Mathieu van der Poel wins Paris-Roubaix
Hello and welcome along to Paris-Roubaix!
After a thrilling third edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes yesterday, it's over to the 120th edition of the men's Hell of the North, with the likes of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert to do battle on the fearsome cobblestones of northern France.
The situation is as follows. We are half an hour away from the start of Paris-Roubaix (plus another 15 minutes for the neutralised roll-out) and anticipation is building in the square in Compiègne (the race doesn't actually start in Paris).
It's a dry and bright day, and most of the rain from this week is evaporating away, so we should see largely dry and dusty cobblestones out there today.
This is the start line
The riders are currently making their way team-by-team onto this stage, where they sign the register to officially enrol in the 2023 Paris-Roubaix.
Before we get going, now's the time to catch up on all our preview content, starting with this from our resident analyst and three-time Roubaix champion.
Fabian Cancellara’s Paris-Roubaix preview
And here's our run-down of the riders to watch.
Paris-Roubaix men's contenders - 5 favourites and 5 outsiders
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) rocks up to the stage to sign on, and here's what he said to the media on the other side.
"You have to experience it yourself to see what it's like. Whenever I look on tv it seems the cobbles are quite ok but they really aren't.
"This is a race where you can make difference scenarios but none will turn out, you just have to go with the flow today and hope you don't have bad luck at the wrong moment."
On his old foe, Wout van Aert, he adds: "For sure he will be there. He's always good in these races, and in the last races also. He won E3, was fourth in Flanders and this race suits him better I think, so for sure he's one of the favourites."
We're getting close now. All the riders have signed on and they're gathering on the start line.
Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) is a really interesting rider to watch. He has the raw power needed to thrive here and he's clearly on great form after his Milan-San Remo podium. However, he's not a huge fan of the more chaotic elements and the elbows-out fight for position. It's a huge day for him and his future as a Cobbled Classics rider.
"We know intense and brutal race, but it's the history of cycling and I want to try to do well," the Italian says.
"The plan is clear, the team is motivated for today, and we will see in the velodrome."
We're rolling
The gun is fired and the riders clip in and turn their first few pedal strokes. We have a 15-minute neutral zone to get through before the race proper is waved underway.
While we wait, why not check out our content from Paris-Roubaix Femmes. We have a race report and results, but also a stunning photo gallery from Chris Auld, the backstory of Alison Jackson from Daniel Ostanek, Zoe Backstedt using her father's Roubaix-winning pedals from Peter Stuart, plus reaction from the SD Worx and Trek-Segafredo camps, the two other surprise podium finishers, insight from Steve Bauer, and more.
The number one dossard is worn by Dylan van Baarle, who won the race last year with Ineos Grenadiers but now rides for Van Aert's Jumbo-Visma. Van Baarle was forced to miss the Tour of Flanders through illness so his form is a bit of an unknown, and we'll see whether he's limited to a support role or if he can content for a second title.
As for Van Aert, he has cut a rather downbeat tone this week. He was on the podium at San Remo, then got the better of Van der Poel and Pogacar at E3 but was roundly beaten by them at Flanders. He did crash last Sunday, which seems to have had an impact. Jumbo-Visma have dominated the spring but if Van Aert can't win or get on the podium here then they'll walk away with a sense of unfulfilment.
2km to the start of the race!
Big breakaway battle expected
It took more than 100km for a break to form at Flanders last week, and we should see another intense start here. The women's race yesterday merely underlined a growing theme at Roubaix (most dramatically illustrated by Mat Hayman in 2016) that it pays to get ahead of the game.
Christian Prudhomme raises through the Skoda sunroof, flag in hand. The pulse quickens.
We're off!
He waves the flag and Paris-Roubaix is underway. Here we go, one of the best days of racing of the entire year, and we'll have it all covered here. Enjoy!
It's a slightly subdued start, to be honest, but I think everyone knows the first attack is not going to stick so there are plenty playing the long game.
We have nearly 100km of tarmac before we get to the cobbles.
Nothing sticking for now, just a few nudges.
By the way, here are the cobblestone sectors that await later. They're numbered in reverse order, counting down to the finish, and they're all given a star rating for difficulty, the big names being the Arenberg Forest, Mons-en-Pevele, and the Carrefour de l'Arbre.
