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As it happened: Paris-Roubaix 2023

ROUBAIX FRANCE APRIL 09 LR Jasper Philipsen of Belgium and Team AlpecinDeceuninck on second place race winner Mathieu van der Poel of The Netherlands and Team AlpecinDeceuninck and Wout Van Aert of Belgium and Team JumboVisma on third place pose on the podium ceremony after the 120th ParisRoubaix 2023 Mens Elite a 2566km one day race from Compigne to Roubaix on UCIWT April 09 2023 in Roubaix France Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images

(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Mathieu van der Poel wins Paris-Roubaix

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Hello and welcome along to Paris-Roubaix!

After a thrilling third edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes yesterday, it's over to the 120th edition of the men's Hell of the North, with the likes of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert to do battle on the fearsome cobblestones of northern France.  

The situation is as follows. We are half an hour away from the start of Paris-Roubaix (plus another 15 minutes for the neutralised roll-out) and anticipation is building in the square in Compiègne (the race doesn't actually start in Paris). 

This is the start line

The riders are currently making their way team-by-team onto this stage, where they sign the register to officially enrol in the 2023 Paris-Roubaix. 

Before we get going, now's the time to catch up on all our preview content, starting with this from our resident analyst and three-time Roubaix champion.

And here's our run-down of the riders to watch.

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) rocks up to the stage to sign on, and here's what he said to the media on the other side. 

We're getting close now. All the riders have signed on and they're gathering on the start line. 

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) is a really interesting rider to watch. He has the raw power needed to thrive here and he's clearly on great form after his Milan-San Remo podium. However, he's not a huge fan of the more chaotic elements and the elbows-out fight for position. It's a huge day for him and his future as a Cobbled Classics rider. 

We're rolling

While we wait, why not check out our content from Paris-Roubaix Femmes. We have a race report and results, but also a stunning photo gallery from Chris Auld, the backstory of Alison Jackson from Daniel Ostanek, Zoe Backstedt using her father's Roubaix-winning pedals from Peter Stuart, plus reaction from the SD Worx and Trek-Segafredo camps, the two other surprise podium finishers, insight from Steve Bauer, and more. 

The number one dossard is worn by Dylan van Baarle, who won the race last year with Ineos Grenadiers but now rides for Van Aert's Jumbo-Visma. Van Baarle was forced to miss the Tour of Flanders through illness so his form is a bit of an unknown, and we'll see whether he's limited to a support role or if he can content for a second title. 

As for Van Aert, he has cut a rather downbeat tone this week. He was on the podium at San Remo, then got the better of Van der Poel and Pogacar at E3 but was roundly beaten by them at Flanders. He did crash last Sunday, which seems to have had an impact. Jumbo-Visma have dominated the spring but if Van Aert can't win or get on the podium here then they'll walk away with a sense of unfulfilment. 

2km to the start of the race!

Big breakaway battle expected

Christian Prudhomme raises through the Skoda sunroof, flag in hand. The pulse quickens.

We're off!

It's a slightly subdued start, to be honest, but I think everyone knows the first attack is not going to stick so there are plenty playing the long game. 

We have nearly 100km of tarmac before we get to the cobbles.

Nothing sticking for now, just a few nudges.

By the way, here are the cobblestone sectors that await later. They're numbered in reverse order, counting down to the finish, and they're all given a star rating for difficulty, the big names being the Arenberg Forest, Mons-en-Pevele, and the Carrefour de l'Arbre.

AG2R are keen, with Oliver Naesen even looking to see if he can get away. 

Not many fireworks here. Riders are just pushing on rather than full-on attacking, and then quickly looking around.

Nothing sticking yet and nothing even getting anything of a gap, to be honest. It's a sustained pace, with lots of teams wanting to put a rider in the break.

The biggest move so far comes from a Bingoal-WB acceleration, but more riders jump into the gap and it comes back together.

