Max Walscheid will spearhead the Team Jayco AlUla line-up at the “queen of the classics” Paris-Roubaix on Sunday.
Walscheid has shone in his first classics campaign with the Australian squad, supporting several of the team’s leaders. He will get his own chance to lead the team at the weekend in a race where he finished in the top 10 in 2023.
Backing the German will be the experienced Luke Durbridge, who will be lining up for his 10th appearance. Amund Grøndahl Jansen and Elmar Reinders are back for their third time, while Kell O’Brien is returning after his debut last season.
There will be two Roubaix rookies in the squad this season in the form of Blake Quick and Anders Foldager.
First raced in 1896, Paris-Roubaix is one of the oldest races on the cycling calendar and one of the most iconic. On Sunday, the riders will race over 260km, taking in some 29 sectors of brutal cobblestones.
Team Jayco AlUla line-up:
Luke Durbridge
Anders Foldager
Amund Grøndahl Jansen
Kell O’Brien
Blake Quick
Elmar Reinders
Max Walscheid
Max Walscheid:
“The classics period went very well for me. I came in shape to Belgium, rode well through all races, was lucky to have no crashes or health issues and feel like it’s perfectly ramping up for my personal highlight on Sunday.
Finishing 20th in Flanders was great confirmation on shape, legs in Scheldeprijs were good, and now it’s mostly easy days until Sunday. Of all the classics, Roubaix is by far the best race for me. My legs, the team and material are all ready and I hope to continue the streak of good results I had in my last two participations.
There’s no other race like Roubaix. You fear it, you love it, you dream of it. I will try to stay out of trouble, hope to have no mechanicals and then I will be there.”
Mathew Hayman (Sport Director):
“I think the whole team are looking forward to Sunday. It’s the end of the cobbled classics and it has been a pretty successful campaign. Max will be our leader on Sunday. He’s finished 12th and eighth before and he did a great ride at Flanders so he’s coming into some great form. He’ll be well supported by some guys who really love racing there, Elmar Reinders, Kell O’Brien, Luke Durbridge, and Amund Grøndahl Jansen. We also have Anders Foldager and Blake Quick coming in for their first Roubaix and it will be a chance for them to learn the roads and the race.”
Photo: Sprint Cycling
