Mathieu van der Poel heads into cycling's roughest race Paris-Roubaix on Sunday as the man to beat. The Dutch World Champion is riding high after winning the Tour of Flanders in his typical dominant fashion.

Belgian star Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) remains sidelined after his crash a week ago in Dwars door Vlaanderen. He is recovering from a broken collarbone, sternum, and ribs. And no, Tadej Pogacar is not racing!

The 2024 Paris-Roubaix Cobbles

We are in northern France for Paris-Roubaix, the third of cycling's five monuments. The race winds north from Compiègne to Roubaix, where it'll finish with a lap and a half on the industrial town's cement velodrome.

Paris-Roubaix presents 260 kilometers (161 miles) – flat out racing – on either departmental roads or tiny farm roads. And those farm roads, well they are cobbled and brutal. 29 points or sectors, ranked with various levels of difficulty. 55.7 kilometers in total. This is why they call it the Hell of the North.

In other races, it's the climbs that often decide the race. In Paris-Roubaix, it's nasty cobbles with gaps between as wide as the cobbles themselves. The worst ones, 5-star black-diamond runs, are the Arenberg Forest, Mons-en-Pévèle, and Carrefour de l'Arbre.

Expect crashes, punctures, and attacks. Just ask John Degenkolb and Wout van Aert about their 2023 troubles prior to Van der Poel's missile strike on Roubaix.

Late breaking news. Instead of a straight run into the feared Arenberg Forest, the organizer, with just days to go, added a couple of turns to hopefully slow the pace. The sector over an abandoned coal mine has put an end to many riders' hopes and dreams, and notably in 1998, Johan Museeuw fell and broke his kneecap.

Most riders are happy with the decision but it could cause even more crashes with the turns. Van der Poel wrote, "Is this a joke?"

Favorites For Paris-Roubaix 2024

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is the out-right favorite for Sunday's race. His season preparation of cyclocross and targeting one-day races appears to be the magic formula. Helping Jasper Philipsen win in Milano-Sanremo, his season debut, then going on to win E3 Saxo Classics, placing second in Gent-Wevelgem, and a week later, winning Flanders for a record-equalling third time.

Philipsen adds even more punch to team Alpecin-Deceuninck. The Milano-Sanremo winner sat out the Tour of Flanders to be ready for Paris-Roubaix. Last year, he won the sprint behind and placed second in Roubaix.

Who are the riders who could come close to toppling Van der Poel in Paris-Roubaix? As I see it, two: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike).

Many of us are still scratching our heads at Pedersen's move in Flanders, but let's face it: the Gent-Wevelgem winner is strong and Lidl-Trek is a cobble-classic force even without Jasper Stuyven and Alex Kirsch, who are out with injuries from the Dwars crash.

Matteo Jorgenson and his Visma-Lease a Bike lit up Flanders, and tried to put Van der Poel on the back foot. Jorgenson was the only one to follow the world champ on the Koppenberg, but later, after all the fireworks, his legs decided the July 4 celebrations were over and packed up the grill and folding chairs.

After the Van Aert sunset and Flanders misfire, I think Visma will retool their classics machinery for Roubaix. Even if Flanders suits our Idaho friend better, expect something special in Roubaix.

Who else? Bahrain-Victorious around Matej Mohoric. Jonathan Milan in Lidl-Trek. Soudal-Quick Step hoping for classics redemption with Tim Merlier who just won Scheldeprijs. King Küng, Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ). The entire UAE Team Emirates, but most likely led by Nils Politt, third in Flanders.

Besides Jorgenson, for the US fans, keep an eye on Riley Sheehan (Israel-Premier Tech). The Colorado rider keeps impressing, in race after race. Recently closing Flanders, his debut in the race, with 13th place.

No Rain: Paris-Roubaix To Stay Dry

After rain in recent days, no rain is forecasted for northern France this Sunday. The cobbles, unlike the 2021 Colbrelli year, will be mostly dry or at most damp from the recent days.

The temperatures should be around 14°C or 57°F Sunday morning in Compiègne, and a forecast of 17°C or 63°F in the afternoon in Roubaix, with clouds covering the skies above the cobble sectors and velodrome finish.

The wind, around 27 kph or 17 mph, comes from the southwest and makes for a fast edition.

How to watch Paris-Roubaix?

Paris-Roubaix kicks off this Saturday with the fourth edition of the women's race. Canadian Alison Jackson will be back to defend her title.

The 121st Paris-Roubaix men's race starts at 11:10AM local or 5:10AM EST. FloBikes will have wall-to-wall coverage, live and on demand for our viewers in Canada. And for everyone in the world, we'll have highlights, interviews, and on-the-ground reports.

Is there any stopping the Mathieu van der Poel express train to classics super-stardom? Will the unpredictable cobbles throw us some curve balls? To find out, you got to tune in for the 2024 Paris-Roubaix.