Bora send a rider on the attack and he draws out two others. This is creating some daylight.

It's Ryan Mullen for Bora and he's joined by Edvald Boasson Hagen (TotalEnergies) and Sjoerd Bax (UAE Team Emirates). Two more try and scramble across.

Jumbo-Visma have a rider chasing this down...

230km to go

Alpecin send a rider on the move and Jumbo react again.

Oier Lazkano, breakaway star of Dwars door Vlaanderen, launches the next wave of attacks.

Gaps are forming...

But it comes back together.

Today we have the youngest Paris-Roubaix competitor in 86 years, with Josh Tarling just 19 years and 53 days of age. He skipped the U23s to jump straight from the juniors to the WorldTour with Ineos Grenadiers and he has been thrown into some of the world's biggest races - and they don't come much bigger than this. 

A two-up attack suddenly goes and three more scramble after it.

But loads of reactions and it's going nowhere.

But loads of reactions and it's going nowhere.

It's Sylvan Dillier on the move for Alpecin-Deceuninck, or Alpecin-Elegant, as they've rebranded for today. Dillier knows a thing or two about Roubaix breakaways - he finished runner-up in 2018 after surviving and then clinging onto Peter Sagan for dear life on the closing sectors. 

Dillier has taken a Bingoal rider away and, for the first time today, we have riders with a proper gap. 

The Bingoal rider is Dorian De Maeght. Or was. He has been dropped by Dillier. 

210km to go

Dillier has a new companion - a rider from Bora - but the bunch is close at hand.

It's Mullen again from Bora and they're just hanging at 10 seconds at the moment.

200km to go

Peter Sagan is looking interested now...

Van der Poel shows his face near the front. For a second there it looked like he could be tempted out. You wouldn't necessarily put it past him.

We're averaging over 50kph so far today. 

Greg Van Avermaet - a former winner - attacks. AG2R have been attacking with almost all their riders today, including the two big names.

The peloton properly stretches out now and could this finally split?

First crash of the day and it's Hugo Hofstetter (Arkea-Samsic) who comes down with Dusan Rajovic (Bahrain Victorious).

The latest attack from a TotalEnergies rider, who opens a gap but the reactions continue to come from behind.

It's Boasson Hagen for Total but it'\s cancelled out quickly.

ROUBAIX FRANCE APRIL 09 A general view of the peloton competing during the 120th ParisRoubaix 2023 Mens Elite a 2566km one day race from Compigne to Roubaix on UCIWT April 09 2023 in Roubaix France Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We're 20km away from the first cobblestone sector. 

The first five-star sector comes a little later on. It's the Trouée d'Arenberg and we have more details on the iconic forested strip of pavé. 

174km to go

It's going away!!

Four riders have the gap and it's locking up behind.

But DSM spoil it and fire a rider up in pursuit. 

Here are the four escapees

Nils Eekhoff is the DSM rider in no man's land.

The peloton has let Eekhoff go and now looks to finally be locking up.

A chance for some toilet breaks at last, and this allows the breakaway to move out to one minute. 

Crash for Magnus Sheffield over some traffic furniture. He has had a few spills this Spring. He looks ok and has Ineos teammate Cam Wurf to help him back to the bunch. 

5km to the cobbles!!

Our four leaders have opened 1:25 on the peloton, who are now getting organised for positioning into the first sector. Eekhoff is at 45 seconds down in an absolute chasse patate

The cobbles are coming

Sector 29: Troisvilles to Inchy ★★★☆☆

The breakaway hit the pavé with a lead of 1:25 as Matteo Trentin (UAE) nips forward to lead the peloton onto the rough stuff.

There's a strip of smoother dirt to the left of these cobbles and lots of riders are using it.

The peloton catch and zip past Eekhoff as the cobbles drag uphill.

Kasper Asgreen dropped!

Left-hand 90-degree bend and the bunch strings out. Not sure what has happened to Asgreen - mechanical surely.

