Top 10 Riders To Look Out For At Paris-Roubaix
Paris Roubaix, the Hell of the North - this is the last of the cobbled classics. Here are
GCN's 5 favourites and 5 outsiders to look out for.
FABIAN CANCELLARA
It doesn't take a genius to figure out who the favourite is for this year's race, which
is lucky, because Daniel Lloyd wrote this.
Winner of the big double, Flanders and Roubaix, in 2013, Fabian Cancellara of Trek is already
halfway to matching that in 2014.
Few can match Cancellara's change of speed, bike handling and strength over the cobbles,
or even his sprint at the end of a long classic.
Fabs is the man to beat, yet again, this year.
SEP VANMARCKE
2nd last year to Cancellara, Sep Vanmarcke of Belkin appears to have taken a step up
in consistency this year. In fact, he has been in the top 5 of every cobbled classic
that he's entered - Het Nieuwsblad, Kuurne, E3 Prijs, Gent Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders.
With Lars Boom still suffering the after effects of an injury sustained at Paris Nice, Vanmarcke
will have full team backing. Still only 25 years of age, it's only a matter of time before
Sep wins his first monument.
TOM BOONEN
Tom Boonen, along with Roger de Vlaeminck, holds the record for the number of Paris-Roubaix
victories, so as long as his career continues, he'll be amongst the favourites for this race.
2013 was a difficult season for Boonen, but at the start of this year he looked to be
back on track. However, after some personal difficulties prevented him from competing
in Milan-San Remo, he has failed to take a win in his beloved cobbled classics. Roubaix
will be his last chance, and could make or break his season.
GREG VAN AVERMAET
Greg Van Avermaet of BMC was already thought of as a 'nearly' man of one day classics,
but that reputation will have grown even further this year, having finished 2nd at both Het
Nieuwsblad and the Tour of Flanders.
4th in this race last year, the BMC rider will be hoping to break his duck on Sunday.
ALEXANDER KRISTOFF
For many, Kristoff might be on their outsiders list, but for us, he's proven enough this
year to be placed amongst the 5 favourites. The winner of this year's Milan-San Remo has
backed that performance up with a string of top placings at the cobbled races, including
5th place at last weekend's Tour of Flanders.
Kristoff also placed 9th in last year's race, so he's no stranger to being near the front.
Norwegians have long been touting Thor Hushovd to be their first winner of the event, but
it could just be that 25 year old Kristoff will get there first.
BJÖRN LEUKEMANS
Having spent the last 6 years at the Vacansoleil team, Björn Leukemans is now team leader
at the Belgian second division outfit, Wanty-Group Gobert. He's been focussing his season around
the one day classics, and that tactic looks to have paid off, with a prominent showing
at the Tour of Flanders, where he eventually finished in 9th place.
Leukemans has finished in 4th place before in the Roubaix velodrome, and although that
was 7 years ago, it's enough to get him onto our outsiders list.
BRADLEY WIGGINS
Many questioned the sincerity of Bradley Wiggins' claims to be going for Paris-Roubaix at the
start of the season. But, a solid performance in Flanders, for which he was a last minute
replacement for Stannard, showed that it wasn't just talk.
Wiggins' best result at Roubaix came back in 2009, where he was 25th. He may well have
to work for Geraint Thomas on Sunday, but like many on our outsiders list, if he is
let off the leash early, he might just pull out a surprise podium position.
MAARTEN TJALLINGII
Most eyes will be on Sep Vanmarcke when they look at the Belkin team list, and few will remember
that his team mate, Maarten Tjallingii, finished on the podium at this race just three years ago.
Tjallingii is no stranger to long breakaways, and we've already seen that
this season at Milan-San Remo. In Paris-Roubaix,
contrary to other races, being in the early breakaway can be a distinct advantage when
it comes to doing well.
MARCUS BURGHARDT
Marcus Burghardt of BMC is another rider who could feature in the early breakaway and end
up going long. Whilst some might mock us for picking a rider who doesn't have much pedigree
in this race, or any other one day classic for that matter, we are going to stick our
necks out and risk embarrassment.
Burghardt was 12th at last weekend's Tour of Flanders, and, like Tjallingii, could take
advantage of the fact the most will be watching his team leader, which in this case will be
Greg Van Avermaet.
STIJN VANDENBERGH
Given the way that he's ridden at the cobbled classics over the last two years, it could
be argued that Stijn Vandenbergh should be considered among the favourites for the race.
With a complete lack of sprint though, it's going to take some specific circumstances
for the Belgian to win on Sunday, i.e. being on his own.
However, the fact that he's in the strongest team, Omega Pharma-Quickstep, means that those
circumstances are just that little bit more likely to happen.
He was right at the front last year before being involved in a crash with a spectator,
and nobody can argue that he hasn't got the form.