This year’s Paris-Roubaix will go down in history as the year where things changed in the Queen of the Classics. Instead of the race following its usual structure of a breakaway being established early as the favourites wait until the first cobbled sectors to make their move, the Ineos Grenadiers ripped up the script, attacking in crosswinds still with 200km remaining.
Chaos ensued for the remainder of the race: Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert missed the split, punctures struck at dramatic moments, favourites crashed, and wheels collapsed, all in clouds of dust. It was Dylan van Baarle who emerged victorious in the end, launching his decisive attack on the four-star cobbles of Camphin-en-Pevèle with 19km remaining to drop his breakaway companions, Matej Mohorič and Yves Lampaert.
Related: Paris-Roubaix 2022 Debrief – Speed, chaos, dust, beauty
It was the fastest Paris-Roubaix in history, and these images tell the story.
Image: ASO/Pauline Ballet
The race exploded with over 200km to go as the Ineos Grenadiers rode hard on the front in crosswind section. Big names like Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel missed out, finding themselves on the wrong side of the split.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Italian powerhouse Filippo Ganna rides through Arenberg in front of a packed crowd.
Related: Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2022 in Images
Image: Richard Abraham
Wout van Aert leaves the Arenberg still on the back-foot after missing the early split.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
The cobbled sectors come thick and fast as the Belgian champion makes his way back to the front of the race.
Image: ASO/Pauline Ballet
Matej Mohorič of Bahrain Victorious and Tom Devriendt of Intermarché-Wanty- Gobert Matériaux at the start of what would end up being the race's decisive breakaway.
Related: Faces of a Paris-Roubaix Finish
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Paris-Roubaix is a cruel race, with many riders struggling to the velodrome battered and bruised.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Honestly, who doesn't want to be Wout van Aert? Fans by the side of the road wear cardboard cut-outs of the Belgian champion to show their support.
Image: ASO/Pauline Ballet
Eventual race winner Dylan van Baarle digs deep to extend his lead over the chasers.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Van Baarle couldn't believe it when he rode alone into the Roubaix velodrome. “I just checked to make sure I was alone, that they didn’t flick me, that there weren’t guys up the road."
Related: Opinion – Paris-Roubaix has changed and the Ineos Grenadiers were ready for it
Image: ASO/Pauline Ballet
Relief for Dylan van Baarle as he can finally celebrate an impressive victory.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
The Dutch rider salutes an adoring crowd as the sun beats down on Roubaix velodrome.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Mathieu van der Poel leads in the sprint for 9th place. The Alpecin-Fenix rider would have hoped for more in this year's Hell of the North.
Image: ASO/Pauline Ballet
Dylan van Baarle celebrates with Ineos Grenadiers' director sportif Servais Knaven, a previous winner of Paris-Roubaix himself.
Image: Rachel Jary
In contrast, Wout van Aert looks deflated and exhausted after his second place finish. The Jumbo-Visma rider had to work hard to get back to the front of the race after he was caught out early on.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Van Baarle lifts the cobblestone trophy, one of the most coveted prizes in cycling.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Paris-Roubaix is the only race where it is perfectly normal and accepted for photographers to take photos of riders in the famous showers afterwards. Luke Durbridge of Team BikeExchange washes off the dust of the day.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Mathieu van der Poel also headed to the iconic Roubaix showers after the race.
Image: Zac Williams/SWpix
Penny for your thoughts, MVDP? The Dutch rider looks tired and subdued.
Cover image: Zac Williams/SWpix
