Paris-Roubaix is a matter for the biggest and strongest in the field. Robust, hardy klassikerryttere as Sagan, Van Avermaet, Cancellara, Boonen – and the swede Magnus Bäckstedt, who won the race 15 years ago.
The 193 centimetres tall kraftkarl follows with great interest the large litters of Danish riders this year, with few exceptions, have been disappointed after successæsonen 2018.
I had expected to me more of the Danish riders, ” says Bäckstedt to Ekstra Bladet.
– of course It is hard to make good results, when you are plagued by injury or illness, as I know that some of the Danish riders have been, but all in all I had certainly expected me any more of them.
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Magnus Bäckstedt with Rolf Sørensen. Photo: Claus Bonnerup
– It can be reached yet. We are still missing Paris-Roubaix and the Ardennes classics and several other important races, so it can still be a good spring for the danes, says Magnus Bäckstedt, which, however, do not see a Danish surprise in Paris-Roubaix and the lure.
– the Paris-Roubaix, and get only very, very rarely a surprise winner. In the past many, many years, the race is won by the riders, as one might have expected before the race.
– It also applies to Mathew Hayman, regarded by many as sensational to have won the race in 2016. But before that, he drove two times in the top 10 in the race, so he certainly did not out of the blue.
– I also was not even a blank sheet of paper, when I won 15 years ago. I had won a Tour stage, and I was number seven in the Paris-Roubaix, so I did not come out of nowhere, says Magnus Bäckstedt, who the year after his victory was number four in the race.
the Facts: Paris-Roubaix
Surname: ‘La Reine des Classiques’ (klassikernes queen), ‘L’enfer du Nord’ (hell of the north)
Category: World Tour
Length: 257 kilometers
Start: Compiègne (about 85 km north of Paris)
Finish: Vélodrome André-Pétrieux in Roubaix
Run the first time: 1896 as advertising for an in Roubaix newly built velodrom, which was the goal.
Last five winners:
2018 – Peter Sagan (Slovakia)
2017 – Greg van Avermaet (Belgium)
2016 – Mathew Hayman (Australia)
2015 – John Degenkolb (Germany)
2014 – Niki Terpstra (Holland)
Danish victories: None
Most wins:
Roger De Vlaeminck, Belgium (1972, 1974, 1975, 1977)
Tom Boonen, Belgium (2005, 2008, 2009, 2012)
the Race 29 pavéer and their level of difficulty (1-5 stars)
29. Troisvilles to Inchy (driven km 97,5 — 0,9 km long) **
28. Briastre to Viesly (driven km 108,5 — 3 km long) ****
27. Viesly to Quiévy (driven km 101,5 — 1,8 km) ***
26. Quiévy to Saint-Python (run km 116 – 3.7 km) ****
25. Saint-Python (run km 118,5 — 1.5 km) **
24. Vertain to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon (driven km 127,5 — 2,3 km) ***
23. Verchain-Maugré to Quérénaing (driven km 136,5 1,6 km) ***
22. Quérénaing to Maing (driven km 140,5 — 2.5 km) ***
21. The Maing to Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (driven km 142,5 — mile (1.6 km) ***
20: Haveluy two Wallers (driven km 156,5 — 2.5 km) ****
19. Trouée d’Arenberg (driven km 164,5 — 2.3 km) *****
18. The Wallers to Hélesmes (driven km 170 – mile (1.6 km) ***
17. Hornaing to Wandignies (driven km 179 – 3.7 km) ****
16. Warlaing to Brillon (driven km 185 – 2.4 km) ***
15. Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières (driven km 188,5 — 2.4 km) ****
14. Beuvry to Orchies (driven km 194 — 1.4 km) ***
13. Orchies (driven km 199 — 1,7 km) ***
12. Auchy to Bersée (driven km 206,5 — 2.7 km) ****
11. Mons-en-Pévèle (driven km 212 — 3 km) *****
10. Mérignies to Avelin (driven km 215,5 — 0.7 km) **
9: Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin (driven km 220 — 1.4 km) ***
8. Templeuve – L’Épinette (driven km 224 — 0.2 km) *
8b. Templeuve – Moulin-de-Vertain (driven km 225 — 0,5 km) **
7. Cysoing tfor Bourghelles (driven km 232 — 1,3 km) ***
6. Bourghelles to Wannehain (driven km eur 234.5 — 1,1 km) ***
5. Camphin-en-Pévèle (driven km 239,5 — 1.8 km) ****
4. Carrefour de l’arbre (driven km 242,5 — 2.1 km) *****
3. Gruson (driven km 244 — 1,1 km) **
2. Willems two Hem (driven km 251 — 1.4 km) ***
1. Roubaix (driven km 256 — 0,3 km) *
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A secondary location in one of the largest forårsløb is also something worth, which, among other Mads Pedersen and Kasper Asgreen can talk about. They were number two in Flanders Around last year and this year. Bäckstedt is impressed, but he warns that from now on it only gets harder for them.
– When you as a young rider to make a good result, so fly is no longer under the radar. One is a, the others are counting on and looking at, and that means enormously much, he says.
– The first major victory is certainly not easy to win, but number two is even harder. You must simply run cykelløbene in a new way, for otherwise one can be shut down completely.
– All the keep an eye out with one, so you can’t just do what you did the year before. You need to find a new element of surprise, says Magnus Bäckstedt.
He is still involved in the sport as a coach, commentator and advisor for his daughters, which recently won its ungdomsudgave of forårsklassikeren Gent-Wevelgem.
