Paris-Roubaix

Paris-Roubaix
Local name:	Paris-Roubaix
Region:	Northern France
Date:	Early April(2006: 9th of April)
Type:	One-day race
History
First Edition:	1896
Number of Editions:	103
First Winner:	Josef Fischer, ()
Most Recent:	Fabian Cancellara ()
Most Wins:	Roger De Vlaeminck (), 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 The Hell of the North, Queen of Classics or La Pascale: the Easter race.

History

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 54.7 km of cobbled sections. The race culminates with 1 km on the Roubaix velodrome.

Since 1964, the record average speed of 45.129 km/h 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.

Cobbled races

Paris-Roubaix is often compared to the other famous cobbled road race, the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) 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 are on cobbles. Hence the race is often followed according to the names of these hills.

Riders who win both races in the same year are guaranteed eternal fame:

Course description

The 260 km race starts in Compiègne and follows a winding route northwards towards Roubaix, hitting the first cobbled sections after about 100 km. From 1977 to 2004, the course was routed through the challenging Wallers-Arenberg Forest, situated after approximately 166 km. 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. This was as a result of Johan Museeuw's horrific crash in 1998 as World Cup leader. The crash nearly caused Museeuw to lose his leg to gangrene. 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 3000 m Mons-en-Pévèle (after 213 km) and the 2100m Le Carrefour de l’Arbre (at 244 km) — often decisive in the final kilometres of the race, which ironically ends on the smooth concrete expanses of the large outdoor velodrome in Roubaix.

The bicycles of Paris-Roubaix

Due to its challenging course, often compounded by poor weather conditions, Paris-Roubaix presents a difficult technical challenge to riders, team support personnel, and equipment alike. Special frames and wheels are often used specifically for Paris-Roubaix, in various configurations depending on the weather conditions.

Many of these modifications are borrowed from cyclocross, for example using wider tires, cantilever brakes, and dual brake levers. Many teams also disperse additional support personnel throughout the parcours carrying spare wheels, equipment and even bicycles in case of equipment failure in locations that are not accessible to the team car.

Some of the top riders even receive special frames optimized for the harsh riding conditions of Paris-Roubaix to give more stability and comfort over the cobblestones. Different materials are also used to make the ride more comfortable for the riders. Tom Boonen, winner in 2005, used a TIME frame with longer wheelbase built specially for him. In the same edition, George Hincapie was given a prototype frame featuring a small 2 mm elastomer insert at the top of the seat stays. The manufacturers claim that this elastomer took nearly all of the shock out of riding the cobbelstones. Hincapie's Trek bicycle fared less well in the 2006 edition of the race as his aluminum steerer tube snapped with about 46 km to go in the race, causing him to crash and leaving him in pain and weeping on the side of the road.

The bad road conditions lead to frequent flat tires, and many riders in promising positions have been thrown back by this. In recent years, a neutral technical service on motorbikes closely follows groups of riders to provide new wheels to anyone in need, independent of their team association.

Various comments on Paris-Roubaix

"Let me tell you, though - there’s a huge difference between Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. They’re not even close to the same. In one, the cobbles are used every day by the cars, and kept up, and stuff like that. The other one - it’s completely different . . . The best I could do would be to describe it like this - they plowed a dirt road, flew over it with a helicopter, and then just dropped a bunch of rocks out of the helicopter! That’s Paris-Roubaix. It’s that bad - it’s ridiculous." - Chris Horner ^*.
"This is the one race that I dream of all year long, and look forward to all year long." - George Hincapie in various interviews.
"When you attack in Paris-Roubaix, you don't have to think. It doesn't take five minutes to work it all out. You just do what feels right at the moment." - Johan Museeuw in an interview with Cycle Sport Magazine.
"Thousands line the road in this annual rite of spring cheering their larger than life heroes. Urging, at times, even helping them victory. They ride in the tracks of bygone legends dreaming of distant fame and glory. But glory is not without a price. These bloodied and battered warriors struggle through the rain, the cold, the mud, on roads better suited to oxen cart than bicycles. But for the victor there is glory, immortality and a place in history amongst the giants of the road. Since 1896, the greatest bike racers on earth have come to test their very souls in this brutal and beautiful spectacle". CBS Sports - 1987
"This is a race that suits me when I'm having a good day. On the other hand, if you don't have the legs, this is the worst place you could possibly be." - Jo Planckaert, 2004