Takeaways Trek-Segafredo Paris-Roubaix press conference 05.04.2018: Three former winners of Paris-Roubaix looked back at the Tour of Flanders and talked about their goals and ambitions for the upcoming Paris-Roubaix: John Degenkolb (2015), Mads Pedersen (2013, U19), 2nd in the Tour

Three former winners of Paris-Roubaix looked back at the Tour of Flanders and talked about their goals and ambitions for the upcoming Paris-Roubaix: John Degenkolb (2015), Mads Pedersen (2013, U19), 2nd in the Tour of Flanders last week and Jasper Stuyven (2010, U19), 4th in last year’s edition of Paris-Roubaix.



Jasper Stuyven: “The recon today was good. There was a lot of headwind, so you never feel really fast on the cobbles and on top of that, the course was also very muddy. So, now everybody will start talking again about how the cobbles will be on Sunday.



 In the last couple of years, we always had quite muddy conditions for the recon but in the race itself it was never that bad in the end. I think most likely not every section will be completely dry, but I am not really worried that on Sunday the situation will be as bad as it was today.”



John Degenkolb: “Haha, that would be interesting indeed.”



Jasper Stuyven: “In my opinion, last Sunday, in the Tour of Flanders, we were there as a team on all the important points. We played it perfectly, we were there in the final, as one of the teams with the most riders in the front. I am convinced that we have a really strong team. We demonstrated that last Sunday and we can do that again in Paris-Roubaix.”



John Degenkolb: “I didn’t come out of the Ronde van Vlaanderen with a perfect feeling, but then again, it was one of the hardest editions we did in the past few years. Even today, I still felt really tired from the race, because it was maybe one of the hardest races I have ever done.



 We raced from the gun to the finish and there was not one time during the race were the break was gone and the peloton went easy. Maybe the only time it felt easy during the race, was at the Kanarieberg where we were in front of the peloton. (laughs)



Otherwise, after a couple of kilometers today, I felt better and better and that was good to see, that the feeling on the cobbles was good and I am now looking forward to Sunday.”



Mads Pedersen: “At the start in Paris-Roubaix, I will feel exactly the same way as last Sunday at the start. We are still here with two leaders, John and Jasper, and my role will be exactly the same as it was in the Tour of Flanders.



For sure, my 2nd place last week gives me some more confidence for Paris-Roubaix, but in the end the feeling will be the same. I know we have a super strong team at the start and now, I know that I can be in the final in the longer races as well, so I am really sure I will be there in the final to help the guys.”



“I am still young, I still have something to learn and we have two big guys here that will be 100% sure the leaders just like they were in the last races as well.”



“Of course, after the Ronde, it will be more difficult to race in the way I did last Sunday, but like I said before, I am still here in another role. I am there to help our leaders.”



Jasper Stuyven: “Since Milano-Sanremo, I have finished in the top 10 of every race, between spot 5 and 10. I keep the same confidence for Sunday that I built up from the start of the Classics.


We raced as a team in a perfect way last Sunday and we will do so again this Sunday. Having this as a little extra and knowing that Roubaix suits me even better, will be what it takes to make it to the top 5 instead of finishing between spot 5 and 10."



“Last week we also had the goal to race as a team and go for the victory. We will do the same this weekend and for sure it would be nice to see my consistency throughout all the Classics rewarded with a nice cherry on the cake.”



“We said last week that John (Degenkolb) would aim for Roubaix, that’s a race that fits him well and that he has won already, so it would not be fair to change that strategy now.”



John Degenkolb: “I don’t feel extra pressure for Paris-Roubaix, it doesn’t feel as a ‘do or die’ to me, because we will keep racing after Roubaix. I will be at the start of the Amstel Gold Race and also in Frankfurt, and I will take a good break after that. That’s when we will evaluate the whole Classics campaign.”




Elke Weylandt, photo Trek Segafredo