Filippo Ganna to lead Ineos Grenadiers at Paris-Roubaix
British squad announce seven man team for Hell of the North


Filippo Ganna is to lead Ineos Grenadiers at Paris-Roubaix on Sunday. The Italian rouleur has never finished the Hell of the North, but his time-trialling prowess is thought to suit the pavé of northern France.
He will be joined by Dylan van Baarle, runner up at the Tour of Flanders a fortnight ago, Michał Kwiatkowski, the winner of the Amstel Gold Race, and Magnus Sheffield, the winner of Brabantse Pijl.
Ganna won the under-23 edition of Paris-Roubaix in 2016 and is a multiple track world champion, and wants to use his power to conquer the cobblestones.
He has spoken before about his desire to prove that he can win more than just time-trials, and a one-day race like Roubaix is the perfect opportunity.
"There will be great opportunities to show that I am not ‘just’ a time triallist or a track cyclist," he said earlier this year.
All but two of Ganna's 16 road victories have come against the clock, the exceptions being a breakaway win in the 2020 Giro and a stage of the Etoile de Bessèges last year.
He has also won multiple team and individual pursuit medals on the track, and is part of the current world and Olympic champion team pursuit squad.
The Italian has never finished Roubaix, coming in outside the time limit in 2018 and then not finishing the race in 2019, but has been training hard for this opportunity.
Ganna has been working at the Montichiari track in Italy, with Italian national track coach Marco Villa, replicating the high-intensity efforts he will need over the cobbled sectors.
He will slot into an Ineos Grenadiers team that looks in perfect form for Sunday, with successive win in one-day races in northern Europe: Kwiatkowski last Sunday at Amstel, and Sheffield at Brabantse Pijl on Wednesday.
The squad has looked revitalised in the Classics this year, riding aggressively and leading attacks. One notable absentee is Tom Pidcock, who is focusing on La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège next week.
Ineos, or its former guise Team Sky, has never won at Roubaix. The closest they came was third with Ian Stannard in 2016.
Last year Gianni Moscon finished fourth for the team, after finishing fifth in 2017. However, the Italian now rides for Astana Qazaqstan, and will not be lining up at Roubaix this year.
The lineup
Filippo Ganna (Ita)
Luke Rowe (GBr)
Ben Turner (GBr)
Magnus Sheffield (USA)
Dylan van Baarle (Ned)
Michał Kwiatkowski (Pol)
Cameron Wurf (Aus)
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hello, I'm Cycling Weekly's senior news and features writer. I love road racing first and foremost, but my interests spread beyond that. I like sticking to the tarmac on my own bike, however.
Before joining the team here I wrote for Procycling for almost two years, interviewing riders and writing about racing.
Prior to covering the sport of cycling, I wrote about ecclesiastical matters for the Church Times and politics for Business Insider. I have degrees in history and journalism.
-
-
Same teams, new faces: Murphy, Langley crowned US national road racing champions
Full team effort from Human Powered Health rewarded with national title for Kyle Murphy; Emma Langley (EF Education-Tibco SVB) drops breakaway companion for her Stars & Stripes jersey
By Clara Beard • Published
-
'Can you imagine winning a 35th Tour de France stage in the British champion's jersey?' asks Mark Cavendish, admitting Tour ride is 'unlikely'
The Manx Missile said 'I'm good enough to do the Tour'
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan • Published
-
'Dismiss Geraint Thomas at your peril' — Bradley Wiggins sees Welshman as Tour de France 'underdog'
Ineos Grenadiers rider will head to Tour off the back of Tour de Suisse win
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Covid threatens to disrupt Tour de France line-up
Virus sweeps through the peloton at key preparation races with Tour de Suisse race leader Vlasov forced to abandon
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Adam Yates out of Tour de Suisse with covid
Brit returns a positive test for coronavirus but the rest of Ineos Grenadiers will race on in Switzerland.
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Can anyone stop the Jumbo juggernaut? Five talking points from the Critérium du Dauphiné
Wout van Aert and Primož Roglič are the best at the French race, but the Tour de France is another level up
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Filippo Ganna storms to time trial victory on stage four of the Critérium du Dauphiné
Wout van Aert second on stage yet again, Belgian remains in yellow jersey with increased lead
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Second at the Giro d'Italia an unwanted birthday present for Richard Carapaz
Ineos Grenadiers leader all but certain to finish as runner-up after tumultuous penultimate day
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Is this Ineos Grenadiers' Tour de France team? Geraint Thomas teases with eight-man training squad photo
It would not be a surprise to see the same faces in Copenhagen
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Richard Carapaz is ready for whatever the Giro d'Italia final week throws at him
Ecuadorean's confidence bolstered by the strength of his Ineos Grenadiers team
By Adam Becket • Published