Europe 1 with AFP 00:48, 07 April 2023

Paris-Roubaix has not had a French winner for more than 25 years. But this year, a cyclist can do well: Christophe Laporte who seems to be in great shape. Other riders like Florian Sénéchal or Arnaud Commence also hope to create a surprise.

Twenty-six years after Frédéric Guesdon's victory in 1997, France is still waiting for his successor in Paris-Roubaix. If they are not among the favorites, many riders can dream of creating a surprise this year. In the logical absence of climbers like David Gaudu, Thibaut Pinot or Romain Bardet, poorly adapted to cobblestones, as well as Julian Alaphilippe and Valentin Madouas, already turned towards the Ardennes, the eyes will be focused first on Christophe Laporte, irresistible since the beginning of spring.

At 30 years old, the Varois of Jumbo-Visma is in the shape of his life. Winner of his first two classics at the end of March in Ghent-Wevelgem and Across Flanders, he remains on a 14th place in the Tour of Flanders. And he is comfortable on the cobbles, as evidenced by his sixth place in 2021 in the colors of Cofidis, despite a broken rear brake, which forced him to brake the wheel with his ... sole. However, he will first serve his leader Wout Van Aert in a team that also includes the outgoing winner, Dylan van Baarle, in its ranks. But Paris-Roubaix is the most unpredictable race of the year where anything can happen permanently (fall, puncture, equipment breakage,...) and Laporte could take advantage of the circumstances to come and plant his flag.

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Florian Sénéchal, the regional of the stage

When Paris-Roubaix approaches, the senses of the Northerner awaken. Born in Cambrai, the Soudal-Quick Step rider knows the roads of the Hell of the North by heart. Winning here, twelve years after his victory in juniors, is the dream of his life. And he has the build, with a physique cut for the cobbled classics, and the experience. At 29 years old, this will already be his 9th participation for four Top 20, including a sixth place in 2019. But it will have to ramp up compared to a disappointing start to the season. Forced to abandon the Tour of Flanders because of intestinal pain last Sunday, he will have like Laporte a leader to protect in the person of the Dane Kasper Asgreen.

The 28-year-old from Ile-de-France will compete in his fourth Paris-Roubaix where he finished 13th in 2021 and 18th in 2019. Two beautiful places of honor, but the TotalEnergies rider has so far mainly distinguished himself on the first two Monuments of the year, Milan-Sanremo (2nd in 2022) and the Tour of Flanders of which he still took a beautiful 17th place on Sunday despite a succession of troubles (fall, exploded tire,...). If he manages to escape the glitches, he will have a shot to play in a squad of which he will be the trump card.

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Arnaud Démare, the joker

The Groupama-FDJ sprinter is still empty-handed this season during which he hopes to at least approach the "wall of hundreds", he who has 91 victories to his professional record. Opening your counter at Paris-Roubaix is a big odds. But the 31-year-old Picard, deprived of a train, is learning to fend for himself more and more and is not a neophyte of the cobblestones. In seven appearances, he has achieved three Top 20 finishes and a sixth place in 2017. In the absence of Valentin Madouas, he will first be in charge of supporting the Swiss Stefan Küng, 3rd last year and outsider of this 120th edition. But again, the circumstances of the race could upset all plans and put Démare on the front row.