On the start line at Paris-Roubaix: 'Mathieu van der Poel was dancing in the team bus'

The Paris-Roubaix start town of Compiègne is often a hum of nervous energy on the morning of race day, with the peloton keen to get underway, sports directors busy finalising their masterplans and fans eager to get a glimpse of their heroes.

For defending champion Mathieu van der Poel, however, it seems that the pressure of the day was not weighing too heavy on Sunday morning.

"He was at least looking pretty calm, relaxed and he was doing some dancing in the bus before we left, so his mood was good," his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Silvan Dillier told GCN at the start of the race.

For the Belgian team, who count Van der Poel and last year's runner-up Jasper Philipsen among their number, Sunday will be another test, but one they can certainly live up to. Alpecin-Deceuninck have already won Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders this spring.

"For sure, most of the eyes are on us, but Paris-Roubaix is still a little bit different than De Ronde and Milan-San Remo, especially," noted Dillier. "I think we have to see what the other teams want to do and then adapt and try to make our own race as good as possible."

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The start line of Paris-Roubaix

One of Alpecin-Deceuninck's major rivals, Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), was keen to point out that Van der Poel would not be the only obstacle in his way on Sunday, as he looks to win Paris-Roubaix at the first time of asking.

"I'm here to enjoy it and when I enjoy it I get the most out of myself. It's not just Van der Poel, he might puncture, or crash and he might be out of the race in the first 100km, it's not just about one guy," he told reporters.

Van der Poel and Pidcock have enjoyed many an encounter in the cyclo-cross fields of Northern Europe, but this afternoon brings the first showdown between the pair over the cobblestones. It is arguably terrain that suits Van der Poel better, weighing in at 17kg heavier than the 24-year-old.

• Read more: 10 riders to watch at the men's Paris-Roubaix

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Tom Pidcock was very excited ahead of his first elite Paris-Roubaix start

Not only are heavier riders more likely to produce bigger power numbers, but they are naturally built to soak up the wear and tear of sustained riding over the cobbles, but despite this, Dillier is certain that Pidcock will prove a major contender on Sunday afternoon.

"Many think that the lightweight riders are at a disadvantage in a race like Paris-Roubaix, but if you remember how [Vincenzo] Nibali was racing on the cobbles during the Tour de France, he proved that also lightweight guys can be really good," the former runner-up told GCN.

As for the rest of the peloton, the jury was out on when the race might explode on Sunday afternoon.

Will the favourites emerge before the Arenberg?

Accepting of Alpecin-Deceuninck's responsibility to pull on the front of the peloton, Dillier seemed pretty sure that the race might break up in advance of the Trouée d'Arenberg, which falls with a little over 95km to ride.

"I think there are quite a few sectors, depending on how the wind is, that the race can be already split all over the place before the Arenberg. I think it is something we have to be aware of," he concluded.

Such a chaotic opening few hours was also predicted by Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale's Edvald Boasson Hagen.

"Probably from KM0 it will explode! It feels earlier and earlier every year," he told GCN on Sunday morning. "It is always the dream [to win] but the level isn't getting easier, so it is always harder."

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Boasson Hagen's teammaet Oliver Naesen at the start

Dissenting from popular opinion, UAE Team Emirates' Mikkel Bjerg had a sense that the introduction of a chicane just metres with the Arenberg would make the race less selective in the opening hours.

Read more: Chicane added to slow entry to Arenberg cobbled sector

"I think it will split after the Arenberg, because I think we will arrive with a lot of riders before the Arenberg and now with the chicane, it will split after that," he told GCN, tipping his teammate Nils Politt for a strong showing on Sunday afternoon.

"It is a race for Nils, he has already shown he can really perform here so I will try to help him today and hopefully we can pull off something really good."

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Nils Politt in the middle for UAE - here's their best hope for Roubaix

Our final insight from the peloton came from Soudal Quick-Step's Tim Merlier, whose team hold quiet confidence in the Belgian after his Scheldeprijs victory on Wednesday. After being informed of Bjerg's prediction for a less selective opening, Merlier can't help but crack a smile. Such a scenario would suit the sprinter perfectly.

"I hope so! We will see in some hours. To finish alone will be really difficult."

Read more: Tim Merlier can win Paris-Roubaix: Here's how

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