Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional
bicycle road raceRoad bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
in northern
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
near the Belgian frontier. Since its beginning in 1896 until 1967 it started in
ParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and ended in
RoubaixRoubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
(hence the name); since 1968 the start city is
CompiègneCompiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
(about 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) north-east from Paris center), whilst the finish is still in Roubaix. Famous for rough terrain and cobblestones (
settsA sett, usually the plural setts and in some places called a Belgian block, often incorrectly called "cobblestone", is a broadly rectangular quarried stone used originally for paving roads, today a decorative stone paving used in landscape architecture...
),
[Paris–Roubaix is popularly known throughout the English speaking world for its 'cobbled sectors', but this is a misnomer as the sectors are actually paved with granite setts]A sett, usually the plural setts and in some places called a Belgian block, often incorrectly called "cobblestone", is a broadly rectangular quarried stone used originally for paving roads, today a decorative stone paving used in landscape architecture...
, roughly hewn blocks, which are considerably smoother and safer than true cobblestones (prominent rounded pebbles often used on inner city streets). Ergo, this article maintains the popular misnomer 'Cobblestones', but attempts to clarify the misnomer wherever relevant. it is one of the 'Monuments' or Classics of the European calendar, and contributes points towards the
UCI World RankingThe UCI World Tour is the premier annual male elite road cycling tour. It refers to both the tour of 27 events and an annual ranking system based upon performances in these...
. It has been called
the Hell of the North,
a Sunday in Hell (also the title of
a filmA Sunday in Hell is a 1976 Danish documentary film directed by Jørgen Leth. The film is a chronology of the 1976 Paris–Roubaix bicycle race from the perspective of participants, organizers and spectators....
about the 1976 edition of the race),
the Queen of the Classics or
la Pascale: the
Easter race. The race is organised by the media group
Amaury Sport OrganisationThe Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the French media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris–Nice professional cycle road races, and the Dakar Rally...
annually in mid-April.
First run in 1896, Paris–Roubaix is one of cycling's oldest races. It is well known for the many 'cobbled sectors' over which it runs, being considered, along with the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Gent–Wevelgem to be one of the
cobbled classicsCobblestones, like mountaineous terrain, are decisive elements in courses of cycling. Many classic cycle races in northwestern Europe contain cobbled sections. The two classics of this race type are the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris–Roubaix, with over 20 cobbled sectors...
. Since 1977, the winner of Paris–Roubaix has received a
settA sett, usually the plural setts and in some places called a Belgian block, often incorrectly called "cobblestone", is a broadly rectangular quarried stone used originally for paving roads, today a decorative stone paving used in landscape architecture...
(cobble stone) as part of his prize. In recent years, the terrain over which Paris–Roubaix runs has led to specialized bikes, with unique frames and wheels, being used. Wheel punctures and other mechanical problems are extremely common because of this terrain, and often play a part in who is able to ultimately make it to Roubaix with momentum.
Despite the high esteem with which the race is seen, some notable cyclists throughout history have regarded the race as a joke because of its difficult conditions. The race has also seen several controversies over the years, with many seeming winners of the race disqualified for various reasons.
The course is maintained by
Les Amis de Paris–Roubaix, a group of fans of the race formed in 1983. The
forçats du pavé seek to keep the course as safe as possible for riders while maintaining its difficulty.
History
Paris–Roubaix is one of the oldest races of professional
road cyclingRoad bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
. It was first run in 1896 and has stopped only for two world wars. The race was created by two
RoubaixRoubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
textile manufacturers,
Théodore VienneThéodore Vienne, also known as Théo Vienne, was a textile manufacturer in Roubaix who with Maurice Perez founded the Paris–Roubaix cycle race in 1896. It is one of the oldest cycle races in the world.Vienne was a sports entrepreneur, building Roubaix velodrome and the town's bullfighting ring...
(born 28 July 1864) and Maurice Perez. They had been behind the building of a
velodromeA velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
on 46,000 square metres at the corner of the rue Verte and the route d'Hempempont, which opened on 9 June 1895.
Vienne and Perez held several meetings on the track, one including the first appearance in France by the American sprinter
Major TaylorMarshall Walter "Major" Taylor was an American cyclist who won the world track cycling championship in 1899 after setting numerous world records and overcoming racial discrimination...
, and then looked for further ideas. In February 1896 they hit upon the idea of holding a race from Paris to their track. This presented two problems. The first was that the biggest races started or ended in Paris and that Roubaix might be seen as too provincial a destination. The second was that they could organise the start or the finish but not both.
They spoke to Louis Minart, the editor of
Le Vélo-External links:*...
, the only French daily sports paper. Minart was enthusiastic but said the decision of whether the paper would organise the start and provide publicity belonged to the director, Paul Rousseau. Minart may also have suggested an indirect approach because the mill owners recommended their race not on its own merits, but as preparation for another. They wrote:
Dear M. Rousseau, Bordeaux–Paris is approaching and this great annual event which has done so much to promote cycling has given us an idea. What would you think of a training race which preceded Bordeaux–Paris by four weeks? The distance between Paris and Roubaix is roughly 280km, so it would be child's play for the future participants of Bordeaux–Paris. The finish would take place at the Roubaix vélodrome after several laps of the track. Everyone would be assured of an enthusiastic welcome as most of our citizens have never had the privilege of seeing the spectacle of a major road race and we count on enough friends to believe that Roubaix is truly a hospitable town. As prizes we already have subscribed to a first prize of 1,000 francs in the name of the Roubaix velodrome and we will be busy establishing a generous prize list which will be to the satisfaction of all. But for the moment, can we count on the patronage of Le Vélo and on your support for organising the start?
The proposed first prize represented seven months' wages for a miner at the time.
Rousseau was enthusiastic and sent his cycling editor, Victor Breyer, to find a route. Breyer travelled to
AmiensAmiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
in a
PanhardPanhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
driven by his colleague, Paul Meyan. The following morning Breyer - later deputy organiser of the
Tour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
and a leading official of the
Union Cycliste InternationaleUnion Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
- continued by bike. The wind blew, the rain fell and the temperature dropped. Breyer reached Roubaix filthy and exhausted after a day of riding on cobbles (setts). He swore he would send a telegram to Minart urging him to drop the idea, saying it was dangerous to send a race the way he had just ridden. But that evening a meal and drinks with the team from Roubaix changed his mind.
Easter mystery
Vienne and Perez scheduled their race for
Easter SundayEaster is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
. The Roman Catholic Church strongly objected to it being held on the most sacred day of the
liturgical yearThe liturgical year, also known as the church year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which portions of Scripture are to be read. Distinct liturgical colours may appear in...
, suggesting that riders would not have time to attend
mass"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
and that spectators might not bother to attend either.
[The Roman Catholic Church objected to the race being run on Easter Sunday, though who and at what level within the Church the objection was made has been lost to history.] Tracts were distributed in Roubaix decrying the venture.
What happened next is uncertain. Legend says that Vienne and Perez promised the Church that a mass would be said for the riders in a chapel 200m from the start, in the boulevard Maillot. This story is repeated by Pascal Sergent, the historian of the race, and by
Pierre ChanyPierre Chany was a French cycling journalist. He covered the Tour de France 49 times and was for a long time the main cycling writer for the daily newspaper, L'Équipe.- Biography :...
, historian of the sport in general. Sergent goes as far as saying that Victor Breyer, who he says was there, said the service, scheduled for 4am, was cancelled because it was too early. Neither Chany nor Sergent mentions if the date of the race was subsequently changed, however the first Paris–Roubaix (according to Sergent) was held on 19 April 1896, whereas Easter Sunday in 1896 occurred two weeks earlier, on the 5th of April.
Strangely, the first Paris–Roubaix held on an Easter Sunday was in the very next year, 1897.
The first race
News of Breyer's ride to Roubaix may have spread. Half those who entered did not turn up at the Brassérie de l'Espérance, the race headquarters at the start. Those who dropped out before the race began included
Henri DesgrangeHenri Desgrange was a French bicycle racer and sports journalist. He set 12 world track cycling records, including the hour record of 35.325 kilometres on 11 May 1893. He was the first organiser of the Tour de France.-Origins:Henri Desgrange was one of two brothers, twins...
, a prominent track rider who went on to organise the Tour de France. The starters did include
Maurice GarinMaurice-Francois Garin was a road bicycle racer best known for winning the inaugural Tour de France in 1903, and for being stripped of his title in the second Tour in 1904 along with eight others, for cheating.-Origins:Garin was born the son of Maurice Clément Garin and Maria Teresa...
, who went on to win Desgrange's first Tour and was the local hope in Roubaix because he and two brothers had opened a cycle shop in the boulevard de Paris the previous year.
Garin came third, 15 minutes behind
Josef FischerJosef Fischer was a German road bicycle racer. He is best known for winning the first edition of Paris–Roubaix in 1896 and Bordeaux–Paris in 1900.- Major achievements :189618991900...
