'My first Paris-Roubaix and I win' - Sonny Colbrelli in disbelief after stunning victory

All three of the podium finishers were making their debut in the race

Sonny Colbrelli
(Image credit: Getty)

Sonny Colbrelli has expressed his amazement after winning a legendary 2021 edition of Paris-Roubaix.

The European and Italian champion formed a small chasing group after the Trouée d'Arenberg and eventually worked his way into the race's winning move, beating Alpecin-Fenix's pre-race favourite Mathieu van der Poel and little-known Florian Vermeersch of Lotto-Soudal in the velodrome.

It is Colbrelli's eighth win of a superb season, the 31-year-old falling to the grass in the immediate aftermath of his victory and letting out cries of joy and disbelief.

"It's unbelievable," the Bahrain Victorious rider told Eurosport. "My first Paris-Roubaix and I win? I don't know. I am very happy. 

"Today is a legend [edition] of Roubaix, no? With the rain, with the weather, with the race at the start, I attacked with 90km to go after the Arenberg and always I followed Van der Poel. Then after a super sprint I am very happy for this victory.

"It was super difficult: for the pain, for the attention, for the fight [to be] first on the sector; always there was stress in having [a good] position on the cobble stones."

Earlier in the race it looked like Italy's first winner in the Hell of the North since 1999 would come via Gianni Moscon, the Ineos Grenadiers rider holding an advantage of over a minute with 30km to ride.

"Gianni attacked 30, 40km at the start of the race - he was super, super strong," Colbrelli said of his fellow countryman. "How long is that, 200km? But behind Gianni, me, Van der Poel, Florian and the other two riders we worked well together.

"The Lotto Soudal rider started at 200 metres to go, but at 25 metres I jumped for the lead. I was on the limit but I am very happy.

"My [favourite] race is Flanders, and then second Roubaix. This is amazing. This year is my... I am very happy."

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Chris Marshall-Bell

A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.


Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.