Vahetada Pariis-Roubaix'l ratast või mitte?

To change wheels at Paris-Roubaix or not?

The Paris–Roubaix, held on Sunday, is a race in two stages – the first two hours are spent on completely flat roads, and then, between the third and fourth hours, 30 cobblestone sectors begin.

For cobblestones, riders often use wheels specifically designed for the race, which are better able to withstand the rough surface, but this can come at the expense of speed in the first two hours. However, four-time Paris-Roubaix winner Tom Boonen believes it's part of the nature of the race.

"I've seen it 15 times and no one has ever benefited from it. Cyclists who try it think they save energy for the first 100 kilometers by riding a faster-rolling bike," Boonen said.

He has seen Mathieu van der Poel do it, but the Belgian believes it is not really useful. Not because it doesn't help at all, but because Roubaix is ​​often like the American mountains - constantly changing and unpredictable - and such a strategy can be a big risk in a race that often runs at a breakneck pace from start to finish.
"You don't want to change the wheel too early, because you want to benefit from the faster rolling wheel for as long as possible. It doesn't make sense to leave the change too late, because then you won't be able to get back to the front in time to face the first cobblestone sector on time. So much stress just to save 15 watts," Boonen analyzed.

In recent years, especially since Matthew Hayman's shock win in 2016, most teams have focused on getting their riders out early in the day to give them more tactical options later on, avoid positional battles and give them a chance to chase a good result. This means that in some years, riders may not enjoy a leisurely ride at all before the cobbles.

And if someone uses the wheel-changing strategy, they become vulnerable to potential collective attacks. "The competitors are watching when van der Poel changes wheels. They keep the pace up and do everything they can to make it difficult for van der Poel to get back into the group," Boonen said.

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