EF Pro Cycling's Sepp Vanmarcke admitted that he was initially in disbelief when he learned that Paris-Roubaix, one of his biggest goals for the season, had been canceled on Friday. The "Hell of the North" was supposed to take place on October 25, but the 2020 event was cancelled altogether due to an increase in COVID-19 infections in northern France.

Vanmarcke told Het Nieuwsblad that he returned from a training ride on Friday and had missed several phone calls. Checking the Internet, he saw news of the Roubaix cancellation.

"'Fuck! This can't be happening!' I thought. And I was a little confused for 30 minutes," he explained on Saturday, but later found out the reason for the cancellation.

"It was the right decision, given the situation around the world. It's not right that we're still racing when [the COVID-19 cases are overwhelming] and the hospitals are in danger of getting into trouble." But, of course, we have to continue living somewhere. Otherwise, people will panic even more. Perhaps Roubaix could have been held without spectators: ...... These are crazy times for everyone."

In the 2019 edition of Paris-Roubaix, Vanmarcke was heartbroken after his rear derailleur jammed on the cobbled final section of Gruison and he finished fourth. It was the Belgian's third fourth-place finish and his fifth top-10 finish.

"Fortunately, I still have Ghent-Wevelgem (Sunday), the Tour of Flanders (October 18), and the Dreiderghe Brugge-des-Pannes (October 21) to prepare for Roubaix. If all the upcoming races were to disappear, things would be different. For the first time in my life, I've been training for six or seven months at almost 100%. Even with fewer race days, I did not lose morale during this difficult season."

Since racing resumed after a mandatory break due to a coronavirus outbreak, Vanmarcke has run a minimal race program to stay fresh for the Cobbled Classics campaign, which includes the Bretagne Classics-Aust-France, the European and Belgian road race championships, and only competed in the Bink Bank Tour earlier this month.

When asked if the 32-year-old, whose contract with EF Pro Cycling expires at the end of this season, is concerned about losing the opportunity to try to increase his market value in the lucrative race Roubaix, Vanmarcke admitted that it remains to be seen what impact the shortened season will have

"It's not like when Paris-Roubaix is held in April and the market opens. This season takes place at the end of October, and teams don't have much of a budget." A win or a podium [in the Classics] will probably raise [the market value of a rider] a little bit."

At the end of September, vanmarcke told Het Nieuwsblad that he had received a contract extension offer from EF Pro Cycling and that he was "comparing it with other offers."

"I will make a decision after the last race. Normally, a contract would be finalized very early on, but everything is different now."

"Normally [at this time of year], I can only give about 80 percent of my best. I've never had a winter break in such good condition. Let's hope for a normal spring next season."