Wout van Aert leads the Jumbo-Visma riders over the Arenberg forest cobbles(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Philippe Gilbert of Lotto Soudal, the defending champion, trains ahead of Paris-Roubaix 2021(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Wout van Aert on the Arenberg forest sector(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Belgian Gianni Vermeersch of Alpecin-Fenix trains ahead of Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma)(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) chose to forego gloves while training on the cobbles(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) likes the mud(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Mads Pedersen and Jasper Stuyven lead Trek-Segafredo on recon ride(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Connor Swift (Arkea-Samsic) checks out the Arenberg forest(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo), the Latvian champion, previews the pave ahead of Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
EF Education-Nippo train ahead of Paris-Roubaix, picking the high line and low line(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
EF Education-Nippo riders on the pavé(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
EF Education-Nippo training ahead of Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Greg Van Avermaet leads AG2R Citroën over the cobbles(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Greg Van Avermaet leads AG2R Citroën over the cobbles(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Sonny Colbrelli with Bahrain Victorious teammates on recon(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Eddy Finé (Cofidis) tries both hoods and drops while tackling the cobbles(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Cofidis ride the cobbles ahead of Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
AG2R Citroën on the cobbles(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Cofidis and BikeExchange on the cobbles(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Luke Durbridge leads Team BikeExchange across a sector of pavé(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Arkéa-Samsic on the Arenberg forest(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
There are only three days until Paris-Roubaix finally returns after an 30-month absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, and riders previewed a very different course to what they normally experience in April.
Tall crops, weeds and green grass lined the sectors of pavé as favourites Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R Citroën) rode across mud-slicked cobbles.
The Arenberg forest pavé, which last week had almost disappeared beneath a blanket of weeds, has been carefully groomed, and recent rains brought out hues of red, brown and blue in the ancient stones.
After heavy rain on Wednesday, workers were busy clearing a deep section of mud from one sector but not before Van der Poel and his Alpecin-Fenix team had passed. Senne Leysen was an unfortunate victim of the slick conditions and emerged with his back covered in mud.
Riders will now review their tyre choices and pressures and dial in their equipment for Sunday's six-hour sufferfest.
Cyclingnews will have full live coverage of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, October 3 from 11:00 a.m. CDT to the finish.
Click or swipe through the above gallery to see all the images.
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