Alexander Kristoff has put a moderate spring behind him. In Paris-Roubaix, he doesn’t call himself a favorite. "Cobblestones here suit me less," he said after the exploration. "I’ve never really had a sensational result here," he told Sporza.

One year is not the other. Alexander Kristoff in 2015 won the Three Days of De Panne-Koksijde, the Tour of Flanders and the Scheldeprijs. He was one of the big favorites for Paris-Roubaix but this year brealy anyone would bet on the Norwegian, including himself. "I’ve never really talked myself up for this race. Ninth in 2013 was my best result so far, I was tenth last year."

"We'll see what it is like on Sunday, but the Scheldeprijs was certainly not good and I did not really trust myself. The sprint was awful, but in Flanders it went well. It was a tough race, which is also the case in Roubaix. I need to be up there. "

"I'm do not worry about my condition, but you have to have the legs to follow the favorites on the last sections. Fabian Cancellara and Peter Sagan through, you have to be with them. I hope I'm on that level."

"How many stars are there anyway? Five for the biggest favourite, but then I just give myself two or three. I'm not the favorite, that's for sure. If you just look at my results, I’m way off. Of the six times I rode Roubaix, I finished only three times. Last year I was the big favorite, now others can carry that role.”