The peloton still remembers the dantesque edition last October, an unprecedented date because of the postponement due to the pandemic.
This time, the Hell (of the North) presents a more pleasant aspect despite the dust which replaces the mud and augurs a fast, ruthless race for the unlucky who will suffer punctures or falls along the 54.8 kilometers of cobbled sections.
"When it's dry, it goes faster, we take the sides more", underlines Marc Madiot, the boss of the team of one of the most serious contenders, the Swiss Stefan Küng.
Beyond the technique and the greater or lesser difficulty of the race depending on the weather, Madiot insists on the mental aspect: "We don't go there whistling... Paris-Roubaix is the race of the year when you have to be the most ready in your head."
The Swiss Stefan Kung, in full effort on a cobbled portion of Ghent-Wevelgem, March 31, 2019 DIRK WAEM BELGA / AFP / Archives
Power and technique
Who's ready?
Van der Poel, if we trust his third place after a flurry of effort last year and his dazzling victory in the Tour of Flanders two weeks ago.
But also Küng, to his advantage since the beginning of the period, the duettists of Trek, the Belgian Jasper Stuyven and the Dane Mads Pedersen, and also the leader of a Quick-Step team that has suffered so far, the Dane Kasper Asgreen, assisted by the Belgian Yves Lampaert and the "regional" of the race Florian Sénéchal.
The joy of Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, after winning the Tour of Flanders, ahead of his compatriot Dylan van Baarle (g) and Frenchman Valentin Madouas, on April 3, 2022 in Oudenaarde ERIC LALMAND BELGA/AFP/Archives
The question, on the other hand, arises for the beginners (Ben Turner especially) of the Ineos team, the most impressive collective on paper.
With the Italian Filippo Ganna and the Dutchman Dylan van Baarle, the British team has two trump cards which have followed totally divergent approaches.
When van Baarle was multiplying his experiences on cobblestones that were admittedly less disjointed (2nd in the Tour of Flanders), Ganna was preparing on the roads of the Circuit de la Sarthe and chained laps in Italy.
In theory, the world time trial champion has the necessary power to succeed his compatriot Sonny Colbrelli, who was forced into medical leave (heart operation).
And also the technique to cross the cobblestones, given his victory in hopes in 2016.
Italian Filippo Ganna, during his victory in the time trial at the World Championships, September 19, 2021 in Bruges DAVID STOCKMAN BELGA/AFP/Archives
"Sink or swim"
The state of form is much more uncertain for Wout van Aert, whose participation was only made official on Thursday.
The Belgian champion, cut out for this race which has never succeeded in his first three participations, risks paying the consequences of a stoppage due to covid-19.
The Belgian Wout van Aert, on his way to victory on the Circuit Het Nieuwsbland, on February 26, 2022 between Ghent and Ninove DAVID STOCKMAN BELGA/AFP/Archives
But, in reality, no one knows his current level although the Jumbo team claims to confine him to a team-mate role alongside Christophe Laporte, Belgian Nathan van Hooydonck and Dutchman Mike Teunissen.
In the great upheaval of traditional codes that is sweeping cycling, the experience weighs significantly less.
Last year, the first three (Colbrelli, F. Vermeersch, van der Poel) discovered the pitfalls of the "queen of the classics", and its most difficult sectors which are the Trouée d'Arenberg, a telegenic and memorial high place , Mons-en-Pévèle at the start of the last 50 kilometers, the dreadful crossroads of l'Arbre in the final.
The joy of the Italian Sonny Colbrelli, after winning Paris-Roubaix, on October 3, 2021, ahead of the Belgian Florian Vermeersch and the Dutchman Mathieu Van Der Poel FRANCOIS LO PRESTI AFP / Archives
"Paris-Roubaix is a hell from which we are proud to return", said Jean Stablinski, the former miner of Wallers-Arenberg who was then world champion in the 1960s. From a formula, Madiot slices: " Paris-Roubaix, it's do or die."
© 2022 AFP