AG2R are keen, with Oliver Naesen even looking to see if he can get away.
Not many fireworks here. Riders are just pushing on rather than full-on attacking, and then quickly looking around.
Nothing sticking yet and nothing even getting anything of a gap, to be honest. It's a sustained pace, with lots of teams wanting to put a rider in the break.
The biggest move so far comes from a Bingoal-WB acceleration, but more riders jump into the gap and it comes back together.
Bora send a rider on the attack and he draws out two others. This is creating some daylight.
It's Ryan Mullen for Bora and he's joined by Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies) and Sjoerd Bax (UAE Team Emirates). Two more try and scramble across.
Jumbo-Visma have a rider chasing this down...
230km to go
And it comes back together.
Alpecin send a rider on the move and Jumbo react again.
Oier Lazkano, breakaway star of Dwars door Vlaanderen, launches the next wave of attacks.
Gaps are forming...
But it comes back together.
Today we have the youngest Paris-Roubaix competitor in 86 years, with Josh Tarling just 19 years and 53 days of age. He skipped the U23s to jump straight from the juniors to the WorldTour with Ineos Grenadiers and he has been thrown into some of the world's biggest races - and they don't come much bigger than this.
We spoke to Ineos DS Ian Stannard about the young Welshman.
'His progress is amazing' - Josh Tarling the youngest Paris-Roubaix rider since 1937
A two-up attack suddenly goes and three more scramble after it.
But loads of reactions and it's going nowhere.
But loads of reactions and it's going nowhere.
It's Sylvan Dillier on the move for Alpecin-Deceuninck, or Alpecin-Elegant, as they've rebranded for today. Dillier knows a thing or two about Roubaix breakaways - he finished runner-up in 2018 after surviving and then clinging onto Peter Sagan for dear life on the closing sectors.
Dillier has taken a Bingoal rider away and, for the first time today, we have riders with a proper gap.
The Bingoal rider is Dorian De Maeght. Or was. He has been dropped by Dillier.
210km to go
46km done and we're 50km away from the first cobble. Still no proper breakaway.
Dillier has a new companion - a rider from Bora - but the bunch is close at hand.
It's Mullen again from Bora and they're just hanging at 10 seconds at the moment.
200km to go
Dillier and Mullen are caught and Paris-Roubaix is all back together again.
Peter Sagan is looking interested now...
Van der Poel shows his face near the front. For a second there it looked like he could be tempted out. You wouldn't necessarily put it past him.
We're averaging over 50kph so far today.
Greg Van Avermaet - a former winner - attacks. AG2R have been attacking with almost all their riders today, including the two big names.
The peloton properly stretches out now and could this finally split?
First crash of the day and it's Hugo Hofstetter (Arkea-Samsic) who comes down with Dusan Rajovic (Bahrain Victorious).
The latest attack from a TotalEnergies rider, who opens a gap but the reactions continue to come from behind.
It's Boasson Hagen for Total but it'\s cancelled out quickly.
We're 20km away from the first cobblestone sector.
The first five-star sector comes a little later on. It's the Trouée d'Arenberg and we have more details on the iconic forested strip of pavé.
What is the Trouée d'Arenberg? Inside the brutal cobbles of Paris-Roubaix
174km to go
A big push here with four riders. Daylight, but it's not settling behind.
It's going away!!
Four riders have the gap and it's locking up behind.
But DSM spoil it and fire a rider up in pursuit.
Here are the four escapees
Jonas Koch (Bora-Hansgrohe)
Sjoerd Bax (UAE Team Emirates)
Juri Hollmann (Movistar)
Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech)
Nils Eekhoff is the DSM rider in no man's land.
The peloton has let Eekhoff go and now looks to finally be locking up.
A chance for some toilet breaks at last, and this allows the breakaway to move out to one minute.
Crash for Magnus Sheffield over some traffic furniture. He has had a few spills this Spring. He looks ok and has Ineos teammate Cam Wurf to help him back to the bunch.
5km to the cobbles!!
Our four leaders have opened 1:25 on the peloton, who are now getting organised for positioning into the first sector. Eekhoff is at 45 seconds down in an absolute chasse patate.
