Team LottoNL-Jumbo ended the cobbles season in Paris-Roubaix in style. As usual in recent weeks, the Dutch team missed the final and again, misfortune played a hand. Jos van Emden rode a long time for a good result, but a crash eventually threw a spanner in the works for him and the team. Belgian Greg Van Avermaet won the Queen of the Classics. Emden rolled into Roubaix’s velodrome dusty and tired, placing 33rd.

"I was good at the front on the important cobble sections, but first I had a flat tyre on Mons-en-Pévèle and on Carrefour de l'Abre, I hit a spectator and I fell," said a disappointed Van Emden. "We couldn’t catch the first group, but there was a possibility for a top 10 or 15 spot. I was good, but I was on my limit in the final. If you are fresh you do not ride into a spectator.

“You’re not often in such a position to race for a good result. It's disappointing today, but I am satisfied with my spring. Van Emden won the Dwars door West-Vlaanderen and placed runner-up in the Tirreno-Adriatico time trial in the last month. Lars Boom showed himself in the front during this hot and fast Paris-Roubaix, but “bad luck” took its toll.

"Jos, Dylan and I were well ahead for a long time," Boom said. "We had tailwind, so it went very quickly. But if you have bad luck, as we had today, it is difficult to come back.” The stage winner of the Tour de France stage to the Forest of Arenberg suffered from a flat tyre in a bad moment, but was quickly helped. "I came back to the group of Van Avermaet and then the race blew apart. My form was better, but not good enough. The speed and the efforts forced me out the back."