ROUBAIX (Reuters) – Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel powered his way to his first Paris Roubaix victory on Sunday as he left his rivals reeling with a 15km solo attack at the end of a typically eventful “Hell of the North” race on Sunday.
Van der Poel (Alpecin–Deceuninck) was part of a seven-rider leading group that seized control with 50km of the 257km race remaining.
He then launched an attack on the Carrefour de l’Arbre cobbled section after John Degenkolb (Team DSM) crashed heavily and his main rival Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) punctured.
There was no stopping the 28-year-old Van der Poel then as he surged away in the sunshine towards the finish at the iconic Velodrome Andre-Petrieux.
On the second of two laps around the circuit Van der Poel could afford to milk the cheers of the crowd as he crossed the line. In the battle for second place his team mate Jasper Philipsen edged out fellow Belgian Van Aert.
(Writing by Martyn Herman; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