The cobbles are coming
We have 29 sectors on the menu today, numbered in reverse order as we count down to the finish in the Roubaix velodrome. In total, 54.5km of today's route are cobbled. All the sectors are given a star rating out of five, one being the gentlest and five being the gnarliest.
Sector 29: Troisvilles to Inchy ★★★☆☆
Here we go!
The first sector links Troisvilles and Inchy. It's 2.2km long and it's a solid three-star sector to kick us off.
The breakaway hit the pavé with a lead of 1:25 as Matteo Trentin (UAE) nips forward to lead the peloton onto the rough stuff.
There's a strip of smoother dirt to the left of these cobbles and lots of riders are using it.
The peloton catch and zip past Eekhoff as the cobbles drag uphill.
Kasper Asgreen dropped!
Left-hand 90-degree bend and the bunch strings out. Not sure what has happened to Asgreen - mechanical surely.
Luke Durbridge piles on the pressure as the bunch exits the sector. Plenty of big names up towards the front there.
156km to go
The breakaway's advantage has come down to 1:10 after that opening sector.
Just a few kilometres until our second sector.
👀 Spotted tech content (and obligatory eyes emoji) from the start this morning. New Specialized tyres. Check them out.
Unseen Specialized S-Works Mondo tyres break cover at Paris-Roubaix
Funnily enough, Kasper Asgreen is using those tyres, and we get confirmation that he punctured on that sector. He changed wheels and has now stopped again to change bikes.
Sector 28: Viesly to Quiévy ★★★☆☆
Ready for another one?
Ineos take charge of the bunch as we head into this 1.8km sector.
Josh Tarling is on the front for Ineos, so that calls for another plug of our pre-race story on him.
'His progress is amazing' - Josh Tarling the youngest Paris-Roubaix rider since 1937
Crash!
Peter Sagan is down in a crash that splits the bunch after around 30 riderss.
Sagan is still on the grass at the side of the road. This doesn't look good. He had to abandon his last Flanders due to a crash - could the same be happening here?
Another crash, this one on the tarmac.
Tarling slid out on a bend and took Luke Rowe out, plus a QuickStep rider. Plenty more held up.
Sector 27: Quiévy to Saint-Python ★★★★☆
No let-up now as we get our first four-star sector. Jumbo-Visma take the reins.
Mechanical for Florian Senechal. Nightmare day for QuickStep so far after their rough spring.
This sector isn't all that rough but is the longest of the race at 3.7km
Sector 26: Saint-Python ★★☆☆☆
These early sectors come thick and fast. The breakaway hit the fourth one with a lead of 1:17.
Van der Poel hits the front!
No attack, as a teammate comes through to take the lead, but the favourite is making sure he's up towards the front.
And as I write that, we have another crash near the back. Rajovic is down again.
After those crashes and mechanicals we have a mini peloton that's trying to get back onto the main bunch.
Sector 25: Vertain to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon ★★★☆☆
Another stretch of cobbles, this one 2.3km long. The breakaway hit it with a lead of 1:25.
Alpecin dominate the run-in to this one, with five riders on the front.
The bunch strings out but it's slightly calmer on this sector so far. The last one was still wet but this one is mostly dry, with a strip of grass on the crown of the cobbles.
Another crash. Julius van der Bergh (EF), Pavel Bittner (DSM), and a Bingoal rider are down on the cobbles.
This is our breakaway
Mechanical for Stefan Kung, a real contender for today. It looks like his seatpost dropped. He has to jump onto a teammate's bike - not ideal given his size.
Kung gets Miles Scotson's bike. The Australian isn't too small but it looks like Kung's on a kid's bike. He bellows into race radio and eventually gets the FDJ car to stop to give him a spare bike.
Kung now finds himself in a mini bunch of dropped riders. Mohoric is in there - he must have had a problem as well.
Sector 24: Verchain-Maugré to Quérénaing ★★★☆☆
129km to go and the breakaway hit the latest sector with a lead of 1:33.
Sector 23: Quérénaing to Maing ★★★☆☆
Another tricky sector but the race has settled into more of a pattern, with the four-man break having 1:45 in hand over the Alpecin-led peloton.
