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Paris-Roubaix, France

9 April, 259.5K

A Sunday in Hell

Overall Map
Cobbled Sections
Startlist
Photos
Report and Results
2005 Results

Some refer to it as "The Hell of the North" and some refer to it as the "The Queen of the Classics." Call it what you will, Paris-Roubaix is unlike any other race on the modern day calendar. Why does it always end on the velodrome in Roubaix? I'll tell you. A couple of well known textile entrepreneurs built a velodrome in Roubaix in 1895 and in celebration of this occasion they organized a one day race beginning in Paris and ending on the slopes of their new velodrome. Thus the great Paris-Roubaix was born.

9 April 2006 in Compiégne, France will see the start of the 104th Paris-Roubaix. What makes this race so compelling is, of course, the pavé. Without it Paris-Roubaix would be just another race that favors the flat-landers, like Paris-Tours. There are 27 sectors of cobbles totaling over 52.7 kilometers, the most well known sector being the Arenberg Forest at kilometer 163.5, where the cobbles are the size of a small Renault. There will be mayhem in the run up to this sector: The speed builds as every rider fights to get the front before the road bottlenecks, it is clearly not for the faint of heart.

Adding to the mystique of this race is the fact that the big GC riders never participate in it. Well, almost never. In 1981 Bernard Hinault was the last of the big-time stage racers to win it. It is unquestionably the domain of the specialists. Who are the specialists currently in with a chance of victory? The obvious favorite has to be last year's winner, big Tom Boonen of Quick-Step. There is also GQ George Hincapie, who is always at the sharp-end of this pavé race, Peter Van Petegem (Davitamon-Lotto), Juan Antonio Flecha (Rabobank), Filippo Pozzato (Quick-Step), Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Fondital) and Fabian Cancellara (Team CSC).

Good form is one thing, but winning Paris-Roubaix is quite another. Whoever raises their arms in victory on the velodrome in Roubaix will need confidence, the backing of a strong squadra, and most importantly, the lack of back luck.

Come 9 April tune into BiciRace.com for complete race details.
- Paco

Past Winners (from 1960):