Van der Poel eclipses another speed record in Paris-Roubaix – Why are the Spring Classics becoming so fast?

Broadcasters and race organisers depend on average speed predictions for races to plan their programmes but in the past few years, the Spring Classics have been clicked off at speeds that eclipsed even the fastest expected pace.

On Sunday, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) completed the 259.7km course for Paris-Roubaix in five hours, 25 minutes and 58 seconds – a full 15 minutes faster than anyone expected for the race winner.