If John Degenkolb (Lotto Soudal) is a little more emotional than usual as he targets Paris-Roubaix this year, he has good reason. It is not every day that a rider like Degenkolb, a participant in a well-known monument, runs the pavé section that bears his name.

"I think it's one of the longer sectors of Roubaix, two sectors after Arenberg, and maybe at least four stars," Degenkolb told Cycling News at the Volta a la Comunita Valenciana. 'I was very surprised when they contacted me, because I'd never heard of them before, and I'd never heard of them before. It's a great honor."

Degenkolb's name will be attached to the 3,700-meter section from Hornan a Vandiny to Hamage.

"It's a very special moment.

Degenkolb received this recognition mainly due to his efforts to save the Paris-Roubaix junior race last year. When organizers confirmed that the race was in danger of being cancelled due to lack of funds, Degenkolb launched a crowdfunding campaign to save the race.

Degenkolb's behind-the-scenes work for Paris-Roubaix is far more extensive than an online campaign. Degenkolb told Cycling News that he is also an ambassador for the Friends of Roubaix.

"They know I'm passionate about Paris-Roubaix, and it's fascinating for me to see the people who volunteer (so many) hours to keep the race alive. I think that is unique among sporting events around the world, and it definitely makes Paris-Roubaix my favorite race."

Degenkolb, a fan of films and books about Paris-Roubaix such as Jürgen Ré's "Sunday in Hell," said, "I get goose bumps every time I see something like this. The passion and history is what makes this event so great and makes me think even more about what it means to run on the pavé."[15

With his love for Paris-Roubaix so evident, there is no need to ask Degenkolb what his biggest goal is for the first half of the year. Of course, winning in 2015 was one of the most glorious moments of my career. And for me personally, my biggest dream is to win again, and that's my biggest goal for the spring season."

"But of course there are other races that are very important and I will try to do as well as possible there as well."

Thus, his main goal remains the same, although Degenkolb's off-season move from Trek-Segafredo to Lotto Soudal may have caused some problems behind the scenes. He said, however, that so far everything is going well.

"The bike, the trainer, the environment, the team ...... Considering that we changed everything, it's going really well so far. Lotto is a very good group of people.

"I've been racing in Belgium for a long time, but this is my first time with a real Belgian team.

One important aspect of the change is Lotto Soudal's relationship with Belgian star racer Philippe Gilbert. He said, "I have a good relationship with Philippe Gilbert. He's a good guy and a great champion."

Degenkolb said that while he recognizes that Milan-San Remo is an important goal for Gilbert this season, Lotto leaders have not yet "divided the classic cake."

"For Gilbert, Milano-Sanremo is an important goal for this season. Of course, I want to be in good shape too, and with Caleb Yuan, there are a lot of possibilities."

"It's still early in the season and we'll see how everything goes. But I don't see any problem with all three of us joining San Remo. "

The program for the Degenkolb Classic is much the same as the previous season, with one major change: the addition of the Kuhne Brussel Kuhne. This season features a much tougher route than in previous years, which is more suitable for Degenkolb. Curiously, Degenkolb has never competed in the Kuhne before.

"I've skipped most of the opening weekend to have a short training camp," he said. 'We haven't talked about anything after Roubaix yet. Personally, I'd like to be in the Tour, but there's no clear lineup at the moment."

The 2018 Tour de France is, of course, where Degenkolb last crossed the Roubaix finish line with his arms in the air, and he hopes to do so again in a few weeks. Whatever happens this April, it is already clear that the German's strong ties to the northern hellhole will continue.