Paris-Roubaix
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| Paris-Roubaix | |
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| 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 professional bicycle road race. Paris-Roubaix is regarded as one of the 'Monuments' or Classics of the European professional cycling calendar and carries the nickname Queen of Classics or La Pascale: the Easter race.
Organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation and 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 roads are resurfaced and the race organisers seek to replace them with other challenging cobbles, to maintain the character of the race - in 2005, for example, the race included 54.7km of cobbled sections. 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 260km race starts in Compiègne and follows a winding route northwards towards Roubaix, hitting the first cobbled sections after about 100km. From 1977 to 2004, the course was routed through the challenging Wallers-Arenberg Forest, situated after approximately 166km. Until 1998 the entry to the Arenberg pave section was slightly downhill, leading to a sprint to get to the front of the pack to gain the best position. However, in 1999, to reduce the speed of the peloton as it entered the Arenberg, the route was reversed. In 2005 the Trouée d'Arenberg (Arenberg Trench) section was left out altogether, with the organisers saying that conditions in this section has deteriorated beyond safety limits. The Arenberg area was formerly a coal mining region, and the abandoned mines had caused many sections of the road to subside.
As well as the Arenberg Trench, other difficult sections include the 3000m Mons-en-Pévèle (after 213km) and the 2100m Le Carrefour de l’Arbre (at 244km) - often decisive in the final kilometres of the race, which ends - ironically - on the smooth concrete expanses of the large outdoor velodrome in Roubaix.
External link
- Winner list of Paris-Roubaix (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegerliste_der_Radklassiker)
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