Video round-up: Paris-Roubaix team recces and more

Sunday sees what for many – pro cyclists included – is THE one-day race of the season, Paris-Roubaix, and teams have been out this week undertaking their reconnaissance of the course focusing of course on some of the more difficult of the 29 sections of pavé that are the signature feature of the race.

Here’s our round-up of some of the videos and pictures that we have spotted on social media ahead of the 257-kilometre race from Compiegne to Roubaix, starting with this introduction from organisers ASO to the event nicknamed the Queen of the Classics and the Hell of the North.

And here is the official teaser.

Here’s LottoNL-Jumbo taking on the Arenberg

@LottoJumbo_road #ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/wvgTsAC514

— Paris-Roubaix (@Paris_Roubaix) April 5, 2018

And here’s a view on that secteur by a former pro who never rode this race – but did ride over these cobbles from the opposite direction during the 2010 Tour de France.

Can you imagine hitting these at 60kph?

This is the run in to the infamous Arenberg Forest, which they treat like a sprint finish. The cobbles they hit here are atrocious, far worse than I remember.

I really take my hat off to everyone who races #parisroubaix. Crazy race. pic.twitter.com/tbUWnMwsih

— Daniel Lloyd (@daniellloyd1) April 4, 2018

Will this be Peter Sagan’s year?

#ParisRoubaix #recon @petosagan #BORAhansgrohe @Paris_Roubaix pic.twitter.com/gz6ooFhhos

— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) April 5, 2018

Chapeau.

#ParisRoubaix

This young man manged to hang on with our riders for a section of the cobbles during the recon.

Chapeau! pic.twitter.com/csNxFl6Bg3

— Team Dimension Data (@TeamDiData) April 5, 2018

A bit of friendly rivalry between AG2R La Mondiale and Groupama-FDJ during their recce yesterday.

@Paris_Roubaix

Attaque d’@OliverNaesenLa @GroupamaFDJ se lance à sa poursuite !
La course a déjà commencé pendant la reco

@OliverNaesen attacks Groupama-FDJ now chasing.
The race has already started during the recon #ALLEZALM pic.twitter.com/SJh23jDxd5

— AG2RLM Cyclisme (@AG2RLMCyclisme) April 5, 2018

Didi the Devil has employed his design skills on a rather unique bike to tackle the cobbles.

Look who is already here !
Il est déjà là ! #ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/eG2k93qXZt

— Paris-Roubaix (@Paris_Roubaix) April 5, 2018

In the build-up to the race, the slightest sight of mud gets the hopes up among a lot of fans that we could see a particularly epic edition. The forecast is that it will be dry through to Sunday, but there’s work to be done by volunteers in clearing the mud that is already on some parts of the course.

[BREAKING NEWS]

En raison de l’état du secteur d’Haveluy, nous allons faire passer en urgence demain une balayeuse.

Because of the situation of the sector of Haveluy, we are going to make, as a matter of urgency tomorrow, a sweeper pass.#ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/0GQkjSeC0h

— Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix (@A_ParisRoubaix) April 5, 2018

ASO’s Thierry Govenou is among those hoping parts of the course will dry out.

Il parait que ça va sécher!!! pic.twitter.com/Btbe8mgnFk

— Gouvenou (@tgouvenou) April 4, 2018