Tipsters’ choice

MEN FAVOURITE: MATHIEU VAN DER POEL (ALPECIN-FENIX)

The last person to win the Queen of the Classics on their debut was Felice Gimondi in 1966. The Italian Tour de France champion battered everyone into submission, launching solo with 40km to go that day. We sense van der

Poel will have to do something similar to win, so closely watched will he be.

DECENT BET: MADS PEDERSEN (TREKSEGAFREDO)

Pedersen is probably top of his rivals’ list of “riders you don’t want to enter the Roubaix velodrome alongside” as his sprint is one of the best of the Classics hardmen. If he can manage that task he’ll be hard to stop.

LONGSHOT: FILIPPO GANNA (INEOS GRENADIERS)

His Giro road stage win last year and one at the Tour du Gard have shown the time trial world champion has what it takes.

WOMEN FAVOURITE: MARIANNE VOS (JUMBO-VISMA)

Vos 2.0 isn’t the all-conquering

1.0 version but she’s still not to be underestimated and with a solid team and her cyclo-cross background, this should be right up her street.

DECENT BET: LOTTE KOPECKY (LIV)

A strong showing as the Classics kicked off, when she was fourth at Omloop and won Le Samyn, showed the Belgian champion is in good form.

LONGSHOT: ELLEN VAN DIJK (TREK-SEGAFREDO)

We mean no disrespect to the 34-yearold Dutchwoman calling her a longshot but with the likes of Elisa Longo Borghini and Lizzy Deignan in her team she may find her powerful time trialling skills put to team use. But should something go wrong with those names she has the talent to spring a surprise.