Sector 22: Maing to Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon ★★★☆☆
Ineos Grenadiers hit the front of the peloton as we hit yet another sector in quick succession.
Peter Sagan is out of the race. He was forced to abandon after that crash.
The peloton calms down now and the likes of Asgreen and Senechal are getting back in. More who suffered crashes or mechanicals will have the same opportunity now.
As it lulls, we have fresh attacks.
Alpecin called a toilet stop a couple of kilometres ago, so they've stepped back for now.
Sector 21: Haspres to Thiant ★★★☆☆
More cobbles!
1700-metre sector here and the breakaway hit it with two minutes in hand.
The Kung group is back in the peloton as well, so it's as good as a full bunch (with the exception of a few abandons).
Jumbo-Visma on the front a little earlier. They've drifted towards the back recently.
Attack from Jens Reynders (Israel) on the Thiant cobbles. It's calm in the bunch so he's able to steal some metres.
A Movistar riders jumps after Reynders but more riders are accelerating now as they come off the sector. And the bunch is back together.
Mechanical for Van Aert!
The Belgian, one of the big pre-race favourites, has to stop for a bike change. A hurry, but no panic, and he gets going again quickly enough.
Despite the swift change, Van Aert finds himself 40 seconds down. Teammates will have to drop back to chase him back.
The Reynders attack has ended up drawing out a few riders into a counter-attack, and a few more are sniffing at the head of the bunch, which won't make Van Aert's task any easier.
Van Aert is back.
Some time gap confusion there - it definitely wasn't 40 seconds. He comes back into the fold with a minimum of fuss.
That gap was to the Reynders move, which is now away and has been given its own timing. Also in there are Turgis, Durbridge, Mihkels, Scotson.
Counter-attack
Jens Reynders (Israel-Premier Tech)
Luke Durbridge (Jayco-AlUla)
Miles Scotson (Groupama-FDJ)
Madis Mihkels (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
Anthony Turgis (TotalEnergies)
We've spoken about Tarling but Mihkels is also 19 years of age, one of three teenagers here along with Ivan Romeo of Movistar.
A cobbled lull in the past few kilometres but we're coming towards a key part of the race at Wallers, with a four-star sector preceding the famous Trouée d'Arenberg.
Big surges in the peloton as the anticipation and nerves build ahead of this key phase of the race. Jumbo-Visma swarm the front of the bunch.
Jumbo look like they're leading out a sprint as they head onto the sector.
Sector 20: Haveluy to Wallers ★★★★☆
Here come the cobbles
Wout van Aert accelerates!!
Van Aert takes the bunch onto the cobbles, hits it, and it splits into pieces.
Van Aert powers past that earlier counter-attack.
Van der Poel is scrambling but at least up there. But not many in sight here. Big moment.
Van Aert has Laporte with him, of course. Degenkolb is hanging on for DSM and Van der Poel is there, plus Kung.
Big gap back to the next 10 riders, and then another 10 behind that. The race is split to pieces!
100km to go
Onto the tarmac and this turns into our first proper selection, and what a selection it is!
Van Aert, Laporte, Van der Poel, Kung, Degenkolb, Mihkels.
There's a group of 10 riders behind this elite group, then a gap back to the rest of the bunch, led by Ineos.
We still have a breakaway but their lead has plummeted and they're only 35 seconds in front now.
The Ganna peloton comes back to the chase group so we have a peloton behind the Van Aert-Van der Poel group.
Next up: Arenberg
The imposing trees and the narrow strip of daylight through the middle comes into view.
Sector 19: Trouée d'Arenberg ★★★★★
It's one of the best moments in cycling. Arenberg time!
The break hit the trench with 20 seconds on the Van Aert-Van der Poel group.
The peloton enters a further 20 seconds down.
End of break for Derek Gree. His tubeless tyre comes clean off.
Crash in the bunch!
Several riders down, among them Asgreen, who's had a horror day so far.
Van Baarle is down! That's the defending champ. Fred Wright (Bahrain) also down and hurt.
Mads Pedersen attacks!
The peloton has split to pieces again! Pedersen attacks off a five-man group led by Ganna.
