Israel – Premier Tech is set to line up at the third Monument of the season with two protected riders but their respective relationships with Paris – Roubaix paint two very different pictures.
On one hand, Belgian Tom Van Asbroeck has a wealth of experience behind him, racing to a memorable eighth place in the infamous 2021 edition, where those lucky enough to make it to the velodrome looked like they had gone to hell and back. On the other hand, American Riley Sheehan is set to make his debut. Racing Paris-Roubaix in his first year as a neo pro is impressive enough, before you even acknowledge it will already be Sheehan’s third Monument of the season and off the back of a standout 13th place in his Ronde van Vlaanderen debut last Sunday.
“We have a strong team and two riders who deserve leadership in Tom Van Asbroeck and Riley Sheehan,” explains Sports Director Steve Bauer. “This is Tom’s kind of race and he has had a solid Classics season so far. We know he can do well here, as he has done in the past. Riley Sheehan was incredible in Ronde van Vlaanderen and is coming here in great shape. He knows how to fight on this kind of tough terrain and as we saw last week, he is a rider who refuses to give up. I’m excited to see what they can do on Sunday.”
In support of Van Asbroeck and Sheehan, the experience of Hugo Hofstetter, Guillaume Boivin, and Rick Zabel will be invaluable. Canadian Riley Pickrell and Israeli Nadav Raisberg complete the team, marking an important milestone at the beginning of their careers with both riders set to line up at their first Monument.
“Hugo Hofstetter and Guillaume Boivin are both capable of good results and with Rick Zabel, all three will be key teammates, alongside our young guys Nadav Raisberg and Riley Pickrell, who have had solid starts to their first pro year and will be in for a wild ride this Sunday,” adds Bauer.
“It can be crucial to have a man in the early breakaway, as we did last year, to give the team numbers in the finale so I expect it will be a big fight from start to finish. Like every year, it all comes down to good legs and a lot of good luck.”
Sheehan is looking forward to swapping the Belgian hills for the flat French cobbles, arriving in France hungrier than ever.
“I’m really excited,” Sheehan adds. “I feel super fortunate to be here, it’s a massive privilege. We had a good showing at the Tour of Flanders and as a team, we left hungry. My result in Flanders gives me some confidence but I am also hungry as well. All eyes are on the prize.
“I think it could be a race that is a bit more suited to me than Flanders. I am a bit sick of climbing up the cobbles so for now I think it’s a good change of stimulus but I probably can’t say I will really enjoy it.”