, the only German to have won the race to date. Only four finished within an hour of the winner. Garin would have come second had he not been knocked over by a crash between two tandems, one of them ridden by his pacers. Garin "finished exhausted and Dr Butrille was obliged to attend the man who had been run over by two machines," said Sergent. He won the following year, beating Dutchman
Mathieu CordangMathieu Cordang was a Dutch professional cyclist. Cordang's specialties were track racing and endurance racing.- Biography :...
in the last two kilometres of the
velodromeA velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
at
RoubaixRoubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
.
[In 2004 Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix marked Garin's victories in the Paris-Roubaix event by placing a cobblestone - traditional trophy for winners of the race, on his grave. See ] Sergent said:
As the two champions appeared they were greeted by a frenzy of excitement and everyone was on their feet to acclaim the two heroes. It was difficult to recognise them. Garin was first, followed by the mud-soaked figure of Cordang. Suddenly, to the stupefaction of everyone, Cordang slipped and fell on the velodrome's cement surface. Garin could not believe his luck. By the time Cordang was back on his bike, he had lost 100 metres. There remained six laps to cover. Two miserable kilometres in which to catch Garin. The crowd held its breath as they watched the incredible pursuit match. The bell rang out. One lap, there remained one lap. 333 metres for Garin, who had a lead of 30 metres on the Batave.
A classic victory was within his grasp but he could almost feel his adversary's breath on his neck. Somehow Garin held on to his lead of two metres, two little metres for a legendary victory. The stands exploded and the ovation united the two men. Garin exulted under the cheers of the crowd. Cordang cried bitter tears of disappointment.
Hell of the North
The race usually leaves riders caked in mud and grit, from the cobbled roads and rutted tracks of northern France's former coal-mining region. However, this is not how this race earned the name
l'enfer du Nord, or
Hell of the North. The term was used to describe the route of the race after
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Organisers and journalists set off from Paris in 1919 to see how much of the route had survived four years of shelling and trench warfare.
ProcyclingProcycling, or ProCycling, is a bicycling sport magazine owned by Future Publishing. First published in April 1999, there are 13 issues a year distributed in all countries where there are English speaking readers....
reported:
They knew little of the permanent effects of the war. Nine million had died and France lost more than any. But, as elsewhere, news was scant. Who even knew if there was still a road to Roubaix? If Roubaix was still there? The car of organisers and journalists made its way along the route those first riders had gone. And at first all looked well. There was destruction and there was poverty and there was a strange shortage of men. But France had survived. But then, as they neared the north, the air began to reek of broken drains, raw sewage and the stench of rotting cattle. Trees which had begun to look forward to spring became instead blackened, ragged stumps, their twisted branches pushed to the sky like the crippled arms of a dying man. Everywhere was mud. Nobody knows who first described it as 'hell', but there was no better word. And that's how it appeared next day in the papers: that little party had seen 'the hell of the north.'
The words in
L'Auto were:
We enter into the centre of the battlefield. There's not a tree, everything is flattened! Not a square metre that has not been hurled upside down. There's one shell hole after another. The only things that stand out in this churned earth are the crosses with their ribbons in blue, white and red. It is hell! '
History of the cobbles
Seeking the challenge of racing on cobbles is relatively recent. It began at the same time in Paris–Roubaix and the Ronde van Vlaanderen, when widespread improvements to roads after the second world war brought realisation that the character of both races were changing. Until then the race had been over cobbles not because they were bad but because that was how roads were made.
André MahéAndré Mahé was a French road bicycle racer. He was born in Paris, France. He was a professional rider from 1945 until 1954. He jointly won the 1949 classic cycle race Paris–Roubaix with Serse Coppi in controversial fashion...
, who won in 1949 (
see below Controversies), said:
After the war, of course, the roads were all bad. There were cobbles from the moment you left Paris, or SenlisSenlis is a French commune located in the Oise department near Paris. It has a long and rich heritage, having traversed centuries of history. This medieval town has welcomed some of the most renowned figures in French history, including Hugh Capet, Louis IX, the Marshall of France, Anne of Kiev and...
where we started in those days. There'd be stretches of surfaced roads and often there'd be a cycle path or a pavement [sidewalk] and sometimes a thin stretch of something smoother. But you never knew where was best to ride and you were for ever switching about. You could jump your bike up on to a pavement but that got harder the more tired you got. Then you'd get your front wheel up but not your back wheel. That happened to me. And then you'd go sprawling, of course, and you could bring other riders down. Or they'd fall off and bring you down with them. And the cycle paths were often just compressed cinders, which got soft in the rain and got churned up by so many riders using them and then you got stuck and you lost your balance. And come what may, you got covered in coal dust and other muck. No, it's all changed and you can't compare then and now.
The coming of live television prompted mayors along the route to surface their cobbled roads for fear the rest of France would see them as backward and not invest in the region.
Albert BouvetAlbert Bouvet at Mellé, Ille-et-Vilaine near Fougères in Brittany is a former French professional bicycle racer on road and track. He won Paris–Tours in 1956 and remained the last Frenchman to win until Jacky Durand won in 1998...
, the organiser, said: "If things don't change, we'll soon be calling it Paris–Valenciennes," reference to a flat race on good roads that often ends in a mass sprint.
L'Équipe said: "The riders don't deserve that." Its editor, Jacques Goddet, called Paris–Roubaix "the last great madness of cycling." Bouvet and Jean-Claude Vallaeys formed Les Amis de Paris Roubaix (
see below). Its president, Alain Bernard, led enthusiasts to look for and sometimes maintain obscure cobbled paths. He said:
It was Alain Bernard who found one of the race's most significant cobbled stretches, the Carrefour de l'Arbre. He was out on a Sunday ride, turned off the main road to see what was there and found the last bad cobbles before the finish. It is a bleak area with just a bar by the crossroads. Bernard said:
The Amis de Paris–Roubaix spend €10-15,000 a year on restoring and rebuilding cobbles. The Amis supply the sand and other material and the repairs are made as training by students from horticulture schools at
Dunkirk,
Lomme,
RaismesRaismes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-References:*...
and
Douai-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
. Each section costs €4-6,000, paid for equally by the Amis, the organisers and the local commune. Bernard said:
Strategic places of historic races
The strategic places where earlier races could be won or lost include
Doullens HillDoullens is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.Its inhabitants are called Doullennais and Doullennaises.-Geography:...
,
ArrasArras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
,
CarvinThis article refers to a French commune. For the guitar manufacturer see Carvin Corporation. For the late New Orleans political consultant see Jim Carvin.Carvin is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France....
and the
Wattignies bendWattignies is a commune in the Nord department of northern France. It lies to the south-west of the Lille conurbation. It covers an area of , and as at 1999 its population was 14,440.-Neighboring communes:...
. Some sections of cobbles have deteriorated beyond the point of safety and repair or have been resurfaced and lost their significance. Other sections are excluded because the route of the race has moved east.
Pacers
Early races were run behind pacers, as were many competitions of the era. The first pacers were other cyclists, on bicycles or
tandemTandem is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction....
s. Cars and motorcycles were allowed to pace from 1898. The historian Fer Schroeders says:
In 1898, even cars and motorcycles were allowed to open the road for the competitors. In 1900, the race was within a hair's breadth of disappearing, with only 19 riders at the start. The following year, the organisation therefore decided to allow help only from pacers on bicycles. And in 1910, help from pacers were stopped for good. An option which lifted Paris–Roubaix out of the background and pushed it, in terms of interest, ahead of the prestigious Bordeaux–Paris.[The Bordeaux–Paris race stayed with pacers until 1985.]
Course
Originally, the race was from Paris to Roubaix, but in 1966 the start moved to
ChantillyChantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
, 50 km north, then in 1977 to
CompiègneCompiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
, 80 km north.
From Compiègne it now follows a 260 km winding route north to Roubaix, hitting the first cobbles after 100 km. During the last 150 km the cobbles extend more than 50 km. The race culminates with 750m on the smooth concrete of the large outdoor
velodromeA velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
in
RoubaixRoubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
. The route is adjusted from year to year as older roads are resurfaced and the organisers seek more cobbles to maintain the character of the race - in 2005, for example, the race included 54.7 km of cobbles.
The start
The race has started at numerous places:
- 1896–1897 Porte Maillot, Paris
- 1898–1899: Chatou
- 1900: Saint-Germain
- 1901: Porte Maillot, Paris
- 1902–1913: Chatou
- 1914: Suresnes
- 1919–1928: Suresnes
|
1929–1937: Porte Maillot, Paris
1938: Argenteuil
1939: Porte Maillot, Paris
1943–1965: Saint-Denis
1966–1976: Chantilly
1977–present Compiègne |
The opening kilometres (the
départ fictif) have often been a rolling procession. Racing has started further into the ride (
départ réel). The start of open racing has been at:
- 1896–1897: Porte Maillot
- 1898–1899: Chatou
- 1900: Saint-Germain
- 1901: Porte Maillot
- 1902–1913: Chatou
- 1914: Suresnes
|
1919: Suresnes
1920–1922: Chatou
1923–1929: Le Vésinet
1930–1938: Argenteuil
1939: Le Vésinet |
27 cobbled sectors
The organiser, Jean-François Pescheux, grades the cobbles by length, irregularity, the general condition and their position in the race.
