Zoe Bäckstedt’s LAB71 SuperSix EVO for Roubaix

You’ll often hear these words when riders describe what it’s like to race Paris-Roubaix. There is a reason it’s called the Hell of the North. So our mechanics have set up Zoe Bäckstedt’s Cannondale LAB71 SuperSix EVO to handle whatever the day may hold.

Zoe has opted to race on Corsa Control 30c tubeless tires from Vittoria for the 17 cobbled sectors. This larger size allows her to race on lower tire pressure which will enhance the grip on the slick, uneven cobbles. With four hours of intense, bone-jarring racing expected, Corsa Control 30c will give the Roubaix rookie comfort and control. Zoe will have less rolling resistance so she knows she’s getting maximum tire performance with each pedal stroke.

As for her pedals, Zoe has something special planned for Saturday. She will race on a pair of Wahoo Speedplay pedals designed in honor of her father, Magnus Bäckstedt’s 2004 Paris-Roubaix victory. For more on Zoe’s pedals and her Paris-Roubaix debut, click here.

After team recon earlier this week, Zoe said of the course, “I think when you're hitting the cobbles with 100 other riders, and you're going full gas on the road before the sector, it's going to change the whole dynamic of the race. It'll become a fight for every kilometer on the course. So yeah, it's going to be really savage.”

Her expectations are realistic. After all, the only guarantees at Roubaix are that it will be unpredictable, chaotic, and wild.