At first it was a humorous idea of a team manager Patrick Lefevere, but now Tony Martin has taken a liking to the cobblestones of Northern France.

"I learned a lot in recent weeks and realize that this terrain is becoming better and better for me. Now I'm ready for my debut," Martin announced at the Etixx-QuickStep pre-race press conference before his first start at the Spring Classic Paris-Roubaix on Sunday.

He had long resisted to participate in the "Queen of the Classics", but after his win in the 2015 Tour de France cobbled stage, the three-time world time trial champion changed his mind. On the cobbled stage to Cambrai, Martin gave a spirited attack that netted him the stage win and his first yellow jersey.

As a possible successor of the still injured 2015 winner and friend John Degenkolb, Martin does not see himself. “That stage cannot be compared with what awaits me on Sunday.” On the way to Tour stage victory, Martin only had to torment only 13.3 kilometers of the merciless cobblestones. On Sunday 52.8 kilometers of pavé - spread over 27 sectors – is on the program.

Unlike specialists such as the three-time Roubaix champion Fabian Cancellara, world champion Peter Sagan or his teammates, the “master” Tom Boonen, he has "zero point zero experience". So it is also possible that he takes only a supporting role in the star-studded Etixx team with the winners Tom Boonen, and Niki Terpstra and last year's runner up Zdenek Stybar. Similarly, he played this role in the Tour of Flanders last weekend. For Paris-Roubaix, Martin claims to be significantly better. "In Flanders, you have a good course knowledge and tactics, in Roubaix is more about full gas."

A high speed over a long period can suit Martin as a world class time trialist, like Fabian Cancellara. The Swiss, who was four times himself world champion in the fight against the clock, has evolved over many years to become a classic specialist. Martin wants to decide for himself whether he wants to go that way, even after Roubaix.