'I don't want anything to do with Roubaix' – Quinn Simmons says Paris-Roubaix is 'so scary' as he targets other Classics

Don’t expect to see Quinn Simmons return to Paris-Roubaix soon, after the Lidl-Trek rider said he doesn’t want “anything to do” with the cobbled Monument.

The US road champion made his only career appearance at the ‘Hell of the North’ in 2021, then 20 years old and in his second year as a pro, in what was a wet and muddy edition. He did not finish the race.

Speaking as a guest this week on Watts Occuring, the podcast hosted by Luke Rowe and Geraint Thomas, Simmons explained why he will not race Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders this spring, and will instead target Strade Bianche and the Amstel Gold Race.

“I don’t want anything to do with Roubaix,” the 24-year-old said. “The risks to the reward, I don’t know, for me it’s such a dangerous race and it’s so scary. Realistically, I’m not going to win it, and I don’t have the balls to go 80kph towards Arenberg to maybe be top 10.

“It was one of the races that made me want to be a pro, but I think if I were to target one of the two, I think Flanders would be a better race for me. For sure, that’s down the line, but not this year.”

Simmons also has one career appearance at the Tour of Flanders, made too in 2021. He said he asked his team about returning to the Belgian Monument this season, and spoke to Classics leader Mads Pedersen about it, but it was decided he would not race.

“I think the way [Pedersen] looks at it is, on his day, he can beat those two [Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel], and he wants the team fully for him there,” Simmons said. “I’m not going to sacrifice a perfect preparation for Amstel to go and do a drag race the last time into the Kwaremont.

“I stay away from Belgium this year. Like you say, the team is so good, and with Mads as such a big leader, and so many guys to support him, there’s not really a spot for me.

“I can go to Strade as leader, and then I can also target Amstel, so for me those will be the two biggest one-day goals. To be honest, like you said, in Flanders, we already have the team that’s going to 100% nail the positioning. They don’t need me there. When you go with a guy like Mads as the leader, he deserves to have seven guys there for him.”

Simmons’s career best result at Strade Bianche came in 2022 when he finished seventh. He has started Amstel Gold twice – in 2023 and 2025 – but failed to finish both times.

Following his spring campaign, the US champion will head to the Tour de France, a race where he was a key animator last year, finishing second on stage six.

“Obviously, it’s the goal to step up,” he said of the year ahead, “but, I think also if I’m reasonable, if I just match last season, it’s already a success.”