Luke Durbridge piles on the pressure as the bunch exits the sector. Plenty of big names up towards the front there. 

156km to go

Just a few kilometres until our second sector. 

👀 Spotted tech content (and obligatory eyes emoji) from the start this morning. New Specialized tyres. Check them out. 

Funnily enough, Kasper Asgreen is using those tyres, and we get confirmation that he punctured on that sector. He changed wheels and has now stopped again to change bikes. 

Sector 28: Viesly to Quiévy ★★★☆☆

Ineos take charge of the bunch as we head into this 1.8km sector.

Josh Tarling is on the front for Ineos, so that calls for another plug of our pre-race story on him. 

Crash!

Peter Sagan is down in a crash that splits the bunch after around 30 riderss.

Sagan is still on the grass at the side of the road. This doesn't look good. He had to abandon his last Flanders due to a crash - could the same be happening here?

Tarling slid out on a bend and took Luke Rowe out, plus a QuickStep rider. Plenty more held up. 

Sector 27: Quiévy to Saint-Python ★★★★☆

Mechanical for Florian Senechal. Nightmare day for QuickStep so far after their rough spring.

This sector isn't all that rough but is the longest of the race at 3.7km

Sector 26: Saint-Python ★★☆☆☆

Van der Poel hits the front!

No attack, as a teammate comes through to take the lead, but the favourite is making sure he's up towards the front.

And as I write that, we have another crash near the back. Rajovic is down again. 

After those crashes and mechanicals we have a mini peloton that's trying to get back onto the main bunch. 

Sector 25: Vertain to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon ★★★☆☆

Alpecin dominate the run-in to this one, with five riders on the front.

The bunch strings out but it's slightly calmer on this sector so far. The last one was still wet but this one is mostly dry, with a strip of grass on the crown of the cobbles.

Another crash. Julius van der Bergh (EF), Pavel Bittner (DSM), and a Bingoal rider are down on the cobbles.

This is our breakaway

Mechanical for Stefan Kung, a real contender for today. It looks like his seatpost dropped. He has to jump onto a teammate's bike - not ideal given his size.

Kung gets Miles Scotson's bike. The Australian isn't too small but it looks like Kung's on a kid's bike. He bellows into race radio and eventually gets the FDJ car to stop to give him a spare bike. 

Kung now finds himself in a mini bunch of dropped riders. Mohoric is in there - he must have had a problem as well. 

Sector 24: Verchain-Maugré to Quérénaing ★★★☆☆

Sector 23: Quérénaing to Maing ★★★☆☆

Sector 22: Maing to Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon ★★★☆☆

Peter Sagan is out of the race. He was forced to abandon after that crash.

The peloton calms down now and the likes of Asgreen and Senechal are getting back in. More who suffered crashes or mechanicals will have the same opportunity now.

As it lulls, we have fresh attacks. 

Alpecin called a toilet stop a couple of kilometres ago, so they've stepped back for now.

Sector 21: Haspres to Thiant ★★★☆☆

The Kung group is back in the peloton as well, so it's as good as a full bunch (with the exception of a few abandons).

Jumbo-Visma on the front a little earlier. They've drifted towards the back recently.

Attack from Jens Reynders (Israel) on the Thiant cobbles. It's calm in the bunch so he's able to steal some metres.

A Movistar riders jumps after Reynders but more riders are accelerating now as they come off the sector. And the bunch is back together.

Mechanical for Van Aert!

The Belgian, one of the big pre-race favourites, has to stop for a bike change. A hurry, but no panic, and he gets going again quickly enough.

Despite the swift change, Van Aert finds himself 40 seconds down. Teammates will have to drop back to chase him back.

The Reynders attack has ended up drawing out a few riders into a counter-attack, and a few more are sniffing at the head of the bunch, which won't make Van Aert's task any easier.

Van Aert is back. 

That gap was to the Reynders move, which is now away and has been given its own timing. Also in there are Turgis, Durbridge, Mihkels, Scotson.

