France 13 Apr 2025 Class 1.UWT – 1 day – UCI WorldTour
Website www.letour.fr and https://www.paris-roubaix.fr/en/ ; https://www.instagram.com/parisroubaixcourse/
Email tgouvenou@aso.fr
The history of Paris-Roubaix is rich and eventful, making it one of the most prestigious and feared one-day races on the cycling calendar. Here are the key points of its history:
Origins and early years:
The idea for the race was born in 1896 when two Roubaix textile manufacturers and cycling enthusiasts, Théodore Vienne and Maurice Perez, wanted to organize a major cycling race on the newly built Roubaix velodrome.
They proposed a race from Paris to Roubaix, which was unusual at the time as most major races started or finished in Paris.
The first Paris-Roubaix took place on April 19, 1896. 51 riders took part, and the German Josef Fischer won the 280-kilometer race with an average speed of 30.162 km/h.
The early route was over dirt roads and bumpy tracks, which already laid the foundations for the race’s reputation as tough and unforgiving.
Development and growth:
The popularity of Paris-Roubaix grew rapidly, thanks in part to the substantial prize money.
Henri Desgrange, who later founded the Tour de France, was entered for the second edition but did not start.
The race was held annually until the First World War in 1915.
After the First World War:
When Paris-Roubaix resumed in 1919, the route had been devastated by the destruction of war. The 1919 winner, Henri Pélissier, described the ride as a “pilgrimage” through “hell”. This expression contributed significantly to the race’s nickname: “Hell of the North“ (”L’Enfer du Nord”).
Over the next two decades, the race was held on schedule until 1940, before being interrupted again during the Second World War and resumed in 1943.
The era of cobblestones:
The trademark of Paris-Roubaix, the dreaded cobblestone sectors (“pavés”), became an increasingly important part of the race over time. These often poorly maintained dirt roads place extreme demands on the riders and their equipment.
The famous Trouée d’Arenberg (Arenberg Forest) was added to the route in 1968 and has been one of the most iconic and difficult sections ever since.
The route has changed several times over the years. In 1966, the start was moved to Chantilly, north of Paris, and in 1977 the race started for the first time in Compiègne, about 80 kilometers north of Paris. However, the finish always remained the Vélodrome André-Pétrieux in Roubaix.
Legacy and tradition:
Paris-Roubaix is one of the five “monuments” of cycling, the most prestigious one-day races of the year.
The winners of Paris-Roubaix are immortalized on a plaque in the Vélodrome of Roubaix, and since 1977 they have received a cobblestone mounted on a wooden base as a trophy.
There are brass plates in front of the showers in the finish area to commemorate each winner.
Belgium is the most successful nation in the history of Paris-Roubaix with 57 victories, followed by France with 28 and Italy with 14 (as of June 2024). Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen hold the record for the most victories with four each. Mathieu van der Poel won the 2023 and 2024 editions.
Paris-Roubaix is a race known for its toughness, unpredictability and historic charm. It is a test of strength, endurance, skill and luck and attracts the best cyclists in the world every year. The cobblestone sectors are at the heart of the race and make it a unique and unforgettable cycling challenge.
The Paris-Roubaix Espoirs race will take place at the same time
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
Mads Pedersen – Lidl – Trek
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The route of Paris-Roubaix 2025
The first part of the route is different from last year. It starts again with the sections from Viesly to Quiévy and then continues with Saint-Python. It goes straight to the section from Vertain to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon. Then in the direction of Quérénaing, where two new sections are added to the program. In a small loop around the municipality of Quérénaing, first the section “Quérénaing to Artres” (#24, after 130.9 km, 1,300 m long) and then directly the section Artres to Famars (#23, after 133.8 km, 1,200 m long) follow. The route continues to Haveluy and then to the Arenberg forest. Here is the new approach to the forest of Arenberg.
The star rating of the Paris-Roubaix 2025 sectors
Source: https://www.cyclingmagazine.de/
