The 2022 Cobbled Classics season will end with Paris-Roubaix.

175 peloton members stand at the start of the 257-km race in Compiègne, but after six hours of racing, only a small group of them will compete in the sprint to victory at the Vélodrome André Petrieux in Roubaix.

Along the way, they will tackle some 30 cobbled sections, including Trouet d'Arenberg, Mont-en-Pevere, and Carrefour de l'Arbre.

Mathieu Van Der Pol (Alpecin-Phoenix) is probably the leading contender for the win, following his victory at the Tour of Flanders two weeks ago. He will face a number of returning riders in the "Hell of the North," including Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Kasper Asgreen (Quick Step-Alphavinyl), and Stefan Kühn (Groupama-FDJ).

Cycling News will have Daniel Ostanek and Peter Stuart covering Paris-Roubaix on the ground this weekend, bringing you reports, analysis, and techniques. They are at the start of Compiègne to hear the reactions of the leading riders.

"I think it's a really hard race. The cobblestones are really painful, but it's a really special race. I think it's a unique race. It's not like any other race.

"I prefer the rain for my bike handling skills, but I prefer to race in sunny conditions.

"Last year I think I had a good race but my legs were empty at the end. This year I want to leave something to sprint for in the final."

"I haven't raced much since my injury, so I'm hungry, but I also need some luck. I'm really excited. It's going to be a pretty epic race."

"It was hard to watch the most beautiful classic of the year on the couch. I'm grateful to be here."

"It's hard to say about my level. Of course, I'm not at the level I used to be. But like I said before, I'm happy to be here and I want to find my legs to be in the finals and achieve something."

"It's a big question mark for me. Yeah, it's a big question mark for me.

"I think so, it's hard to be out of shape in one week, it's all about recovery. It's all about recovery, obviously it was hard to recover after Brabantse Pijl, but now I have an extra day to recover, I'm fresher, more motivated and ready."

"It's always difficult to combine Roubaix and the Ardennes. The Ardennes suits me better, but with the calendar change and my previous illness, I decided to race here this year."

"Of course, you have to believe you can win any race. We came here with a strong team with Ganna, van Baar, Lowe, and the rest of my teammates. We have the potential to show what we can do and win the race. But we also need some luck, and we'll see what happens."

"It's probably the most fun day of the year.

"Hell in the North" Not for me. It's almost like an adventure. Everyone has their thing, it's a once a year opportunity to really take it on and see how it turns out, with no pressure, no stress. We give it our best. When you get to the velodrome, it's completely empty, and maybe you're alone. That's what makes it special.

"We need to play smart. We are not a complete contender. We are not a contender. I think we at least have a chance to be on the podium. But we have to avoid crashes and punctures. It will be an interesting race."

"It's a very good race and one where I want to be on the podium. I'm excited and focused."

"In yesterday's women's race, we had a lot of running on the side of the cobblestones, which was impossible last year.

"I definitely want to enjoy it. The Classics are my favorite races and I want to enjoy each one." [Some years I prefer Flanders, some years I prefer Roubaix. Some years I like Flanders better, some years I like Roubaix better.

"Always try to be in the best position possible. Don't get caught up in the crash, don't crash yourself, don't get too punked. Then the physical part comes last

"It's unpredictable. Greg, of course, is the leader because he's won before, but there are so many different scenarios. You can try to put someone in the breakaway group, or you can predict who will be behind Allenberg. Greg's role is to stay with the winner and try to do that."

"Yes [this weather is good]. It's good for once in your career

"Paris-Roubaix, as they say, is the queen of the classics. I'll be at the start to give it my all.

"I've loved this race ever since I first ran it. I haven't had a really good result so far, but I have a feeling it's going to happen today.

"We have a very strong team. I have confidence in this race. It's good when you are confident and you know how strong you are. So it's always good to relax a little bit in the less important moments so that we can show our strength in the second half of the race."

"I want to win races. I want to go faster than the other racers."

"When you look back and look at the sky it's obvious how different it is. You're not on an ice hockey field this year. The cobblestones being dry makes a big difference."

"It's a completely different race and they are racing differently than we are. But I really respect the way the women won yesterday. But of course it's inspiring for the team to see how these girls fight."