Counter-attack

We've spoken about Tarling but Mihkels is also 19 years of age, one of three teenagers here along with Ivan Romeo of Movistar. 

A cobbled lull in the past few kilometres but we're coming towards a key part of the race at Wallers, with a four-star sector preceding the famous Trouée d'Arenberg

Big surges in the peloton as the anticipation and nerves build ahead of this key phase of the race. Jumbo-Visma swarm the front of the bunch.

Jumbo look like they're leading out a sprint as they head onto the sector. 

Sector 20: Haveluy to Wallers ★★★★☆

Wout van Aert accelerates!!

Van Aert takes the bunch onto the cobbles, hits it, and it splits into pieces.

Van Aert powers past that earlier counter-attack. 

Van der Poel is scrambling but at least up there. But not many in sight here. Big moment.

Van Aert has Laporte with him, of course. Degenkolb is hanging on for DSM and Van der Poel is there, plus Kung. 

Big gap back to the next 10 riders, and then another 10 behind that. The race is split to pieces!

100km to go

There's a group of 10 riders behind this elite group, then a gap back to the rest of the bunch, led by Ineos.

We still have a breakaway but their lead has plummeted and they're only 35 seconds in front now. 

The Ganna peloton comes back to the chase group so we have a peloton behind the Van Aert-Van der Poel group.

Next up: Arenberg

Sector 19: Trouée d'Arenberg ★★★★★

The break hit the trench with 20 seconds on the Van Aert-Van der Poel group.

The peloton enters a further 20 seconds down.

End of break for Derek Gree. His tubeless tyre comes clean off.

Crash in the bunch!

Several riders down, among them Asgreen, who's had a horror day so far. 

Van Baarle is down! That's the defending champ. Fred Wright (Bahrain) also down and hurt.

Mads Pedersen attacks!

The peloton has split to pieces again! Pedersen attacks off a five-man group led by Ganna. 

The break - down to three - exit, five seconds before the Van Aert-Van der Poel group.

Puncture for Laporte!

Van Aert loses his teammate and numerical advantage up front. 

92km to go

Van der Poel has two teammates with Ganna, so he might wait for them to join. 

Pedersen makes it on! Huge effort from the former world champ through Arenberg.

The second group contains Ganna, Max Walscheid (Cofidis), Larenz Rex (Intermarché), plus the Alpecin duo of Jasper Philipsen and Gianni Vermeersch.

This group is getting back on, just as we start the next sector. 

Sector 18: Wallers to Hélesmes ★★★☆☆

A mad 15km, but here's the situation

Laporte is losing ground. He's one of the riders using the adjustable tyre pressure system but it can't inflate a flat tyre.

The lead group in full

Sector 17: Hornaing to Wandignies ★★★★☆

Vermeersch takes it up on the cobbles in the service of Van der Poel. 

Vermeersch is the gravel world champion so he's ok with the rough stuff. Alpecin also have Philipsen, who's a sprinter who can dabble in Classics.

Alpecin have the numerical advantage with three riders here. The tables have turned on Jumbo-Visma, who split the race and put Laporte up front with Van Aert, only for the Frenchman to puncture - and that was just after defending champion Van Baarle crashed in Arenberg. 

The peloton is holding at 1:30, but who's going to chase? 

Sector 16: Warlaing to Brillon ★★★☆☆

Jumbo-Visma start pulling the peloton....

They do have a leader up front, who made the selection himself, so it's strange to see them chase it down. But they did lose their numerical advantage, and a chase from behind does give Van Aert an excuse not to work up front. 

Jubmo's pulling turns into an attack. Nathan van Hooydonck takes flight alone on the cobbles. 

Van Hooydonck has had a good spring but he's simply not going to get across a 1:45 gap to a group this good. 

Sector 15: Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières ★★★★☆

Hollmann is dropped from the front group. He was part of the day's early breakaway. 

