After two years of absence, the ‘Hell of the North’ will finally be ridden again. The start is traditionally in Compiègne, a town at eighty kilometres from Paris. After 100 kilometres, the first cobbled section appears, after which the sections follow each other in quick succession. The finish line is, also traditionally, on the Vélodrome of Roubaix. The riders have to overcome fifty-five kilometres of cobblestones in total.

Wout van Aert is on the eve of his last road race of the season. “It is one of the most beautiful classics of the year, so you have to be motivated to race here. We have a strong team with us. I will only really feel how good I am in the final on Sunday, when we have already had a tough race. Hopefully, I will have good legs on Sunday and Mike Teunissen and I can play a role in the final.”

“The cobbled roads are farm roads. If there is more traffic on them, they throw mud on the road”, the 27-year-old Belgian said after the exploration. “Rain or not, there will be a few tricky passages in between anyway. I hope it doesn’t rain because then the race is very dangerous. On the other hand, my experience in cyclocross can be useful when the weather is bad. You can’t influence the weather. The reconnaissance is always fun and important here, especially to test the equipment. For me, it is the most exciting training of the year. The feeling was good, and I hope to finish my season with satisfaction.”

This year’s Belgian semi-classic will take place on Tuesday 5 October. The cobblestones in Binche traditionally form the backdrop for a tricky finish. Team Jumbo-Visma will have a strong team, and Dylan Groenewegen and Mike Teunissen will be the proficient riders in the province of Hainault.