Before Matthew Hayman, the other surprise winners of Paris-Roubaix – The Équipe.fr

1988 smart as Demol

Sign of Fame winner the 1988 edition of Paris-Roubaix, the Team A title, the next day, “Fignon, the damned in hell.” Who has dared to win the race? A Dirk Demol, known in the peloton today to be sporting director Trek but which, at the time, had hung a few places of honor.

The Belgian twenty-eight years, this year, the foresight to slip into a long breakaway of twenty-two runners sidekick for most, which the peloton will give a (too) freedom. At about fifteen kilometers from the finish, the Swiss Thomas Wegmüller up an attack in which Demol is the only answer. The sprint in the streets of Roubaix (arrival was not considered at the Velodrome) concludes with a clear victory for the Belgian. This remains the most beautiful of his record

1997. Sensation Guesdon

a few weeks earlier, 23 February 1997, he won the Classic Haribo and brought his first victory on the road to the new team of the French Games, mounted Madiot the brothers. But at twenty-six, for his third professional season, Frédéric Guesdon does not really one of the favorites for Paris-Roubaix, despite a fourteenth place in the previous edition.

Originally from the same village as Louison Bobet ( Saint-Méen-le-Grand in Ille-et-Vilaine), the Breton is in a good blow when Johan Museeuw causes a breakaway of nine riders, about 25 km from the finish. After several attacks that do not go to the end, they are grouped in eight to enter the Velodrome. Guesdon launches the sprint in the opposite line and withstands all the top names: Planckaert, Museeuw, Tchmil … He will wait 2006 and Paris-Tours to win a second major classic

2001: Knaven, glory to teammate

“J ‘ had rather imagined winning the Volk or the GP E3. Finally, it fell on Paris-Roubaix! “ crossed the finish line, the declaration of Servais Knaven, on 15 April 2001, gives an idea of ​​the ambitions of the Dutch, first known for his role crew. But at thirty, this is the moment of glory for one who displays his belt a step in the Etoile de Bessèges, Grand Scheldeprijs and a championship of the Netherlands .

in the hellish conditions, he places a decisive attack ten kilometers from the end to escape a group of seven riders displaying two other members of the Domo-Farm team fries, Johan Museeuw and romāns vainšteins. It outpace them in this odre on arrival, with thirty-four seconds ahead

2004. Backstedt cools

The good fortune of Paris-Roubaix surprise winners includes by definition an element of luck. In 2004, Johan Museeuw puncture seven kilometers from the finish has changed things a breakaway of five riders, including leader of the Quick Step, and that’s Magnus Backstedt who benefited by adjusting the sprint . companions Hoffmann, Hammond and Cancellara

The Velodrome then discovered a Swedish mountain (1,93m, 90 kg) of twenty-nine, who had hidden his game so far. Because since his seventh place at the 1998 edition, he had said: “If there is a race, one, I have to win, that’s that!” he therefore added to a record, which already had a stage of the Tour de France in Autun, in 1997.

2011: Vansummeren, multiple joy

After a disappointing day, deprived of the great explanation between favorites, Johan Vansummeren has the good taste to lead the post-race by his girlfriend Jasmine wedding. With a pad as a ring as a gift. 10 April 2011 the Belgian (1.97m) has signed, at thirty, the most resounding blow of his career. Fifteen kilometers earlier, at the crossroads of the tree, he parted company with his fellow breakaway finally keep twenty seconds ahead of Fabian Cancellara, who started against attack.

It was better for crew of the Garmin-Cervelo it alone: ​​ “It sprints like a snail” , then said to his manager Jonathan Vaughters. Confirmation and details of the person: “I’m not good at the sprint, I’m not explosive, I’m not going great sides, but here, at least, I can ride …”