Lucky dip could affect Roubaix outcome

Paris-Roubaix's team car order will be decided by drawing names out of a hat this weekend. The move, which has upset some team directors, has come as a result of the dispute between the UCI and race organiser ASO.

With the 2008 edition being staged outside of the UCI's ProTour structure, it means the team car order for the one day event isn't decided by ProTour team standings. In years gone by the car order has been awarded based on these standings, but in its place will be a lottery system for this year's event.

Quick Step sport director Wilfried Peeters is not happy with this system and would like to see it scrapped, believing that the top teams should be protected. "Otherwise we could lose Paris-Roubaix on Saturday already," he told Sporza.

The position of the team car can play an important role in the race which traditionally has the most punctures of any of event, according to Peeters.

The first 10 team cars in the Tour of Flanders were determined by the ProTour standings, with the rest were decided via a lottery. As Paris-Roubaix does not make up part of the ProTour, all positions will be decided by lottery.

"That could be a problem," said Peeters. "I can't think about the fact that we could draw the last or second last number. The most important teams should be protected."