Paris-Roubaix takes place this weekend and after the excitement of Irish riders being on the attack at the men's and women's Tour of Flanders last weekend, there will be plenty of Irish interest again at 'Hell of the North' over the next two days.
The race was won by Sean Kelly twice during his career - in 1984 and 1986 - while another trailblazing win for Ireland was also secured on the Roubaix velodrome back in 1963. Shay Elliott won a stage of the Tour de France there and also took the yellow jersey; two historic firsts for Ireland.
Whether Irish riders will enjoy such major success this weekend remains to be seen. However, there will be Irish riders in both the men's and women's races and a strong result, or a breakaway ride, would rank as a successful outing for any of them.
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After riding just one race since her crash at the start of last month, Irish road race and TT champion Fiona Mangan will line out in Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift tomorrow for her Winspace Orange Seal team.
The Limerick woman is still easing herself back into action after breaking her collarbone and a bone in her hand at Omloop Nieuwsblad at the start of March. She rode Région Pays de la Loire Tour on Wednesday and now throws herself into the deep end with just that one post-comeback outing in her legs.
It is a shame Mangan has not had time to squeeze in more racing before Paris-Roubaix to hone her form. But she has at least won the race to make the start line and anything she can do tomorrow will be a bonus.
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Mangan will be joined on the start line of the 148.5km race by former Irish road race champion Lara Gillespie. The UAE Team ADQ rider has enjoyed a flying start to the season, with four podium finishes and a series of other top 10s.
Gillespie has shown herself more than capable on the cobbles in recent weeks, though the pavé tomorrow will be of a different order. However, her most recent results suggest her form is building as he took 6th in Gent-Wevelgem, 5th in Classic Brugge-De Panne and 3rd in Danilith Nokere Koerse.
Given her clear run of racing, against Mangan's more difficult early season, Gillespie is best placed of the duo to perform at her maximum. Though tomorrow will be learning experience for the 23-year-old, she is definitely capable of getting in amongst the very best.
And it will be really interesting to see how she copes with the cobbles, the most unforgiving in pro cycling. If she passes the test, and proves able to manage, this race is one she has the other abilities to win in the future.
Indeed, Gillespie could pull something big out of the bag at the first time of asking given her results in recent weeks and the confidence she has gained.
In the men's race, after his breakaway heroics at last weekend's Tour of Flanders, Rory Townsend is down to ride the men's edition of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday with his team, Q36.5 Pro Cycling team.
The absence of the team's clear leader, Tom Pidcock, from the line-up on Sunday opens the way for the others to gain an opportunity. And if the team is looking to get a rider up the road early - which will surely be the case - Townsend has a proven record of getting clear, and going a long way, in the breakaways of major races.
