Paris-Roubaix 2021 LIVE: Latest updates from men’s race as wet conditions cause multiple crashes

van der Poel leads, Colbrelli behind, Vermeersch is going long.

Here goes the Belgian, can they reel him in? Here comes Colbrelli! Here comes Colbrelli for the finish! IT’S ITALY AGAIN!

SONNY COLBRELLI IS THE WINNER OF PARIS-ROUBAIX!!!

Into the velodrome, and there is the bell…who will take this marvellous return for Paris-Roubaix?

Over the final cobbles, but these are mere child’s play compared to what has come before. Into the city centre over the final 200m of pavé and under the Flamme Rouge.

Florian Vermeersch dances on his pedals, shaking off his legs. Might he have another go? He is running out of time. I think Mathieu van der Poel and Sonny Colbrelli will be happy enough to sprint at this stage. Can van der Poel right the wrongs of the Tour of Flanders when he was beaten in a final sprint? It was two-up earlier this year – it will be three who contest this one.

HE DOESN’T WANT A SPRINT! An attack from Vermeersch! Just about closed down by Colbrelli with van der Poel on his wheel. But boy does the young Belgian look strong…

Don’t rule out Florian Vermeersch, though – I’ve been having a gander through his past results and he has out-sprinted a host of fast finishers before, including Jasper Philipsen and Pascal Ackermann. This is very, very different, but he might just be in the mix.

A first aerial panning across the Roubaix skyline and on to the concrete velodrome the helicopter camera-man focusses. Time yet for a final dig or does a three-up sprint around the famous circuit await? Still the three look evenly-matched, exhausted, obviously, but still with enough strength in the legs to take turns at the front.

Past the legends of Paris-Roubaix the leading trio go, monuments to the monuments men at the side of the road as we move towards the velodrome. Florian Vermeersch looks so, so strong – where have Lotto-Soudal been hiding him?

To the front comes Mathieu van der Poel, tongue lolloping about in his mouth as he sucks in air and prepares for these final few kilometres. Behind him, Sonny Colbrelli looks cool, hidden behind his shades. He’s shown the best recent racing legs but you’d say van der Poel’s back is fully healed.

Two more cobbled sections. Three riders at the front. A wet, windy, wild return for Paris-Roubaix comes down to this.

And can you believe it – they are all debutants!