Former Paris-Roubaix winner Johan Vansummeren(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Filippo Pozatto (Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Nicolo Bonifazio opts for the tricky task of walking to sign on in cleats(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Francisco Ventso makes his way to the sign on podium(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Adriano Malori(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Team Sky were handing out signs to fans for Bradley Wiggins' last race with the team(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Paris-Roubaix is Mat Hayman's favourite race(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Jens Keukeleire was a fan favourite at the start(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Greg Van Avermaet talks to the press(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Michael Schar walks through the crowds(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Jurgen Roelandts is hoping for some good luck and a strong finish today(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Jens Debusschere and all the other riders have the cobbled sector taped to their top tube(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Some extra tape to secure the SRM over the cobbles(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
A mechanic makes some last minute adjeustments to Albert Timmer's bike(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Orica-GreenEdge park their bikes for sign on(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar)(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
Koen de Kort will be hoping to deliver his teammate John Degenkolb to victory(Image credit: Sadhbh O'Shea)
It was a fine day in Compiègne as the riders lined up for the start of Paris-Roubaix. Some rain had fallen overnight, which should help to reduce the dust in the pavé sectors, and the conditions looked good for a day on the cobbles.
Plenty of Belgians had hopped over the border to see their heroes tackle the Hell of the North and they have plenty of contenders this Sunday with Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Jürgen Roelandts (Lotto-Soudal) and Sep Vanmarcke (LottoNL-Jumbo) all in with a shot at victory. Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) is the big favourite, after a stunning run on the cobbles, along with defending champion Niki Terpstra (Etixx-QuickStep).
Terpstra is one of only two former champions riding Roubaix, along with 2011 winner Johan Vansummeren (AG2R-La Mondiale). Other contenders for the title are Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-QuickStep), Lars Boom (Astana) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo). Bradley Wiggins will be hoping that he can end his tenure at Team Sky with a victory.
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