Paris-Roubaix Preview Cycling Weekly magazine (UK) Hell may traditionally be associated with fire and brimstone, but for professional cyclists it is the miles of cobblestoned roads between the cities of Paris and Roubaix. “The Hell of the North” is the nickname given to Paris-Roubaix, the third monument of the year and the final northern classic. Such a devilish pedigree has been established over the 111 editions since the race’s inception in 1896, with the its treacherous cobblestones, excessive length and occasional adverse weather conditions all making this arguably the most difficult race of the year. Though it may only arguably be the hardest race, it is indisputably the most unique. Unlike the other spring classics, the cobblestoned sections do not feature on short climbs like, for instance, the Paterberg, Koppenberg and the Kemmelberg, but instead on flat sections. As a result, there are lighter riders who flourish in Flanders that struggle in this race, while many diesel engines enjoy a rare parcours that rewards brute power over climbing and sprinting. But there’s more to winning Paris-Roubaix than simply bludgeoning your opponents into submission; if that was the case Fabian Cancellara would win every year. Luck plays a huge role in determining who wins, with the total of fifty kilometres spent on unpredictable cobblestones ensuring that punctures and crashes are even more frequent than in the other classics. Tactics, positioning and teamwork are also important, and occasionally a less fancied rider – like Stuart O’Grady in 2007 and Johan Vansummeren in 2011 – can surprise the favourites with a well-timed move. The weather can also give each edition its own distinct character. A rainy day can turn the race into a lethal mud bath with crashes and retirements galore, while on a hot, dry day, the dust flicked up from the riders’ wheels on the pave casts an atmospheric cloudy haze over the peloton. Another unique factor of Paris-Roubaix is how the difficulty of all 28 of its pavé sections are determined by a star rating out of five. The three sections assigned five stars each mark a vital stage in the race, the first being the mythical Arenberg Forest. Situated roughly 100 kilometres from the finish and containing particularly uneven cobblestones, this is the first major sort of the race that sees all the favourites battle to be at the front, while the overhanging trees create an eerie, ominous atmosphere. Next is the Mons-en-Pévèle section, around 50kms from the finish and, at 3kms, one of the longest on the route. It was just before here that Fabian Cancellara launched his attack to win in 2010, and it was the first of the ten sections Tom Boonen completed alone in his epic 2012 solo victory. Finally, the Carrefour de L’Arbre rounds off a series of difficult back-to-back sections towards the end of the race. After this just twenty kilometres and three relatively simple pavé roads are left, meaning any decisive final moves are usually made here. The L’Arbre also often witnesses tired riders making mistakes and dramatically crashing out, as in 2009 when Thor Hushovd fell, and last year when Stijn Vandenbergh and Zdenek Stybar both collided with spectators. Even the finish of Paris-Roubaix is idiosyncratic, with a lap and a half around the Roubaix velodrome which usually either plays out as a thrilling sprint finish or a procession for the lone escapee. And, for one final quirk, the winner is then given an actual cobblestone for a trophy, which must, after around six hellish hours on the saddle, be very difficult to hold aloft. There’s nothing quite like the spectacle of Paris-Roubaix, and the 2014 edition will surely provide much of the same.
