Last man riding: Karl Patrick Lauk
There are only a few races in the season that riders want to finish at all costs, without giving up being really an option. The stages of the Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix are generally the two events that come first to the minds of the riders. On Sunday, the last brave man to enter the velodrome was Karl Patrick Lauk who rides for Belgium team Bingoal-WB. The Estonian was more than 40 minutes after the winner Mathieu Van der Poel, and after more than six hours on the bike. In the final, he was able to count on the precious support of the tens of thousands of spectators who were on the side of roads.
"It was long day, but it's Paris-Roubaix... There's not much else to say. I had mechanical problems, I gave up because of cramps. It was a tough day but I held on. Our leader Guillaume Van Keirsbulck had a lot of problems. I tried to help him and then I got cramps before the Touée d'Arenberg. I was fair. I have no excuses, it was just a tough day. I was with a teammate (Dorian De Maeght) then alone.
Many gave me things to eat because I no longer had a car with me, it was nice. On Paris-Roubaix, you are always hungry (laughs). It was hard but with all these spectators to encourage us, it was always pleasant anyways. Finishing Paris-Roubaix is always something. Even being out of time, I'm still here, on the velodrome."
At the end of six hours in Hell, Lauk was in a hurry...
"Take a shower, above all. Go home, see my girlfriend and have a beer."
Greg Van Avermaet
"Gave in my all on the cobbles. I was chasing the whole race. I couldn't keep up with the real top. I must honestly conclude that. Final races on my Spring Classics menu: De Brabantse Pijl (4/12), Amstel Gold Race (4/16)."
-GVA. 17th place Paris-Roubaix
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