The Race - Paris-Roubaix, arguably the most famous one day race in cycling and one of the oldest, having started in 1896 and stopped only for the two world wars.
Cobbled Sectors - The cobbled sectors of this race make it unique and give it the world-famous reputation it’s had, and to phrases George Orwell, some cobbles are harder than others. Race director Christian Prudhomme has visited each of the 29 sectors and given them a rating. Five stars are used to designate the toughest sectors, while one star is used for the easiest – they are calculated using a mixture of length and surface, including how sharp the stones are, whether they stick out, and how much damage they can do towards the specially made bikes used for the route.
The Route - Is calm for the first 90 kilometres bar some light rolling territory before we reach the first of the cobbled sectors, at Troisvilles, lasting 2.3 kilometres. There are then two sectors at Briastre and Saint-Python, all of which are three-star sectors, before the intensity is ramped up into sector 26 at Quiévy, 3.7km long and the first of the four-star sectors.
There is then a new sector at Saint-Vaast, 1.5km and three stars, before Verchain-Maugré, where riders must avoid the holes to the side of the road and try and negotiate the raised pave in the middle of the road. Sectors through Quérénaing, 1,600m (***), Maing, 2,500m (***), Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon, 1,600m (***) before Haveluy.
This is so very important because at the end of Haveluy, no easy feat in itself, there are just 8 kilometres to one of the three holy grails – the Arenberg.
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The Arenberg - Arguably the most difficult section of Paris-Roubaix. The race can be lost here even if not won, and there’s one reason why – the surface.
The cobbles have been used for years and the stones are full of holes and dips and they are clogged full of dirt and mud – when the race is wet, they are even more lethal. Domestiques have one job – get the rider to the front.
Pont-Gibus, (168km to go, 1,600m, ***) comes less than 4km after and is an important point to put the hammer down and then after some sort of respite there’s Wandignies/Hornaing (****), the longer sector of the race itself.
Positioning is key heading into Brillon, (2.4km ***) as the best place to be is in the middle, and the three 90 degree turns of Sars-et-Rosières, (2.4km ****) are all danger spots. Incorporated in the race since 2007, Beuvry-la-Forêt, (1.4 km ***) has a terribly lumpy begging, especially to the right hand. Orchies (1.7m ***) and Bersée (2.7km ****) are crucial tactical junctures, especially the latter which comes just before the second five star section of the race.
Mons-en-Pévèle - The first few hundred meters come downhill which launched the intensity into the second of the three five-star sectors. Several narrow points and two deadly sharp turns make this a test of positioning before one escapes. It’s far for an attack but you can drop a rider.
Mérignies à Avelin (700m **) is relatively benign but beware the two sharp, lard left corners of Pont-Thibaut (1.4km ***), used by Vincenzo Nibali to take a big amount of time in the 2014 Tour. Then follows the peculiar double header of Templeuve – L’Epinette (223.5km raced, 200m*) and Templeuve, Moulin de Vertain (500m**).
Legs must be tired by now and it will be hard not to wilt at the Cysoing à Bourghelles, 1.3km (***) nor the Bourghelles à Wannehain (1.1km ***), the latter of which has a nasty bite.
The Camphin-en-Pévèle (1.8km ****) is another serious test with the legs burning and not much distance before the last five star sector.
Carrefour de l’Arbre - 2.1 kilometres long but the last serious chance to go for broke and thin down the field and so important for the race. Any flat wheels here and it’s game over. The next listed sector is Gruson, 1.1km and just two stars but the two effectively combine to make the l’Abre 3.2km.
Hem, (1.4km ***) and the ceremonial cobbles at Roubaix, will probably not make any more changes bar mechanicals, which leads us to the finale.
The Velodrome - Instead of a traditional road, the riders finish in the Roubaix Velodrome, taking one and a half laps that last 750 meters. Many of the recent editions have finished in a sprint, and here tactics are crucial in the small finishing groups that dominate the race.
The Contenders - No classic puzzle is solved without consulting Quick-Step. This season they have been the real winners and their 24 victories include Le Samyn, Dwars door West-Vlaanderen, Nokere Koerse, Handzame Classic, Driedaagse Brugge - De Panne, E3 Harelbeke, Dwars door Vlaanderen and The Tour Of Flanders too all with multiple riders.
