Differently than at the Ronde van Vlaanderen one week earlier, Taylor Phinney hoped to play an important role in the Paris-Roubaix finale last Sunday, but a puncture in the always decisive Carrefour de l’Abre pave sector forced young American to abandon his dreams about a glory in the Hell of the North just yet.

In Roubaix, BMC shared a fate of Omega Pharma-Quick Step from the Ronde van Vlaanderen, as the American team had the visible strength in numbers until the decisive part of the event, but – mainly due to a bad luck, failed to make a difference in the finale with their best rider, Greg Van Avermaet, finishing seventeenth, 47 seconds behind Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step).

Phinney was visible near the front for the most of the race, but suffered a highly unfortunate puncture at the one of most difficult and decisive pave sectors – Carrefour de l’Abre only 15 kilometers from the finish line, and never managed to make it back to the leaders group following the wheel change. As a result, the 23-year old time trialist had to settle for thirtieth place, losing almost three minutes to the winner.

“I had a flat there in the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector, and that’s the first time I’ve had a flat ever in Roubaix. That was not a great moment to have a puncture,” Phinney told VeloNews.

“I am not quite sure how the race played out, but I know I would have been there with Greg [Van Avermaet], Thor [Hushovd], and Marcus [Burghardt].”

“When you flat on the cobbles like that, you lose all your momentum,” Phinney said.

“You cannot push the same power. I had to change a wheel, and lost a good 30 seconds. I got into a little group, and we powered to the line as best we could.”

After a highly promising showing at the Ronde van Vlaanderen one weekend before, with Phinney emerging as the last rider of the day’s early breakaway to be reeled in be the peloton and Van Avermaet settling for the runner-up stop but, in fact, leaving an impression of being the strongest rider of the competition, BMC hoped to keep up the momentum in the Hell of the North.

The Paris-Roubaix, however, didn’t turn out equally fortunate for the American squad. Even though Thor Hushovd enjoyed his best showing on cobbles since his runner-up spot claimed in Roubaix for years ago, Phinney’s puncture preceded by Van Avermaet’s crash ten kilometers earlier eventually derailed their ambition for a good result in the Queen of the Classics this season.

“As a team, I think we deserved more than what the results sheet showed,” Phinney said.

“As a team, we were super strong and always together. Sometimes things just don’t go your way.”

Looking at the bigger picture, however, BMC showed a great improvement in the classics this season with a strong team certainly capable of using their strength in numbers in the future. And so did Phinney, pleased with his recent performances despite all the bad luck.

“It’s too bad,” he said. “Personally, I made a step forward from last year and the year before, so that’s all I can ask from myself.”

Like most of the cobbled classics specialist, the 23-year old American will enjoy a short rest period before lining up at the Amgen Tour of California in May, for the first time since last three years.