“From the Ronde to Roubaix it's like going from a rock concert to a heavy metal one: the cobblestones of the Tour of Flanders are softer, that of the Roubaix that takes place today is hard and hostile, at first it gives you adrenaline, then in the end you end up hate him". The comparison is made by Matteo Trentin, who – returning from Flanders who saw an Italian victory with Roberto Bettiol after 12 years – is with Gianni Moscon and Filippo Ganna the man on whom the tricolor hopes of seeing one of our runners again first in the famous Vélodrome are pinned. 20 years after Andrea's last triumph. They are obviously not among the favourites, as indeed Bettiol was not a week ago in the classic-monument of the mythical walls. At the top of the predictions there are the usual names even if there is no predestined master as in past editions, with Greg Van Avermaet (winner in 2017) and Peter Sagan (winner in 2018) who played it equally.
History it is still the most popular with bookmakers even if this year has so far been a slightly faded photocopy of the champion we know: the fault – some say – of a virus contracted in March during the Tirreno-Adriatico or – others say entering the private life of the Slovakian champion – of the separation from the wife. The fact remains that in the classics held so far Sagan has only managed a fourth place in Sanremo and an eleventh place in Flanders. Sooner or later he will get tired of losing. That's why he is the only runner listed on the betting desk today. Behind him at 9 is Van Avermaet – evidently weakened at team level by the transition to the Ccc after the withdrawal from Bmc racing – and Alexander Kristoff, winner of Ghent-Wevelgem. Followed by 12 Oliver Naesen, Wout Van Aert and John Degenkolb (first in Roubaix in 2015 and triumphant in the stage of the 2018 Tour which ran on the same paved track). Not to be overlooked, even if they have higher quotations, are athletes who get married on cobblestones like the two big names in the Deuceninck Quick Step: Philippe Gilbert (another big name who has not yet won on French cobbles but who has all the potential to give Belgium the 57th victory out of the 116 editions of Paris-Roubaix disputed so far) and Znedek Stybar (already twice second in 2015 and 2017).
Fabian Cancellara left the scene who has won three Roubaix (2006-10-13) and Tom Boonen (record holder with 4 centers equal to Roger De Vlaeminck), is a Roubaix that will not move the hierarchy of multiple winners. Sagan, Van Avermaet, Degenkolb can only hit an encore. The last one to try to become a legend with a four-of-a-kind five hits was the unforgettable Boonen who postponed his retirement from racing for a year precisely to achieve this goal in the 2016 edition: a feat that now seemed within reach having made a vacuum behind him by detaching all the big names. Only Mathew Hayman remained at his wheel, a modest Australian, born in 1978, who had never won anything in his long career, but who at the Roubaix Velodrome found his day of glory by beating the great Tom in the sprint.
