The magic of Roubaix

Paris-Roubaix is on the menu on Saturday. This unique race over the cobblestones of northern France will be ridden for the third time by the women's peloton. For sports director Servais Knaven, who himself participated 16 times as a rider, winning in 2001, and then more than ten times as sports director with a win in 2022, this is of course a special day.

“The races of the men and women are not different in the sense that the course is so different. They are the same cobblestones, only the total distance is shorter. The difference is that in all those years in the men's peloton, despite the unpredictability, there are always points where you expect a certain scenario. That is not the case with the women after two editions. So, the unpredictability is even greater.”

AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step will start on Saturday with Romy Kasper, already 18th and 19th in 2021 and 2022, Lone Meertens, Marthe Goossens, Maud Rijnbeek, Julia Borgström and Britt Knaven. It is the first time for Julia, Marthe and Lone.

“Romy has been talking about Roubaix since our first training camp in December,” Servais continues. “Normally we would have experienced riders like Lotta Henttala and Nicole Steigenga in the team, but unfortunately, they are still out. So, we have a young team around Romy who will help her especially in the beginning. I do expect that someone like Marthe with her BMX background can stay with Romy towards Mons-en-Pévèle and ideally one extra rider as well.”

Equipment is paramount in a race like Paris-Roubaix. AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step has no complaints with the Specialized Tarmac SL7 with Roval Rapide CLX II wheels and 32mm tires.

“We tested the material on the course at the beginning of March and last Wednesday. That is always an important part of preparing for a race like this. There was little to test because the material did not cause any problems. I did give the riders a lot of information about the course. In Roubaix it is important to motivate as a sports director, but that didn't take much effort for me. I am still enthusiastic after almost 30 times, but the riders are too. Lone rode these cobblestones for the first time on Wednesday and is super motivated for Saturday, but so are Britt, Julia, Marthe, Maud and Romy.”

AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step was also at the start of the first two editions of Paris-Roubaix and again received a wildcard for the Hel of the North. The first edition was very slippery and was won by Lizzie Deignan after a solo of almost 100 kilometers. Last year it was a dusty edition but again a solo win with Elisa Longo Borghini.

“It is impossible to predict how things will go on Saturday. It has rained a bit and they also predict rain the day before the race. Then it is never completely dry. It is therefore extremely important that the riders ride on the back of the cobblestones and not on the sides of the road. For both the women and the men, you must have enormous position and positioning skills to safely get over those sides. That's where the most crashes are, so I hope they listened to me,” Servais concludes with a smile.

Paris-Roubaix will be broadcast live on Saturday on Sporza, NOS and Eurosport from 3 pm CET.