Work starts to fill Paris Roubaix's famous Arenberg cobblestone gaps with mortar

Project aims to increase safety and protect the famous five-star forest pave

Work has started on Paris-Roubaix pave sector the Trouee d'Arenberg to replace the mud and grass between the cobblestones with a mortar.

Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix - the volunteer group charged with the upkeep of the race's cobbled sections - tweeted photos of the work beginning on the infamous road.

The group stated 'Like the Koppenberg, the joints will be made with concrete. The sector is likely to be harder and less dangerous', also labelling the work 'impressive'.

Not everyone is happy with this decision, some saying the sector is harder without the grass.

In a follow-up tweet, Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix also addressed those angry with the changes made to the iconic section "For the most angry, here is the cobble with concrete!"

Another point of view ???? pic.twitter.com/2bVUn6RxnN

— Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix (@A_ParisRoubaix) February 21, 2019

Following an increase of crashes due to the surface becoming too slippy, the decision was taken to replace the mud and grass. This will have the added benefit of making it very hard for the cobbles to be displaced or even worse, being stolen as souveniers.

The gaps were cleared using a high-powered pressure washer and the gaps filled with a special mortar mix that is set to cover around 500m of the section.

The work will have until Sunday 14th April to be completed, the day of this year's race.

The Arenberg is one of three five-starred Roubaix cobbled sectors alongside Mons-en-Pevele and the Carrefour de l'Arbre and is often considered as the start of the race-deciding action despite still being 100km from the finish.