Mathieu VAN DER POEL. 10. The emperor conquers pages of history, writes them in beautiful script, brushing curves, drawing parabolas, hinting at ancient and eternal stories. Third Roubaix in a row, like only Octave Lapize and our Francesco Moser. Only three riders in history can boast this hat-trick, which Mathieu built with wisdom and strength. He knows that featherweight matters and to beat him requires the perfect race. He knows that details make the difference and with those details, he leaves others behind. Full-speed curves with hands under the handlebars: they might seem like nonsense, but it's not. Mathieu knows. He knows how to win and indeed wins and wins again the craziest race, without going crazy. Without daring, but dosing, accelerating, controlling and painting, in a full and light dance that makes everything harmonious, even on the pavé. It's like listening to a sweet song that accompanied us on harsh and sharp stones, on a Palm Sunday of De Andrean memory: where one could hear singing. How beautiful is youth. We don't want to grow old anymore.

Tadej POGACAR. 9. One mistake, which is fatal to him. A curve taken at full speed, hands high on the handlebars: control gone, sliding long against a motorcycle on the side, crash and somersault. Twenty seconds given to someone who is used to collecting first places. Too many for a time trial challenge. In front, the Dutchman controls, manages, administers. For Tadej, there's only defending a second place that confirms his immense talent, a crystalline class, even in a heavyweight race. He is a feather, flying light on tortuous and knotty roads, smiling accepting defeat: for now. For this year.

Mads PEDERSEN. 9. Extremely unlucky, punctures the front wheel in sector number 15, from Tilloy to Sars et Rosieres, 70.2 km from the finish. He punctures exactly when Tadej accelerates launching yet another attack. Loses the train to victory, but doesn't lose his calm: he is a champion. He proves it by taking home another podium in a stellar career, in a firmament of stars.

Wout VAN AERT. 5. Like our Ganna, the Belgian remains behind in the first sector. He has time to recover, but his race is always a chase. Never in the heart of the race, always there behind where another race is being run, another Roubaix. He may have the GRAVAA, a system to regulate tire pressure during the race, but the Belgian always seems deflated, with few atmospheres. Clearly Wout Van Aert knows his way on these surfaces, but today, on the Sunday of Stars, he shines very little.

Florian VERMEERSCH. 8. He rides a great race, with sacrifice and attitude. Supporting Tadej, he brings home a 5th place of absolute substance.

Jonas RUTSCH. 8. The 27-year-old German from Intermarchè obtains an unexpected, but more than deserved 6th place.

Stefan BISSEGGER. 8. Like Pedersen, the Swiss from Decathlon also punctures. At a decisive moment, he loses the instant, by pure bad luck, in a race moment where he had remained with the best of this Roubaix. In the end, he takes home a 7th place that is not little, but compared to what he showed, it's too little. He deserved something more.

Jasper PHILIPSEN. 7. Click and his light goes out. Tadej takes it away with yet another acceleration at Mons en Pévèle. In the end, he closes 11th, but his race is that of an absolute protagonist. He races for a long time to win, then to make Mathieu win, despite having also fallen at the beginning of the day with Stuyven and company.

Filippo GANNA. 6. Punctures immediately at the entrance of the first pavé sector, then it's always a chase, always trying to recover where others are escaping. They escape too much and for Filippo there's never the feeling of being in the heart of the action.

Davide BALLERINI. 17. He also punctures, then during the chase he falls: his finish line is the hospital.

Jesper STUYVEN. 17. Falls heavily in an asphalt curve just before the first pavé section and his Roubaix is immediately uphill. It's immediate pain. Same fate for Edward Theuns.

Giacomo NIZZOLO. 6. He finishes, 37th, second among Italians: it's not much, but he can tell about it. And not everyone can do it, it's not for everyone. At his fourth participation, it's the first time he reaches the velodrome.

Markus HOELGAARD. 6.5. The Norwegian champion of UnoX at km 23 tries to create a gap. He gives the lead, he drags away the first real breakaway of the day. Oier Lazkano from Red Bull team, Kim Heiduk (Ineos), Jonas Rutsch (Intermarchè Wanty), Max Walker (Education First), Jasper De Buyst (Lotto), Rory Townsend (Q36.5) and Abram Stockman (Tietema Rockets) follow. Then they will be caught by phenomena who don't pave the road, but who try to anticipate them.