Bax is losing contact now but fights to get back on, and now Koch nearly crashes - stays upright but loses all momentum.

Vermeersch takes us off the sector and the lead group is down to 11 - Hollmann and Koch dropped there.

14 sectors remain. Here's a reminder of the full list. 

Behind, Florian Vermeersch (Lotto-Dstny) attacks in pursuit of Van Hooydonck, and Laporte jumps with it, so that's now a three-man chase group with two-Jumbos. 

Alpecin stop doing all the work, and Kung agress to do a turn. He flicks his elbow to van Aert, who simply passes the message on to Pedersen. 

Van Hooydonck, Laporte, F.Vermeersch close to 1:12. The bunch is at 1:40.

Sector 14: Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies ★★★☆☆

Not much action on that sector, which was more of a two-star for my money. Vermeersch and Philipsen exchange on the front of the lead group. 

Senechal punctures from the peloton. A day to forget for QuickStep, and this latest problem pretty much wipes out any faint chance of this bunch coming back.

Kung gives it a little nudge and swings to the side of the road. Van Aert keeps his eye on it. 

Confirmation that Van Baarle is out of the race after his crash in Arenberg.

Dutch Mathieu van der Poel of AlpecinDeceuninck Belgian Wout van Aert of Team JumboVisma and German Juri Hollmann of Movistar Team pictured in action during pictured at the Trouee dArenberg cobbled road passage during the mens elite race of the ParisRoubaix cycling event 2566km from Compiegne to Roubaix France on Sunday 09 April 2023 BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS Photo by JASPER JACOBS BELGA MAG Belga via AFP Photo by JASPER JACOBSBELGA MAGAFP via Getty Images

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sector 13: Orchies ★★★☆☆

Van Hooydonck, Laporte, and F.Vermeersch sweep past Koch and Hollmann. They're 1:05 down now.

Philipsen takes over from Vermeersch on the front. He's looking really assured here and he takes them back onto the tarmac.

58km to go

We've got a really tough portion of the race around the corner. A four-star sector at Bersée and then the fearsome Mons-en-Pévèle. 

Mons-en-Pévèle is one of three five-star sectors, and it's a brute, with horrible cobblestones. We've got a piece with a closer look at it. 

The Alpecin trio call for more work from the others, and Ganna and Degenkolb duly oblige. 

Sector 12: Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée ★★★★☆

All team cars are behind the peloton - none have had the chance to come through to the lead group. A puncture here could be curtains. 

Sjoerd Bax nearly comes undone as they hit potholes in the dirt strip by the cobbles. He has to unclip and is now off the back.

51.5km to go

He goes in the dirt, jumps onto the cobbles, and rips through a series of bends to ease clear

Degenkolb expertly follows and they exit the sector with a small gap.

Van Aert has to jump from behind. He goes round Kung, who can't go with it. 

It's coming back together but Van der Poel accelerates again! 

Huge early moves from both Van der Poel and Van Aert today.

They've dropped Ganna!

Kung, Pedersen, Philipsen have got across to Van der Poel, Degenkolb, and Van Aert. Ganna is scrambling behind.

Gianni Vermeersch is dropped, apparently for good.

Ganna eventually claws it back, with Rex and Walscheid in the wheel. And now Walscheid attacks. 

Sector 11: Mons-en-Pévèle ★★★★★

Ganna leads the rest of the group.

Walscheid is reeled in. 2km still to go on Mons-en-Pevele 

Van der Poel attacks again!!!

Van Aert responds immediately!

Philipsen springs onto it as well. Small gap to Kung then Ganna.

Whisper it, but Philipsen looks really good here.

Rex and Walscheid are dropped by this latest round of hand grenades.

Degenkolb moves past Ganna to follow Kung onto this move. What a race from the veteran German so far!

Van der Poel looks around and Van Aert comes to the front. Ganna and Pedersen claw their way back on.