In 2008, there were 28 cobbled sections, three considered maximum difficulty. As well as the Trouée d'Arenberg, difficult sections include the 3000m Mons-en-Pévèle (213 km) and the 2100 m Carrefour de l'Arbre (244 km) — often decisive in the final kilometres. The 27 sectors of 2011 are:
Section
Number |
Name |
Kilometre |
Length
(in m) |
Category |
| 27 |
TroisvillesTroisvilles is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
to InchyInchy is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
|
98 |
2200 |
|
| 26 |
Viesly -References:*...
to Quiévy
|
104 |
1800 |
|
| 25 |
Quievy to Saint Python |
106.5 |
3700 |
|
| 24 |
Saint-Python Saint-Python is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
|
111.5 |
1500 |
|
| 23 |
Vertain -References:*...
to Saint-Martin-sur-ÉcaillonSaint-Martin-sur-Écaillon is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
|
119 |
2000 |
|
| 22 |
Capelle-sur-Ecaillon - Le Buat |
126 |
1700 |
|
| 21 |
Verchain-Maugré -References:*...
- Quérénaing-References:*...
|
138 |
1600 |
|
| 20 |
Quérénaing - Maing Maing is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
|
141 |
2500 |
|
| 19 |
Maing - Monchaux-sur-Écaillon -References:*...
|
144 |
1600 |
|
| 18 |
Haveluy Haveluy is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
|
155.5 |
2500 |
|
| 17 |
Trouée d'Arenberg (50.399°N 3.4125°W) |
163.5 |
2400 |
|
| 16 |
Hornaing Hornaing is a communes in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
- Wandignies-Hamage
|
176.5 |
3700 |
|
| 15 |
Warlaing -References:*...
- Brillon-References:*...
|
184 |
2400 |
|
| 14 |
Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes -References:*...
- Sars-et-Rosières-References:*...
|
187.5 |
2400 |
|
Section
Number |
Name |
Kilometer |
Length
(in m) |
Category |
| 13 |
Beuvry-la-ForêtBeuvry-la-Forêt is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
- Orchies |
194 |
1400 |
|
| 12 |
Orchies-References:* -External links:*...
|
199 |
1700 |
|
| 11 |
Auchy-lez-OrchiesAuchy-lez-Orchies is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
- BerséeBersée is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
|
205 |
1200 |
|
| 10 |
Mons-en-Pévèle-See also:*Communes of the Nord department* Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle * Official website: http://www.mairie-monsenpevele.fr-References:*...
[Francesco Moser (1978, 1979, 1980) and Sean Kelly (1984, 1986) won by attacking Mons-en-Pévèle. The winner is likely to be in the first three to leave the cobbles at Mons] |
210.5 |
3000 |
|
| 9 |
Mérignies
– Pont-à-Marcq |
216.5 |
700 |
|
| 8 |
Pont Thibaut to Ennevelin -References:*...
|
219.5 |
1400 |
|
| 7 |
Templeuve l'Epinette -Windmill:Templeuve is the location of a windmill. The windmill tower is first mentioned in 1328 in rent documents of Anchin Abbey, as the "Moulin de Viertain". It was burned during the war in 1616, and completely rebuilt. It stopped productive work in 1908, and was damaged during the First World...
Templeuve Le Moulin de Vertain-Windmill:Templeuve is the location of a windmill. The windmill tower is first mentioned in 1328 in rent documents of Anchin Abbey, as the "Moulin de Viertain". It was burned during the war in 1616, and completely rebuilt. It stopped productive work in 1908, and was damaged during the First World...
|
225
225.5 |
200
500 |
|
| 6 |
CysoingCysoing is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is southeast of Lille.-Heraldry:-References:*...
- BourghellesBourghelles is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
Bourghelles - Wannehain-References:*...
|
232
234.5 |
1300
1100 |
|
| 5 |
Camphin-en-Pévèle -References:*...
|
239 |
1800 |
|
| 4 |
Le Carrefour de l'Arbre |
242 |
2100 |
|
| 3 |
Gruson -References:*...
|
244 |
1100 |
|
| 2 |
HemTo hem a piece of cloth is to sew a cut edge in such a way as to prevent unraveling of the fabric.There are many different styles of hems of varying complexities. The most common hem...
|
251 |
1400 |
|
| 1 |
Roubaix 'Espace Charles Crupelandt' |
257.5 |
300 |
|
27 - Troisvilles to Inchy
Length - 2,200m
First used 1987. The highest of all the cobbles at 136m. A memorial to Jean Stablinski is at the entrance to the road. The section drops 900m at two per cent. Students of the Lycée Professionnel Horticole de Raismes planted a hedge in November 2007 to prevent flowing mud. The section climbs gently for the next 900m on to the plateau at 121m. This section is often difficult because of mud. The right-angled left bend towards Inchy is made difficult by mud. The road then drops at 3.2 per cent for 400m.
Cobbles rated
. The cobbles are in fairly good condition except at the end. The second part, after the main road, is always muddy.
26 - Viesly (rue de la chapelle) to Quievy
Length - 1,800m.
First used in 1973. This section is slightly descending, dropping evenly from 120m to 100m. It is almost entirely straight, although muddy in parts.
Cobbles rated
. In fairly good condition.
25 - Quievy to Saint Python
Length - 3,700m
First used in 1973. This section crosses two regional roads, D113b and D134. This and the section from Hornaing to Wandignies-Hamage are the longest. The section rises from 95 to 117m. It begins with a gentle drop, continues with a gentle rise for 600m, then an almost entirely flat section. Having been straight, there is then a difficult 90-degree right bend that leads to a 2 km uphill drag that riders find exhausting.
Cobbles rated
. Fairly good condition. The regional council relaid the cobbles at the end of the section in 2007. The beautiful farm of Fontaine au Tertre is on the left at the end of the cobbles.
24 - Saint-Python
Length - 1,500m
First used in 1973. The start is at 104m, the end at 82m. The road is almost straight, starting with 500 flat metres then a 1 km descent to Saint-Python.
Cobbles rated
. In good condition but muddy at first.
23 - Vertain to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon
Length - 1,900m plus 100m from which the tar has been removed.
First used in 1985. It drops from 105m to 89m in almost a straight line apart from a small bend to the left in the middle.
Cobbles rated
22 - Capelle sur Ecaillon to Buat
Length - 1,700m.
First used in 2005. Rising from 91m to 102m in almost a straight line, it starts with a four percent drop over 700m, then rises from 66m for 400m at seven per cent, followed by a slow rise of two percent for 500m. The steepest part of the course, ridden by specialists on a 46-tooth ring.
Cobbles rated
. Fairly good state but with a strip of tar on the right during the descent.
21 - Verchain-Maugré to Quérénaing
Length - 1,600m.
Possibly first used in 1974 . Virtually level - 80m to 78m, virtually straight, rising a little and then descending gently for a greater distance.
Cobbles rated
. In good condition apart from some holes.
20 - Quérénaing to Maing
Length - 2,500m
First used in 1996 and thereafter always used in the same direction. The road is the D59, falling from 85m to 40m in a straight line. It starts with a gentle descent to 72m over 400m, then a slight rise for 400m. Then comes a flat stretch followed by a long descent of between 2.5 and 3.8 per cent.
Cobbles rated
. In good condition with a muddy part.
19 - Maing to Monchaux sur Ecaillon
Length - 1,600m.
First used in 2001. The road is the D88, rising from 47 to 50m in an almost straight line. It begins with a slight rise for 1,000m, then a slow descent for 600m.
Cobbles rated
. Hard at first, with deep holes, then in excellent condition.
18 - Wallers Haveluy
Length - 2,500m.
First used in 2001 and every year since. This is the
Bernard HinaultBernard Hinault is a former French cyclist known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tours, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once. He won the Tour de France in 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1985...
section, named in his presence on 28 March 2005 by the municipality. This section is sometimes used by the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque. It starts at 31m and finishes at 34m. It begins with a gentle rise and finishes with a gentle fall.
Cobbles rated
. They are described as average condition but with a lot of mud. The second half is more difficult.
17 - Trouée d'Arenberg
Length - 2,400m.
First used in 1968. A straight road through the forêt domaniale de Raismes/Saint-Amand/Wallers, dropping slightly at first, then rising. The altitude is 25m at the start and 19m at the end.
The
Trouée d'Arenberg,
Tranchée d'Arenberg, (Trench of Arenberg),
Trouee de Wallers Arenberg, has become the symbol of Paris–Roubaix. Officially 'La Drève des Boules d'Herin', the 2400m of cobbles were laid in the time of
Napoleon INapoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
through the Raismes Forest-Saint-Amand-Wallers, close to
Wallers Wallers is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
and
ValenciennesValenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
. (50.399°N 3.4125°W) The road was proposed for Paris–Roubaix by former professional
Jean StablinskiJean Stablewski, known as Jean Stablinski was a French professional cyclist from a family of Polish immigrants. He rode from 1952 to 1968, winning 105 races as a professional...
