Belgian Tom Boonen has been given ample warning not to expect an easy six hours in the saddle when he puts his title, and his pride, on the line at the prestigious Paris-Roubaix classic on Sunday.

Boonen’s Quick Step team appear to be one of the strongest on paper, but a handful of rivals – including notably George Hincapie, Juan Antonio Flecha and Fabian Cancellara – are in no mood for allowing that to ruin their plans.

Of the three, Cancellara has the best record in the notoriously difficult cobblestoned classic, the Swiss Saxo Bank rider powering to victory at the Roubaix velodrome finish line in 2006.

But on Saturday it was Hincapie, the runner-up to Boonen in 2005, who sounded most defiant.

Despite acknowledging the strength of Quick Step trio Boonen, Stijn Devolder and Sylvain Chavanel the veteran American said teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen’s victory in Wedneday’s Ghent-Wevelgem semi-classic had given him further belief they can pull off a coup.

“They (Quick Step) have strong riders but this is a tough race, you can’t really say they’re gonna win with ease,” Hincapie told Bicycle.net.

“They have to suffer as much as any of us. I’m not afraid of Quick Step at all. We won on Wednesday and they didn’t have anybody there.

“If you look back at the history of Paris-Roubaix, it’s an open race for everybody.”

After missing out on winning last week’s Tour of Flanders, Boonen is being tipped to vent his fury on the peloton by claiming a third Roubaix crown.

With last week’s winner in Flanders, Devolder, and Frenchman Chavanel also at his side, Quick Step’s rivals are studiously drawing up battle plans.

Still, Boonen will be more than keen to keep a close eye on a veteran American, a canny Spaniard, and a Swiss who appears to be below par but, it seems, may be hiding his game well.

In Spain the majority of cycling fans would not change channels to watch Paris-Roubaix, even if it was shown live on television, but that could all change if Flecha makes history by becoming the first Spaniard to win the race.

A two-time podium finisher (second in 2007, third in 2005), Flecha showed his gritty side again last week by getting up from a crash, then a puncture before battling to a 30th place finish in Flanders.

He knows his rivals by heart, but said Saturday: “It doesn’t matter who they are. The race is hard enough in itself.”

Supposedly off form, Cancellara admitted his intimate knowledge of the ‘Hell of the North’ – due mainly to the 27 cobblestone sectors which normally take a heavy toll on the peloton – could help him overcome his slight handicap.

“I feel good, better than last week. But I think I need a bid of luck as well,” said Cancellara, who crashed out of the Tour of Flanders after suffering mechanical problems.

“I’m not here saying I’m going to win but if I didn’t believe in my chances I wouldn’t be here.

“I have to stay calm, use all the experience I have. There’s no pressure on me. I can sit in the peloton and it will be up to the other favourites to control the race. It’s a long race.”

His Danish teammate Matti Breschel will be given the green light to strike out on his own if the opportunity arises, but he warned: “I believe Fabian will be among the strongest. He will be up there tomorrow.

“All the media spotlight has been on Quick Step this week, and that’s been good for us.

“We’re all pretty motivated. In Flanders we had a bit of bad luck with fitness and crashes. But We have a lot of cards to play.”

Also in contention are Italians Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) and Manuel Quinziato (Liquigas), Martijn Maaskant (Garmin) and Marcus Burghardt (Columbia).

File Photo by: CorVos Pro