Any one of their team is capable but it is surely time for the team to work towards Philippe Gilbert and the Belgian has been in great form all spring. Gilbert has finished fifth in Omloop, second in Le Samyn, E3 Harelbeke, 17th in Gent-Wevelgem and then third at the Tour of Flanders. He’s played a crucial role in setting up victories for Niki Terpstra (three times) no less and has had the feel of a rider quietly aiming to peak and take this title for the first time. The one big worry is his lack of Roubaix experience – he’s not ridden it since 2007 (and was 52nd) but he’s been on the cobbles all his career and ought to take some stopping.
Niki Terpstra was in the perfect tactical positions at Flanders last week but he still had to finish the job and the amount of power he showed once again was deeply impressive to behold off the chasing pack. That’s three wins for him over the cobbles this season and he’s a former winner of this race, beating John Degenkolb in the Velodrome to take the 2014 edition. He’s sure to be used as a tactical card at some point but he can go long as he’s demonstrated before and he; s arguably the form man in the peloton right now.
Zednek Stybar has as good a recent record as any rider in the race without winning, having finished second in 2017 and 2015 and also finishing sixth in 2014. He has been quietly under the radar this season, acting as a tactical anchor for other team-mates but also in excellent form, finishying seventh in Strade Bianche, ninth in E3, eighth at Gent-Wevelgem, sixth at Dwars door Vlaanderen, and tenth at the Tour Of Flanders. This race suits him more than any of them and he has to be taken very seriously.
Yves Lampaert is a crucial part of the team who has taken a big win for himself too at Dwars door Vlaanderen to boot and he can’t be underestimated.
Peter Sagan has complained about the marking and lack of cooperation that he’s received although as one of the most talented world champions the sport has seen he will have to find a solution., His record in this monument is the poorest of any major one day classic but that’s down to bad luck more than anything else; If he can stay upright he ought to be very much involved.
Greg Van Avaermet took this last year in a sprint to cap off a legendary spring and whilst he hasn’t had quite the same success there’s been little wrong with his form this time around, finishing fifth at Flanders last week and taking three top 10’s in spring classics this year. His sprint doesn’t seem as strong as it did last year but more sprinters are contesting the finish of the spring classics; He will want a heavily reduced group and there’s no better place to get it. BMC have backed him hard with Jürgen Roelandts, Jempy Drucker and Stefan Kung and all three will be pivotal.
EF’s Sep Vanmarcke was second in this five years ago and has contended for a moment in every season since. He’s been typically strong this season too but he probably needs to come home solo if he’s to take this and also a crash free race would do him a great deal of good given the energy he’s extended.
Oliver Naesen has done AG2R proud and was sixth in E3 and fourth at Gent-Wevelgem before he didn’t get the best of luck in the Tour of Flanders. His best here is 213th although he’s a much better rider now, but how will he win? A small sprint would be the ideal scenario.
Trek Segafredo’s Mads Pedersen announced himself on the big stage with a fantastic second at Flanders last week and is a Junior Roubaix winner, which along with his finish last year suggests he can handle the course just fine. What was most impressive about his second last week was the length of his attack and the fact he still was clear of the chasing pack, if only by a few seconds, at the line.
2015 winner John Dengkeolb has so often gone well here but he doesn’t seem as good as last year when he was 10th, with his best classics result being a 15th place at Dwars Door Vlaanderen. Jasper Stuyven’s the form horse from Trek, with 6th at E3, Gent-Wevelgem, 10th at Dwars Door Vlaanderen, and seventh at Flanders.
Sky have brought a powerful squad and Gianni Moscon, fifth last year, has shown plenty of power so far this season, taking two top 10’s so far and coming home in the lead group at Flanders. Ian Stannard, third in 2016, has all the components but he’s been in woeful form this year, He went to stay in Europe rather than head to Australia this year but he’s got a lot to prove. Dylan Van Baarle, impressive on the attack in Flanders, is another option that form, repeated, would give him a chance in a reduced sprint.
Arnaud Demare led in the leading group of contenders last year and has been well supported by FDJ but he is vulnerable to attacks – he will need to be piloted to the leading group and then stick on until the velodrome. A mention for Wout Van Aert of Veranda’s Willems-Crelan, hugely impressive in his first classics season, although his first experience might well be a drawback.
