Watch Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift on SBS VICELAND from 11:15pm (AEST) on April 8, followed by the men's edition at 7pm (AEST) on April 9 via SBS On Demand.
The European pair appear primed for an all-out assault on the Queen of the Classics after trailing the ever-impressive Tadej Pogacar in the Tour of Flanders earlier this week.
Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) could only claim second place behind his Slovenian rival, though the momentum seems to be in his favour ahead of the 256.6-kilometre course to the Velodrome Andre Petrieux.
Approximately 175 riders will take to the start line in Compiegne, where over 54 kilometres worth of cobblestone roads await across 29 testing sections.
Pogacar’s absence will only aid van der Poel’s cause, with the Dutchman out to improve upon his third-placed showing in 2021, and add to his triumph in Milan-San Remo last month.
Van Aert, however, motivated to return to the podium after finishing fourth in Flanders, will be buoyed by both his victory in the E3 Saxo Bank Classic and the strength of Jumbo-Visma.
The Dutch team now boast defending Paris-Roubaix champion Dylan van Baarle in their ranks alongside Christophe Laporte, and van Aert will need the help of his allies to avenge his runners-up performance from 2022.
Ineos Grenadiers, led by Filippo Ganna, are one team standing in his way, while Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Kasper Asgreen and Yves Lampaert (Soudal-Quick Step) will also need close marking.
Florian Vermeersch of Lotto Dstny is another rider set to impress, as are Stefan Kung and Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ), Peter Sagan (TotalEnergies), and Greg van Avermaet (AG2R Citroen).
Picking who prevails in the ‘Hell of the North’ is a fruitless task if recent history is anything to go by, with 11 different riders taking top spot in the last 11 editions of the men’s race.
In addition to the women’s race on Saturday night, SBS On Demand will air all the action from the men’s equivalent LIVE from 7pm (AEST) on Sunday night and from 8:30pm on SBS VICELAND.
Main contenders from 25 teams
Australia
Jayco AlUla: Luke Durbridge (AUS) and Zdeněk Štybar (CZE)
Bahrain
Bahrain Victorious: Matej Mohorič (SLO) and Fred Wright (GBR)
Belgium
Soudal–Quick-Step: Tim Merlier, Yves Lampaert (BEL), Kasper Asgreen (DAN) and Florian Sénéchal (FRA)
Lotto Dstny: Arnaud De Lie, Florian Vermeersch and Frederik Frison (BEL)
Alpecin–Deceuninck: Mathieu van der Poel (NED), Silvan Dillier (SUI) and Kaden Groves (AUS)
Intermarché–Circus–Wanty: Biniam Girmay (ERI) and Laurenz Rex (BEL)
Bingoal–WB: Guillaume van Keirsbulck (BEL)
Team Flanders–Baloise: Aaron van Poucke (BEL)
France
AG2R Citroën: Greg van Avermaet, Oliver Naesen and Stan Dewulf (BEL)
Cofidis: Max Walscheid (GER) and Jelle Wallays (BEL)
Groupama–FDJ: Arnaud Démare (FRA) and Stefan Küng (SUI)
TotalEnergies: Peter Sagan (SVK), Anthony Turgis (FRA) and Maciej Bodnar (POL)
Arkéa–Samsic: Hugo Hofstetter, Matîs Louvel (FRA) and Daniel McLay (GBR)
Germany
BORA-hansgrohe: Nils Politt (GER) and Shane Archbold (NZL)
Israel
Israel–Premier Tech: Sep Vanmarcke and Tom van Asbroeck (BEL)
Kazakhstan
Astana Qazaqstan: Gianni Moscon (ITA) and Jetse Bol (NED)
Netherlands
Jumbo–Visma: Wout van Aert (BEL), Christophe Laporte (FRA) and Dylan van Baarle (NED)
DSM: John Degenkolb (GER) and Nils Eekhoff (NED)
Norway
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team: Alexander Kristoff and Rasmus Tiller (NOR)
Spain
Movistar Team: Iván García Cortina, Oier Lazkano (ESP) and Mathias Norsgaard Jørgensen (DEN)
Switzerland
Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team: Tom Devriendt (BEL)
United Arab Emirates
UAE Team Emirates: Mikkel Bjerg (DEN), Pascal Ackermann (GER) and Matteo Trentin (ITA)
United Kingdom
Ineos Grenadiers: Filippo Ganna (ITA) and Michal Kwiatkowski (POL)
United States
EF Education–EasyPost: Stefan Bissegger (SUI), Jens Keukeleire (BEL) and Alberto Bettiol (ITA)
Trek–Segafredo: Jasper Stuyven (BEL) and Mads Pedersen (DEN)
