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CW Live: Live updates of men's Paris-Roubaix as Mathieu van der Poel wins; Jasper Philipsen second for Alpecin-Deceuninck 1-2; Wout van Aert third; Peter Sagan abandons in last-ever edition

Follow live updates of the men's Paris-Roubaix where Wout van Aert is among several cards that Jumbo-Visma have to play

Follow live updates from the men's Paris-Roubaix as Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel both search for their maiden cobblestone.

Defending champion Dylan van Baarle is also riding for Jumbo-Visma, while Soudal-QuickStep has a squad replete of talent as the Belgian team looks to end a second successive barren cobbled Classics campaign on a high.

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Jumbo-Visma

A team full of superstars

(Image credit: Getty)

205km to go: Around 60km of racing until the first of 29 cobbled sectors, but still we are waiting for a breakaway to form. There's no shortage of riders trying on the open, undulating roads just north of Paris, but as of yet it's a peloton that remains all together.

193km to go: The speed has been rapid, averaging over 50km/h. The move that most recently tried to get up the road included Mathieu van der Poel, which was a presence no one expected. What was the Dutchman's aim?


Among the riders racing is Britain's Josh Tarling who at 19 years and 53 days is the youngest male rider to compete at Roubaix since 1937.

180km to go: Still no break, and this is exactly what Britain's best hope Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) predicted at the start: "To be honest, I don't think the break will go until the first sector," Wright said. "Obviously we would like to have someone there beforehand but I think all the anticipation, with every single team wanting a man in the break, it's hard to get that arrangement, it takes a long time. It will be a hard start."

Breakaway forms

Cobbles begin

CRASHES!

139km to go: Onto sector 25, the peloton is split into two distinctive parts due to the series of crashes and mechanicals, but the first half isn't trying to distance the second half behind. Up front, the four escapees are maintaining their lead of around 1-30. 

125km to go: Currently very calm at the head of the peloton - more purgatory than hell. But behind there are still a few crashes and mechanicals upending riders. There's still some way to go before we can expect the favourites to make their move.

Peter Sagan abandons due to crash

Van Aert and Van der Poel form chase group

CARNAGE ON THE ARENBERG

Dylan van Baarle crashes on Arenberg

91km to go: Well, that was chaos. Crashes, mechanicals and, perhaps most significantly, a big move from Trek-Segafredo's Mads Pedersen, who launched a move at the beginning of the five-star cobbles in an attempt to catch up to the van Aert group that is now leading the race. Van Aert did, however, lose Laporte as a companion, with the Frenchman suffering a flat tyre after exiting the Forest of Arenberg.

Paris-Roubaix

Nothing says hell like the Arenberg.

(Image credit: Getty)

73km to go: it looks very likely that the winner will come from this leading group that numbers 13. The peloton behind, with two Jumbo-Visma riders manning the pace, is almost two minutes down. Nathan van Hooydonck has clipped off the peloton to either try and join the break solo, or help Christophe Laporte rejoin.

60km to go: The leading group of 11 continue to march ahead, Alpecin-Deceuninck taking control on behalf of their leader Mathieu van der Poel. As they ride onto sector 13, Philipsen steps on his pedals to force a greater speed, an attempt perhaps to shed some riders from the leading group. 

Van der Poel attacks

Paris-Roubaix

(Image credit: Getty)

44km to go: Van der Poel attacks yet again, his third in less than 10km, and this time only Van Aert can match him. The duo had a gap of around 30 metres and six seconds to the group of five behind, but van Aert refused to take a turn.

Paris-Roubaix

(Image credit: Getty)

28km to go: There's been a lull in the action for approaching 20km, but expect that to change soon, for Ganna and Küng cannot go to the velodrome with those five fast finishers.

20km to go: Despite Philipsen being the assumed fastest man in the group, the Belgian takes a long pull at the front. The more this goes on, the more likely it plays into the hands of Philipsen. Or could Degenkolb repeat his success of 2015? It would be a phenomenal victory for Team DSM if he could do so.

18km to go: Onto the four-star Camphin-en-Pévèle, it's Mads Pedersen who takes control of the speed, with Küng - he who really needs to attack - at the back. The seven are working well together to ensure it will be one of them who wins, but it's surprising that we haven't seen any attacks since Van der Poel's hat-trick of attempts some 30km ago. 

Drama on the Carrefour de l'Arbe pavé

12km to go: With Philipsen behind in the chase group, it seems that Van der Poel is marching towards his first ever victory at Roubaix. He has a lead of 25 seconds. But, as van Aert just experienced, a puncture can occur at any time. It's not over yet...

7km to go: Van Aert is not done! He tries to make up the distance to Van der Poel, and Philipsen and Pedersen join him in his attack. But Van der Poel is motoring along, his lead now hovering around 35 seconds.

4km to go: Van Aert goes again, and this time only Philipsen can respond, with Pedersen cut adrift. An Alpecin 1-2 is on the cards. Van der Poel, meanwhile, still has a lead of 30 seconds

Mathieu van der Poel wins men's Paris-Roubaix

Van der Poel soaked up the plaudits as he rode across the line solo, and a lap later Jasper Philipsen made it a team 1-2, the Belgian beating Wout van Aert to second place. 

Top-10: Men's Paris-Roubaix 2023

Full race report can be read here

Thanks for following along to today's live blog. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Stay tuned to Cycling Weekly as our man on the ground Tom Davidson will have reaction later.

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