2021 Paris-Roubaix Preview: The Route and the Riders
Due to Covid restrictions earlier in the year, this Hell of the North will take place Sunday October 3rd with a NEW women's race
After 125 years, Paris-Roubaix will see the first edition of a women's race. The Men's race will not deviate from the standard 29 to 30 secteurs of pave covering around 55km starting in Compiègne, north of Paris and finishing at the famous Vélodrome André-Pétrieux in Roubaix.
The new women's race starts in Denain and is 116km long with 17 secteurs of pave covering 29.2km including five-star sectors such as the Carrefour de l'Arbre. It will be arguably more challenging than any one-day race the women’s peloton will haved faced this season. The women's race should have taken place last year in 2020 but was cancelled along with the men's race due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 'Queen of the Classics' or 'Hell of the North', aka Paris-Roubaix, is still one of the most prestigious victories in professional cycling. In 2019 Philippe Gilbert outgunned Nils Politt in a two-up sprint in the Roubaix Velodrome, while Yves Lampaert came third.
The men's race route is very much the same as the recent editions, the dreaded Tranchée d’Arenberg secteur of cobbles will fall around 100km from the finish.
One addition is the Hameau du Buat sector, which is reintroduced to the race, last used in 2016 making the overall number of pave secteurs to 30 for the men.
Traditionally, the attention of the race will focus on the toughest sections of pave; the Tranchée d’Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre.
Although the Arenberg Trench is tackled almost 100km from the finishing line, it often causes many problems for the peloton splintering the bunch, riders who lose contact here can invariably never see the front of the race again - which makes for a nail biting viewing.
The 2.1 km Carrefour de l'Arbre is the last major secteur used as a launchpad for many attacks in the past thanks to its tough cobbles and close proximity to the finish with just 16km to go.
2021 Paris-Roubaix Cobbled Secteurs
| Secteur # | Starts After | Name | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 93.5 km | Troisvilles to Inchy | 2.2 km |
| 29 | 100.0 km | Secteur Pavé Michael Goolaerts | 3.0 km |
| 28 | 109.0 km | Saint-Python | 1.5 km |
| 27 | 111.5 km | Quiévy | 3.7 km |
| 26 | 119. km | Saint-Vaast | 1.5 km |
| 25 | 125.0 km | Verchain-Maugré | 1.2 km |
| 24 | 130.0 km | Hameau du Buat | 0.5 km |
| 23 | 134.5 km | Quérénaing | 1.6 km |
| 22 | 137.5 km | Quérénaing to Maing | 2.5 km |
| 21 | 140.5 km | Maing to Monchaux-sur-Écaillon | 1.6 km |
| 20 | 153.5 km | Haveluy to Wallers | 2.5 km |
| 19 | 161.5 km | Tranchée d’Arenberg | 2.4 km |
| 18 | 168.0 km | Wallers to Hélesmes | 1.6 km |
| 17 | 174.5 km | Hornaing to Wandignies | 3.7 km |
| 16 | 182.0 km | Warlaing to Brillon | 2.4 km |
| 15 | 185.5 km | Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières | 2.4 km |
| 14 | 192.0 km | Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies | 1.4 km |
| 13 | 197.0 km | Orchies | 1.7 km |
| 12 | 203.0 km | Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée | 2.7 km |
| 11 | 208.5 km | Mons-en-Pévèle | 3.0 km |
| 10 | 214.5 km | Mérignies to Avelin | 0.7 km |
| 9 | 218.0 km | Pont-Thibaut to Ennevelin | 1.4 km |
| 8 | 224.0 km | Templeuve (Moulin-de-Vertain) | 0.5 km |
| 7 | 230.5 km | Cysoing to Bourghelles | 1.3 km |
| 6 | 233.0 km | Bourghelles to Wannehain | 1.1 km |
| 5 | 237.5 km | Camphin-en-Pévèle | 1.8 km |
| 4 | 240.0 km | Carrefour de l’Arbre | 2.1 km |
| 3 | 242.5 km | Gruson | 1.1 km |
| 2 | 249.0 km | Willems to Hem | 1.4 km |
| 1 | 256.0 km | Roubaix (Espace Crupelandt) | 0.3 km |
| Total | 55.0 km | ||
Men's Favorites
At the moment Mathieu van der Poel is the favorite with the bookies, ahead of Wout van Aert, Julian Alaphilippe and Peter Sagan.
2021 Paris Roubaix Men's Teams
AG2R Citroën (FRA)
Astana-Premier Tech (KAZ)
Bahrain Victorious (BHR)
Bora-Hansgrohe (GER)
Cofidis (FRA)
Deceuninck-QuickStep (BEL)
EF Education-Nippo (USA)
Groupama-FDJ (FRA)
Ineos Grenadiers (GBR)
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux (BEL)
Israel Start-Up Nation (ISL)
Jumbo-Visma (NED)
Lotto-Soudal (BEL)
Movistar (ESP)
Qhubeka Assos (RSA)
Team BikeExchange (AUS)
Team DSM (GER)
Trek-Segafredo (USA)
UAE-Team Emirates (UAE)
ProTeams
Alpecin-Fenix (BEL)
Arkéa-Samsic (FRA)
Wildcard teams
B&B Hotels-KTM (FRA)
Bingoal WB (BEL)
Delko (FRA)
Total Direct Énergie (FRA)
2021 Paris Roubaix Women's Teams
Alé BTC Ljubjana (ITA)
Canyon-Sram (GER)
FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope (FRA)
Liv Racing (NED)
Movistar (ESP)
SD Worx (NED)
Team BikeExchange (AUS)
Team DSM (GER)
Trek-Segafredo (USA)
Women's Continental Teams
A.R. Monex Women's Pro Cycling Team (ITA)
Arkéa Pro Cycling (FRA)
Ceratizit-WNT Pro (GER)
Ciclismo Mundial (BEL)
Cogeas-Mettler Look Pro Cycling (RUS)
Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus (BEL)
Drops-Le Col (GBR)
Hitec Products (NOR)
Jumbo-Visma (NED)
Lotto-Soudal Ladies (BEL)
NXTG Racing (NED)
Parkhotel Valkenburg (NED)
Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime (FRA)
Team Arkea (FRA)
Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank (USA)
Valcar-Travel & Service (ITA)
Paris-Roubaix: Male Winners, Last Ten
2019: Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Deceuninck-QuickStep
2018: Peter Sagan (SVK) Bora-Hansgrohe
2017: Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) BMC Racing
2016: Matt Hayman, (AUS) Mitchelton-Scott
2015: John Degenkolb (GER), Giant-Alpecin
2014: Niki Terpstra (NED), Etixx-QuickStep
2013: Fabian Cancellara (SUI), RadioShack
2012: Tom Boonen (BEL), Omega Pharma-QuickStep
2011: Johann Vansummeren (BEL), Garmin-Cervelo
2010: Fabian Cancellara (SUI), Saxo Bank
2009: Tom Boonen (BEL), Quickstep