Australian domestique Mat Hayman had finished Paris-Roubaix 14 times up until, and including, the 2015 edition. Then he went and won the thing in 2016.
A founder member of Team Sky (2010-2013), the tall Aussie had built a solid Spring Classics career, often in support of others.
His Paris-Roubaix win with Orica-BikeExchange in 2016 was his sole victory in 20 years of those races – and what a victory it was.
Hayman’s triumph came after a gritty, unpredictable race that saw him in the early breakaway, a position few would have tipped for the eventual winner. He rode smart and steady over the brutal pavé sectors, clinging on as favourites such as Tom Boonen and Ian Stannard surged late in the day.
Against all odds, Hayman stayed in contention into the Roubaix Velodrome and unleashed a perfectly timed sprint to outpace Boonen – a four-time winner chasing a record-breaking fifth – and seal one of the most remarkable underdog victories in the race’s storied history.
“I remember going into my first Paris-Roubaix very scared," explained Hayman.
"You know all the stories, but don’t yet know what to expect. The only thing I felt was that I had to get to the velodrome no matter what.
“A veteran team-mate, Marc Wauters, who had ridden Roubaix a few times, said to me: ‘Always keep riding – you never know what’s going to happen’."
Hayman describes his Paris-Roubaix stories up to 2016 as "missed opportunities, crashes and poor moments.
"Few riders come out with stories of great rides or personal successes there. Roubaix is tough."
"The fans make it very Belgian"
Despite this, Hayman finished every edition of Roubaix he started: "The edition that sticks in my mind is 2008, when I was last by a long shot. I gave a wheel to a teammate before the really important section at the Forest of Arenberg and then soldiered on.
“I ended up running into a lady crossing the road because I was 10 minutes behind the last group. It was a long, frustrating day, but I got there."
Hayman says his approach and technique at Roubaix was inspired by riders who dominated the race in the 90s: "I grew up watching riders like Johan Museeuw and Andrea Tafi. They were positioned way back on their bikes over the bottom bracket.
“I started out on extra long bikes too. Tyre width and pressure was something I spent a lot of time on."
Aside from being unexpected, Hayman's win was notable for his use of the Scott Foil – an unashamedly aero bike shod with 28mm tyres. Although concessions had been made to aero tech since Fabian Cancellara's 2010 win on Zipp's then radically wide 303 wheels, Hayman's victory stuck out in a race dominated by lightweight or endurance bikes up to that point.
Alongside tech, Hayman highlights the huge draw of Roubaix as one of its key attributes: “The crowds at Paris-Roubaix are pretty international. I think Flanders is really special. The riders, the crowds and the country combine to make it unique and very Belgian – a lot [of Belgians] come over the border for Roubaix.
“I remember my first few years getting to the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector of cobbles and being blown away by the beer trucks. There was limited security and the fans were practically on the cobbles, supporting everybody.
How did he do it?
Hayman reflects on the battle that led to his victory: “When I won in 2016, I had been in the breakaway all day. They dropped me and I thought, ‘Well they’re probably the four best riders in the race; fifth isn’t so bad’. But then I caught back up, so maybe they weren’t as strong as I thought.
"Marc’s advice paid off that day.
“I live in Belgium and the other day I had a roofer around and he said, ‘Ah, you’re the guy who beat Tom!’ By beating Tom Boonen in the sprint I stopped him getting a record number of five wins at Roubaix.
“Sometimes you meet the absolute hardcore Tom Boonen fan and they feel he deserved to get that record, but that comes with the territory of living in a cycling mecca. More often, people are just happy to meet someone who’s won Roubaix.
“Now I’m retired, it’s a complex set of emotions when I go back there directing a team (TeamBikeExchange). I feel like I should have all the answers, but my win showed that it’s not always the top favourites who win there.”
This article originally appeared in issue 321 of Cycling Plus magazine and has been lightly edited for clarity and timeliness