With Paris-Roubaix, the last cobbled classic takes place this Sunday. Wanty-Groupe Gobert lines up for the Hell of the North with: Frederik Backaert, Dimitri Claeys, Kenny Dehaes, Tom Devriendt, Roy Jans, Marco Marcato, Robin Stenuit and Bjorn Thurau.
"Our goals haven't changed: being part of th breakaway and I want to see two or three riders in the final of the race. I think about Frederik Backaert, Marco Marcato en Dimitri Claeys. We expect bad weather, but Paris-Roubaix stays a special and difficult race", sports director Hilaire Van Der Schueren said.
Last year, Frederik Backaert took the 25th place in his first Paris-Roubaix. This year, he hopes to do better.
"The recon was very good. I think I can do a great race. I don't think about a particular place", Backaert thinks.
After his nice 9th place in the Tour of Flanders, Dimitri Claeys is considered as an outsider. "My nice performance in the Tour of Flanders gave me some confidence. This is my first Paris-Roubaix. I don't know what I can expect from this race."
Team captain Marco Marcato already got some good results in the Spring Classics. With Paris-Roubaix, he has a last opportunity to get a great result. "I feel good enough to fight on the cobbles. The legs are good. We'll see at the end what I can do", Marcato concludes.
Raoul LIEBREGTS 49 years | today |
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