If you’d asked me a couple of years ago if this was my last Roubaix I’d have said yes, but I’ve found a new enjoyment for the sport and appreciation of it.”
I’ve definitely think I’ve not got any weaker. In fact, I’ve got stonger in many areas, a little more experienced and I’m not battling in every race I go to, I’m using my efforts a little more wisely.

I know I’m really going to miss it though, when I’m done, but right now it’s hard being away from the family, too, that’s the one big factor. I definitely have at least another year in me for this.

I’d give myself seven points out of ten for Flanders. I wasn’t on a super day, but then I don’t think anybody was except for [Stijn] Devolder [race winner]. Everybody wanted to go on the climbs but kept on getting caught.

It was an ok Flanders for me, but I’m still looking forward to Sunday. I think I’m going better than ever. The Tour of California was my first goal, I didn’t win a stage but I was close on a couple of occasions, one of the strongest guys at the end of the race.

At Tirreno I helped out and in Milan-San Remo I was a big factor in the team win. In fact, I think I was the strongest I’ve ever felt in Milan-San Remo. It’s good, it shows that I’ve still got it for the big, big races when it’s a real race of attrition and everybody’s super-tired. Maybe in the shorter races and there’s a lot of guys that are fresh, it’s not my thing any more. But I’ve still got that endurance.

Flanders and Roubaix are very different races in any case. Flanders is more about sprinting up climbs and then stopping, sprinting and stopping, it’s so much stop and go, whereas Roubaix is about positioning and endurance. You have to have a tactical sense, fight all day long and have that focus.

At the end of that section when there’s 20 or 30 guys left near the end of the race, it’s all about who’s got that little bit extra. So it’s definitely more of a race of attrition.

The first couple of paves you’re still really fresh, but they all have their differences.  You don’t remember them before hand but when you get on them you always remember what’s what and which are really crucial.

The Arenberg Forest section of Paris-Roubaix is never where you can win it but you can always lose it. It’¡s the first big big battle and you have to go into it in a good position.

For me Roubaix is about a state of mind. You try not to get too nervous about it in the hours and days before. I still get nervous at the start-line but not before.”