Welsh cyclist Luke Rowe says he can win Paris-Roubaix classic

Luke Rowe (left) with Bradley Wiggins (right) at the Paris-Roubaix race

Welsh cyclist Luke Rowe believes he can win the Paris-Roubaix road race after his eighth-placed finish on Sunday.

Rowe, 25, was the first Briton across the line, 28 seconds behind German winner John Degenkolb.

When asked if he thought he could win the race in the future, the Team Sky rider replied: "Yes. The one-day classics are somewhere I back myself to go OK.

"If you can get an eighth, why can't you get on the podium or win it?"

Rowe finished 10 places ahead of team-mate and world and Olympic time-trial champion Sir Bradley Wiggins.

Riding in his final race for Team Sky, 2012 Tour de France winner Wiggins tried to race clear 20 miles from the finish, but was caught.

No British rider has won the notoriously tough race, which features 27 sections of cobbled roads.