PARIS-ROUBAIX

If you’re a fan of cobbles, then this year’s edition of Parisroubaix is set to be vintage. The men will tackle the most pavé they have faced for 30 years – the total coming to 55.7km over 29 sectors, thanks to stretches in Briastre and Le Hameau du Buat returning in the first half of the race.

These are not just any cobbles, either. The farm tracks of northern France are a different beast to those in Flanders, laid with head-sized rocks, their jagged edges protruding from the dirt. The most fearsome sector is the 2.3km Trouée d’arenberg, still yet to feature in the women’s route, which is essentially unchanged from 2023, with 17 cobbled sectors over 29.2km.

For Magnus Bäckstedt, this year marks the 20th anniversary of his career-defining victory in 2004. How much has the race changed over the past two decades? “The speeds are much higher now than when we were racing it,” the now Canyon-sr AM sports director told Cycling Weekly. “I think a lot of that has got to do with the equipment. Last year, the winning time was an hour faster than what I won it in.”

Paris-roubaix is known for being a festival of new tech, with some teams using adjustable tyre pressure systems in 2023. Still, preparation remains the key to success. “I went across and did recons three, if not four, times before the race in 2004, in the winter and the early part of the season,” Bäckstedt said. “With the amount of recons I had done, I probably added another five, six years of racing it to understand physically what I needed to do.”

Does luck play a role on the day? “The better you are, the more luck you make for yourself,” said Bäckstedt.

RACE INFO

Men: Sunday 7 April (259.9km) Start: 10:10 GMT Expected finish: 16:00 GMT

Women: Saturday 6 April (148.5km) Start: 12:35 GMT Expected finish: 16:15 GMT