, who had worked in the mine under the woods of Arenberg. The mine closed in 1990 and the passage is now preserved. Although almost 100 km from Roubaix, the sector usually proves decisive and as Stablinski said,
A memorial to Stablinski stands at one end of the road.
Introduced in 1968, the passage was closed from 1974 to 1983 by the Office National des Fôrets. Until 1998 the entry to the Arenberg pavé was slightly downhill, leading to a sprint for best position. The route was reversed in 1999 to reduce the speed. This was as a result of
Johan MuseeuwJohan Museeuw is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1988 to 2004 and was particularly successful in the classic cycle races in the nineties....
's crash in 1998 as World Cup leader, which nearly cost his leg to
gangreneGangrene is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies . This may occur after an injury or infection, or in people suffering from any chronic health problem affecting blood circulation. The primary cause of gangrene is reduced blood...
. In 2005 the Trouée d'Arenberg was left out, organisers saying conditions had deteriorated beyond safety limits. Abandoned mines had caused sections to subside. The regional and local councils
[The regional and local councils are - The Conseil Général du Nord and the Communauté de la Porte du Hainaut] spent €250,000 on adding 50 cm to restore the original width of three metres and the race continued using it. The Italian rider
Filippo PozzatoFilippo "Pippo" Pozzato is an Italian road racing cyclist with UCI ProTour Team Katusha.-Career:...
said after trying the road after its repairs:
It's the true definition of hell. It's very dangerous, especially in the first kilometre when we enter it at more than 60kh. It's unbelievable. The bike goes in all directions. It will be a real spectacle but I don't know if it's really necessary to impose it on us.
In 2001 a French rider,
Philippe GaumontPhilippe Gaumont is a former French professional road racing cyclist. He is notorious for having confessed to extensive doping and explaining a lot of the tricks of the trade.-Racing results:...
, broke his
femurThe femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
after falling at the start of the Trouée when leading the
pelotonThe peloton , field, bunch or pack is the large main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close near other riders...
. He said:
What I went through, only I will ever know. My knee cap completely turned to the right, a ball of blood forming on my leg and the bone that broke, without being able to move my body. And the pain, a pain that I wouldn't wish on anyone. The surgeon placed a big support [un gros matériel] in my leg, because the bone had moved so much. Breaking a femur is always serious in itself but an open break in an athlete of high level going flat out, that tears the muscles. At 180 beats [a minute of the heart], there was a colossal amount of blood being pumped, which meant my leg was full of blood. I'm just grateful that the artery was untouched.
Gaumont spent a month and a half in bed, unable to move, and was fitted with a 40 mm section fixed just above the knee and, to the head of the femur, with a 12 mm screw.
Cobbles rated
. The cobbles are extremely difficult to ride because of their irregularity. So many fans have taken away cobbles as souvenirs that the Amis de Paris–Roubaix have had to replace them.
16 - Hornaing to Wandignies-Hamage
Length - 3,700m.
First used in 1983, the entire length being used first in 1988. The last
2,900m were used by the Tour de France in 2004. The road is the D130. It falls from 23 to 17m in the shape of an L. It is flat, starting with 800m in a straight line, followed by a turn to the right near two châteaux, then a straight line of 2,900m towards Wandignies-Hamage.
Cobbles rated
. In good condition.
15 - Warlaing to Brillon
Length - 2,400m.
First used in 1983. The road is the D81, at 17m at each end, formed in an L shape. The first 400m is straight, then a right hand bend followed by a 2 km straight.
Cobbles rated
. In a good condition at first but then with sunken sections.
14 - Tilloy-lez-Marchiennes to Sars-et-Rosières
Length - 2,400m.
First used in 1980 but only for the first 1,400m. Used over its entire length from
1982. An L-shaped section of the D158b with two 90-degree right hand turns and one 90-degree to the left. Starts at 18m and finishes at 19m.
Cobbles rated
. In good condition and regularly maintained. Sometimes muddy because of use by tractors.
13 - Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies
Length - 1,400m.
First used in 2007. The section was specially laid for the race, 700m of cobbles being added to 700m which was already there. The section was named after
Marc MadiotMarc Madiot is a French former professional road racing cyclist and double winner of Paris–Roubaix. Retired from racing in 1994, he is now best known as the directeur sportif of Française des Jeux, a UCI ProTour cycling team....
in 2007. It rises slightly for the first half and is then flat.
Cobbles rated
. In good condition, although the surface is described as "chaotic" in the first part.
12 - Orchies, chemin des Prières, and chemin des Abattoirs
Length - 1700m.
First used in 1980. The last 600 metres were used in the opposite direction for the first time in 1977. The section is L-shaped, the first 1,100m being flat and the last 600 slightly uphill.
Cobbles rated
. In a good state, fairly muddy at first, irregular in the last 600m.
11 - Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersee
Length - 1,200m.
First used in 1980. The second section, Nouveau Monde, was skipped in 2007 and 2008 due to the poor condition of the cobbles, but part of this section has since been repaired and will return to the race in 2009. The sector rises from 40 to 54m. It is almost flat in the form of a semicircle.
Cobbles rated
. In correct state, although irregular and difficult in the second half.
10 - Mons-en-Pévèle
Length - 3,000m
First used in 1978. Overall the 3,000m rises from 53m at the start to 63m at the end. It begins with a 300m drop of two per cent down to the Ruisseau La Petite Marque at 47m. This is followed by 800m that rise 3m. A 90 degree right hand turn to the rue du Blocus introduces a 800m straight that falls 2m and leads to a difficult, muddy, 90-degree left hand turn to the ruelle Flamande. The final 1,100m of the ruelle Flamande and Chemin de Randonnée Pédèstre rise 16m to
Mérignies
.
Mons-en-Pévèle, (50.492°N 3.118°W), is the 10th section of pavé before the finish. Its 3,000m are rated the hardest level of difficulty, five stars. It is in the municipality of
Mons-en-Pévèle-See also:*Communes of the Nord department* Battle of Mons-en-Pévèle * Official website: http://www.mairie-monsenpevele.fr-References:*...
. It is one of the key sectors, one of the toughest and within 50 km of the finish. It has been used every year since 1978, 2001 excepted. In 1997, 2000, 2002 and 2003, only the first 1,100m were used.
In 2008,
Stijn DevolderStijn Devolder is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He rides for UCI ProTeam , having ridden for Discovery Channel between 2004 and 2007 and from 2008 to 2010. Devolder won his first professional race at the 2004 Four Days of Dunkirk, winning stage 4...
's attack on this sector was a contribution to the victory of
Tom BoonenTom Boonen is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint...
, his Quick Step team-mate.
Cobbles rated
. Good condition for the first 1,100m, then deteriorating, followed by 1,100m on which mud runs down from fields.
9 - Mérignies to Pont à Marcq
Length - 700m.
First used in 1981. The road is the rue de la Rosée. It rises from 35 to 37m, almost straight.
Cobbles rated
. Good condition.
8 - Pont Thibaut to Ennevelin
Length - 1,400m.
First used in 1978. A flat double L shape with two 90 degree left hand turns.
Cobbles rated
. Good condition but muddy for the first 1,000m, then difficult at the end, although work is scheduled to improve it.
7 - Templeuve - Le Moulin de Vertain
- 7 (part one) Templeuve
-Windmill:Templeuve is the location of a windmill. The windmill tower is first mentioned in 1328 in rent documents of Anchin Abbey, as the "Moulin de Viertain". It was burned during the war in 1616, and completely rebuilt. It stopped productive work in 1908, and was damaged during the First World...
"L"
Length - 200m.
First used in 1992. A straight line rising 2m.
Cobbles rated
. Bad at first, then good.
- 7 (part two) Templeuve Le Moulin de Vertain
-Windmill:Templeuve is the location of a windmill. The windmill tower is first mentioned in 1328 in rent documents of Anchin Abbey, as the "Moulin de Viertain". It was burned during the war in 1616, and completely rebuilt. It stopped productive work in 1908, and was damaged during the First World...
:
Length - 500m.
First used in 2002. This section, covered by earth, was dug out for the 100th race. It drops from 38m to 33m in a straight line.
Cobbles rated
. A short section but with cobbles which are hard to negotiate.
6 - Cysoing to Bourghelles to Wannehain
- (part one) - Cysoing
Cysoing is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is southeast of Lille.-Heraldry:-References:*...
to BourghellesBourghelles is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
Length - 1,400m.
First used in 1981. Since 2006 it has included the 300m leading to Bourghelles. Known as the Duclos-Lassalle section, it is level and L-shaped, rising fractionally, descending, rising and then descending again to finish at its original height of 44m.
Cobbles rated
. In good condition for the first 700m, bad for 300m to the right hand corner, and good again for the last 300m.
