The landscape: not particularly engaging.

The wind: often violent.

The streets: sometimes literally shattering.

But when professionals stumble across the notorious pavé sectors or just talk about the special features of cycling around Roubaix, John Degenkolb is in his element.

The rough patches of northern France defined and shaped his career.

He achieved the two greatest successes of his career there.

2015 winning the Paris-Roubaix classic that transformed him from aspiring rider to top pro.

2018 victory in the Tour de France stage, which ended in Roubaix and brilliantly completed his long journey back after the serious training accident (January 2016).

Even if the following four years since then - this season too, he was not in the top 15 at his season highlights Paris-Roubaix and Eschborn-Frankfurt - were not peppered with outstanding results, Degenkolb's career since that sunny summer day in Roubaix can be considered complete.

In addition to the successes on classic terrain, the Oberurseler has now won stages in all three major state tours.

Waterloo on the Cote d'Azur

However, he still has a special affection for the wild chase over the ancient cobbled streets of northern France, which have remained unchanged since the days of Napoleon.

So it's a good thing for him that the route of this year's tour is once again making a detour to the region this Wednesday to shake up the riders and probably mess up the classification - and Degenkolb is also part of the tour entourage.

Last year, when it was foreseeable that his contract with the Belgian team Lotto-Soudal would not be extended, he was not considered for the Tour of France.

The year before he experienced his personal Waterloo on the Cote d'Azur when he fell on the first stage in Nice, failed to finish in time and had to fly home.

“Lately it felt like I was often absent from the tour.

But all in all, I'm here for the eighth time in twelve professional years.

That makes me proud," said the 33-year-old of the FAZ.

A special patch

Over 157 kilometers from Lille to Arenberg (1.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Tour de France, on Eurosport and on ARD) is the section that Degenkolb has of course “painted on”, as he says.

19.4 kilometers it goes over the rough pavement.

And also about a part of the sector named after John Degenkolb, where there is a plaque with his name and pictures of his successes.

Once a thank you for Degenkolb's financial commitment to keep the youth race Paris-Roubaix alive and for the fact that he contributes to the myth and fascination of this special cycling discipline like no other.

And of course it's also a great honor that it's being bestowed on a German of all people.

The plaster course this Wednesday is very similar to that of 2018, when Degenkolb won "the most emotional victory of my career".

"I still have crass memories of it."

lead the team

Even from the first three days of the tour with masses of spectators on the side of the road in Denmark, something will stick with him.

"I've never experienced such a blatant atmosphere and so much enthusiasm.

This is of course particularly noticeable because in the past two years due to the pandemic, not so many people have been able to come to bike races," says Degenkolb.

At the opening time trial in Copenhagen, he first minimized the risk on the rain-soaked road.

On the following two sprint stages, he finished in the middle of the peloton.

Degenkolb will drive the paved stage entirely on his own account and will also receive support from his teammates.

On the other days of this tour it is rather the other way around.

“My main task is to lead the team and take on the role of road captain, who acts as the link between sport management and us racers.

In terms of the tasks and the responsibility, this is something completely different than before in my career," says Degenkolb, who overcame a corona infection shortly before the tour.

His employer, Team DSM, is not involved with any racing driver in the overall standings this year, but is geared towards chasing stage wins.

At the start of the season, Degenkolb returned to the team where he experienced his personal great moments in 2015 and 2018 (then still under the name Giant-Shimano).

On the cobblestone streets of northern France.