Paris-Roubaix: 54.5 km of cobblestones: The ratings game

Following Christian Prudhomme and Thierry Gouvenou’s reconnaissance of the course on 9 April, the organisers have rated the difficulty of the 29 cobbled sectors in the race based on their length, the unevenness of the cobbles, the overall condition of the sectors and their location. The Trouée d’Arenberg (km 164.5), Mons-en-Pévèle (km 212) and the Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 242.5) remain the only sectors with a five-star rating The shortening of the Troisvilles sector to its first 900 metres is the major change to the course for this year, while several other cobbled sectors in the first part of the race have also been altered. From this point on, when the peloton rolls into the area of Valenciennes (sector 23), the course is exactly the same as in 2018. The total distance remains the same, even though the length of the Trouée d’Arenberg was revised to 2,300 metres based on more accurate measurements. The sector where the first real selection is made remains as brutal as ever, but it has been renovated under the supervision of Les Amis de Paris–Roubaix over the last few weeks. „Having to change the course in the event of rain was becoming an increasingly likely prospect, so the Hauts-de-France region and other levels of government involved granted a subsidy to clean up the cobblestones, which had become swamped by mud and grass“, explains race director Thierry Gouvenou. „We used pressure washers to get rid of the dirt and filled the gaps with mortar to restore the first 500 metres on a descending false flat to good condition.“ Another 400 m stretch will undergo the same procedure right after the race. Moreover, a crowdfunding campaign will be launched soon to raise money for the works needed to keep the Trouée d’Arenberg on the course of Paris–Roubaix for the foreseeable future.

The 29 cobbled sectors of Paris–Roubaix
29: Troisvilles to Inchy (km 97.5 — 0.9 km) **
28: Briastre to Viesly (km 108.5 — 3 km) ****
27: Viesly to Quiévy (km 101.5 — 1.8 km) ***
26: Quiévy to Saint-Python (km 116 – 3.7 km) ****
25: Saint-Python (km 118.5 — 1.5 km) **
24: Vertain to Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon (km 127.5 — 2.3 km) ***
23: Verchain-Maugré to Quérénaing (km 136.5 — 1.6 km) ***
22: Quérénaing to Maing (km 140.5 — 2.5 km) ***
21: Maing to Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 142.5 — 1.6 km) ***
20: Haveluy to Wallers (km 156.5 — 2.5 km) ****
19: Trouée d’Arenberg (km 164.5 — 2.3 km) *****
18: Wallers to Hélesmes (km 170 – 1.6 km) ***
17: Hornaing to Wandignies (km 179 – 3.7 km) ****
16: Warlaing to Brillon (km 185 – 2.4 km) ***
15: Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières (km 188.5 — 2.4 km) ****
14: Beuvry to Orchies (km 194 — 1.4 km) ***
13: Orchies (km 199 — 1.7 km) ***
12: Auchy to Bersée (km 206.5 — 2.7 km) ****
11: Mons-en-Pévèle (km 212 – 3 km) *****
10: Mérignies to Avelin (km 215.5 – 0.7 km) **
9: Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin (km 220 – 1.4 km) ***
8: Templeuve — L’Épinette (km 224 – 0.2 km) *
8: Templeuve — Moulin-de-Vertain (km 225 – 0.5 km) **
7: Cysoing to Bourghelles (km 232 – 1.3 km) ***
6: Bourghelles to Wannehain (km 234.5 – 1.1 km) ***
5: Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 239.5 – 1.8 km) ****
4: Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 242.5 – 2.1 km) *****
3: Gruson (km 244 — 1.1 km) **
2: Willems to Hem (km 251 — 1.4 km) ***
1: Roubaix (km 256 — 0.3 km) *
@ASO