- 6 (part two) Bourghelles to Wannehain
-References:*...
Length - 1,100m.
First used in 1992. A slight rise followed by a slight descent.
Cobbles rated
. Fairly good condition at first and then hard to ride in the second half because of the irregular surface. Partly repaved with cobbles from the old road at Péronne-en-Mélantois taken by Paris–Roubaix in the 1950s.
5 - Camphin-en-Pévèle
Length - 1,800m.
First used in 1980. L-shaped, falling from 52 to 50m. The right-hand corner in the middle is difficult because of mud.
Cobbles rated
. Fairly disjointed throughout but markedly bad in the last 300m.
4 - Camphin-en-Pévèle to Carrefour de l'Arbre
Length - 2,100m.
First used in 1980. An L-shaped section rising from 48 to 51m. Flat for 1,200m, then a difficult left-hand bend leading to a slight ascent.
Le Carrefour de l'Arbre (or Pavé de Luchin) is the fourth section of pavé before the finish in Roubaix. Its 2.1 km are rated at the hardest level of difficulty, five stars. The crossroads (
carrefour) is on open land between
Gruson-References:*...
and
Camphin-en-Pévèle-References:*...
. 50.59°N 3.23°W The route departs westward from Camphin-en-Pévèle along the rue de Cysoing towards Camphin de l'Arbre. The first half is a series of corners, then along irregular pavé towards Luchin. The second half finishes at the Café de l'Arbre restaurant and has more even pavé. A sharp turn towards Gruson signals the start of sector 3, although this has sometimes been included in sector 4.
The Carrefour de l'Arbre / Pavé de Luchin sector has often proved decisive. This is due to its proximity to Roubaix (15 km) and cumulative difficulty, even it is regarded less challenging than the Trouée d'Arenberg. The leader at the completion of the sector has a good chance of leading at the velodrome, as Fabian Cancellara did in 2006 and Stuart O'Grady in 2007. As the last area where an attack could prove decisive, it is popular with spectators.
Cobbles rated
. Alternate good and bad sections. The section before the corner leading to the restaurant is particularly bad and hard to ride.
3 - Le Carrefour de l'Arbre to Gruson
Length - 1,100m
First used in 1978. This section drops from 50m to 45m in a straight line. It was incorporated into stage 3 of the
2004 Tour de FranceThe 2004 Tour de France was the 91st, taking place from July 3 to July 25, 2004. It consisted of 20 stages over 3391 km.Lance Armstrong became the first to win six Tours de France. Armstrong had been favored to win, his competitors seen as being German Jan Ullrich, Spaniards Roberto Heras and...
between
WaterlooWaterloo is a Walloon municipality located in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium. On December 31, 2009, Waterloo had a total population of 29,573. The total area is 21.03 km² which gives a population density of 1,407 inhabitants per km²...
and
WasquehalWasquehal is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.The town originally had a Flemish name; it was written as Waskenhal in the 11th century.The third stage of the 2004 Tour de France finished in Wasquehal...
.
Cobbles rated
2 - Hem
Length - 1,400m
This sector is believed to have been first used in 1968 but perhaps as early as the 1950s. A winding section rising from 25m to 30m. Always swept by wind. In 2004,
Johan MuseeuwJohan Museeuw is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1988 to 2004 and was particularly successful in the classic cycle races in the nineties....
suffered a puncture on this stretch, which cost him the chance to contest the sprint for a record-equalling fourth victory.
Cobbles rated
. Fairly good state, sometimes separated, but riders usually use the strips of pavement on either side of the cobbles, even if they are pitted by holes that cause frequent punctures.
1 - Roubaix, Espace Charles Crupelandt - The final cobbles
Length - 300m
The final stretch of cobbles before the stadium is named after a local rider,
Charles CrupelandtCharles Crupelandt was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won stages in the Tour de France, but his biggest successes were the 1912 and 1914 Paris–Roubaix...
, who won in 1912 and 1914. The organiser of the Tour de France, Henri Desgrange, predicted he would win his race. He then went to war. He returned a hero, with the
Croix de GuerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
. Three years into peace, however, he fell foul of the law and was found guilty in court. The Union Vélocipédique banned him for life, possibly at the urging of rivals in cycling.
Crupelandt raced again but registered with an unofficial cycling association, with which he won national championships in 1922 and 1923. He died in 1955, blind and with both legs amputated.
This sector, dropping from 32m to 27m, is unofficially known as the 'Chemin des Géants,' [Road of the Giants]. It was first used 1996, having been created for the centenary by laying a strip of smooth new cobbles down the centre of the wide boulevard of the avenue Alfred Motte. Dotted among the cobbles are plaques to every race winner, the giants.
Cobbles rated
. Excellent condition.
The finish
The finish until 1914 was on the original track at Croix, where the Parc clinic now stands. There were then various finish points:
- 1896–1914: Rue Verte/route d'Hempempont, Croix, Roubaix
- 1919: avénue de Jussieu, Roubaix, behind the dairy
- 1920–1921: Stadium Jean Dubrulle, Roubaix
- 1922–1928: avénue des Villas (now the avénue Gustave Delory), Roubaix
- 1929: Stade Amédée Prouvost, Wattrelos
- 1930–1934: avénue des Villas, Roubaix
- 1935–1936: Flandres horse track, Marcq
- 1937–1939: avénue Gustave Delory (former avénue des Villas), Roubaix
- 1943–1985: Roubaix Velodrome
- 1986–1988: avenue des Nations-Unies
- 1989–2008: Roubaix Velodrome
The race moved to the current stadium in 1943, and there it has stayed with the exceptions of 1986, 1987 and 1988 when the finish was in the avenue des Nations-Unies, outside the offices of
La RedouteLa Redoute is the largest mail order company in France.The company is based in Roubaix. It was founded in 1875. It is owned by the PPR holding company. PPR was named "Pinault-Printemps-Redoute" until 2005. Thus the "R" in the acronym refers to La Redoute....
, the mail-order company which sponsored the race.
The shower room inside the velodrome is distinctive for the open, three-sided, low-walled concrete stalls, each with a brass plaque to commemorate a winner. These include
Peter Van PetegemPeter van Petegem is a former professional road racing cyclist. Van Petegem last rode for Quick Step-Innergetic, in 2007. He lived in Horebeke. He was a specialist in spring classics, one of ten riders to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris–Roubaix in the same season...
,
Eddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
,
Roger De VlaeminckRoger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as '"The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation"...
,
Rik van LooyHenri van Looy is a Belgian former professional cyclist of the post-war period, nicknamed the King of the Classics or Emperor of Herentals...
and
Fausto CoppiAngelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
.
A commemorative plaque at 37 avenue Gustave Delory honours
Émile Masson Jr.Émile Masson Jr. was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer.He was born in Hollogne-aux-Pierres, the son of former cyclist Émile Masson Sr.. Masson was Belgian road race champion twice, and won important races such as La Flèche Wallonne, Paris–Roubaix and Bordeaux–Paris.He died on 2 January...
, the last to win there.
Bicycles
Paris–Roubaix presents a technical challenge to riders, team personnel, and equipment. Special
framesA bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, on to which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles, a main triangle and a paired rear triangle...
and
wheelsA bicycle wheel is a wheel, most commonly a wire wheel, designed for bicycle. A pair is often called a wheelset, especially in the context of ready built "off the shelf" performance-oriented wheels....
are often used. Some have wider tires, cantilever brakes, and dual brake levers. Many teams disperse personnel along the course with spare wheels, equipment and bicycles to help in locations not accessible to the team car.
André Mahé, winner in 1948, said such specialisation is recent:
Riders have experimented, however. After the
second world warWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
many tried wooden rims of the sort used at the start of cycle-racing.
Francesco MoserFrancesco Moser , nicknamed "Lo sceriffo" , is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the dominant riders from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, and won the 1984 Giro d'Italia, the 1977 world road racing championship and six victories in three of the five Monuments...
wrapped his handlebars with strips of foam in the 1970s.
Gilbert Duclos-LassalleGilbert Duclos-Lassalle is a former French professional road racing cyclist who was a specialist at one-day classic cycling races...
and
Greg LeMondGregory James LeMond is a former professional road bicycle racer from the United States and a three-time winner of the Tour de France. He was born in Lakewood, California and raised in Reno, Nevada....
experimented with suspension in their front forks in the 1990s.
Some top riders receive special frames to give more stability and comfort. Different materials make the ride more comfortable.
Tom BoonenTom Boonen is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint...
, using a
TimeTIME Sport International is a French manufacturer of bicycles and cycling equipment, including bicycle frames, cycling shoes, clipless bicycle pedals, cranksets, and gloves.-History:...
frame with longer wheelbase for the first time, won the race in 2005 and has since continued to use a bike with a longer wheelbase.
