The classic Paris-Roubaix is one of the most iconic cycling races, where modern road bikes face 19th-century roads. Considered the ultimate cycling Monument, this race is held every year in northern France, near the border with Belgium. Traditionally, except for exceptions such as in 2021 and 2022, it takes place on the second weekend of April, right after the Tour of Flanders.
Known as The Hell of the North, the Paris-Roubaix challenges cyclists with a 250 km route, of which 50 km run through demanding cobblestone sections. These sectors, located in the second half of the carrera, represent a true challenge for road bikes, which must combine endurance, stability, and shock absorption to cope with the extreme vibrations of the pavé.
Although it is a race designed for road cycling, the Paris-Roubaix shares some similarities with mountain bike routes, since it requires great technical skill to maintain control over uneven surfaces. Many cyclists even use wider tires and lower pressures, strategies common in MTB, to improve traction and comfort on the cobblestone sections.
After the first 100 km of warm-up on asphalt, the real battle begins. Physical wear, strategy, and the endurance of road bikes come into play, as the riders fight to reach the iconic Velodrome of Roubaix, where the winners go down in cycling history.
The Paris-Roubaix is a unique race where the past and present of cycling meet, and where every pedal stroke tests both the cyclist's skill and the endurance of their bike.
You might be interested. What does it take to win the Paris-Roubaix? Is it really necessary to have experience in the race? We spoke with Saúl Miguel
about it. Saúl is a cycling commentator on Eurosport and one of the people who knows the cycling Monuments best.
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Welcome to the carrera of the unpredictable. Here are some key points to understand the historical dimension of this event, which goes beyond cycling.
How did the Paris-Roubaix originate?
The Paris-Roubaix was born in 1895 thanks to two textile entrepreneurs from the Roubaix region: Théodore Vienne and Mauricio Pérez (of Spanish descent). They promoted the construction of a velodrome and decided to create a cycling carrera to promote it. It would start in Paris and end in The City of a Thousand Chimneys. This is how Roubaix was called at the end of the 19th century, thanks to its industrial vigor. They had the support of the sports newspaper Le Vélo. Originally, it was conceived as a training for the Bordeaux-Paris (600 km), which was the most famous carrera of the time. The first winner was the German Joseph Fischer. He reached the finish line 25 minutes ahead of the second place, after a 280 km route, at an average speed of 30 km/h.
Image: ASO / Pauline Ballet.
What are the most dramatic sections of the Paris Roubaix?
The drama of the Paris Roubaix unfolds in its cobblestone sections. Roughly, there are 30 sectors of cobblestones. None reach 4 km, but all feel endless. Depending on their difficulty, they receive a rating from one to five stars. It depends on the length, the layout, and the condition of the cobblestones themselves.
Which are the five-star sections and, therefore, the most demanding ones?
- The Arenberg Forest section, almost swallowed by vegetation, is one of the symbols of the carrera. It is true that its presence in the race dates from 1968, an edition won by Eddy Merckx. It is the first of the three five-star sectors. Although it is located 100 km from the finish, it usually causes the first big selection. It is not the longest section (2.4 km), but the cobblestones seem scattered at random. Many cyclists hug the edges to avoid them, and crashes are frequent. It is often said that in Arenberg you do not win the Roubaix, but it is the place where more than one rider loses it. Here the route passes under the viaduct, where coal trains used to run long ago.
Image: ASO / Pauline Ballet
- The second five-star section is Mons-en-Pévèle. It is 3,000 meters long and is located 50 km from the finish. Let's say it marks the beginning of the end of the Hell of the North. A devilish layout with ninety-degree turns adds even more drama. Skill and brute strength are essential here.
- Located just 15 km from the finish, the Carrefour de l'Arbre is the last five-star sector that the cyclists face after an exhausting journey. Afterwards, there are just three simple sectors left before the finish line.
Other sections of interest
Although they are not five-star, there are more sectors worth mentioning. One of them is Troisville, the first cobbled sector of the carrera. For this reason, it is a nervous section. The riders fight for position and the tension is palpable. It is a descending section, so the speed is high and punctures are frequent. In addition, it is a spot where mud often accumulates, even on days of splendid sunshine. 
Image: ASO / Pauline Ballet.
Another notable sector is Orchies. Located about 60 km from the finish, it is not especially long (1.7 km), but the stones here are brutal. The cyclists must navigate them among the crowds, the curves, and the clouds of dust, which creates scenes of true chaos. And finally, we must not forget the entrance to the finish area. A finish located in the André Pétrieux Velodrome, where the cyclists must complete one and a half laps before ending their ordeal. A ring, on the other hand, somewhat dilapidated that is filled with light once a year. The war took its toll here: the wooden track was destroyed and replaced by concrete.
Image: ASO / Fabien Boukla
How important are the volunteers?
The work of the volunteers in this event is essential. Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix is the name of an association whose goal is to preserve the cobblestones of the Paris-Roubaix. Maintenance work is essential. Much of the cobblestones are in agricultural areas that suffer from ice, rain, passing tractors, etc. The pavé of the Hell of the North is declared a Cultural Heritage of the Hauts-de-France region. However, this does not prevent the theft of cobblestones from being common throughout the year. Every spring, Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix, with the help of some vocational schools, takes care of replacing the cobblestones, each of which weighs around 5 kg! Quite something. During the rest of the year, the association carries out intense outreach work through various publications. It is also the group that presents the victory trophy to the winner of the race, which since 1977 has been an authentic carved cobblestone. 
