The 122nd edition of Paris–Roubaix lived up to its brutal reputation, 259km of chaos, with rain, wind, sunshine, and a course that punished the unlucky. This year, even managing just one mechanical felt like a small victory.

Fred Wright powered to an impressive 9th place, navigating the cobbles and carnage with grit and determination. Supported by strong teamwork and tactical riding, Wright was in the mix throughout, despite setbacks: “It was Roubaix, it was absolute carnage, mechanicals, crashes, everything. We kept fighting, had numbers before Arenberg. I had a mechanical there and was on the back foot, but I kept believing. The group I was in with Phil still had a shot at the top 10. I made a move towards the end and I’m chuffed. The rest of the team were on it too. Shame about Matej’s crash, but Kamil got him back. We should be proud of how we rode, it was a proper Roubaix, and a decent way to finish the cobbled classics.”

Phil Bauhaus rode alongside Wright for most of the day, before Fred and a dozen others slipped away in the final sectors. Still, Phil kept his cool and won the sprint in the velodrome for his group.

Up front, Mathieu van der Poel claimed a dominant third straight Roubaix win with a long-range solo attack launched 87km from the finish. He held off debutant Tadej Pogačar, who became the first Tour de France winner since 1975 to reach the Roubaix podium; and Mads Pedersen, who rounded out the top three. Not even a late puncture could derail Van der Poel’s march to an eighth Monument title.

Sports Director Aart Vierhouten reflected on a day of mixed emotions: “We had big hopes and came in prepared. The guys worked well together through the first part, but then Matej had a high-speed crash before the cobbles. It hit us hard—he was surprised too by how violent it was. He got back on the bike, and with great help from the team, rejoined the race. When he later said he couldn’t continue, we shifted focus. Fred and Phil were still up there, well-supported by Daniel, Vlad, and Andrea. After Arenberg, it became a new race, the top riders didn’t wait. From then on, it was about energy management and smart racing. Fred chased every sector and fought his way into the top 10 at a Monument. We’re proud of that. And Phil delivered a strong finish too. Overall, a solid performance from the team.”