Roubaix

[roo-be]

Roubaix, city (1990 pop. 98,179), Nord dept., N France, in French Flanders. Part of the Lille urban area, Roubaix, with adjacent Tourcoing, is one of the largest textile (chiefly wool) centers in France; a national textile school is there. It was occupied by the Germans during World Wars I and II.

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Paris-Roubaix

Paris-Roubaix is a single-day professional bicycle road race held in northern France starting in Compiègne and finishing in Roubaix, near the Belgian frontier. Famous for rough terrain and cobblestone roads, it is regarded as one of the 'Monuments' or Classics of the European professional cycling calendar and carries the nickname The Hell of the North, A Sunday in Hell, Queen of the Classics or La Pascale: the Easter race. The race is organised by the media group Amaury Sport Organisation and held annually in the mid-April rainy season. The winner of the 2008 edition of the race was Belgian Tom Boonen.

History

Paris-Roubaix is one of the oldest races of the professional road cycling calendar. First run in 1896, it has been stopped only by the two world wars. It was created by two Roubaix textile manufacturers, Théo Vienne and Maurice Perez, who were hoping the race would become training for the more famous Bordeaux-Paris. They suggested the idea to Paul Rousseau, director of sports newspaper Le Vélo, who sent his cycling editor Victor Breyer to research a route between Paris and Roubaix.

The first race was on April 19, 1896, receiving the nickname of La Pascale (The Easter race). A total of 188 competitors left Paris from the Bois de Boulogne park for almost 300km to Roubaix. Josef Fischer, the winner of this first edition, received 1000 francs.

The race usually leaves riders caked in mud and grit, over the cobblestoned roads and hard rutted tracks of northern France's former coal-mining region. However, this is not how this race earned the nickname l'enfer du Nord, or Hell of the North. The term was first used to describe the route of the race when it was run immediately following the Great War, or World War I. The course followed the front lines of the war and passed through the ruins, craters and destruction, earning it the name l'enfer du Nord, or the Hell of the North from journalists.

Originally, the race was from Paris to Roubaix, but in 1966 the start was moved to Chantilly, 50km north of Paris, to be moved in 1977 to Compiègne, 80km north of Paris. Famous for rough terrain, the route is adjusted slightly from year to year as older roads are resurfaced and the organisers seek other challenging cobbles, to maintain the character of the race - in 2005, for example, the race included 54.7km of cobbled sections.

Formerly third of the ten UCI Road World Cup races, the race was part of the UCI ProTour from 2005 to 2007. Following disagreement between UCI and the organisers, the race was withdrawn from the ProTour calendar.

Controversies and disqualifications

In 1936 controversy erupted when Belgian Romain Maes appeared to finish first but judges declared French Georges Speicher the winner and Maes second.

The result of the 1949 Paris-Roubaix took several months and two international conferences to sort out. André Mahé was first but his win was challenged on the grounds that he took the wrong course. Mahé was in a break of three that reached Roubaix velodrome in the lead, but he was misdirected by officials and entered the track by the wrong gate. Mahé was declared winner but a few minutes later other riders arrived using the correct route and Serse Coppi, brother of the more famous Fausto, won the sprint for what was assumed to be the minor placings. After a protest and several months, Serse Coppi was placed ex-aequo winner along with Mahé.

Some riders have been disqualified. In 1930 Jean Maréchal finished 24 seconds ahead of Belgian Julien Vervaecke but was moved to second because while Maréchal was trying to pass Vervaecke, the Belgian lost control and tumbled into a ditch. According to some, Maréchal delivered a blow to the Belgian shoulders, causing his fall. In 1934 Roger Lapébie was disqualified for changing bicycle, which wasn't permitted. Second placed rider Gaston Rebry was awarded the victory once officials discovered that Lapébie's bike was missing a race sticker. Leif Hoste, Peter van Petegem and Vladimir Gusev were disqualified for riding past a closed train crossing during 2006 Paris-Roubaix after finishing behind the winner, Fabian Cancellara. This led Tom Boonen and Alessandro Ballan to take the remaining places in the podium.

