There are few races than at Paris-Roubaix where people show as much appreciation for the first rider across the finish line as the last.
The final lap bell had been put away, fans were heading towards the exits, and hoardings were being dismantled. Yet as a gendarme's whistle signalled the imminent arrival of a rider - something that hadn't happened for the previous 20 minutes when Visma-Lease a Bike's Niklas Behrens rode into the velodrome - people stopped, turned and showed their appreciation to Q36.5 Pro Cycling's Joey Pidcock.
