119th Paris-Roubaix - Record chase to Roubaix: "Not even stopped to pee"

By Tom Bachmann, dpa

Sweaty, dirty and at the end of his tether, John Degenkolb dropped onto the grass in the heart of the famous Roubaix velodrome and had to blow his nose.

At the end of the fastest Paris-Roubaix in history, the 2015 winner finished in 18th place in the statistics, which put him in a mild mood in view of the chaotic chase over the dusty cobblestone tracks in the north of France. "I didn't even stop to pee. It was full throttle from start to finish," the 33-year-old professional cyclist told CyclingMagazine, adding: "I'm not giving up on my dream of being at the front here again. I just love this race."

Outsider tip van Baarle triumphs

Dylan van Baarle was right at the front in the end. And although the Dutchman had already finished second in the Tour of Flanders, he was considered more of an outsider's tip. In the end, van Baarle completed what his team Ineos-Grenadiers had already initiated 209 kilometres before the finish in the "Hell of the North", which was ridden at an average speed of 45.792 km/h. The British team tore it apart there. There, the British team tore the peloton apart at a wind edge and left numerous favourites behind.

Degenkolb also found himself at the back. "That was annoying. It took a lot of energy not to be there. You couldn't do much more than keep calm. And, of course, the helpers had to be smoked because everyone had to ride," said Degenkolb. It was only after the infamous sector in the Arenberg forest a good 90 kilometres before the finish that Degenkolb found himself in the front positions again.

Nils Politt from Cologne, who finished second in the Queen of the Classics in 2019, was at the front right from the start. "I felt good and rode attentively," said the 28-year-old. "I set off again before Arenberg to avoid the stress. That worked out well, I was among the favourites."

22nd place annoys Politt

Politt was annoyed that he only finished 22nd in his palmares. However, it also shows that every position is important on the 30 cobblestone sectors that stretch over a total of 55 kilometres. "When Wout van Aert set off, Greg van Avermaet left a gap and the group was gone. Two positions further ahead and I would have been there. My legs were still good. It's annoying to lose a race like that," said Politt.

In the end, second-placed van Aert probably also felt like a loser. Shortly after his coronavirus illness, which included a week of isolation, the Belgian champion was still in the deep end before the start. He was clearly the strongest rider in the race, attacking again and again and closing gaps. However, van Aert also missed van Baarle's decisive attack shortly before the brutal five-star Carrefour de l'Arbre sector.

"I couldn't believe it when I rode into the velodrome alone. I looked to see where the others were. But I was alone. It was crazy," said van Baarle after the 254.5-kilometre ride. He had fallen outside the time limit in the 2021 edition, but he will remember the current one as the greatest success of his career. And when not all the riders had crossed the finish line, van Baarle lifted the massive cobblestone in the air, overjoyed.

In the end, all the riders were on a par again, regardless of whether they won, came second or last. As usual, they met in the old concrete showers in the belly of the velodrome and washed the dirt of Sunday off their bodies. Degenkolb too. The veteran now wants to recover a little and then shine at his "home race" Frankfurt-Eschborn.

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