Paris-Roubaix: Van Baarle takes victory as Lampaert collides with spectator

Six months after finishing the Paris-Roubaix outside the time limit, the Dutchman Dylan van Baarle has won the gruelling one-day classic, an event in which Yves Lampaert’s chances of a podium place ended in the closing kilometres after a bizarre collision with a roadside spectator.

Van Baarle, riding for Ineos Grenadiers and second in the Tour of Flanders two weeks ago, emerged victorious in the Vélodrome André-Petrieux at the end of the 257.2km ride from Compiègne. His victory came at a record average speed of 45.79kph (28.45mph) and marks his team’s most prestigious result in a one-day race. The 29-year-old beat Belgium’s Wout van Aert of Jumbo-Visma into second place, 1min 47sec behind, on his return to competitive action after a bout of Covid-19. Stefan Küng of Switzerland and Groupama-FDJ came home third, given the same time.

Lampaert, of the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team, had been firmly in contention for a podium place with 8km remaining but endured a heavy fall after clipping the hand of a spectator who was clapping next to the cobbled surface. The Belgian rider tried vainly to keep his balance but his bike flipped and he went down hard, though he appeared to escape serious injury and managed to get back on his bike, eventually finishing 10th, 2min 59sec down on Van Baarle.

Tom Devriendt (Intermarché–Wanty–Gobert Matériaux) and Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) were outkicked at the finish, coming home fourth and fifth.

After breaking 19km from the finish Van Baarle shook his head in disbelief as he reached the velodrome for the last 750 metres and later admitted he had not realised how effective his effort had been: “I could not believe it when I went on to the velodrome. I looked on the other side to see if