Paris-Roubaix returns this Sunday, April 13, for the 122nd time, and as ever, it promises to be a gruelling test over the 259km course from Compiègne to the iconic Roubaix Velodrome. This year sees the addition of two new cobbled sectors in Artres and Famars, adding yet more complexity to the race before the notorious Forest of Arenberg. To enhance rider safety, the approach to Arenberg has been modified with a series of right-angle turns replacing the previous chicane, aiming to reduce high-speed crashes. Despite these changes, the race retains its legendary challenges, including 30 cobbled sectors totalling 55km, with infamous stretches like Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre remaining pivotal points where the race can be won or lost. The most prestigious of the season’s one-day races is once again poised to live up to its sobriquet, ‘The Hell of The North’!
After a challenging 2024 season, the team is eager to make a significant impact in ‘The Monuments’. Fred Wright, who has shown significant promise here in previous years, is expected to lead the charge along with Matej Mohorič. The Slovenian already has multiple top ten results at Liege-Baston-Liege, a top five here at Roubaix, and an exceptional record at Milano-Sanremo which includes that unforgettable victory in 2022. They will be supported by a blend of seasoned riders and emerging talent. The team’s strategy will focus on positioning Wright and Mohoric effectively into the critical cobbled sectors, aiming to capitalise on their resilience, experience and tactical acumen. The squad is motivated to navigate the treacherous pavé with precision, aspiring to secure a top result and reaffirm their presence among the classics’ elite contenders.
Sports Director Aart Vierhouten is eager to get things underway at Paris-Roubaix: “Fred Wright and Matej Mohorič, both of whom have already had strong performances here in the past, will lead our team on Sunday. We’ve built a solid support crew around them: Kamil Gradek and Andrea Pasqualon will play key roles in positioning, while two of our promising young talents – Vlad van Mechelen and Daniel Skerl – will add strength and grit. Vlad, being Belgian, feels at home on the cobbles and has already proven he knows how to navigate them well. Daniel showed good legs and resilience both in Belgium and in Denain, and we believe he deserves this opportunity. Rounding up the team is Phil Bauhaus, who will use his great positioning skills for the team leaders into the cobbled section as well.”
“We’ve broken the race down into phases: the first 110 kilometres, then the stretch leading into the cobbles, and especially the critical section before Arenberg. That’s where you need to survive 11 sectors with the bunch intact. Our aim is to get through that phase with as many riders as possible, keeping our leaders protected and well-positioned before the race truly explodes. After the forest, everything resets, and tactics shift on the fly depending on where our guys are. There are no major climbs in Roubaix, but the 30 cobbled sectors demand perfect timing, toughness, and smart recovery after each section. The weather prediction looks ideal; around 17°C with a slight tailwind, so it will be a fast, unforgiving race where any mistake can be costly. But the team came out of Flanders in great spirits, our leaders showed strength, and the group worked really well together. Our goal is a top 10 finish, and we’re confident in our preparation and mentality going into Sunday.”
Co-leader Fred Wright kept it simple and focused,
“It’s the next big one after Flanders. I felt good last Sunday, but was a bit disappointed not to come away with a result. I’m really looking forward to racing this week at the best race of them all … Roubaix. Last year went well, and of course, you always need a bit of luck on your side here. But if we get a smooth race, I believe I can be there in the final again, fighting for whatever’s possible. It looks like it’ll be a fast one, but I’m up for it.”
2025’s ’Enfer du Nord’ will depart from Compiègne as it has every year since 1963 (with the exception of 1976 when the start was in Chantilly), at 1110 CEST on Sunday, and is scheduled to finish between 1703 & 1735.
