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We take a look back at the last 20 years of Paris-Roubaix a few days before the 116th edition.

Photos by Yuzuru Sunada.

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It is one of the most anticipated races on the calendar, a true Classic that captures the imagination of sport fans around the world. Paris-Roubaix is unique on so many levels. The pavé of northern France is celebrated but it is also brutal on riders and bikes.

Not since 1997 has a Frenchman won the title and there’s little suggest that a ‘local’ will make amends in 2017. But we take a moment to reflect on the last 20 editions, back to when Frédéric Guesdon raced a steel framed bike to victory on the velodrome in Roubaix.

This is a race that has changed the lives of many. To win it, is to get a taste of true sporting glory and the prospect of that lures riders back time and time again.

Mathew Hayman, the champion from 2016, is the second Australian to win the title and he’ll be back again in 2018.

RIDE Media has reported on the race for 20 years and on Sunday we’ll again tune into SBS TV’s live coverage and cheer on Hayman and all others as they wrestle their way from Compiegne to Roubaix, over cobblestones on through the dust or mud or whatever conditions are conjured by the weather.

The trophy is a cobblestone and it is an object of desire for a special breed of rider. When the chance comes to hold it aloft, the temptation to kiss the rock is difficult to resist…

 

Below you’ll find images by Yuzuru Sunada from the last 20 years of Paris-Roubaix.

It’s interesting to consider the evolution of riders and bikes, and surprising how often some face reappear in a race that can be as random as what Paris-Roubaix is.

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Franco Ballerini won Paris-Roubaix in 1995 and 1998. He concluded his racing career on the velodrome in 2001 (above) by unzipping her jersey to reveal an undershirt with the words: ‘Merci Roubaix’.

Photo: Yuzuru Sunada

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SBS will again broadcast the race live, starting with online steaming from 6.45pm AEST, and on television from around 9.30pm on Sunday evening 8 April 2018.

For more information on the broadcast in Australia, tune into SBS Cycling Central.

We begin our gallery by Yuzuru Sunada with a fantastic shot of last year’s champion, Greg Van Avermaet and backtrack through the years to the image of Guesdon in 1997, the first year of sponsorship for the team then known as La Française des Jeux. But first, here is a summary of winners of the 20 most recent editions and a reminder of their teams and the equipment they used.

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Year Winner Team Bike Groupset
2017 Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) BMC Racing BMC Shimano
2016 Mathew Hayman (AUS) Orica-GreenEdge Scott Shimano
2015 John Degenkolb (GER) Giant-Alpecin Giant Shimano
2014 Niki Terpstra (NED) Omega Pharma-Quickstep Specialized SRAM
2013 Fabian Cancellara (SUI) RadioShack-Leopard Trek Shimano
2012 Tom Boonen (BEL) Omega Pharma-Quickstep Specialized SRAM
2011 Johan Vansummeren (BEL) Garmin-Cervélo Cervélo SRAM
2010 Fabian Cancellara (SUI) Saxo Bank Specialized SRAM
2009 Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick-Step Specialized Campagnolo
2008 Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick-Step Specialized Campagnolo
2007 Stuart O’Grady (AUS) Team CSC Cervélo Shimano
2006 Fabian Cancellara (SUI) Team CSC Cervélo Shimano
2005 Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick-Step-Innergetic Time Campagnolo
2004 Magnus Bäckstedt (SWE) Alessio-Bianchi Bianchi Campagnolo
2003 Peter Van Petegem (BEL) Lotto-Domo Merckx Campagnolo
2002 Johan Museeuw (BEL) Domo-Farm Frites Merckx Campagnolo
2001 Servais Knaven (NED) Domo-Farm Frites Merckx Campagnolo
2000 Johan Museeuw (BEL) Mapei-Quickstep Colnago Shimano
1999 Andrea Tafi (ITA) Mapei–Quickstep Colnago Shimano
1998 Franco Ballerini (ITA) Mapei-Bricobi Colnago Shimano
1997 Frédéric Guesdon (FRA) Française des Jeux Gitane Shimano

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Related links:

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Search the RIDE Media archives and you can find a host of features about Paris-Roubaix.

Our exclusive interview with Hayman a day after his victory in 2016 provided a few classic lines from a rider who will be back in 2018 to take on the race for the 19th time since his debut in 2000. (He was 11th last year and, for a summary of his results before then, click here.)

 

Hayman on his victory in 2016

“I guess you make dreams goals and things like that but definitely this year it was always a bit of a surreal race for me in the way that I felt no pressure at all and I seemed to be in ‘the zone’ that athletes talk about.

“I was just out there having fun and doing something that came naturally.

“I wasn’t planning anything…

“I was thinking and decisions were being made but they were automatic. I was just on autopilot. And I think that’s what I had over the other guys.

“I wasn’t selecting gears.

“I wasn’t thinking about this or that.

“I was just, ‘I’ve been here, I’ve done this race, I’ve missed out a few times…’

“There was a few times when, on Carrefour de l’Abre when I was dropped off for a while – that was one of the times I said, ‘No, no..! I really want this. Keep going.’

“Although I was a little bit worried at that point that it could have been my race and that it could very well have been another point where I didn’t really panic and I just rode myself back on.

“The closer I got to the finish I saw how tired the other guys were. And I’ve raced with them before a lot so I’m pretty aware of [them].

“I didn’t feel that anybody was invincible.”

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2017 – 1st: Greg Van Avermaet

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2016 – 1st: Mathew Hayman

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2015 – 1st: John Degenkolb

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2014 – 1st: Niki Terpstra

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2013 – 1st: Fabian Cancellara

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2012 – 1st: Tom Boonen

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2011 – 1st: Johan Vansummeren

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2010 – 1st: Fabian Cancellara

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2009 – 1st: Tom Boonen

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2008 – 1st: Tom Boonen

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2007 – 1st: Stuart O’Grady

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2006 – 1st: Fabian Cancellara

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2005 – 1st: Tom Boonen

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2004 – 1st: Magnus Backstedt

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2003 – 1st: Peter van Petegem

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2002 – 1st: Johan Museeuw

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2001 – 1st: Servais Knaven

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2000 – 1st: Johan Museeuw

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2000 – 1st: Johan Museeuw

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1998 – 1st: Franco Ballerini

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1997 – 1st: Frédéric Guesdon

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