Mathew Hayman wins Paris-Roubaix

Australian Mathew Hayman (Orica-GreenEdge) has had an incredible win at Paris-Roubaix beating four time winner Tom Boonen in a four way sprint at the end of the 257km cobbled classic. Ian Stannard finished third followed by Sep Vanmarcke with Edvald Boasson Hagen 3 seconds back in fifth place.

It was Mathew Hayman’s first Paris-Roubaix win in his fifteenth attempt and came only five weeks after fracturing his right radius bone.

“I still can’t believe it,” said Hayman. “I’ve had enough bad luck in Paris-Roubaix in the last fifteen years. Everything went right today, I was in a good place mentally, I was relaxed and I was trying not to put pressure on myself.”

“With one kilometre to go I was thinking that I would be happy just to be on the podium. I had a feeling that my legs were pretty good and I was happy to ride with Tom (Boonen) until the finish line but then it all came back together for the last lap.”

“I’ve been riding some track recently after breaking my arm five weeks ago. My legs were feeling pretty good going into the finishing straight when I started my sprint, I could see Tom’s tyre underneath my arm but I managed to keep going.”

How The Race Was Won

The race came down to a four way sprint in the velodrome and was won in the final half lap, to get to that point the race was lost by several of the big names in several incidents.

With about 115km left to race and the break out over 3 minutes there was a big crash in the peloton that let a group of favourites that included Boonen, Stannard, Boasson Hagen, Vanmarcke, Luke Rowe and Tony Martin ahead of the peloton that contained Fabian Cancellara, Peter Sagan and Niki Terpstra. The Boonen group built up a minute gap over the peloton putting Sagan and Cancellara at a huge disadvantage as nobody would work with them with most of the other riders having team mates up the road.

The Sagan / Cancellara peloton actually pulled the group back to about 30 seconds before Cancellara crashed on the Mons-en-Pévèle sector ending his chances and those of Sagan and Terpstra who crashed heavily after hitting Cancellara’s bike. Miraculously Sagan retained control of his bike after leaving it through the air and continued along with two Giant riders who had been unwilling to work, effectively ending Sagan’s chances.

I didnt know that I know how to fly 😀 @Paris_Roubaix pic.twitter.com/sywZgWjM54

— Peter Sagan (@petosagan) April 10, 2016

Further on Luke Rowe crashed avoiding a falling team-mate then Mathew Hayman was nearly felled by Stannard barging into a tight corner but eventually rejoined. With 5 kilometres to go the attacks started but it was Hayman entering the velodrome with Boonen on his wheel as the othes rejoined the first time around the main straight.

Hayman opened the sprint first with Boonen on his wheel, Stannard tried to come around Boonen but ran out of momentum as Hayman entered the finish straight and there was no stopping Hayman winning as Boonen crossed for second and Stannard third.

Heinrich Haussler made it two Australians in the top 10 with 6th place only one minute behind Hayman.

Waking up Aus? Hayman won #ParisRoubaix overnight!
REPORT: https://t.co/43irpZ2hxt
PHOTOS: https://t.co/tNuq4zZ9qb pic.twitter.com/MwvJGijpCX

— ORICA-GreenEDGE (@ORICA_GreenEDGE) April 10, 2016

Results of the 2016 Paris-Roubaix

Race report by TBL – The Bike Lane