Three-time World Champion Peter Sagan wins the Paris-Roubaix 2018

“I’m very happy that I was in a position to fight for the win, and a little disappointed that I didn’t manage to win,” Dillier said. “Still, I was there with the best rider of his generation in a sprint for Paris-Roubaix, so I can’t be too disappointed. I’ll just hope to go one better in the years to come.”

Three-time world champion Peter Sagan won the Paris-Roubaix 2018 for the first time. After attacking with just 54km for the race, Peter Sagan out-sprinted Silvan Dillier (Ag2r La Mondiale) in the famous velodrome at Roubaix.

Dillier was a part of the early breakaway which went clear after 40km of racing with more than 210km to go. Later, he was able to latch on to Sagan’s wheel after he had attacked from the main group with 54km remaining.

Since then on, Dillier and Sagan worked together until Roubaix. The duo were so strong that, they were able to hold off t defending champion Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) who was around a minute behind for the final 30km despite numerous efforts by Niki Terpstra (Quick-Step Floors) to close the gap.

With just a lap and a half remaining, Dillier entered the velodrome followed by Peter Sagan on his wheel. Sagan kept rolling around the top track before swinging down and sprinting away to take a memorable Paris-Roubaix victory.

On his first Victory, Sagan added,”I feel amazing. I’m so tired but I was involved in no crashes, had no flat tyres and I just kept going,” said Sagan.

“Thank you to all my team-mates — they did a great job keeping everyone together and in the end I made the winning move.”

“I was first into the velodrome, and I stayed on the outside for the whole time. Peter started his sprint at the same time I thought of starting mine,” Dillier said. “Peter just accelerated faster and it was impossible to beat him after that.”

Dillier was able to get into the Slovak’s slipstream, and although he was unable to come around will no doubt be delighted with a surprise second place, while Terpstra escaped from the chase group in the final kilometres to take third place.

“With Peter, I would say he’s like an angel and a devil in the same person,” Dillier said with a wry smile. “An angel because he worked with me very well; a devil, because if you go with him in a man-to-man sprint for the finish line, he’s hard to beat.”

“I’m very happy that I was in a position to fight for the win, and a little disappointed that I didn’t manage to win,” Dillier said. “Still, I was there with the best rider of his generation in a sprint for Paris-Roubaix, so I can’t be too disappointed. I’ll just hope to go one better in the years to come.”

Full results

• Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) 5hrs 54mins 6secs
• Silvan Dillier (Swi/AG2R La Mondiale) same time
• Niki Terpstra (Ned/Quick-Step Floors) +57secs
• Greg van Avermaet (Bel/BMC) +1min 34secs
• Jasper Stuyven (Bel/Trek-Segafredo) same time
• Sep Vanmarcke (Bel/EF Education First-Drapac)
• Nils Politt (Ger/Katusha-Alpecin) +2mins 31secs
• Taylor Phinney (USA/EF Education First-Drapac) same time
• Zdenek Stybar (Cze/Quick-Step Floors)
• Jens Debusschere (Bel/Lotto Soudal)

Originally published at Velocrushindia.