen and Alberto Bettiol, Luca Mozzato, the runner-up to MVDP last Sunday, or even Norwegian Jonas Abrahamsen.

25 teams, the main contenders

Australia

• Team Jayco AlUla: Durbridge (Aus), Walscheid (Ger)

Bahrain

• Bahrain-Victorious: Mohoric (Slo), Wright (Gbr)

Belgium

• Soudal-Quick Step: Merlier, Lampaert (Bel), Asgreen (Den), Moscon (Ita)
• Lotto Dstny: Van Moer (Bel), Guarnieri (Ita)
• Alpecin-Deceuninck: Van der Poel (Ned), Philipsen (Bel), Groves (Aus)
• Intermarché-Wanty: Girmay (Eri), Petit (Fra), Teunissen (Ned), Rex (Bel)
• Bingoal WB: Desal (Bel)
• Team Flanders-Baloise: Hesters, Vandenstorme (Bel)

France

• Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale Team: O. Naesen (Bel), Gautherat (Fra), Boasson Hagen (Nor), Bennett (Irl) Cofidis Allegaert (Bel)
• Groupama-FDJ: Küng (Swi), Bystrom (Nor)
• TotalEnergies: A.Turgis, Dujardin (Fra), Van Gestel (Bel)
• Arkea-B&B Hotels: Mozzato (Fra), McLay (Gbr)

Germany

• Bora-Hansgrohe: Meeus (Bel), Herzog (Ger)

Great Britain

• Ineos Grenadiers: Tarling, Rowe (Gbr), Viviani (Ita)

Israel

• Israel-Premier Tech: Hofstetter (Fra), Sheehan (Usa), Van Asbroeck (Bel)

Kazakhstan

• Astana Qazaqstan Team: Bol (Ned)

The Netherlands

• Visma | Lease a Bike: Jorgenson (Usa), Laporte (Fra), Van Baarle (Ned)
• Team dsm-firmenich PostNL: Degenkolb (Ger), Eekhoff (Ned)

Norway

• Uno-X Mobility: Abrahamsen, Kristoff, Tiller, Waerenskjold (Nor)

Spain

• Movistar Team: Garcia Cortina, Lazkano (Spa), Norsgaard (Dan), Cavagna (Fra)

Switzerland

• Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team: Townsend (Irl)

United Arab Emirates

• UAE Team Emirates: Bjerg (Dan), Politt (Ger), Wellens (Bel), Morgado (Por)

United States

• EF Education-Easypost: Bissegger (Swi), Bettiol (Ita), Van den Berg (Ned) Lidl-Trek: M.Pedersen (Den), Milan (Ita)