The break - down to three - exit, five seconds before the Van Aert-Van der Poel group.
Puncture for Laporte!
Van Aert loses his teammate and numerical advantage up front.
92km to go
Back on the tarmac and the Van Aert group reaches the head of the race. Pedersen is going all-in to make it across.
Van der Poel has two teammates with Ganna, so he might wait for them to join.
Pedersen makes it on! Huge effort from the former world champ through Arenberg.
The second group contains Ganna, Max Walscheid (Cofidis), Larenz Rex (Intermarché), plus the Alpecin duo of Jasper Philipsen and Gianni Vermeersch.
Further back is Laporte.
This group is getting back on, just as we start the next sector.
Sector 18: Wallers to Hélesmes ★★★☆☆
Here we go then, onto the next strip of pavé. Regrouping between the two front groups, with Laporte alone at 30 seconds.
A mad 15km, but here's the situation
Leaders: Van Aert, Van der Poel, Kung, Pedersen, Ganna, Philipsen, G.Vermeersch, Degenkolb, Rex, Koch, Bax, Reynders, Hollmann
Laporte - at 30 seconds
Reduced peloton - at 1:20
Laporte is losing ground. He's one of the riders using the adjustable tyre pressure system but it can't inflate a flat tyre.
The lead group in full
Mathieu Van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen, Giannit Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)
Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers)
Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo)
John Degenkolb (Team DSM)
Laurenz Rex (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty)
Max Walscheid (Cofidis)
Jonas Koch (Bora-Hansgrohe)
Sjoerd Bax (UAE Team Emirates)
Juri Hollmann (Movistar)
Sector 17: Hornaing to Wandignies ★★★★☆
The lead group hit the next four-star sector with 56 seconds over Laporte and 1:13 over the peloton.
81km to go and it's difficult to see the peloton coming back - there's power up front, big names, and top teams represented. The race looks like it'll come down to this group of 13 riders.
Vermeersch takes it up on the cobbles in the service of Van der Poel.
Vermeersch is the gravel world champion so he's ok with the rough stuff. Alpecin also have Philipsen, who's a sprinter who can dabble in Classics.
Alpecin have the numerical advantage with three riders here. The tables have turned on Jumbo-Visma, who split the race and put Laporte up front with Van Aert, only for the Frenchman to puncture - and that was just after defending champion Van Baarle crashed in Arenberg.
The peloton is holding at 1:30, but who's going to chase?
Well, Soudal-QuickStep have hit yet another boat and have Yves Lampaert scrambling around, Van Avermaet with AG2R as well. They'll need cooperation perfection and crazy legs just to get anywhere near this 13-man group.
Sector 16: Warlaing to Brillon ★★★☆☆
Philipsen takes the race onto the next sector and it's Van der Poel's men setting the pace at the moment.
Jumbo-Visma start pulling the peloton....
They do have a leader up front, who made the selection himself, so it's strange to see them chase it down. But they did lose their numerical advantage, and a chase from behind does give Van Aert an excuse not to work up front.
Jubmo's pulling turns into an attack. Nathan van Hooydonck takes flight alone on the cobbles.
Van Hooydonck has had a good spring but he's simply not going to get across a 1:45 gap to a group this good.
Sector 15: Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières ★★★★☆
Another brutal sector here, and Alpecin continue to lead us onto it.
Hollmann is dropped from the front group. He was part of the day's early breakaway.
Bax is losing contact now but fights to get back on, and now Koch nearly crashes - stays upright but loses all momentum.
Vermeersch takes us off the sector and the lead group is down to 11 - Hollmann and Koch dropped there.
14 sectors remain. Here's a reminder of the full list.
Behind, Florian Vermeersch (Lotto-Dstny) attacks in pursuit of Van Hooydonck, and Laporte jumps with it, so that's now a three-man chase group with two-Jumbos.
Alpecin stop doing all the work, and Kung agress to do a turn. He flicks his elbow to van Aert, who simply passes the message on to Pedersen.
Van Hooydonck, Laporte, F.Vermeersch close to 1:12. The bunch is at 1:40.
Sector 14: Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies ★★★☆☆
Van der Poel hits the front as we hit the cobbles again!
