2021 PARIS ROUBAIX COBBLES RATED FROM EASY TO HELLISH

By ASO/RBA

This weekend marks the long-awaited return of the grueling Paris-Roubaix classic that had been postponed for the second year running due to the Covid crisis. This year marks the 118th running of the race and the riders  will battle on the cobblestones for 34 miles, over the total distance of 160 miles, with 30 sectors to be tackled on the final 100 miles.

The first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, which takes place the day before, on Saturday October 2, features 18 miles of cobblestones, with the last 50 miles being the same for both races. With just a few days to go before the big showdown, everything is in place.

Based on the latest inspection of the course, carried out on 28 September by Paris-Roubaix race director Thierry Gouvenou and race director of Paris-Roubaix Femmes, Franck Perque, the organizers have assigned a difficulty rating to each of the cobbled sectors of the race, assessed according to their length, the irregularity of the cobbles, the general condition of the section and its location. The sectors rated five stars remain the Trouée d’Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre.

This year, the minor modifications concern the attack phase of the cobbles, with the Troisvilles sector retaining its entire length (2200 m). A little further on, the peloton will regroup at the hamlet of Buat sector (# 24), where the difficulty of the slope is added to that of the cobbles. In total, the cobbled kilometers for the men’s race is exactly 34 miles.

For their baptism of the cobbled roads, the female riders take on 18 miles, with 17 sectors on the program. The two courses converge with 50 miles to go, the women will have started in Denain and ridden 21 miles already. They will begin with the four-star 2.25 mile long sector from Hornaing to Wandignies. For them too, the demanding route to the velodrome passes through the sectors of Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre!

The 30 cobbled sectors of Paris–Roubaix

HELLISH

Sector 19 : Trouée d’Arenberg @ mile 100 – 1.4 miles long

Sector 11 : Mons-en-Pévèle @ mile 130  – 1.8 miles long

Sector 4 : Carrefour de l’Arbre @ mile 149 – 1.3 miles long

HARD

Sector 30 : Troisvilles to Inchy @ mile 60 – 1.3 miles long

Sector 29 : Viesly to Quiévy @ mile 63.8 – 1.1 miles long

Sector 28 : Quiévy to Saint-Python @ mile 65.4 – 2.3 miles long

Sector 25 : Saint-Martin-sur-Ecaillon to Vertain @ mile 75 – 1.4 miles long

Sector 24 : Capelle to Ruesnes @ mile 79 – 1 mile long

Sector 22 : Quérénaing to Maing @ mile 85.8 – 1.5 miles long

Sector 21 : Maing to Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon @ mile 87 – 1 mile long

Sector 20 : Haveluy to Wallers @ mile 96 – 1.5 miles long

Sector 18 : Wallers to Hélesmes @ mile 104.6 – 1 mile long

Sector 17 : Hornaing to Wandignies @ mile 108.8 – 2.29 miles long

Sector 16 : Warlaing to Brillon @ mile 113 – 1.5 miles long

Sector 15 : Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières @ mile 115.6 – 1.5 miles long

Sector 14 : Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies @ mile 119.6 – .86 miles long

Sector 13 : Orchies @ mile 122.5 – 1 mile long

Sector 12 : Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée @ mile 126.5 – 1.6 miles long

Sector 9 : Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin @ mile 136 – .86 miles long

Sector 7 : Cysoing to Bourghelles @ mile 143 – .8 miles long

Sector 6 : Bourghelles to Wannehain @ mile 145 – .7 miles long

Sector 5 : Camphin-en-Pévèle @ mile 147.7 – 1.1 miles long

Sector 2 : Willems to Hem @ mile 155 – .86 miles long

EASY

Sector 27 : Saint-Python @ mile 68.3 – .9 miles long

Sector 26 : Haussy to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon @ mile 72 – .5 miles long

Sector 23 : Artres to Quérénaing @ mile 84.5 – .8 miles long

Sector 10 : Mérignies to Avelin @ mile 133.5 – .4 miles long

Sector 8 : Templeuve – L’Epinette @ mile 139 – .1 miles long

Sector 8 : Templeuve – Moulin-de-Vertain @ mile 139.4 – .3 miles long

Sector 3 : Gruson @ mile 150.8 – .7 miles long

Sector 1 : Roubaix – Espace Charles Crupelandt @ mile 159.3 – .18 miles long