Sawt Falasteen - Pogacar 'here to go for it' in Paris-Roubaix debut

The 26-year-old world champion is the first reigning Tour de France champion to tackle the 260km race over old mining roads in 34 years. He was the star attraction in Compiegne where the race starts Sunday.

"We're here and we go for it. Every race is hard to win and every race is exciting," said the Slovenian.

Top Grand Tour riders are taking a health risk at Paris-Roubaix which carries a heightened likelihood of a nasty fall.

"I'm nervous today but we'll see tomorrow. It's no more dangerous than a mass sprint at the Tour de France," he said.

Pogacar appears far from the best physically equipped rider for the race at 65 kilogrammes (143 pounds). Tradition holds that men 15-20 kilos heavier fare better on the cobbles.

One of Pogacar's key rivals for the victory Sunday is the Belgian hope Wout van Aert, who praised Pogacar's pluck.

"I'll be curious to see how he does near the end, on the cobbles," the softly spoken Van Aert said.

"I admire him. It's really daring for a Tour de France winner. And it's really big for cycling," said Van Aert.

"It will be more difficult for him to win than at the Tour of Flanders," Van Aert said of last week's big one-dayer won by Pogacar, but featuring 18 hills, which better suits his diminutive physique.

Ineos rider Filippo Ganna made no bones about his ambitions here.

"I don't care what anyone says, everyone is here to win," said the Italian.

The 122nd edition also sees Mathieu van der Poel aim for a third consecutive victory at the Roubaix velodrome.

The popular Dutchman received an even more rousing cheer than Pogacar but downplayed his chances saying he had been under the weather.

The weather itself Sunday will be untypical with no rain predicted, instead blustery winds will take sap energy.

The millions of cobbles and the resulting broken bikes and broken bones have lent the race the name 'the Hell of the North'.

In 2018, Belgian rider Michael Goolaerts was found slumped dead by the roadside after heart failure. The peloton will pass a memorial to him along the route near the entry into the legendary cobbled section outside the 650m deep Arenberg coal-mine

The 25 teams select seven of their sturdiest riders to cope with the repeated punctures and frequent falls.

Of road cycling's five huge one-day races known as the Monuments due to their epic length, Paris-Roubaix, which starts in Compiegne 80km from the French capital, is also known as 'Queen of the Classics' because it is the toughest.

Race folklore has it that the cobbles decide the winner, who receives one of the rough-hewn slabs as a trophy along with a cheque of 30,000 euros (32,500 dollars).

The winner also has his name engraved on a plaque at the Roubaix velodrome's iconic outdoor cold showers.

A.Suleiman--SF-PST