The menu of the 120th edition of Paris-Roubaix will offer another hearty helping of drama, starting with the traditional first contact with the cobbles at Troisvilles, just under 100 kilometers after the start at Compiègne. A little later, the route changes made this year will appear in the antechamber of the Trouée d’Arenberg, with the return of the Haspres sector (km 139.6), unpublished since spring 2004. In 2001, this 1,700 meter section, which Thierry Gouvenou openly admits is “not very well paved”, went hand in hand with him debut of the Haveluy sector, which arrives a dozen kilometers later. From there, it is a long and hard road to the The classic “five-star” sectors that will separate the wheat from the chaff stand out, namely, the Trouée d’Arenberg (km 161.3), Mons-en-Pévèle (km 208) and the Carrefour de l’Arbre (239.5 km).
female test
The alteration made in the third edition of Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift it comes before the first few cobbles, but is likely to make itself felt at a later point in the race. Two distinct loops on windswept roads near the start of the course will add an additional 20 kilometers to the total distance. The multiple changes of direction in the preliminary phase could unleash a battle between the favourites, who they will join the layout of the men’s event upon reaching the cobbled sector of Hornaing.
The competition will continue with another 82.4 kilometers (including 29.2 km of cobblestones) before the finish at the Roubaix velodrome. Two other decisive moments will come in Mons-en-Pévèle (km 96.9) and the Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 128.3), where the future winner was alone in front in the last two editions: Lizzie Deignan in 2021 and Elisa Longo Borghini in 2022. Can anyone break the trend?