Not much action on that sector, which was more of a two-star for my money. Vermeersch and Philipsen exchange on the front of the lead group.
Senechal punctures from the peloton. A day to forget for QuickStep, and this latest problem pretty much wipes out any faint chance of this bunch coming back.
Kung gives it a little nudge and swings to the side of the road. Van Aert keeps his eye on it.
Confirmation that Van Baarle is out of the race after his crash in Arenberg.
Sector 13: Orchies ★★★☆☆
Orchies time and Vermeersch takes it up with Philipsen in the wheel.
Van Hooydonck, Laporte, and F.Vermeersch sweep past Koch and Hollmann. They're 1:05 down now.
Philipsen takes over from Vermeersch on the front. He's looking really assured here and he takes them back onto the tarmac.
58km to go
58km and 12 sectors to go, and we have an elite 11-rider group with a lead of just over a minute on a strong chasing trio and 1:50 over a doomed peloton.
We've got a really tough portion of the race around the corner. A four-star sector at Bersée and then the fearsome Mons-en-Pévèle.
Mons-en-Pévèle is one of three five-star sectors, and it's a brute, with horrible cobblestones. We've got a piece with a closer look at it.
What is Mons-en-Pévèle? A look at one of the trickiest sections of Paris-Roubaix
The Alpecin trio call for more work from the others, and Ganna and Degenkolb duly oblige.
Sector 12: Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée ★★★★☆
Here's that four-star sector. It's 2.7km long.
All team cars are behind the peloton - none have had the chance to come through to the lead group. A puncture here could be curtains.
Sjoerd Bax nearly comes undone as they hit potholes in the dirt strip by the cobbles. He has to unclip and is now off the back.
51.5km to go
Van der Poel attacks!
He goes in the dirt, jumps onto the cobbles, and rips through a series of bends to ease clear
Degenkolb expertly follows and they exit the sector with a small gap.
Van Aert has to jump from behind. He goes round Kung, who can't go with it.
It's coming back together but Van der Poel accelerates again!
Huge early moves from both Van der Poel and Van Aert today.
They've dropped Ganna!
Kung, Pedersen, Philipsen have got across to Van der Poel, Degenkolb, and Van Aert. Ganna is scrambling behind.
Gianni Vermeersch is dropped, apparently for good.
Ganna eventually claws it back, with Rex and Walscheid in the wheel. And now Walscheid attacks.
Sector 11: Mons-en-Pévèle ★★★★★
Walscheid anticipates and leads the race onto one of the hardest sectors!
Ganna leads the rest of the group.
Walscheid is reeled in. 2km still to go on Mons-en-Pevele
Van der Poel attacks again!!!
Van Aert responds immediately!
Philipsen springs onto it as well. Small gap to Kung then Ganna.
Whisper it, but Philipsen looks really good here.
Rex and Walscheid are dropped by this latest round of hand grenades.
Degenkolb moves past Ganna to follow Kung onto this move. What a race from the veteran German so far!
Van der Poel looks around and Van Aert comes to the front. Ganna and Pedersen claw their way back on.
45km to go
Philipsen leads them off Mons-en-Pévèle, where the latest Van der Poel acceleration has cut this lead group to seven.
Van der Poel attacks again!
He waits for the tarmac for this latest move, and Van Aert is once again onto him. Gap to the rest!
Will the pair work together, and can they get away? What a story that would be, the latest chapter in this incredible rivalry.
Laporte, Van Hooydonck, and F.Vermeersch come off Mons-en-Pevele down at 1:40. They got fairly close but it's done for them.
To the previous question, the answer is no. Van Aert just marks Van der Poel and the others come back. Breathless stuff this.
Sector 10: Mérignies to Avelin ★★☆☆☆
Into the final 10 sectors. He's a little two-star number. Philipsen leads us onto it.
40km
What a race so far. And we're only just going into the finale.
Whatever happens, this is magical stuff from Degenkolb. He won this race in 2015 but never looked the same after his 2016 training crash. He did bounce back to win an emotional cobbled stage in the 2018 Tour de France. He simply loves this part of the world.
Sector 9: Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin ★★★☆☆
Pedersen takes us onto the 20th sector so far.
