Belgian star Tom Boonen will saddle up as a major favorite for Sunday’s 103rd edition of Paris-Roubaix, the rugged one-day classic that could put the charismatic Quick Step rider on the road to emulating former three-time winner Johan Museeuw.

Despite his youthful features, Boonen proved in last week's daring win in the Tour of Flanders that he has no qualms about putting some of the world's toughest and more experienced one-day riders to the sword. And a victory in the Roubaix velodrome would send his growing army of fans into an even bigger frenzy.

"We saw it last week - age is not an issue," said Boonen, who along with a pair of young Fassa Bortolo teammates - 24-year-old Swiss Fabian Cancellara and 27-year-old Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha - could upset the traditionally more favored older riders.

"The whole team is right behind me," Boonen continued. "Before the Tour of Flanders I was a bit worried because Paolo Bettini wasn't in the team but then I realized that being the only team leader suits me quite well. I like the responsibility."

But Boonen and his fans know that victory after 257km of furious racing over the back roads of northern France will come at a much bigger cost. Paris-Roubaix, the fifth race of the ProTour's 27-leg series, has a habit of claiming big-name victims.

The peloton gets a small break this year, with the omission of the treacherous Arenberg section of cobblestones - one of 26 in the race - because of its poor condition. But the riders from the 25 teams will not thank organizers for including new, untested sections of cobblestones, which add up to an unprecedented 54.7km of pavé.

Factor in the predicted cold and rain and it all adds up to a painful day in the saddle - although any previous winner of Paris-Roubaix will tell you that winning the "Queen of the Classics" is worth all the suffering.

But Marc Madiot, who claimed victory in 1985 and 1991, warns that a rider can't expect to get anywhere near the podium if he is not prepared to live and breathe Paris-Roubaix in the run-up, then transcend body and mind during the race itself.

"In any other race, you can be in agony and still find something left in you in the final stages to grab a chance of winning. In Paris-Roubaix, it's impossible," said Madiot, now manager of the Française des Jeux team.

"You're either in contention, or you're not. And if you've not prepared well, you can't win. You have to live and breathe Paris-Roubaix. It has to become an obsession until the day of the race. You can't leave anything to chance."

Recent reports of the cobblestones speak of greasy conditions due to a week of rain in the north.

Coupled with possible cross or headwinds, it means the dangers are multiplied and staying at the front and avoiding being dropped off the back will be vital.

"Everything could depend on the wind conditions," said Madiot. "If it's a headwind, then it doesn't matter so much, but I see a lot of guys being dropped a lot earlier than usual this year."

Reigning champion Magnus Bäckstedt (Liquigas-Bianchi), who is riding with an injured right wrist after crashing in Ghent-Wevelgem in midweek, expects the initial split to come at the first new cobblestone section.

"There's another new section which is long and is a slight incline, and I think if an attack goes there it could be decisive," the big Swede said.

Bäckstedt's list of contenders includes Boonen, American George Hincapie (Discovery Channel), Belgian Peter Van Petegem (Davitamon-Lotto), as well as Flecha and Cancellara.

"But there are a lot of riders who could spring a surprise," he added.

Tafi en route to victory in 1999

Photo: AFP

Tafi hopes for glorious exit
Italian classics specialist Andrea Tafi struggled to contain his emotions on Saturday as he announced the imminent end of his successful cycling career, but promised he would bid for one last taste of glory in Sunday's Paris-Roubaix.

The 38-year-old former winner of the rugged one-day classic, who spent much of his career with the mighty Mapei team, will spearhead Saunier Duval's bid in a race where Belgian star Tom Boonen of Quick Step is the big favorite.

Tafi, the 1999 winner, is hoping his 13th participation in the "Hell of the North" proves lucky before he gets off the saddle for good.

"It's going to be very difficult for me giving up cycling, it's given me everything," said an emotional Tafi, who plans to ride the Tour de Georgia in two weeks in the United States.

"For me, this really represents my last real race. Paris-Roubaix was something I grew up loving, and ever since the day I saw Francesco Moser win it, it became my childhood dream."

Tafi, on paper, is not among the handful of favorites. However having achieved the rare feat of completing the race 12 times, and finishing runner-up (1998) and third (1996), he could spring a surprise.

"I'm in really great form, I couldn't feel any better going into the race," said Tafi, an former winner of the Tour of Lombardy, Paris-Tours and the Tour of Flanders.

"I'm very sad to be retiring from cycling, but I've been living and breathing the race for the past few months. It's all I've been thinking about. Tomorrow, nothing will get in my way."