Paris-Roubaix is unique. No other race over the season is harder to finish – for most of the peloton anyway.
That fact might be hard to believe when watching Mathieu Van der Poel cruise into the Vélodrome André-Pétrieux to win the 2024 edition of the race exactly three minutes ahead of his closest competitor.
The Dutchman rightly took all the headlines in this year's Hell of the North, but behind him were riders who had fought with all they had through the farm roads of northern France just to cross the finish line.
Photographer Chris Auld was on the ground at the race, capturing the images that tell the story of the day. Here are our favourites.
(Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Chris Auld) A classic Paris-Roubaix visual as the riders speed through the farmland of northern France
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The early break of the day led by Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-QuickStep)
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Van der Poel's Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates kept the attackers on a short leash
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Former Irish champion Rory Townsend (Q36.5) on his monument debut
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Turn left for Roubaix!
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Gleb Syritsa in the breakaway for Astana Qazaqstan
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The Alpecin-Deceuninck domestiques go to work
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The much talked about 'chicane'
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The fans await the riders as they approach the legendary Trouée d'Arenberg
(Image credit: Chris Auld) All aboard the Van der Poel train – the World Champion's first attack of the race
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) in pursuit of Van der Poel
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Stefan Küng with young Groupama-FDJ teammate Laurence Pithie in his wheel
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Further back, it's a fight to stay in touch with the leaders
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Arenberg is a full gas effort
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The support car for Ineos Grenadiers was ideal for the rough terrain
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The world champion goes solo with 60km to go
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Küng pulls the chase group along on his way to fifth
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Grimace or smile from Lidl-Trek's Mads Pedersen?
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) called Paris-Roubaix an "epic race" after his debut
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) goes all-in
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Van der Poel never looked like getting caught by the chasers
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The lone figure of the rainbow jersey is at ease as he cruises round the velodrome, roared on by the fans
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Van der Poel was three minutes ahead of second place
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Van der Poel completes the cobbled monument double
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The rainbow jersey is still almost white
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The winner greets loved ones after the finish
(Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Chris Auld) The sprint is on for the podium placings
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Pithie crosses the line to take an impressive seventh on debut
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The New Zealander's arms shows the evidence of his crash
(Image credit: Chris Auld) 2015 winner John Degenkolb (dsm-firmenich-Post NL) leads out the sprint for 8th, which Meeus took
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Degenkolb greets family after coming 11th on his 12th Sunday in Hell
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The mud-splattered glasses of Sam Welsford (Bora-Hansgrohe)
(Image credit: Chris Auld) These shoes weren't white for long
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Jannik Steimle (Q36.5) crossed the line in 33rd
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The riders' hands take a beating over the pavé
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Cyrus Monk (Q36.5) was 48 minutes down, officially out of time
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Bert Van Lerberghe (Soudal - Quick-Step) processes the events of the day
(Image credit: Chris Auld) AJ August (Ineos Grenadiers) was the youngest rider in the race and made it to the velodrome
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Van der Poel waits to receive his second cobblestone trophy
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Fans stuck around to witness the podium ceremony
(Image credit: Chris Auld) Van der Poel, Philipsen and Pedersen on the podium
(Image credit: Chris Auld) The Dutchman's sixth monument victory
