MAT Hayman, Jens Keukeleire and Mitch Docker to spearhead Orica-GreenEDGE in Paris-Roubaix
MAT Hayman, Jens Keukeleire and Mitch Docker will spearhead Orica-GreenEDGE’s assault on the iconic Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, bidding for landmark success in the “Hell of the North”.
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MAT Hayman, Jens Keukeleire and Mitch Docker will spearhead Orica-GreenEDGE’s assault on the iconic Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, bidding for landmark success in the “Hell of the North”.
The trio will be supported by Sam Bewley, Magnus Cort, Luke Durbridge, Svein Tuft and Luka Mezgec in the “Queen of the Classics” across 27 cobbled sectors.
The third of five monuments, Paris-Roubaix stretches 253km from Compiegne to Roubaix and has only once been won by an Australian — Adelaide’s Stuart O’Grady in 2007.
Often marred by bad weather — a section of cobbles is currently covered by mud — the race is notorious for its toughness and drama.
In total, the race offers 52km of cobbles with none more testing than in the Forest of Arenberg, Mons-en-Pevele and Carrefour de l’Arbre.
With Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling) joining Hayman, Docker and Durbridge as the only Australians in this year’s peloton, much interest will centre on Slovakian Peter Sagan’s tilt at completing the cobbled classics treble.
The world champion already has collected wins in Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders.
The Tinkoff star will again start favourite along with retiring Fabian Cancellara and Tom Boonen, Zdenek Stybar, Arnaud Demare and Alexander Kristoff.
Defending champion John Degenkolb is sidelined with injury.
Hayman, 37, has twice finished in the top ten (2011 and 2012) at Paris-Roubaix, while Belgian Keukeleire was 21st in Tour of Flanders behind Sagan.
Orica-GreenEDGE also continues its preparations for the Ardennes Classics in the Vuelta al País Vasco in Spain’s Basque Country.
Victorian Simon Gerrans showed he is on course for strong tilts on the Amstel Gold (a race he has placed third in three times) and the Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the race he won in 2015.
Gerrans was third on stage one and second on the third stage.
SBS will telecast the Paris Roubaix on Sunday.
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