Lars Boom’s Tour de France stage victory last year, on the cobbles and in treacherous conditions, was a reminder of just what the former cyclo-cross World Champion can do.

British hardman Roger Hammond attributes his Paris-Roubaix performances to his ‘cross background and Boom is as good as they come when it comes to bike handling.

He was in scintillating form over some of the same cobbled stretches the peloton will encounter on Sunday when he won one of the Tour’s most memorable ever stages last year.

And while he has dropped of some radars since then, Paris-Roubaix – on the back of finishing sixth at the Tour of Flanders – is the perfect chance to bounce back.

With Laurens de Vreese among the riders assigned to support him, Astana have the strength – and plenty to prove after a season already dominated by off-the-bike headlines.

Leaving Belkin in the winter gives Boom the chance to be number one – a luxury he was not afforded as a team-mate of Sep Vanmarcke last season – and you can expect to see him in the thick of it on Sunday.