Image: ASO / Pauline Ballet
The showers of Paris-Roubaix
In 1928, they built the school's outdoor showers at Roubaix. They were constructed next to the velodrome where the race ends, and today they are a place of worship for cycling fans. In the 1990s, team buses with built-in showers became widespread. Until then, much of the peloton waited their turn to wash off the grime right after the carrera. Today, they are still used by the occasional nostalgic rider determined to keep the tradition alive. Philippe Gilbert (winner in 2019) often recalls that on his debut at Paris-Roubaix (2007), his team director at FDJ (Marc Madiot) made all his cyclists go through those showers "to experience a part of cycling history." Each concrete stall has a plaque commemorating each winner of the carrera, which helps perpetuate the legend. 
Image: ASO / Pauline Ballet
Why is Paris-Roubaix called The Hell of the North?
You might think the origin has to do with the extreme toughness of the race. Wrong. Between 1915 and 1918, the Great War prevented the Paris-Roubaix from being held. In 1919, two journalists from L'Auto traveled to northern France intending to resume the celebration of the carrera. At that time, L'Auto was the newspaper that organized the race. One of them, Eugène Christophe, upon seeing the landscape, referred to this territory as The Hell of the North. Along with his colleague, Victor Breyer, they witnessed an apocalyptic landscape. In their chronicles, they spoke of "shell holes, graves everywhere, trees that look like skeletons, houses turned into bare walls, rubble..." Despite everything, the 1919 edition was finally held as a way to overcome the drama that the war had meant for everyone. 100 cyclists took part, and the Frenchman Henri Pélissier won. Without a doubt, it was both a physical and psychological challenge.
The first women's Paris-Roubaix
One of the great milestones in the recent history of Paris-Roubaix was the celebration of the women's race. In 2021, British cyclist Lizzie Deignan became the first champion after a solo attack nearly 100 km from the finish. She crossed the finish line with her handlebars stained with blood, further proof of the toughness of the course. The prize awarded to the winner that year was €1,535, which contrasts with the €30,000 allocated for the male winner.
Image: ASO / Fabien Boukla
Legendary cyclists of Paris-Roubaix
If Paris-Roubaix is a cycling legend, it is thanks to its main actors: the cyclists. Historically, the Belgians have been dominant, with 57 victories of the 118 editions held. Belgians Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen are the only ones who have managed to win four times. Behind them are the French (28 victories), Italians (14), Dutch (6), and Swiss (4). And what about the Spaniards? Let's just say that the cycling Monuments have not been fertile ground for them. And such a specific race as Paris-Roubaix, even less so. It is worth highlighting Miguel Poblet (third in 1960) and especially Juan Antonio Flecha (2nd in 2007 and 3rd in 2005 and 2010).
Cyclists who have made history in Paris-Roubaix
Here are some names that have made history in The Hell of the North.
- Roger De Vlaeminck (Belgium). Nicknamed Monsieur Paris-Roubaix, he shares the record of four victories (1972, 1974, 1975, and 1977) with Tom Boonen. He is considered the undisputed master of the event. A skillful strategist and accomplished cyclocross rider, he retired in 1988. The great Eddy Merckx, who suffered one of his victories, once said: "It's as if he knew the exact location of every cobblestone."
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Tom Boonen (Belgium). Without a doubt, one of the best classics riders in the history of cycling. A consummate specialist in cobbled races, he won Paris-Roubaix four times (2005, 2008, 2009, and 2012). He also won the Tour of Flanders three times and was World Champion on the road. His record is immense: the Roger De Vlaeminck of modern times.
Image: ASO / Pauline Ballet
- Rik Van Looy (Belgium). Winner of three editions (1961, 1962, and 1965), he is the only cyclist in history to have won all five Monuments. Not even Merckx achieved that. He won his last Roubaix when everyone thought he was finished. But his best performance came in an edition he did not win, in 1967. Ten riders arrived at the Roubaix velodrome to contest the victory. Among them, three world champions: Dutchman Jan Janssen, German Rudi Altig, and Van Looy himself. And if that weren't enough, another who would win the World Championship that same year: Eddy Merckx. Van Looy was beaten by Janssen, but never has a second place tasted so much like victory.
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Eddy Merckx (Belgium). The Cannibal won three Paris-Roubaix (1968, 1970, and 1973). What was normal for him was supernatural for the rest of the cyclists. In a carrera that is sometimes decided by centimeters, Merckx won in 1970 by more than five minutes: the largest margin achieved by a winner since World War II. And he beat, precisely, the great Roger De Vlaeminck.
Image: ASO / G. Demouveaux
- Bernard Hinault (France). The Breton cyclist, winner of five editions of the Tour de France, took the Paris-Roubaix in 1981. However, he was the author of one of the most famous quotes of this carrera. "Paris-Roubaix is crap," he said after his victory. In that edition, he suffered three crashes, one of which was caused by a dog. That did not prevent him from winning solo, wearing the world champion's jersey. Inexplicable.
- Fausto Coppi (Italy). Second in the 1952 and 1955 editions, the Italian champion did not compete much in Roubaix. However, in 1950 he crushed everyone with his talent, breaking the peloton into a thousand pieces. He participated for the last time in 1959, a year before dying of malaria after a trip to Africa.
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Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland). Spartacus won three editions of Paris-Roubaix (2006, 2010, and 2013). His 2010 performance is unforgettable. With 50 kilometers to go, he broke away solo from the peloton of favorites, caught up with a group of escapees, and arrived alone at Roubaix with more than two minutes ahead of Thor Hushovd and Juan Antonio Flecha. Magnificent.
Image: ASO / Beardy McBeard
- Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle (France). His is a clear example of a love story with Paris-Roubaix. In his first year as a professional (1980), he was already second. Since then, he was always considered a candidate for victory. But it didn't come. It wasn't until the end of his carrera that he finally achieved his dream, at the age of 38. And he did it twice: in 1992 and 1993. Destiny was written.