Also known as the Queen of the Classics and dating back all the way to 1896 the Paris-Roubaix has a reputation as being one of the toughest races in the pro calendar. The 258km route of the 109th race this year included 27 sections of cobblestones or pavé as the French call it.
This year Tour De France organisers A.S.O. decided they would share the pain with the masses and hold the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Challenge on 9th April, allowing anyone willing and able to test their mind and mettle on a shorter but still gruelling version of the course. The 138km Challenge which took place 24 hours before the pro ride started in Saint-Quentinand took in 15 sections of pavé before finishing in Carrefour De L’Abre. Back in March The Bike List joined 1981 Paris-Roubaix winner Bernard Hinault for a reconnaissance ride on a dull grey and damp day to get a taste of the demanding terrain. This time the weather couldn’t have been more inviting as the mild, bright morning turned into a gloriously sunny day with a slight headwind but otherwise perfect conditions.
Despite the organisers best efforts the event format had to be changed from a race to a cycle touring ride very late on as permission to close the roads for amateurs as well as pros wasn’t given. Although this meant no timing chips and roads open to traffic, the ride still felt very much like a race and the 300 plus marshals did a brilliant job of safeguarding junctions. I only had to stop once for a passing train just before the beginning of the third section of pavé outside the small town of Erre. Representatives of the Paris-Roubaix Challenge that I spoke to all said that by next year any such issues will have been ironed out and the event will take its intended race format.
Over 1700 riders lined up at the start in Saint-Quentinand groups were set off a few hundred at a time by Bernard Hinault. Right at the front in the first pen alongside Sean Kelly (1984 and 1986 Paris-Roubaix winner) and Andréa Tafi (1999 Paris-Roubaix winner) was The Bike List’s very own Gav McDonald. Anyone in the town hoping for a lie in would have had no chance as the commentator counted each group down from 5 in French followed by an elevated Allez, Allez, Allez!
After 20 minutes of standing in the shade of the surrounding town houses I was ready for the off and no sooner was our pen opened and we rolled out accompanied by Allez, Allez, Allez. The group quickly developed into a huge peloton of well over 50 riders and after a relatively tame start was moving with the purpose and poise of a pro peloton. Each time the swarm of cyclists reached a hill a few riders would drop off the back and then as the group turned into the first section of pavé the peloton quickly disintegrated into a number of smaller groups. Mid way through the 138 km ride, this was merely the start of the pavé which would total 28.8km over 15 sections varying in length from a just about bearable 700m to a teeth-rattlling 3000m. You needed determination to hold on tight, trying to find a good line, avoid rolling over wheel sized gaps and puncturing. Although I’d doubled up on bar tape and was on 25C tyres, the pavé still felt as though I was riding a bike with no tyres over a row of mini speed bumps. Offering much needed support around towns were plenty of families and children who cheered on riders shouting Allez, Allez as we flew by.
Unlike cobble-stoned roads that we might be used to in the UK the pavé is exceptionally rough and uneven. No two cobbles are the same shape or size and only wear and weather have worn the surface of each stone somewhat smooth. There’s no way to describe how a rough section of pavé throws you around on the bike and it’s certainly an experience I won’t forget. Conditions vary from section to section and a 1-5 rating system gives you an indication of both its general condition and length with 1 being the okay condition and 5 being something resembling rubble more than cobbles. As I hit the 3rd section of pavé of the day, the second longest of all on the Challenge route, I still felt strong despite having made a draining effort to chase down another large peloton just 15km earlier. Then as I approached the 9th and longest section the words “get ready, it is going to be tough” from the registration email felt like a massive understatement. I’d stopped briefly at the second of three food stops and was ready for the third at which I took a little longer to take on board some salty crackers, a hand full of dried apricots and a generous slurp of Coke. Then it was straight back onto the cobbles after which there would only be two more sections to go before reaching the finish Carrefour De L’arbre.
I arrived at the finish feeling relieved, exhausted and proud all in one moment and was greeted by a great atmosphere as lots of other riders who had already finished stood around chatting waiting for their friends to arrive. The riders then rolled a few miles down the road to where there was more food, showers, a medal and a professionally taken photograph and a lift for riders and their bikes back to Saint-Quentin.
If you’re looking for a new challenge that gives you a taste of a true classic pro calendar ride that will test both your body and mind then the Paris-Roubaix should definitely be on your list for 2012. Organisation, signage, food, spectators and the volunteers couldn’t have been any better and thankfully the weather was also on our side. The organisers are already working on the 2012 route which they say will run the way they dreamed it to be, on closed roads with timing chips and finishing in the Roubaix velodrome.
Registration for the Challenge ride takes place the day before the event so we took the opportunity to make a flying visit to some of the tourist spots on route to take in some history by visiting World War One memorials and battlegrounds. Whilst you’re there it would be a shame not to watch the pros ride through the next day. Still suffering from sore legs I was even more impressed by the pros as they hurtled through amongst a chain of team cars and motorbikes creating clouds of dust along the sun dried cobbled sections. We were lucky enough to watch the race on screen before it arrived thanks to Rapha’s travelling Cycle Club van so my tip for next year is ask the guys where they’ll be on race day and take a seat so you can join them. Congratulations to the Belgian, Johan Van Summeren for taking victory in this year’s pro race.
For more details see www.parisroubaixchallenge.com
Take a look below at the eventful video footage of Mavic's Neutral Assistance team in action on race day.
Posted on Thursday, 14 May 2011
