![\"\"](\"http:\/\/velorbola.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/sample-SAGAN-Peter260pp.jpg\")
<\/a>8 April 2018
116th Paris – Roubaix
1st : SAGAN Peter (SVK) Bora – Hansgrohe
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n
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In the cycling world, Paris\u2013Roubaix is also called the Hell of the North; depending on the weather, the race scenario plays out in different ways. This year it was sunny in northern France that day, and the race picked up speed quickly from the start.<\/p>\n
In the first 50 kilometers a stable breakaway group formed, and the race approached the cobbled sectors that way. Then the traditional selection began, well known to everyone.<\/p>\n
The favorites attacked at various times: first Philippe Gilbert tested his legs, then Greg also pushed. In the final phase of Greg’s attack, when a serious group had gathered around him, he gestured to those who had come across to take the initiative upon themselves. To everyone’s surprise, the reigning champion’s call was taken up by Peter Sagan, who simply raised the pace. There were still a little more than 54 kilometers left to the Roubaix velodrome, and his attack did not attract much attention. By the logic of the race it was still far too early for a decisive attack \u2014 and besides, letting Peter go all the way to the finish is no enviable thing: from a small group he is the undisputed favorite in a sprint, as he had shown just two weeks earlier at Gent\u2013Wevelgem, where it became clear who’s who at the finish line.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>8 April 2018
116th Paris – Roubaix
SAGAN Peter (SVK) Bora – Hansgrohe
DILLIER Silvan (SUI) ag2r – La Mondiale
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n
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And so they let Peter go! He crossed very quickly to the breakaway group, raised the pace there, and in the end, with 24 kilometers to the finish, only one of the earlier escapees was left with him \u2014 the reigning Swiss champion Silvan Dillier of AG2R La Mondiale. Silvan decided to work with Peter, and in our view he did the right thing: it gave him a minimal, but still real, chance of winning, and besides, he already had a Monument podium in his hands, which is certainly not something anyone lets slip \u2014 least of all a less decorated rider. Among Silvan Dillier’s achievements one can name only last year’s sixth stage of the Giro and the general classification of the Route du Sud, and that’s all.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>8 April 2018
116th Paris – Roubaix
SAGAN Peter (SVK) Bora – Hansgrohe
DILLIER Silvan (SUI) ag2r – La Mondiale
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n
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The meeting of interests paid off, especially since the chasers could not agree among themselves, and Peter and Silvan reached the Roubaix velodrome a minute ahead, where Peter predictably won the sprint and, for the first time in his career, took the Paris\u2013Roubaix winner’s cobblestone!<\/p>\n
It is only the second Monument of his career, after the 2016 Tour of Flanders. The absolute record holder, three-time world champion \u2014 and consecutively at that \u2014 still has a lot to prove in the Monuments. But this victory was historic in another way too: for the first time in 37 years, since Bernard Hinault’s triumph in 1981, a rider wearing the world champion’s rainbow jersey won the hellish cobbled race.<\/p>\n
The third step of the podium went to the Dutchman Niki Terpstra, winner of this year’s Ronde \u2014 the Tour of Flanders, the year’s second Monument. Niki attacked from the chasing group of big favorites before the velodrome; they could not respond and calmly let him go to the finish line in the velodrome.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>8 April 2018
116th Paris – Roubaix
1st : SAGAN Peter (SVK) Bora – Hansgrohe
2nd : DILLIER Silvan (SUI) ag2r – La Mondiale
3rd : TERPSTRA Niki (NED) Quickstep Floors
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA<\/p><\/div>\n
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Featured image: Yuzuru SUNADA<\/em>\/www.yuzurusunada.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Inside post thumbnail image:\u00a0Yuzuru SUNADA<\/em>\/www.yuzurusunada.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n