Do gravel bikes suit Paris-roubaix?
Cobbles aren’t gravel, so perhaps we need cobble bikes for maximum gains. Robert Williams
Pros ride what will be fastest. At a more normal level, I can tell you a gravel bike is perfect for PR as I rode the sportive on the Saturday morning. More precisely, it’s all about the tyres. I was on G-one RS in 40mm width, and for me they were perfect on tarmac and cobbles. Roderick Macfadyen
If MVDP had been on a gravel frameset he’d have won. As it is, he was on a road frameset and won. The bike is secondary, although the evolution of 28mm -32m tyres at 50psi (or similar) has improved performance and cruising speeds across pavé sections. Fergus Murray
It all boils down to experience and bike handling skills. MVDP used his Canyon Aeroad with 32mm tubeless tyres. He had only the standard big ring up front and a 12-speed Dura-ace at the back. Had Wout been there, he could have matched his speed. But not even Tom Pidcock could catch up. Nats Ranario
What kind of bike did Roger De Vlaeminck ride? Jon Langdale
MVDP could have won that race on a tricycle. Micki Hjort
I think that gravel bikes are fit for the cobbles. But even Paris-roubaix consists mainly of non-cobble sections. So if you lose a bit on the cobbles but gain a lot on the rest of the course, you win. Peter Pagel