Van der Poel goes again!
Van Aert is watching Van der Poel like a hawk. He's responding so quickly to every acceleration.
Van der Poel accelerated at the wrong time. He took too much speed into a corner and almost came a cropper.
Van Aert opened this race with a long-range attack but more recently he has ridden a much more conservative race, responding to Van der Poel but just marking - apparently content to watch his rival fire bullets while ensuring they come to nothing.
At the moment, Van Aert and Van der Poel look like the two strongest riders. And Van Aert appears to be riding the smarter race. Could he finally land his first cobbled Monument?
35km to go
The group rolls through the tarmacked country roads. They're all keeping this going but the threat from behind is minimal - Laporte, Van Hooydonck, and Vermeersch are at 1:40.
8 sectors remain, and the key pairing is Camphin-en-Pevele (4 stars) and Carrefour de l'Arbre (5 stars). they're the 5th and 4th sectors, respectively.
Sector 8: Templeuve - L'Epinette ★★☆☆☆
Sector 8 is a split sector, a one-star and a two-star combined. Pedersen leads the front group of seven over this rough crown.
That's the end of sector 8. Two more three-star sectors before the key point in our finale.
A 5km lull before the next sector. Will we see any moves in between?
A reminder of the front group
Mathieu van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)
Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers)
Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ)
Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo)
John Degenkolb (Team DSM)
30km to go
30 to go and the winner of the 2023 Paris-Roubaix will be one of those seven riders.
Mechanical for Philipsen!
The cars are now up with this lead group, so he gets a quick change. It's not super urgent at the moment so the Belgian sprinter has a good chance of getting back in here.
Philipsen makes use of the team cars to claw his way back. Still seven up front, and still two from Alpecin.
Sector 7: Cysoing to Bourghelles ★★★☆☆
More cobbles. Pedersen once again takes pole position onto the rough stuff.
Degenkolb takes over now, and pull aside as Philipsen hits the front.
Philipsen takes us off it. The hostilities have eased in the past 15km and it looks like the calm before the Camphin-Carrefour storm.
For more detail on the last remaining five-star sector, here you go.
What is the Carrefour de l'Arbre? The last chance for glory in Paris-Roubaix
Sector 6: Bourghelles to Wannehain ★★★☆☆
Another one now and Philipsen moves forward. He keeps the pace high on the cobbles.
Van der Poel nips onto the dirt gutter. Van Aert, as if by automation, does the same. He's following his rival's every move here.
Laporte has another puncture. His chase group was already done for but that's the final nail in the coffin.
20km to go
The front seven are turning casually now on the tarmac, as if they're on a Sunday club run.
The next two sectors, though, are where it's all going to happen.
Sector 5: Camphin-en-Pévèle ★★★★☆
Here we go! 1800 metres of cobbles here, with plenty of twists and turns.
Pedersen takes the initiative.
Kung has been hanging at the back for a little while. He's usually over generous with his turns.
90-degree bend and they're all round safely but it's not truly lighting up here.
Van Aert is glued to Van der Poel's wheel.
Pedersen remains on the front and takes us all the way through Camphin-en-Pevele and onto the tarmac.
That was a solid tempo but nothing special. It's going to have to wait for the Carrefour de l'Arbre.
Or will it? Degenkolb gives it a little teaser, but we're going to go to the Carrefour as seven. It's just 1km away!
Sector 4: Carrefour de l'Arbre ★★★★★
Here we go!
It's the famous Carrefour de l'Arbre
Philipsen accelerates! Van der Poel nearly overcooks another bend.
Philipsen leads over these horribly rough cobblestones. Degenkolb second wheel, then Van der Poel.
Crash! Degenkolb collides into a spectator
Van Aert attacks!!
Van der Poel was moving around Degenkolb at the time of the crash and now he has ground to make up on Van Aert!!
Van der Poel jumps across to Van Aert on the cobbles. Incredible.
The pair are at it again. They lead together on the Carrefour de l'Arbre.
Van der Poel takes it up and leads his rival.
Van Aert is losing the wheel!!
Puncture for Van Aert!
Wow. Incredible stuff here. Rear wheel flat.
