6 days Ago By [email protected] (Will Jones)
While I am a tech journalist by job title, what I really like doing is flying free with my camera when my tech spotting is all done for the day. No other race provides an opportunity to capture the pain that professional cyclists endure like Paris-Roubaix, and so, once I'd polished off my women's tech gallery and my men's tech gallery on consecutive days, I was free to roam around the centre of the velodrome to capture whatever caught my eye. Last year I took you inside the Roubaix showers.
That's a fun gallery too if you're curious about sport's strangest hall of fame, but it was too much of a scrum this year, given it was Tadej Pogačar's first visit.Without further ado, he's a load of cyclists looking anywhere from elated to utterly wrecked. I hope you enjoy it.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Let's start with some joy as Pauline Ferrand-Prévot crosses the line. (Image credit: Will Jones)Not everyone was a cheery as this it must be said - Most riders looked like they'd been through hell. (Image credit: Will Jones)Daniek Hengeveld sat alone at the finish, staring off into nothing really.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Lizzie Deignan, on her last Paris-Roubaix, was worn out but seemed to be loving it nonetheless. (Image credit: Will Jones)I imagine this about sums up the weekend for a lot of riders.(Image credit: Will Jones)The Fenix–Deceuninck team all seemed happy, sat in the sun against the barriers swapping war stories.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Collapsing onto the (fake) grass was par for the course for many. (Image credit: Will Jones)Despite fighting for a podium, Marianne Vos seemed utterly unphased by the work she'd just done. (Image credit: Will Jones)Don't read too much into this, she wasn't actually angry at anyone.
..(Image credit: Will Jones)And was in a jovial enough mood to express the fatigue for me.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Former winner Alison Jackson refuels from the floor, surrounded by staff and photographers. (Image credit: Will Jones)All smiles in the mixed zone afterwards though, and happy to talk to many journalists. (Image credit: Will Jones)British rider Imogen Wolff was also in high spirits in the press area.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Carys Lloyd, the youngest rider ever at Paris-Roubax Femmes, tells tales of how her computer smashed mid-race, leaving her to ride the remainder on feel. (Image credit: Will Jones)Maud Rijnbeek of VolkerWessels was clearly suffering a little.(Image credit: Will Jones)Vittoria Guazzini had an excellent thousand-yard stare.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Chloe Dygert was clearly in some distress, having gotten her fuelling a little wrong. (Image credit: Will Jones)Chiara Consonni embraces Zoe Backstedt at the finish. (Image credit: Will Jones)Letizia Borghesi was suitably dust-encrusted by the end of the race.
I don't think her podium place had kicked in yet. (Image credit: Will Jones)Flora Perkins shows off her hands to the cameras. (Image credit: Will Jones)All smiles for Tadej Pogačar at the sign-on.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Considering the effort needed to win his third Roubaix, Mathieu van der Poel looked relatively composed as he entered the velodrome. (Image credit: Will Jones)Second on debut isn't bad, but it's not what Pogačar was after.(Image credit: Will Jones)Ganna, shortly before necking a cherry juice, then a Fanta, then a handful of gummy bears.
(Image credit: Will Jones)The scrum of photographers around Wout van Aert was something to behold. (Image credit: Will Jones)Colby Simmons, at the end of a whirlwind fortnight that included signing for a new team, riding the Tour of Flanders, and then Paris-Roubaix, just before heading for the showers. (Image credit: Will Jones)Alec Segaert of Lotto had been in the wars.
(Image credit: Will Jones)I think the emotion of finishing finally bubbled over here. (Image credit: Will Jones)Bloody knees were two a penny. (Image credit: Will Jones)Josh Tarling was the most salt-encrusted rider I could find.
(Image credit: Will Jones)His Olympics tattoo showed through his Ineos jersey.(Image credit: Will Jones)Young Brit Matthew Brennan had to field plenty of questions, but did so with good grace. (Image credit: Will Jones)Giacomo Nizzolo had also been in the wars.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Considering I heard some riders complaining of broken ribs, I think he probably got away lightly. (Image credit: Will Jones)The Unibet Titema Rockets riders seemed shell-shocked after their first-ever Roubaix. (Image credit: Will Jones)Biniam Girmay appareared pretty composed after the race.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Fred Wright was all smiles, reclined on the floor and seemed to be soaking it all in. (Image credit: Will Jones)Rasmus Pedersen of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale couldn't rehydrate fast enough.(Image credit: Will Jones)He was clearly in some degree of discomfort.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Cees Bol of XDS-Astana was similarly gassed.(Image credit: Will Jones)I did go in the showers briefly. It's a strange place to be, with riders washing surrounded by about 20 photographers.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Colby Simmons assessed his wounds before heading for his first Roubaix shower. (Image credit: Will Jones)Off comes the finger tape. (Image credit: Will Jones)Jack Rootkin-Gray had some excellent helmet dust lines.
(Image credit: Will Jones)Despite having to take some time off with a virus, Kasper Asgreen still raced, then had the traditional wash. (Image credit: Will Jones)Taco van der Hoorn emerges from his cubicle, ready to face the evening. (Image credit: Will Jones)After the press conferences, Mads Pedersen rides off back to his team bus for a well earned dinner.
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