45km to go

Van der Poel attacks again!

He waits for the tarmac for this latest move, and Van Aert is once again onto him. Gap to the rest!

Will the pair work together, and can they get away? What a story that would be, the latest chapter in this incredible rivalry. 

Laporte, Van Hooydonck, and F.Vermeersch come off Mons-en-Pevele down at 1:40. They got fairly close but it's done for them. 

To the previous question, the answer is no. Van Aert just marks Van der Poel and the others come back. Breathless stuff this.

Sector 10: Mérignies to Avelin ★★☆☆☆

AlpecinDeceuninck teams Dutch rider Mathieu Van Der Poel L and van JumboVisma teams Belgian rider Wout Van Aert R cycle with a pack of riders over the Trouee dArenberg cobblestone sector during the 120th edition of the ParisRoubaix oneday classic cycling race between Compiegne and Roubaix northern France on April 9 2023 Photo by AnneChristine POUJOULAT AFP Photo by ANNECHRISTINE POUJOULATAFP via Getty Images

(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

40km

Whatever happens, this is magical stuff from Degenkolb. He won this race in 2015 but never looked the same after his 2016 training crash. He did bounce back to win an emotional cobbled stage in the 2018 Tour de France. He simply loves this part of the world. 

Sector 9: Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin ★★★☆☆

Van der Poel goes again!

Van Aert is watching Van der Poel like a hawk. He's responding so quickly to every acceleration.

Van der Poel accelerated at the wrong time. He took too much speed into a corner and almost came a cropper. 

Van Aert opened this race with a long-range attack but more recently he has ridden a much more conservative race, responding to Van der Poel but just marking - apparently content to watch his rival fire bullets while ensuring they come to nothing.

At the moment, Van Aert and Van der Poel look like the two strongest riders. And Van Aert appears to be riding the smarter race. Could he finally land his first cobbled Monument?

35km to go

8 sectors remain, and the key pairing is Camphin-en-Pevele (4 stars) and Carrefour de l'Arbre (5 stars). they're the 5th and 4th sectors, respectively.

Sector 8: Templeuve - L'Epinette ★★☆☆☆

That's the end of sector 8. Two more three-star sectors before the key point in our finale. 

A 5km lull before the next sector. Will we see any moves in between?

A reminder of the front group

30km to go

AlpecinDeceuninck teams Dutch rider Mathieu Van Der Poel L and JumboVisma teams Belgian rider Wout Van Aert R cycle in the dust over the cobblestone sector during the 120th edition of the ParisRoubaix oneday classic cycling race between Compiegne and Roubaix northern France on April 9 2023 Photo by AnneChristine POUJOULAT AFP Photo by ANNECHRISTINE POUJOULATAFP via Getty Images

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Mechanical for Philipsen!

The cars are now up with this lead group, so he gets a quick change. It's not super urgent at the moment so the Belgian sprinter has a good chance of getting back in here. 

Philipsen makes use of the team cars to claw his way back. Still seven up front, and still two from Alpecin.

Sector 7: Cysoing to Bourghelles ★★★☆☆

Degenkolb takes over now, and pull aside as Philipsen hits the front. 

Philipsen takes us off it. The hostilities have eased in the past 15km and it looks like the calm before the Camphin-Carrefour storm. 

For more detail on the last remaining five-star sector, here you go. 

Sector 6: Bourghelles to Wannehain ★★★☆☆

Van der Poel nips onto the dirt gutter. Van Aert, as if by automation, does the same. He's following his rival's every move here.

Laporte has another puncture. His chase group was already done for but that's the final nail in the coffin.

20km to go

Sector 5: Camphin-en-Pévèle ★★★★☆

Pedersen takes the initiative. 

Kung has been hanging at the back for a little while. He's usually over generous with his turns.

90-degree bend and they're all round safely but it's not truly lighting up here. 

Van Aert is glued to Van der Poel's wheel.

