Paris-Roubaix 2021 - Sonny Colbrelli's win another triumph in spectacular year for Bahrain Victorious rider

Published 03/10/2021 at 20:59 GMT

“It’s been incredible for the whole Bahrain Victorious team, they’ve been winning left, right and centre," says Dan Lloyd, speaking on Eurosport following Sonny Colbrelli's 2021 Paris-Roubaix victory. The Italian finished ahead of Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Soudal) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix).

'It would have been a long shot to pick him' - The Breakaway on Colbrelli's win

Sonny Colbrelli’s spectacular Paris-Roubaix win capped off a great year for both himself and his Bahrain Victorious team.

That’s the view of Dan Lloyd who was speaking on The Breakaway following the Italian’s brilliant late sprint to finish ahead of Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Soudal) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix).

Colbrelli adds the Paris-Roubaix victory to both the Italian national Road Race and European Road Race Championships he won earlier this year.

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The 31-year-old also won the 2021 Benelux Tour and finished top of the points classification in both the Tour de Romandie and Criterium du Dauphine.

“It’s been incredible for him,” said Lloyd. “It’s been incredible for the whole Bahrain Victorious team, they’ve been winning left, right and centre.

“They have had their fair share of bad luck, you think back to the Giro with Mikel Landa but still second overall with [Damiano] Caruso, it’s been an amazing year for them but he really is in his pomp right now, he can’t seem to stop winning – on all sorts of terrain as well.

“Ironically, he’s winning more even though I would say his sprint is not quite as good as it was, his climbing has got a lot better, that’s allowed his to be at the front of many more races this year and at the end of it in a reduced group, he has been the fastest.”

Paris-Roubaix 2021 highlights as Sonny Colbrelli sprints to stunning victory

Also on the panel was EF-Education Nippo Sports Director Tom Southam, who was impressed with Colbrelli’s strategy in the race, especially in out-witting one of the pre-race favourites Van der Poel.

“He rode a really smart race. He covered Van der Poel when he had to. He basically let Van der Poel do most of the work to get [Gianni] Moscon back.

“He was always boxing really clever there.

“Everything changed, it would have been a long shot to pick him this morning.”

Paris - Roubaix Men