Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

If Ian Stannard has any chance of taking victory he has to do it alone. He is fast but not fast enough in a sprint. If he has the strength he has to try and break up this bunch. However, he has it all to do because he is on his own for Team Sky and other riders near him have team-mates, which means they can take turns to rest.

Slovak livewire Peter Sagan darts off the front of the peloton. Ian Stannard seems to be on his own for Team Sky up there. Bradley Wiggins is buried somewhere deep in the pack and it might be a long way back with little let-up in the pace.

BMC's Daniel Oss takes a trip into the ditch. He had been doing some hard stints towards the front for his team. He is propped back up and shoved on his way.

Team Sky: , externalIt looks like @GeraintThomas86's chances of success are over. He's no longer in the peloton after his crashes and punctures.

Uh oh. Bad news for Team Sky from Team Sky...

Onto the 16th cobbled section - Orchies - and it is still Etixx Quick Step who are asking all the questions of the peloton.

Relentless churn at the front and there are some big airlocks opening up in the stream of riders that are attempting to follow. Neither Bradley Wiggins or Geraint Thomas have made an appearance in front of the cameras recently.

The eight-strong leading group have been reeled in to within three minutes.

Tim on Twitter:, external "Watching at Mens en Pevele, waiting for Wiggins. Best memory of him, staying with the leaders climbing to Andorra on 2009 TdF"

Tweet us a photo Tim! #bbccycling, 81111 on text for your favourite Wiggo road memories.

Simon Brotherton
Cycling commentator on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Image source, Simon Brotherton

"Lovely day for a bike race. Decent view from our commentary perch at the finish too."

The Etixx-Quick Step team, including defending champion Niki Terpstra, have decided that they want to shift this race on.

As the peloton charge onto the Beuvry-la-Forêt section of cobbles ,they up the pace. Ian Stanndard is up the front for Team Sky, but it is getting strung out behind.

Geraint Thomas and Sir Bradley Wiggins have just about clung to the coattails of that spurt.

The eight-strong leading group have had their lead trimmed down to 2:45 with a little over 60km to go.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"This is an archaic race. It is savage. The history of this race, the list of winners and the big riders that have won it, is incredible. A lot of riders don't like the cobbles because they are difficult but that is what makes Paris-Roubaix what it is. The cobbles decimate the field and play such a big part in the drama."

Image source, AFP

By the way, this race is cracking on at a lively pace. The race organisers' fastest guide times were based on an average speed of 42 kmh.

With a tailwind and a dry conditions we are on target to be 40 minutes ahead of that schedule. The winner could cross the line at 14:50 BST.

Image source, AFP

"It just wouldn't be the same anywhere else. Roubaix is a fitting end," Wiggins said., external

"I'd ride on with a broken collarbone just to come into the Roubaix velodrome, because it's the last race.

"Everyone starts to go 'Oh, you can win Roubaix.' Like it's this fairytale ending, but obviously, it's not as easy as that."

Being born in Gent, he has the classic Belgium-born heritage, but it certainly won't be easy for the 34-year-old.

Wiggins last spotted slugging away in the middle of the pack. Given Geraint Thomas's mechanical and fall, will Team Sky lump all their resources into getting Wiggo up the standings?

Image source, Chris Froome

Sir Bradley Wiggins' team-mate Chris Froome has tweeted this picture, external and comment:

"This made me laugh. #throwback to the 2012 TDF. All the best for Paris-Roubaix #AurevoirBrad #TBT"

I bet it made him laugh. It has not been love and cuddles between Froome and Wiggins for some time.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"This is a race I followed all the time as a child. For me and many cycling fans it is the biggest one-day race on the calendar. If you win this you can live the rest of your career and life off the back of winning Paris-Roubaix."

Team Sky's Ian Stannard, who defended his Omloop Het Nieuwsblad title last month, is marking a mob of eager Lotto-Soudal riders at the front of the peloton.

Stannard wants to keep the pace down to allow Geraint Thomas an easier route back into the pack. The Lotto lads want to push on as their team-mate Sean De Bie has dropped out of the leading group with a mechanical.

Britain and Orica Greenedge's Adam Blythe is still at the front though with another seven riders. Their lead is four minutes 30 seconds. Seventy two kilometres still to go.

Image source, Chris Froome

Sir Bradley Wiggin's Team Sky team-mate Chris Froome, external is training in Tenerife.

"Unfortunately won't get to watch #ParisRoubaix today, seven-hour spin with @richie_porte @nicholasroche @LeopoldKonig

Strictly speaking by the way, there should be a raft of disqualifications after a big chunk of the peloton jumped the barriers at that level crossing.

Back in 2006, Leif Hoste, Peter Van Petegem and Vladimir Gusev has their results chalked off for doing exactly that.

I think today's miscreants will get away with it, just because there were so many of them.

Nevermind the cobbles, look out for the kerbs.

In a residential back road, Geraint Thomas comes to grief as he rubs up against the pavement. He is sent sprawling to the floor. A quick rub of his sore flank while his team pluck a new bike off the roof and he is back up and running.

He doesn't seem to have any team-mates around him, but should make it back to the pack. He will spend some valuable energy doing so though.

Rob Hayles
Former GB cyclist on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

"That could have ended in disaster. You could see riders nip across the track but that train wasn't slowing down."

Image source, AFP

Road safety campaigners look away now.

As the peloton approach a level crossing, the barriers start to come down. The peloton keep streaming under and round to cross the rails despite a policeman's appeals not to.

Finally sanity prevails in time. The flow of bikes stops a few seconds before a whacking great TGV comes trundling across in front of them.