Cobbled races

Winners of Paris-Roubaix and
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Rider	Country	Year
Henri Suter		1923
Romain Gijssels		1932
Gaston Rebry		1934
Raymond Impanis		1954
Fred De Bruyne		1957
Rik Van Looy		1962
Roger De Vlaeminck		1977
Peter van Petegem		2003
Tom Boonen		2005

Paris-Roubaix is sometimes compared to the other famous cobbled race, the Ronde van Vlaanderen in Belgium. Paris-Roubaix is flatter and has more difficult cobbles while the Ronde van Vlaanderen contains a series of hills, many on cobbles, like the Koppenberg or Kapelmuur. In addition to Paris-Roubaix and the Ronde van Vlaanderen, called the cobbled classics, other spring races like Het Volk and Gent-Wevelgem feature extensive cobblestones.

Course description

The 260km race starts in Compiègne and follows a winding route north to Roubaix, hitting the first cobbles after 100 km. During the last 150km the cobbles extend more than 50 km. The race culminates with 750m on the smooth concrete of the large outdoor velodrome in Roubaix.

Road improvements through the century threatened the character of Paris-Roubaix as cobbled roads were paved or sealed. By 1965 pavé sections had fallen to 22 km. This led Peter Post to win the 1964 race averaging a record 45.120kmh. This forced race director Jacques Goddet to dispatch Albert Bouvet to find more cobblestones for 1968. Bouvet bent the route towards Valenciennes, where cobbles still existed, and included a new sector, the Trouée d'Arenberg or Wallers-Arenberg.

Trouée d'Arenberg

The Trouée d'Arenberg (Trench of Arenberg) has become the symbolic sector of Paris-Roubaix. Officially La Drève des Boules d’Herin, the 2400m run through a forest close to Wallers and Valenciennes. It was found by local cyclist Jean Stablinski, who worked in the mine that extends under the woods of Arenberg. The mine closed in 1990 and the passage is now preserved. Although it is almost 100km from Roubaix, the sector usually proves decisive and as Stablinski said, "Paris-Roubaix is not won in Arenberg, but from there the group with the winners is selected."

First introduced in 1968, the passage was banned from 1974 to 1983 by the National Office of Forestry. Until 1998 the entry to the Arenberg pavé was slightly downhill, leading to a sprint to get the best position. However, the route was reversed in 1999 to reduce the speed of the peloton as it entered Arenberg. This was as a result of Johan Museeuw's crash in 1998 as World Cup leader, which nearly caused him to lose his leg to gangrene. In 2005 the Trouée d'Arenberg was left out, the organisers saying conditions had deteriorated beyond safety limits. Abandoned mines had caused sections of the road to subside. Following repairs to restore the original width of three metres, the race continued using it.

The cobbled sectors

The organisers give levels of difficulty to the cobbled sections, evaluated by length, irregularity of the cobbles and the condition of each section and its position in the race. In the 2008 Paris-Roubaix, there are 28 cobble sections, three considered maximum difficulty. As well as the Trouée d'Arenberg, other difficult sections include the 3000m Mons-en-Pévèle (213km) and the 2100 m Carrefour de l’Arbre (244km) — often decisive in the final kilometres. The 28 Paris-Roubaix cobblestone sectors are:

Section Number	Name	Kilometer	Length (in m)	Category
28	Troisvilles	98	2200	3
27	Viesly	104	1800	3
26	Quievy	106,5	3700	4
25	Saint-Python	111,5	1500	2
24	Vertain	119	2000	3
23	Capelle-sur-Ecaillon - Le Buat	126	1700	3
22	Verchain-Maugré - Quérénaing	138	1600	3
21	Querenaing - Maing	141	2500	3
20	Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon	144	1600	3
19	Haveluy	155,5	2500	4
18	Trouée d'Arenberg	163,5	2400	5
17	Wallers - Hélesmes	170	1600	4
16	Hornaing - Wandignies	176,5	3700	3
15	Warlaing - Brillon	184	2400	3
14	Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosières	187,5	2400	3

