As the world's best team for the cobbled classics, Omega Pharma-Quick Step will have all eyes on them when they line up for the fifth stage of the Tour de France that includes several sections of Paris-Roubaix cobbles. Yesterday the team used the day after the Tour of Belgium to do a recon of the stage.

Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team performed reconnaissance of the nine cobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix, which will feature in the 5th stage of the Tour de France, on Monday.

The sections are the following:

Gruson - Carrefour de l'arbre (1,100m)

Ennevelin - Pont-Thibaut (1,400m)

Mons-en-Pévèle (3,000m in Paris-Roubaix / 1000m in Tour de France)

Bersée (2,600m in Paris-Roubaix / 1,400m in the Tour de France)

Orchies - Beuvry (1,400m)

Sars-et-Rosières - Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes (2,400m)

Brillon - Warlaing (2,400m in Paris-Roubaix / 1,400m in the Tour de France)

Wandignies-Hamage - Hornaing (3,700m)

Hélesmes - Wallers (1,600m)

Nine riders participated in the recon. 

Rolf Aldag, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Mark Cavendish offered their thoughts about the day's recon, the Tour de France stage, and what it was like racing on the cobbles that will be used for a Grand Tour. Michal also celebrated his 24th birthday while performing the recon. 

"Obviously we want to recon the course, but also see how people fit on the Specialized bikes and adjust everything so that we are ready," Aldag said. "Some of our riders never raced on the cobblestones before.

"I think Kwiatkowski is, out of the GC contenders, one of the most capable of riding on the cobbles. He did it last year with a spectacular Tour of Flanders, and races like E3 Harelbeke, and so on. I think he's used to it, so it won't be shocking. It's more about the tactical situation for him at the Tour de France rather than getting used to the feel.

"The thing during the Tour is you have different interests. You have a limited number of riders who go for the stage wins, because they still have captains for the GC they have to protect. So, it's going to be a slightly different race that isn't as clear as a Paris-Roubaix where you have a Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara, or Sep Vanmarcke and all the teams will support their guys to clearly win that one-day race.

"At the Tour it's a little more complicated. You may see teams that maybe will chase, not because they want a stage win, but maybe in that group there may be a GC contender who will try to get away before the cobbles. It's a completely different situation. It's two races, really. You have a race for the stage and a race for the GC.

"And also, luck matters. Don't crash, don't have a mechanical. You need to also judge the tactics the right way and have the right strategy. Hopefully, all of that comes in line for us, and we are preparing as best we can for what we can control.

"Today we warmed up and saw how the last kilometers will be before the cobbles. We then rode all of the cobbled sectors. We stopped and checked tire pressure and adjusted the bikes accordingly. Also, we taped the recon on video so it's available for everyone because leading up to the Tour, people might forget some of the details. It's always good to confirm it with data and video."

"It's the first time in my life I rode a section of Paris-Roubaix cobbles," Kwiatkowski said. "It's interesting to feel it on your own, rather than watch someone else do it. I'm feeling really good. I'm enjoying it. I did Tour of Flanders in the past, it's maybe not the same but it's still cobbles.

"For sure the stage will be interesting for the spectators. For us it will be a nervous day and we will need to be focused. But, OPQS in the past made some small results on cobbles (laughs), so it's a good thing that I can gain experience on the cobbles with the team."

"I've only ridden one Paris-Roubaix, I'd love to do it again," Cavendish said. "But, we're the strongest cobbled classics team in the world and we can win every one. For me to just want to ride, just for an indulgence when there are stronger guys to do the job, it's better to watch my team smashing it while I'm at home. But I'm excited the cobbles are in the Tour again. We've got a strong team for it, and I'm excited for the race. 

"For me I like expectation from the team. We're the most powerful team in the world across all races. To go in it, with the expectation to perform. It's a good pressure to have. For sure we're going to have a strong team at the Tour de France and for sure this is one of the key stages we'd like to do well in.

"The stage is how I expected. It's nowhere near as tough as Paris-Roubaix, but in the first week of the Tour after the hard start in the UK, it won't shake up the GC. But it should be an interesting stage for the spectators and the riders."