Many thought it was too soon to race the Hell of the North – but as veteran Robin Carpenter said, “It’s something that you can’t really pass up.”
Cor Vos, Kit Nicholson
Paris-Roubaix is a race like no other. It’s a race with over a century of folklore. It’s a race for the experienced, and one that many of the best cyclists on the planet dream of winning for their whole careers. And every year, dozens of newcomers get their initiations at this historic event. For some, it’s a once in a lifetime experience; for others, it opens up a world of possibility and maybe even helps to define a career.
Brand-new ProTeam Modern Adventure Pro Cycling was awarded a wildcard entry this year, and unsurprisingly, the American team’s roster comprised more debutants than any other. Only Riley Pickrell brought experience of the ‘Hell of the North’ having raced two previous editions, finishing, though outside the time limit, on his first attempt in 2024. But Paris-Roubaix is one of the very few races for which just finishing, regardless of time cut, carries immense prestige.
It’s extraordinary that this new team, now in just its fourth month of existence, should be racing its first Monument already, and Paris-Roubaix, no less. Birthed by George Hincapie with the help of a significant investment from travel company Modern Adventure that gives it a long runway, the team is punching well above its weight. But it would be reasonable to wonder, having debuted little more than two months ago at late January’s AlUla Tour – with five of the seven riders starting Roubaix, incidentally – if it is in fact far too soon.
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