Section Number	Name	Kilometer	Length (in m)	Category
13	Beuvry-la-Forêt - Orchies	194	1400	3
12	Orchies	199	1700	3
11	Auchy-lez-Orchies - Bersée	205	1200	2
10	Mons-en-Pévèle	210,5	3000	5
9	Mérignies – Pont-à-Marcq	216,5	700	2
8	Pont-Thibaut	219,5	1400	3
7	Templeuve l’Epinette Le Moulin de Vertain	225 225,5	200 500	1 2
6	Cysoing - Bourghelles Bourghelles - Wannehain	232 234,5	1300 1100	4 4
5	Camphin-en-Pévèle	239	1800	4
4	Le Carrefour de l’Arbre	242	2100	5
3	Gruson	244	1100	2
2	Hem	251	1400	1
1	Roubaix	257,5	300	1

Records

Since 1964, the record speed of 45.129kmh has been held by Dutch cyclist Peter Post. The record for most victories is held by the Belgian Roger De Vlaeminck, who won four times between 1972 and 1977. Octave Lapize, Gaston Rebry, Rik van Looy, Eddy Merckx, Francesco Moser, and Johan Museeuw have each won three times. The nations with most victories are Belgium (52) and France (30). The record for most races completed is 16 by the Belgian rider Raymond Impanis between 1947 and 1963, while the oldest winner was Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle in 1993 at 38. Eddy Merckx beat Roger De Vlaeminck in 1970 by the largest winning margin, 5 minutes and 21 seconds.

The bicycles of Paris-Roubaix

Due to its course, often compounded by poor weather, Paris-Roubaix presents a technical challenge to riders, team personnel, and equipment. Special frames and wheels are often used for Paris-Roubaix. Many of these modifications are borrowed from cyclo-cross, using wider tires, cantilever brakes, and dual brake levers. Many teams disperse personnel along the course with wheels, equipment and even bicycles in case of equipment failure in locations not accessible to the team car.

Some top riders receive special frames to give more stability and comfort. Different materials make the ride more comfortable. Tom Boonen, winner in 2005, used a TIME frame with longer wheelbase, built for him. In the same edition, George Hincapie was given a frame featuring a 2mm elastomer insert at the top of the seat stays. The manufacturers claimed this took nearly all the shock out of the cobbles. Hincapie's Trek bicycle fared less well in 2006 as his aluminum steerer tube snapped with 46km to go, the crash leading to his withdrawal with a shoulder injury.

The bad roads lead to frequent flat tires. In recent years, motorbikes follow riders to provide wheels to anyone in need, independent of their team. The service fleet includes four motorbikes and four support cars.

Films

A Sunday in Hell
Road to Roubaix, an upcoming documentary of the 2007 Paris-Roubaix race

Various comments on Paris-Roubaix

"A Paris-Roubaix without rain is not a true Paris-Roubaix. Throw in a little snow as well, it's not serious." - Seán Kelly
"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
"It's a circus, and I don't want to be one of the clowns." - Chris Boardman (Speaking before the race start on British Eurosport).
Bernard Hinault on the arrival line he had just passed first in 1981: "Paris-Roubaix est une connerie" translating "Paris-Roubaix is bullshit" or "Paris-Roubaix is damned rubbish".
"It's a pile of shit, this race, it's a whole pile of shit ... You're working like an animal, you don't have the time to piss and you wet your pants ... You're riding in mud like this and you're slipping and ... it's a pile of shit, you must clean yourself otherwise you will go mad ... " Dutchman Theo de Rooy speaking to John Tesh of CBS Sports after his breakaway during the 1985 race. Tesh asks, "Will you ever ride it again?", to which De Rooy responds, "Sure, it's the most beautiful race in the world!" to which Tesh and his crew and De Rooy burst out in laughter.