Preview GP Denain 2024 | De Lie starts adapted program with mini-Roubaix

Time flies during spring, and Paris-Roubaix is already on the horizon, but first, it's the turn of its little brother: the GP Denain. In this French race, a strong peloton will face a flurry of poorly laid cobbles. IDLProCycling.com, we're looking ahead!

Similar to the Monument Paris-Roubaix, the GP Denain takes place in Northern France. However, the race features fewer cobbled lanes compared to the iconic Hell of the North classic, earning it the moniker of mini-Paris-Roubaix. Positioned on the calendar about a month before Paris-Roubaix, it serves as an ideal opportunity for spring riders to test their legs and equipment before the main event in April.

While Paris-Roubaix often fragments the peloton due to its numerous and challenging cobbled sections, the GP Denain isn't quite as severe in this regard. Although the cobbled passages create gaps, a regrouping frequently occurs towards the finale, leading to a sizable group contesting the finish. As a result, many sprinters feature prominently on the finishing list. However, it's also plausible to break away from the peloton after the final cobbled section, a feat achieved by riders of the caliber of Mathieu van der Poel in 2019.

Practical information GP Denain 2024

• Thursday, March 14, 2024
• Denain - Denain (196.2 km)
• Participants
• Classification: 1.1

In this article

• Latest winners
• Course, weather and times
• Favorites
• TV information

Latest winners GP Denain

2023 Juan Sebastian Molano
2022 Max Walscheid
2021 Jasper Philipsen
2020 Not ridden
2019 Mathieu van der Poel
2018 Kenny Dehaes
2017 Arnaud Démare
2016 Daniel McLay
2015 Nacer Bouhanni
2014 Nacer Bouhanni

Course, weather and times GP Denain 2024

Compared to last year, the course has seen few changes. The opening stage consists of several local laps in and around Denain. Here, riders don't have to worry about cobbled sections as the organization has reserved them for the finale.

The action kicks off at around 80 kilometers with the first cobble sector or the lead-up to it. Riders with aspirations of success will aim to position themselves at the front, leading to a significant acceleration towards the initial cobble sector. Following the first sector, the cobbled sections come in quick succession. In total, riders will have to tackle twelve sectors, spanning approximately 25 kilometers. The last sector is situated roughly ten kilometers from the finish, after which slightly undulating roads guide them to the finish line in Denain.

Weather
It promises to be very pleasant weather for the riders on Thursday, with temperatures around 18 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the sun will make occasional appearances, and it will remain dry throughout the day. However, there will be a strong southerly wind, reaching force 4.

Times
Start: 11:13 am
Finish: between 3:40-4:00 pm

Favorites GP Denain 2024

Juan Sebastian Molano, the winner of the previous edition, will also compete in France this season. The Colombian is one of the fastest sprinters on paper and thus has a good chance of defending his title. However, UAE Team Emirates boasts many more options. What about Nils Politt? The strong German feels at home on the cobblestones and finished second in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this season. He also recently showcased good form in Paris-Nice. Teammate Tim Wellens typically makes his debut in Paris-Roubaix in April, so he will want to test himself on the French cobblestones in Denain. UAE also has top Portuguese talent Antonio Morgado, who secured second place at GP Samyn earlier this year. Mikkel Bjerg completes UAE's impressive list of contenders.

At Samyn, Morgado narrowly beat Laurenz Rex, the imposing rider from Intermarché Wanty, who possesses the perfect build for cobblestones, as evidenced by his ninth-place finish in Paris-Roubaix last year. Since then, the Belgian rider has taken another significant step forward, highlighted by a sixth-place finish in the Omloop and a victory in Samyn. Rex has demonstrated his ability to handle the cobbles and doesn't have to worry about finishing in a small group, as he crossed the line ahead of everyone else at Samyn. Intermarché-Wanty will also have two sprinters in Hugo Page and Arne Marit if a large bunch forms. Soudal-QuickStep presents an attacking option with Yves Lampaert but can also confidently aim for a sprint with the talented American sprinter Luke Lamperti.

Initially lacking an outspoken leader for the race, Lotto-Dstny's situation changed on Monday when the team announced that Arnaud De Lie would not participate in Milan-Sanremo. Instead, the team and rider opted for the GP Denain and other races that better suit De Lie's ambitions in the big cobbled classics later in March and early April. With his power on the cobblestones and strong sprint, De Lie leads the list of favorites in Denain. Additionally, with the young Alec Segaert, Lotto-Dstny also boasts a possible surprise contender for the race. The promising cyclist recently caught the peloton off guard at the GP Criquielion with a late attack. Could he surprise his peers once again?

The French teams are eager to showcase their prowess on home turf and have assembled strong selections for the race. For instance, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale is bringing in a top sprinter in Sam Bennett, although the Irishman has been searching for his peak form recently. Damien Touzé, Andrea Vendrame, and the young Paul Lapeira (who finished 10th last year) are also names to watch out for. Arkéa-B&B Hotels pins their hopes on Florian Sénéchal, their recent acquisition who was part of Soudal-Quick Step's successful spring core for many years. Jenthe Biermans (third in Samyn), Amaury Capiot (stage winner in Oman), and Matis Louvel are also potential game-changers for the team. Stefan Küng leads Groupama-FDJ, capable of causing significant damage on the cobblestones with his robust riding style. The team also boasts fast riders like Lewis Askey, Marc Sarreau, and Matthew Walls. TotalEnergies will rely on the experienced Anthony Turgis and Belgian Dries Van Gestel. At Cofidis, Polish sprinter Stanislaw Aniolkowski and Piet Allegaert are the protected riders.

Alpecin-Deceuninck is heading to France without any clear leaders but with several promising talents, including Lars Boven, son of former rider Jan Boven, who has impressed with his sprinting abilities in the early months of the season. The versatile Timo Kielich and Stan Van Tricht are other contenders for the Roodhooft brothers' team. Jayco AlUla presents a strong candidate in the tall German Max Walscheid, who already secured a victory in Denain in 2022. Outsiders for the podium include Jannik Steimle and Belgian Tom Devriendt (fourth in Paris-Roubaix in 2022), both racing for Q36.5 Pro Cycling, as well as the speedy Basque rider Jon Aberasturi from Euskaltel-Euskadi.

According to IDLProCycling.com, who are the favorites for GP Denain?

Top favorite:Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny)
Outsiders:Juan Sebastian Molano, Tim Wellens, Nils Politt (all three UAE Team Emirates), Stefan Küng (Groupama FDJ), Laurenz Rex (Intermarché-Wanty) and Florian Sénéchal (Arkea-B&B Hotels)
Long shots: Yves Lampeart, Luke Lamperti (both Soudal-Quick Step), Mikkel Bjerg, Antonio Morgado (both UAE Team Emirates), Alec Segaert (Lotto-Dstny) and Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty)

TV GP Denain 2024

You can watch the cobbled race live from 2 p.m. on Eurosport. The sports channel will carry the GP Denain on Eurosport 1 and Eurosport.com.