George HincapieGeorge Hincapié Garcés is an American professional road bicycle racer currently riding for UCI ProTeam . Hincapie resides in Greenville, South Carolina...
had a frame featuring a 2 mm elastomer insert at the top of the seat stays. The manufacturers claimed this took nearly all the shock out of the cobbles. Hincapie's Trek bicycle fared less well in 2006: his aluminum steerer tube snapped with 46 km to go, the crash injuring his shoulder.
The bicycle made for
Peter Van PetegemPeter van Petegem is a former professional road racing cyclist. Van Petegem last rode for Quick Step-Innergetic, in 2007. He lived in Horebeke. He was a specialist in spring classics, one of ten riders to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris–Roubaix in the same season...
in 2004 was a Time. The distance from bottom bracket to rear axle was 419 mm rather than his normal 403. The distance from the bottom bracket to the front hub was 605 mm instead of 600 mm. The depth of the front forks was 372 mm instead of 367.5 mm The forks were spaced to take 28 mm tyres. The sprockets were steel rather than alloy and the steerer column was cut 5 mm higher than usual to raise the handlebars if needed before the start.
The bad roads cause frequent punctures. A service fleet consisting of four motorcycles and four cars provides spares to riders regardless of team. Yves Hézard of
MavicMavic is a French bicycle parts manufacturer, its name an acronym for Manufacture d'Articles Vélocipédiques Idoux et Chanel, founded by Charles Idoux and Lucien Chanel. The company is noted as a manufacturer of bicycle wheels. Mavic is based in Annecy, France...
the equipment company which provides the coverage, said:
Every year we change fewer wheels, because the wheels and tyres are getting better and better. We changed about 20 wheels today. Five years ago, it was much worse - we'd be choosing about a hundred. Tyres are becoming much better than before. So, yes, our job is easier - except that the race generally goes faster now, so we're under a bit more pressure. Every year, there's new types of gears, new aluminium frames, new titanium frames, so it's getting more complex for us to offer neutral service. We have a list in the car of who is riding Mavic or ShimanoShimano, Inc. is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of cycling components, fishing tackle, and rowing equipment.In 2005, the company had net sales of US $1.4 billion. Bicycle components provided 75% of its sales income...
or CampagnoloCampagnolo is an Italian manufacturer of high-end bicycle components with headquarters in Vicenza, Italy. The components are organised as groupsets and are a near-complete collection of a bicycle's mechanical parts. Campagnolo's flagship components are the Super Record, Record, and Chorus...
; the moment someone gets a flat tyre we need to think of a lot of things at once. Is it a titanium frame or a carbon frame or a steel frame?
1907 – The wrong gendarme
In 1907, Georges Passerieu broke away from a small leading group just before Douai because he knew he couldn't outsprint them if they all finished together. He was chased all the way to Roubaix by a Belgian, Cyrille van Hauwaert, and tension in the velodrome was high. The crowd heard that Passerieu had reached the stadium but nobody rode on to the track. The leader was just about to ride in when a gendarme stepped into his path to check if his bicycle had the obligatory tax plate attached to it. Passerieu had already had a hard day and a shouting match broke out before he was allowed to continue.
1930 – The wrong team
In 1930, Jean Maréchal finished 24 seconds ahead of
BelgianBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Julien VervaeckeJulien Vervaecke was a Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He won Paris–Roubaix, Paris–Brussels, 2 stages in the Tour de France and finished 3rd in the 1927 Tour de France....
but was moved to second because, while Maréchal was trying to pass Vervaecke, the Belgian tumbled into a ditch. According to some, Maréchal hit the Belgian's shoulder, causing his fall. Jacques Augendre, historian of the Tour de France, said Maréchal, who was 20, "was riding as an individual for a little bike-maker, Colin, and he got to Roubaix alone. His happiness was short-lived. Arbitrarily accused of having provoked a fall by Julien Vervaecke, with whom he had broken away, he was disqualified without any sort of hearing. Important detail: Vervaecke belonged to the all-powerful
AlcyonAlcyon is a former French professional cycling team that was active from 1906 to 1955. It was owned by Alcyon, a French bicycle, automobile and motorcycle manufacturer.- History :...
team, run by the no less powerful Ludovic Feuillet..."
1934 – The wrong bike
In 1934
Roger LapébieRoger Lapébie was a French racing cyclist who won the 1937 Tour de France. In addition, Lapébie won the 1934 and 1937 editions of the Critérium National. He was born at Bayonne, Aquitaine, and died in Pessac....
was disqualified for changing bicycles. Second placed rider
Gaston RebryGaston Rebry was a Belgian former champion road racing cyclist between 1928 and 1935....
was awarded the victory once officials discovered that Lapébie's bike was missing a race sticker.
1936 – The wrong man
In 1936 the
BelgianBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
,
Romain MaesRomain Maes was a Belgian cyclist who won the 1935 Tour de France after wearing the yellow jersey of leadership from beginning to end....
, appeared to win but judges declared Frenchman
Georges SpeicherGeorges Speicher was a French cyclist who won the 1933 Tour de France along with three stage wins, and the 1933 World Cycling Championship.- Palmarès :19311932...
the winner and Maes second. Shouting began in the stands and for a moment it looked as though fighting would start, but calm returned and the result was upheld. A Belgian may not have won but there were seven Belgians in the first ten.
1949 – The wrong route
The result in 1949 took several months and two international conferences to sort out.
André MahéAndré Mahé was a French road bicycle racer. He was born in Paris, France. He was a professional rider from 1945 until 1954. He jointly won the 1949 classic cycle race Paris–Roubaix with Serse Coppi in controversial fashion...
was first but his win was challenged because he took the wrong course. Mahé was in a break of three that reached
RoubaixRoubaix is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located between the cities of Lille and Tourcoing.The Gare de Roubaix railway station offers connections to Lille, Tourcoing, Antwerp, Ostend and Paris.-Culture:...
velodrome in the lead, but he was misdirected by officials and entered the track by the wrong gate. Mahé was declared winner but a few minutes later other riders arrived using the correct route and
Serse CoppiSerse Coppi was an Italian professional road racing cyclist born in Castellania. He was the younger brother of Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi.-Professional career:...
, brother of famous
FaustoAngelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
, won the sprint for what was assumed to be the minor placings. After a protest and several months, Serse Coppi was named joint winner with Mahé. Mahé said in 2007:
C'est trop bête d'en parler (It's too stupid to talk about). There was a break. Coppi attacked. His brother Fausto gave him a push to get him away. He wanted his brother to win. I waited a bit and then I attacked and I caught him and the break. Then I went off by myself. I was going to win Paris–Roubaix. At the entrance to the vélodrome, there were crowds everywhere, blocking the way. I looked around for where to go and I was directed round the outside wall of the track, to where the team cars had to park. It wasn't like nowadays, when there's television and everything. Then it was more chaotic and the whole road was blocked. People said I should have known the way into the track. But how do you know a thing like that at the end of Paris–Roubaix, when you've raced all day over roads like that? A gendarme signalled the way to go and that's the way I went.
It was a journalist on a motorbike who managed to get up to me. He was shouting 'Not that way! Not that way!' And I turned round in the road and I rode back beneath the outside wall of the grandstand and I saw a gateway that went into the track, a gateway for journalists. And that's the way I went, except that it came out on the other side of the track from the proper entrance. The bunch came in and Serse won the sprint. But then his brother told Serse to go to the judges to object. He told Serse that I hadn't ridden the entire and precise course and that therefore I should be déclassé. But that was below him. Coppi wanted his brother to have a big victory. He was a great champion, Coppi, but to do what he did, to protest like that to get a victory for his brother, that wasn't dignified for a champion. That was below him. A champion like that should never have stooped that low. I never spoke to him about it. Never did. Why should I?
1981 – The wrong race
In 1981 Bernard Hinault said after winning the race:
The only other time he rode it was the following year as the defending champion. When he was criticised, he said: "I don't go into offices and tell people to work harder, yet people ask me to be the strongest on the cobbles." Hinault fell seven times in that race, including 13 km from the finish when a small black dog called Gruson ran out in a bend and ran under his wheel. Hinault had been clear with
Roger De VlaeminckRoger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as '"The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation"...
,
Hennie KuiperHennie Kuiper is a Dutch former professional road racing cyclist. His career includes a gold medal in the Olympic road race at Munich in 1972, becoming world professional road race champion in 1975, as well as winning four of the five “Monument” classics...
and Dirk de Meyer. The incident made Hinault angry and he raced back to the others and won in Roubaix.
He was not the first star to refuse.
Jacques AnquetilJacques Anquetil was a French road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, in 1957 and from 1961 to 1964...
called it a lottery after puncturing 13 km from the end in 1958 and never took it seriously again.
In 2002 only two of the top 20 riders in the UCI table -
Jens VoigtJens Voigt is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . Voigt is known for his propensity to attack, and for his positive racing attitude. He is capable of repeated attacking, holding a high tempo, and breaking away from the peloton...
and
Erik ZabelErik Zabel is a former German professional road bicycle racer who last raced with Milram. With over 200 professional wins he is considered by some one of the greatest German cyclists and best cycling sprinters of history...