Van der Poel is alone in the lead of Paris-Roubaix
Sector 3: Gruson ★★☆☆☆
Van der Poel heads onto the next sector with 14km to go
Pedersen and Philipsen are the next on the road now
Van Aert and Kung come back to those two.
They're 25 seconds down on Van der Poel with 13km to go.
Ganna is with them as well. So we have five riders chasing Van der Poel. Degenkolb is back up after his crash but podium hopes are gone.
Van Aert does a monster turn in the chase group and takes a couple of seconds off Van der Poel's lead.
Two sectors remain, but the last one is a non-sector, just a ceremonial strip outside the Roubaix velodrome.
Well, it did all happen on Carrefour de l'Arbre, but this race has been shaped by a crash and puncture.
10km to go
10,000 metres to go and Van der Poel is holding at 25 seconds.
Can they chase him down? Tired turns from Kung and Pedersen, and suddenly Philipsen finds himself on the front of the group - he's not going to put any pressure on the pedals whatsoever.
Van Aert is forced to sprint through to pick the pace back up but that lull has cost them six more precious seconds.
Van der Poel is on his way to a fourth Monument title. He has twice won Flanders and won San Remo earlier this spring.
Sector 2: Willems to Hem ★★☆☆☆
Penultimate cobblestone sector! Van der Poel has 35 seconds now.
Van Aert attacks! Philipsen jumps onto the wheel. What a race the sprinter is having today. He could make it an Alpecin one-two.
Ganna and Kung can't follow this one.
Near-miss! Van der Poel takes so much speed into yet another corner and he somehow stays upright.
He gets around the bend just about, but then there's a yellow bollard, and he nips around it by the skin of his teeth.
6.5km to go
Van der Poel is off that sector, tyres still full of air. There's not much now between him and a first Paris-Roubaix victory.
Van der Poel takes a drink. He's still at 35 seconds and it's in the bag now.
Van Aert accelerates again. Pedersen is dropped and Philipsen is still there!!
3km to go
Van der Poel has 30 seconds in hand over Van Aert and Philipsen (who is his teammate).
He comes into Roubaix, hands on the hoods, teeth gritted. He's giving it everything but he's going to have time to enjoy this on the velodrome.
Sector 1: Roubaix - Espace Charles Crupelandt ★☆☆☆☆
Final sector! The smoothest cobbles of the day.
1km to go
And now under the flamme rouge and he turns right to the velodrome entrance.
Here he comes, he pops out onto the track and the crowd roars.
One and a half laps to complete and now he takes the bell.
Van der Poel raises his arm and starts to celebrate.
He eases up, shakes his head, and prepares to cross the line.
Van der Poel wins it.
Philipsen punches the air for his teammate, but he's now got to try and sprint for second place. Philipsen vs Van Aert
Philipsen swoops and opens it, and takes it. It's an Alpecin 1-2 at Paris-Roubaix. Van Aert third.
What a race!!
Results
The finish line shot
Let's hear from the winner
"I had one of my best days on the bike. I felt really strong and tried to do a couple of attacks earlier but it was really hard to drop the guys. On the last sector, Degenkolb had a crash then I had to close gap to Wout and I think he had a flat tyre. I found myself alone in front and just rode as hard as I could to the finish line.
"When I passed him, his pace was low. I knew he had problem, but didn't know it was a flat tyre. It's unfortunate, maybe we would have gone as two to the finish line. It's unfortunate but it's part of the race. You need good luck and good legs and I had both today."
The key moment. Van Aert punctures, Van der Poel rides away.
Mads Pedersen speaks
"I hoped to race the final and I did that today so this is a step in the right direction and hopefully next year we can take a step up.
"I had to spend some energy in the forest [Arenberg] to close the gap again but the legs were good and that was the moment to try and come back in the race. From then on, Alpecin had three in the group so they did most of the work, I was trying to survive but Mathieu was super strong today. Chapeau.
"I was just waiting for Carrefour and for them to go. They did and I didn't have the legs to follow."
Confirmation that that was the fastest ever Paris-Roubaix. It's just the latest speed record to fall in recent times.
Another record falls as Mathieu van der Poel clocks fastest ever Paris-Roubaix
