| Paris-Roubaix |
| Local name: |
Paris-Roubaix |
| Region: |
Northern France
|
| Date: |
Early April |
| Type: |
One-day race |
| History |
| First Edition: |
1896 |
| Number of Editions: |
103 |
| First Winner: |
Josef Fischer , (Germany)
|
| Most Wins: |
Roger De Vlaeminck (Belgium), 4 times
|
Begun in 1896, Paris-Roubaix, formerly third of the ten UCI World Cup races and currently part of the UCI ProTour, has become the most famous single-day bicycle road race. Paris-Roubaix is one of the Classics and carries the nickname Queen of Classics or La Pascale, the Easter race. Held annually in the mid-April rainy season, over the cobblestoned roads and hard rutted tracks of northern France's coal-mining region, La Pascale leaves riders caked from head to toe in mud and grit. However, this is not how this race earned the nickname l'enfer du Nord, or the Hell of the North. The term was first used to describe the race when it was run immediately following the end of the Great War, or World War I. The race course closely followed the front lines of the war, and hence passed through many of the ruins, craters, and destruction along the way, earning it the name l'enfer du Nord, or the Hell of the North bestowed by the journalists.
In 1968, on the guidance of Jean Stablinski, the starting location was changed from Paris to Compiègne, approximately 80 km to the north. Famous for rough terrain, the route of Paris-Roubaix is adjusted slightly from year to year as the older streets are resurfaced and the race organizers seek to replace them with other challenging cobbles, to maintain the character of the race. Since 1977 the course has been routed through the Wallers-Arenberg forest. The race culminates with 1km on the Roubaix velodrome.
Since 1964, the record average speed of 45.129 km/hour has been held by Dutch cyclist Peter Post . The record for the most victories in the race is held by the Belgian cycling legend Roger De Vlaeminck, who between 1972 and 1977 took first place four times (for which he was awarded a trophy in the form of a paving-stone). Octave Lapize (France), Gaston Rebry (Belgium), Rik Van Looy (Belgium), Eddy Merckx (Belgium), Francesco Moser (Italy), and Johan Museeuw (Belgium) each have won three times. Italian legends Jules Rossi and Fausto Coppi won in 1937 and 1950 respectively. The only German winner of Paris-Roubaix was Josef Fischer , who won the first year the race was held, 1896. Belgian cyclists have won 47 times, French cyclists 30. Meanwhile, in the U.S. hopes are placed on George Hincapie or Fred Rodriguez to be the first American to win l'enfer du Nord.
Cobbled races
Paris-Roubaix is often compared to the other famous cobbled road race, the Ronde van Vlaanderen held in Belgium. The two courses differ as Paris-Roubaix' course is more flat, and has more technical cobbled sections. Hence the race is often followed by the reverse numbering of the cobble sections. Ronde van Vlaanderen by comparison contains a series of hills, many of which on cobbles. Hence the race is often followed according to the names of these hills.
Rides who win both races in the same year are guaranteed eternal fame:
- 1923 Heiri Suter SUI
- 1932 Romain Gijssels BEL
- 1934 Gaston Rebry BEL
- 1954 Raymond Impanis BEL
- 1957 Fred De Bruyne BEL
- 1962 Rik Van Looy BEL
- 1977 Roger De Vlaeminck BEL
- 2003 Peter van Petegem BEL
- 2005 Tom Boonen BEL
Course description
The race starts in Compiègne and follows a route northwards towards Roubaix. The first significant cobbled section is in the Forest of Arenberg, which passage has been made backwards in recent years. Prior to 1999 the entry to the Arenberg pave area was slightly downhill, leading to a sprint to get to the front of the pack to gain the best position. In order to reduce the speed of the peloton as it enters the Arenberg, the route was reversed. In 2005 this section is left out altogether, with the organizers citing that the conditions of this section has deteriorated beyond safety limits. The Arenberg area was formerly a coal mining region, and the abandoned mines have caused many sections of the road to sink.
The route typically passes through the Carrefour l'Arbe pave area, and ends on the large outdoor track stadium in Roubaix.
External link
