Every year the most sadistic of road racing fans hope for one thing; a wet Paris-Roubaix. We want the most epic of races to be even harder for the riders, the punishment of the pavé amplified by a decent coating of precipitation, the ancient farm tracks made more treacherous by adding to the already slick and slippery surface. We want mud, and we want the riders to be caked in it. It’s more than just a visual thing, it’s a throwback to gladiatorial times.

While the last wet Roubaix was the 2002 edition, it paled by comparison to the previous year, which is still remembered for the iconic images of riders’ eyes peering red through a mask of filth, jerseys almost unidentifiable. 16 years on, we still hold out hope for a wet Roubaix and a new crop of heroes forever revered for a battle in a muddy Hell.