‘The wind will be crucial’ – on the start line of Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Considering the peloton was about to embark on one of the most unpredictable and hardest races of the year, there was a relatively relaxed atmosphere at the start of the fourth Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift.

The riders got ready, some replete with blister plasters on their hands to battle against the vibration of the cobbles, and the mechanics made the final checks on the bikes, where wide tyres and 1x set-ups were almost ubiquitous.

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Lotte Kopecky and her team at the start of Paris-Roubaix 2024

One rider you couldn’t miss at the start was SD Worx-Protime’s Lotte Kopecky, standing out in a full white-and-rainbow skinsuit, with all eyes on her as the world champion and also a big favourite for the win.

“I have helpful nerves,” she said of her mood before the race. “I am really excited to race today and I think we get nice weather, we get a lot of wind and it will be a nice race I think.”

Wind was a hot topic of conversation, with gusts blowing at the start, and the conditions sure to have an impact on the race – whether making it fast in a tailwind or breaking up in the exposed sections.

“I think the wind is for sure going to have a crucial role today,” Kopecky said. “It can be crosswinds on the cobbles and then there can be no hiding so it will make the race harder. Also with the rain of the last days, you better stay out of the sides of the road so it only makes the race harder I think.”

“It will be a hard race with the side and the tailwinds, I think it will be a good battle,” her teammate Lorena Wiebes added.

• Read more: Embracing the history of Paris-Roubaix: Alison Jackson claims a space for women

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Marianne Vos and the Visma-Lease a Bike team at Paris-Roubaix 2024

As well as Kopecky, only one other rider really has favourite status on her shoulders today, and that’s Marianne Vos. The Dutchwoman has done well here before, but it’s a race that she’s not yet won – a rarity for the woman who had won almost everything there is to win in cycling.

“I don’t feel it as a missing race on my palmarès or something, but it’s just a fantastic race and I am happy to be here. I hope to fight for the win today,” Vos said at the start.

“I missed one of the editions but we have seen different scenarios all over. That’s the beauty of the race I think, everything can happen and that’s also the mindset you have to start it. There’s ten thousands scenarios that I can picture and probably the next one will be the one today. But I hope that we have luck at our sides a little bit and let’s hope for a nice battle.”

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Elynor Backstedt, Ilaria Sanguineti, Elisa Balsamo and Lauretta Hanson look relaxed ahead of the race

Neither SD Worx-Protime nor Visma-Lease a Bike stand out as the teams to watch, though, and that instead falls to Lidl-Trek, who have won two of the first three editions of this race, and have a few options here in Lucinda Brand and Elisa Balsamo.

Despite the unpredictability of Paris-Roubaix, Lidl-Trek know better than most how to win it, and will certainly be on the offensive today.

“I am not the only leader and of course our team is very motivated always for this race, not only the riders but all the people around it,” Brand said. “We know that we need to be in place in the front and from then on, we need to see how the race develops. It’s a race that it’s hard to predict how it is happening, we only know one thing for sure and that’s when you can’t waste a lot of energy in the wrong moment – that doesn’t help when you come on the track in Roubaix.

“I will anticipate the race, I really don’t know how I feel when I can try something. Sometimes you have a race where you can predict that, but this race is one I really need to see how things are going.”

It must be said, though, that the pressure is more on at SD Worx-Protime than Lidl-Trek, as the team that were dominant in spring 2023 look to come back from defeat at Flanders, and take their first Roubaix victory, something they’ve not managed so far.

“Last week was not my day in the Tour of Flanders but I had a lot of rest this week and I am really motivated. I think I am ready for today,” Kopecky said.

Despite talk that SD Worx-Protime need to win this race soon, the team played down any pressure as they prepared to take on the 150km of chaos.

“Yes but also we cannot say this season is good or bad because of this race, because there are many other races we aim for. Of course it is a race we want to win as a team but still everything needs to fall into place, especially here at this race. If you have bad luck the race can be over,” Wiebes said.

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