Pedersen remains on the front and takes us all the way through Camphin-en-Pevele and onto the tarmac.

That was a solid tempo but nothing special. It's going to have to wait for the Carrefour de l'Arbre.

Or will it? Degenkolb gives it a little teaser, but we're going to go to the Carrefour as seven. It's just 1km away!

Sector 4: Carrefour de l'Arbre ★★★★★

Philipsen accelerates! Van der Poel nearly overcooks another bend.

Philipsen leads over these horribly rough cobblestones. Degenkolb second wheel, then Van der Poel.

Crash! Degenkolb collides into a spectator

Van Aert attacks!!

Van der Poel was moving around Degenkolb at the time of the crash and now he has ground to make up on Van Aert!!

Van der Poel jumps across to Van Aert on the cobbles. Incredible.

The pair are at it again. They lead together on the Carrefour de l'Arbre.

Van der Poel takes it up and leads his rival.

Van Aert is losing the wheel!!

Puncture for Van Aert!

Wow. Incredible stuff here. Rear wheel flat. 

Van der Poel is alone in the lead of Paris-Roubaix

Sector 3: Gruson ★★☆☆☆

Pedersen and Philipsen are the next on the road now 

Van Aert and Kung come back to those two.

They're 25 seconds down on Van der Poel with 13km to go.

Ganna is with them as well. So we have five riders chasing Van der Poel. Degenkolb is back up after his crash but podium hopes are gone.

Van Aert does a monster turn in the chase group and takes a couple of seconds off Van der Poel's lead. 

Two sectors remain, but the last one is a non-sector, just a ceremonial strip outside the Roubaix velodrome. 

Well, it did all happen on Carrefour de l'Arbre, but this race has been shaped by a crash and puncture.

10km to go

Can they chase him down? Tired turns from Kung and Pedersen, and suddenly Philipsen finds himself on the front of the group - he's not going to put any pressure on the pedals whatsoever. 

Van Aert is forced to sprint through to pick the pace back up but that lull has cost them six more precious seconds.

Van der Poel is on his way to a fourth Monument title. He has twice won Flanders and won San Remo earlier this spring. 

Sector 2: Willems to Hem ★★☆☆☆

Van Aert attacks! Philipsen jumps onto the wheel. What a race the sprinter is having today. He could make it an Alpecin one-two.

Ganna and Kung can't follow this one.

Near-miss! Van der Poel takes so much speed into yet another corner and he somehow stays upright.

6.5km to go

Van der Poel takes a drink. He's still at 35 seconds and it's in the bag now.

Van Aert accelerates again. Pedersen is dropped and Philipsen is still there!!

3km to go

He comes into Roubaix, hands on the hoods, teeth gritted. He's giving it everything but he's going to have time to enjoy this on the velodrome.

Sector 1: Roubaix - Espace Charles Crupelandt ★☆☆☆☆

1km to go

Here he comes, he pops out onto the track and the crowd roars.

One and a half laps to complete and now he takes the bell. 

Van der Poel raises his arm and starts to celebrate. 

He eases up, shakes his head, and prepares to cross the line.

Van der Poel wins it.

Philipsen punches the air for his teammate, but he's now got to try and sprint for second place. Philipsen vs Van Aert

Philipsen swoops and opens it, and takes it. It's an Alpecin 1-2 at Paris-Roubaix. Van Aert third. 

What a race!!

Results

The finish line shot

Let's hear from the winner

The key moment. Van Aert punctures, Van der Poel rides away. 

Mads Pedersen speaks

ROUBAIX FRANCE APRIL 09 Mathieu van der Poel of The Netherlands and Team AlpecinDeceuninck celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 120th ParisRoubaix 2023 Mens Elite a 2566km one day race from Compigne to Roubaix on UCIWT April 09 2023 in Roubaix France Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images

(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Confirmation that that was the fastest ever Paris-Roubaix. It's just the latest speed record to fall in recent times. 

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