- were on the line. The following year only Zabel was there. In 2004 he had stayed at home as well. Philippe Brunel wrote in
L'Équipe:
We won't go as far as say that the five-time winner of the Tour [Hinault] - who every year gives the winner his celebration cobble stone on behalf of the organisers - has contributed to the dilution [paupérisation] of the queen of classics, which would offend him, but his words have contributed to the snub, or the indifference, of those who stay away. The fact isn't new but the phenomenon is getting worse and is concerning. The peloton of stayaways has grown to the point where Paris–Roubaix is now only for a tight group of specialists... especially the Belgians, capable of maintaining high speed on the cobbles.
1988 – The wrong place and time
The 1988 race contained a rare spectacle where an early morning breakaway group held on until the finish. 27 km into the race five unknown riders broke away and the pack did nothing to chase them down throughout the race. It was until on a section of cobblestones outside Roubaix that Thomas Wegmuller (SUI) and
Dirk DemolDirk Demol is general manager for UCI ProTour Team RadioShack. His specialization as a director is the spring classics, having himself won the 1988 edition of the one-day classic Paris–Roubaix, riding as a professional cyclist for Team ADR.-External links:* Demol's Profile at * PEZ Interviews:...
(BEL) broke away from the lead group to try for the victory. As if the success of the breakaway wasn't enough, Paris–Roubaix was about to deliver a cruel irony.
When the two entered Roubaix, Wegmuller ran over a plastic bag that flew out in front of him, which became jammed in his derailleur. Wegmuller was unable to change gears which was crucial for a sprint finish. He got assistance from his team car to remove the bag, but his gears still would not change. Knowing that a bicycle change would be suicidal to his chances, Wegmuller continued on his damaged bike, Demol continued to draft behind him.
When it came down to the final sprint, Wegmuller could only watch as Demol sprinted past him to take the victory.
Laurent FignonLaurent Patrick Fignon was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won the Tour de France in 1983 and in 1984. He missed winning it a third time, in 1989, by 8 seconds, the closest margin ever to decide the tour. He also won the Giro d'Italia in 1989, after having been the runner-up in 1984,...
finished third after a late breakaway from the chasing peloton.
2006 – The wrong train
In 2006
Leif HosteLeif Hoste is a Belgian professional road racing cyclist since 1998. He rides on the UCI ProTour for . His career highlights include winning two stages and the overall title at the 2006 Three Days of De Panne, the 2001 and 2006 Belgian national time trial championships, and a second place finish...
,
Peter Van PetegemPeter van Petegem is a former professional road racing cyclist. Van Petegem last rode for Quick Step-Innergetic, in 2007. He lived in Horebeke. He was a specialist in spring classics, one of ten riders to win the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris–Roubaix in the same season...
and Vladimir Gusev were disqualified for riding through a closed train crossing 10 km before the finish and just ahead of an approaching freight train.
Fabian CancellaraFabian Cancellara is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . A time trial specialist, he is a four-time World Time Trial Champion and is the current Olympic gold medalist...
won and
Tom BoonenTom Boonen is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint...
and
Alessandro BallanAlessandro Ballan is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team , and is a former world champion. Although he possesses a frame that is usually more associated with climbing, Ballan has established himself as a leading spring classics contender in recent years...
were given the remaining places on the podium.
Theo de Rooij
The American television channel
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
covered Paris–Roubaix in the 1980s.
Theo de RooijTheo de Rooij is a retired Dutch former bicycle racer and former manager of the Rabobank cycling team - a position from which he resigned after the 2007 Tour de France. De Rooij was a professional rider from 1980 to 1990. He started his career in Belgian teams and the last eight years of his...
, a Dutchman, had been in a promising position to win the 1985 race but had then crashed, losing his chance of winning. Covered in mud, he offered his thoughts on the race to CBS'
John TeshJohn Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
after the race:
“It's a bollocks, this race!” said de Rooij. “You're working like an animal, you don't have time to piss, you wet your pants. You're riding in mud like this, you're slipping ... it’s a pile of shit.”
When then asked if he would start the race again, de Rooij replied:
“Sure, it's the most beautiful race in the world!”
Other observations
- "A Paris–Roubaix without rain is not a true Paris–Roubaix. Throw in a little snow as well, it's not serious." - Sean Kelly
John James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
- "Let me tell you, though - there's a huge difference between Flanders and Paris–Roubaix. They're not even close to the same. In one, the cobbles are used every day by the cars, and kept up, and stuff like that. The other one - it's completely different ... The best I could do would be to describe it like this - they plowed a dirt road, flew over it with a helicopter, and then just dropped a bunch of rocks out of the helicopter! That's Paris–Roubaix. It's that bad - it's ridiculous." - Chris Horner
Christopher Horner is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . A native and current resident of Bend, Oregon, Horner dominated the American road racing scene by winning the points standings in the 2002, 2003 and 2004 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar.-PAA-NutraFig...
- "This is a race that suits me when I'm having a good day. On the other hand, if you don't have the legs, this is the worst place you could possibly be." - Jo Planckaert, 2004
- "It's a circus, and I don't want to be one of the clowns." - Chris Boardman
Christopher "Chris" Boardman MBE is a former English racing cyclist who won an individual pursuit gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics and broke the world hour record three times, as well as winning three stages and wearing the yellow jersey on three separate occasions at the Tour de France...
(speaking before the start on British Eurosport).
Les Amis de Paris–Roubaix
Les Amis de Paris–Roubaix – the "friends" of the race – is an enthusiasts' group founded by Jean-Claude Vallaeys in 1983. It is based in France but open to members all over the world. It has its roots in the Paris–Roubaix Cyclo-Touriste of 1972. By 1982 there were 7,242 participants. There and at other events on the course, a petition calling for the cobbles to be saved gathered 10,000 signatures. Jean-Claude Valleys, Jean-François Pescheux
[Jean-François Pescheux is now the organiser of Paris–Roubaix] and the Vélo-club de Roubaix, which Vallaeys founded in 1966, formed Les Amis de Paris–Roubaix in 1982 at a photo exhibition at the Maison du Nord-Pas de Calais
[La Maison is a combination of chamber of commerce, lobbying organisation and tourist office.] in Paris.
Its aim was to find enough stretches of cobbled road to preserve the nature of the race. So many roads had been resurfaced that, as the organiser said, there was a risk that it would become a fast race on smooth roads won by sprinters rather than those who had fought through hell. Alain Bernard, who succeeded Vallaeys, says: "We have succeeded in that. Today, the association looks after the maintenance of these paths of legend, working with local administrations to preserve them. But alongside that, we also do other things to preserve the value of the race, building up an impressive collection of documents, holding exhibitions, honouring former winners, holding tours of the route."
Les Amis says it is too late to save the sector of Bersée, which was removed from the race because of its dangerous state in 2007. The situation is becoming critical, it says, at the Pont Gibus at Wallers, at Mons-en-Pévèle, Pont Thibaut at Ennevelin, the pavé of the Duclos-Lassalle section at Cysoing, and at Camphin-en-Pévèle.
"Their disappearance would be a fatal blow to the Queen of Classics," says the association.
Les forçats du pavé
The weather is often bad for the riders; it is frequently worse for the
forçats du pavé, as they call themselves
['Les forçats du pavé' is a reference to a newspaper article and book by Albert Londres]Albert Londres was a French journalist and writer. One of the inventors of investigative journalism, he criticized abuses of colonialism such as forced labour. Albert Londres gave his name to a journalism prize for Francophone journalists.- Biography :Londres was born in Vichy in 1884...
which described the toiling riders of the Tour de France as the forçats or forced labourers de la route. In March 2008, "Les Amis" published an account of their work thus:
Saturday 22 March: a cold wind sweeps the plain of Pévèle; alternating showers of hail, melted snow and cold rain. Not a day to venture outside... Nevertheless, at the foot of the Mons-en-Pévèle ridge, silhouettes busy themselves along the soaked cobble roadway. Backs bent against the gusts, they tirelessly scratch at the ground with primitive tools. Who are these dozen souls - A work-gang from a byegone era? Automatons? Treasure-hunters?
No, these are members of the "Amis de Paris Roubaix", trying to clean off the mud and crusted earth left on the cobbles by farm work. They are on an important section of Paris–Roubaix and, without their intervention, the greatest of cycling classics, due to be held in only a few days, will not be able to come through... And without these cobbled routes, the Paris–Roubaix would disappear, depriving the whole world of one of sport's most intense and gripping events. This they know, and they'll be back again the two weekends before the race, far from the media and officials who will soon bustle here.
The passion that drives them is much stronger than the bad weather. It has nothing to do with the current storms in the cycling world. These discrete servants of the "Queen of the Classics" have only one ambition - to clean the stones so that the when the day comes for the champion to be crowned they can hold their cobbled trophy high.
