Team Bahrain Victorious will face 29 cobbled sectors totalling 54.5km across the 256km route from Compiègne to the Roubaix Velodrome, in the 120th edition of Paris Roubaix.
The third of the five monuments over the racing season, the race’s difficulty is characterised by the demanding cobble sections rated between 1 and 5 stars. Of the 29 sectors, the riders must carefully navigate the five start segments: the iconic Trouée d’Arenberg, the Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre. Luckily dryer conditions are expected compared to the days leading up to the race, making the recon rides particularly challenging.
Matej Mohoric returns to the race following his fifth-place finish last year and believes the race winner will need a combination of both legs and luck.
“After finishing with the recon, I did a couple of sections and it is pretty wet and muddy out there, and I think it will dry up in some parts by the race on Sunday, but will remain pretty dangerous on some other parts, so it’s gonna be crucial to take the sectors in the front and be out of the risk of crashes. I think the race will not just come down to the legs but also the luck,” Mohoric said.
“I’m happy that I’m here following my crash at Flanders and look to make the most out of this opportunity.”
Kamil Gradek, Andrea Pasqualon and Jonathan Milan will support Mohoric. Alongside them, It will also be the first time on the cobbles for Croatia and Serbia as Fran Miholjevic and Dusan Rajovic are the first to make an appearance at Roubaix for their respective countries.
Finally, Fred Wright, who rounds off the line up, will also be out to get a result following his strong performance at the Tour of Flanders.
“Expectations are pretty high for one of the biggest races of the year, and I’m really looking forward to it. I think I showed last week that the legs are in good shape and I’m in a really good place. Shape wise I’ve managed to recover well after Flanders,” he said.
“Roubaix has that slightly random element which is different to Flanders and if I can put myself in the right place on the early sectors, avoid crashes and get passed d’Arenberg, then it will come down to the legs which I think I have, but first things first is focusing on the early sectors, and avoid any bad luck, punctures or crashes as best we can.
“After seeing some of the mud on some of the sectors, it could be quite sketchy tomorrow. I think if things go to plan Matej or I have a good shot at the podium,” Wright added.
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