Roubaix: Mathieu van der Poel won the Paris-Roubaix stake for the second year running after a solo 60km break to win the race known as “Arctic Hell”.
The 29-year-old Dutch world champion had won the Tour of Flanders a week earlier and was almost three minutes ahead of the nearest chaser after 260km of running 57km.
“It’s more than expected, it’s going to be a big party tonight,” he said.
“I peaked in Flanders, but here I was very happy with the last few kilometers,” said Van der Poel, who was cheered by the crowd until the last 50 kilometers.
Van der Poel, one of the highest-paid drivers, earned 30,000 euros ($32,500) for his efforts and will record the places where riders usually wash off the mud in outdoor showers.
The winning time of 5 hours 25 minutes 58 seconds marked the fastest average speed in the history of the race, which was first run in 1896, the 121st edition.
Van der Poel’s Belgian team-mate Jasper Philipsen was second and Lidl-Trekli Dane Mads Pedersen third in a three-way race with Germany’s Nils Politt of the UAE.
“It will take a bit of luck to win here and avoid the pits,” Politt told AFP before the race. He hit it, but so did Pedersen and Philipsen.
Van der Poel plans ‘big party’ after crushing rivals on Paris-Roubaix cobbles
