Even Van der Poel is at a loss for words after his next masterpiece: "I felt amazing today"

"It's hard to believe. Again with the team, with which we were perhaps even stronger than last year," says the world champion immediately after the finish line, referring to Jasper Philipsen's second place and also an impressively strong sixth place from Gianni Vermeersch. "I'm super proud of the guys and very happy I could finish it off."

That it ended up being a solo of sixty kilometers was exemplary of Van der Poel's and Alpecin-Deceuninck's dominance. When asked if such a long solo was planned, the winner shakes his head. "Not really, actually. I wanted to make the race hard from Orchies, because I know that's where my strength lies. I felt super good and once I had a gap... I knew there was a tailwind to the finish and I really had a very good day."

Van der Poel's lead was significant, but not without reason. He kept pushing, 'because a flat tire is never far away in Paris-Roubaix'. "I had a big gap and had the car behind me, so that gave me confidence. I could enjoy it more than last week in the Tour, because I was really at my limit then. Today I felt amazing, so I could enjoy the final part."

"I could never have dreamed of this when I was a child," he then says, asked about winning again in the rainbow jersey. "I was super motivated for this year, because I wanted to show the jersey in a beautiful way. But this exceeds all expectations, I actually don't know what to say. I'm just trying to enjoy it."