Winners by year
Winners by country
| # | Country | Victories |
| 1. |
BelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
|
54 |
| 2. |
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
|
28 |
| 3. |
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
|
13 |
| 4. |
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
|
5 |
| 5. |
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
|
3 |
| 6. |
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
|
2 |
| 7. |
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
|
1 |
LuxembourgLuxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
|
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
|
UkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
|
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
|
Most individual victories
4 wins
Roger De VlaeminckRoger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as '"The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation"...
(1972, 1974, 1975, 1977)
3 wins (7)
Octave LapizeOctave Lapize was a French professional road racing cyclist and track cyclist.Most famous for winning the 1910 Tour de France and a bronze medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in the men's 100 kilometres, he was a three-time winner of one-day classics, Paris–Roubaix and Paris–Brussels.In his first...
(1909, 1910, 1911)
Gaston RebryGaston Rebry was a Belgian former champion road racing cyclist between 1928 and 1935....
(1931, 1934, 1935)
Rik van LooyHenri van Looy is a Belgian former professional cyclist of the post-war period, nicknamed the King of the Classics or Emperor of Herentals...
(1961, 1962, 1965)
Eddy MerckxEdouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(1968, 1970, 1973)
Francesco MoserFrancesco Moser , nicknamed "Lo sceriffo" , is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the dominant riders from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, and won the 1984 Giro d'Italia, the 1977 world road racing championship and six victories in three of the five Monuments...
(1978, 1979, 1980)
Johan MuseeuwJohan Museeuw is a retired Belgian professional road bicycle racer. He was a professional from 1988 to 2004 and was particularly successful in the classic cycle races in the nineties....
(1996, 2000, 2002)
Tom BoonenTom Boonen is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who won the 2005 World Road Race Championship. He is a member of the team, and is considered a single-day road race specialist with a strong finishing sprint...
(2005, 2008, 2009)
2 wins (12)
Maurice GarinMaurice-Francois Garin was a road bicycle racer best known for winning the inaugural Tour de France in 1903, and for being stripped of his title in the second Tour in 1904 along with eight others, for cheating.-Origins:Garin was born the son of Maurice Clément Garin and Maria Teresa...
(1897, 1898) Lucien Lesna (1901, 1902)
Hippolyte AucouturierHippolyte Aucouturier was a French professional road bicycle racer. Aucouturier, a professional between 1900 and 1908, won two stages at the first Tour de France in 1903 and won three stages and finished second in the 1905 Tour de France. He also won Paris–Roubaix twice, in 1903 and 1904...
(1903, 1904)
Charles CrupelandtCharles Crupelandt was a French professional road bicycle racer. He won stages in the Tour de France, but his biggest successes were the 1912 and 1914 Paris–Roubaix...
(1912, 1914)
Henri PélissierHenri Pélissier was a French racing cyclist from Paris and champion of the 1923 Tour de France. In addition to his 29 career victories, he was known for his long-standing feud with Tour founder Henri Desgrange and for protesting against the conditions endured by riders in the early years of the Tour...
(1919, 1921)
Georges ClaesGeorges Claes was a Belgian racing cyclist. He won Paris–Roubaix in 1946 and 1947.-External links:*...
(1946, 1947)
Rik Van SteenbergenRik Van Steenbergen was a Belgian racing cyclist, considered to be one of the best among the great number of successful Belgian cyclists.-Early life:...
(1948, 1952)
Sean KellyJohn James 'Sean' Kelly is an Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. From turning professional in 1977 until his retirement in 1994, he won nine monument classics, and 193...
(1984, 1986)
Marc MadiotMarc Madiot is a French former professional road racing cyclist and double winner of Paris–Roubaix. Retired from racing in 1994, he is now best known as the directeur sportif of Française des Jeux, a UCI ProTour cycling team....
(1985, 1991)
Gilbert Duclos-LassalleGilbert Duclos-Lassalle is a former French professional road racing cyclist who was a specialist at one-day classic cycling races...
(1992, 1993)
Franco BalleriniFranco Ballerini was an Italian road racing cyclist.Born in Florence, his greatest exploits as a rider came with his two victories in the cycling classic Paris–Roubaix, riding for the Mapei cycling team. In 1993 he was beaten on the line by Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle in an exciting Paris–Roubaix finale...
(1995, 1998)
Fabian CancellaraFabian Cancellara is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . A time trial specialist, he is a four-time World Time Trial Champion and is the current Olympic gold medalist...
(2006, 2010)
Fastest editions
| Rider | Avg. speed | Year | Distance |
| |
|
1964 |
|
| |
43.612 km/h (27.1 mph) |
1948 |
246 km (152.9 mi) |
| |
43.538 km/h (27.1 mph) |
1960 |
262 km (162.8 mi) |
| |
43.522 km/h (27 mph) |
1953 |
245 km (152.2 mi) |
| |
43.406 km/h (27 mph) |
2008 |
260 km (161.6 mi) |
| |
43.305 km/h (26.9 mph) |
1996 |
262 km (162.8 mi) |
| |
43.105 km/h (26.8 mph) |
1980 |
264 km (164 mi) |
The record held by Peter Post, was set on a different course.
Other records
- Most races completed by a rider – 16, by Raymond Impanis
Raymond Impanis was a Belgian professional cyclist from 1947 to 1963. He won Paris–Roubaix, the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Gent–Wevelgem and three stages in Tour de France. He has been made an honorary citizen of the town of Kampenhout.Impanis died on 31 December 2010, aged 85, following a long...
(1947-1963) and Servais KnavenHenricus Theodorus Josephus Knaven is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer, currently a directeur sportif for Team Sky. Knaven won Paris–Roubaix in 2001 and is the second rider in history to start and finish the race 16 times...
(1995-2010The 2010 edition of the Paris–Roubaix cycling classic took place on April 11, 2010. The race is the ninth event in the inaugural UCI World Ranking series. The race was won by Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara.- Teams :...
). – 15, Gilbert Duclos-LassalleGilbert Duclos-Lassalle is a former French professional road racing cyclist who was a specialist at one-day classic cycling races...
.
- Oldest winner – Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle
Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle is a former French professional road racing cyclist who was a specialist at one-day classic cycling races...
, 38 years and 8 months in 1993.
- Largest winning margin – 5 minutes and 21 seconds, when Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
beat Roger De VlaeminckRoger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian former professional racing cyclist. He was described by Rik Van Looy as '"The most talented and the only real classics rider of his generation"...
in 1970.
- Closest margin of victory – 1 cm (0.393700787401575 in), between Eddy Planckaert
Eddy Planckaert is a former professional road racing cyclist from Belgium. In 1988, Planckaert enjoyed perhaps his best year by capturing the green jersey at the 1988 Tour de France and winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen...
and Steve BauerSteven Todd Bauer, MSM is a former professional road bicycle racer from Canada. He is an Olympic medallist and winner of several professional races.-Cycling career:...
in 1990.
- Slowest victory – 12 hours and 15 minutes, in 1919 when Henri Pélissier
Henri Pélissier was a French racing cyclist from Paris and champion of the 1923 Tour de France. In addition to his 29 career victories, he was known for his long-standing feud with Tour founder Henri Desgrange and for protesting against the conditions endured by riders in the early years of the Tour...
won on roads devastated by World War I.
- Longest victorious break – 222 km (137.9 mi), by Dirk Demol
Dirk Demol is general manager for UCI ProTour Team RadioShack. His specialization as a director is the spring classics, having himself won the 1988 edition of the one-day classic Paris–Roubaix, riding as a professional cyclist for Team ADR.-External links:* Demol's Profile at * PEZ Interviews:...
in 1988.
Other cobbled races
Paris–Roubaix is sometimes compared to the other famous cobbled race, the Ronde van Vlaanderen in Belgium. Paris–Roubaix is flatter and has more difficult cobbles while the Ronde van Vlaanderen contains a series of hills, many on cobbles, like the
KoppenbergKoppenberg is a high hill in Oudenaarde, the Flemish Ardennes, Belgium...
or
KapelmuurThe Muur van Geraardsbergen is a steep narrow road with cobblestones located in Geraardsbergen, Belgium. It is also known as Kapelmuur, Muur-Kapelmuur or simply Muur. The hill starts near the river Dender at 18 m and reaches the top of the Oudenberg at 110 m...
.
In addition to Paris–Roubaix and the Ronde van Vlaanderen, called the
cobbled classics, other spring races like Ghent-Ghent and Gent–Wevelgem feature extensive cobbles.
Winners of Paris–Roubaix and
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Rider | Year |
| |
1923 |
| |
1932 |
| |
1934 |
| |
1954 |
| |
1957 |
| |
1962 |
| |
1977 |
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2003 |
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2005 |
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2010 |
Related events
The U23 Paris–Roubaix or
Paris–Roubaix Espoirs is raced in the early summer.
The
Paris–Roubaix Cyclo is organised by the Velo Club de Roubaix every other June. This allows amateurs to experience the cobbles, the finishing laps in the vélodrome, and the showers. There is a choice of three levels: 120 km, most of the cobbled sectors; 190 km all the cobbles; or the full 261 km. All finishers receive a small cobblestone on a wooden plinth.
Further reading
External links