Key points:
The route of the 123rd edition of the “queen of the Classics,” which will take place on Sunday, April 12, will cover a total distance of 258.3 km, starting in Compiègne and finishing shortly before 5 p.m. on the track of the André-Pétrieux velodrome. The intensity of the race is generally concentrated across the 30 cobbled sectors that begin in the town of Troisvilles (km 95.8), representing a total of 54.8 km (compared to 55.3 km in 2025).
The final course reconnaissance, open to the media, gave race director Thierry Gouvenou the opportunity to comment on a slight change at the start of the key difficulties: “The first four sectors come in very quick succession, with almost no tarmac, creating an unmatched density of cobbles. At the end of this sequence, we are adding sector #26, which is rarely used and includes an 800-metre uphill section.”
The inspection of the Trouée d’Arenberg (km 163), the first of three five-star sectors along with Mons-en-Pévèle (km 209.7) and the Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 241.2), also allowed for an assessment of the use of a herd of goats deployed over the past month to graze the grass and help secure the cobbles.
For the first time, Paris-Roubaix Femmes Hauts-de-France will take place on the same day. The riders will set off from Denain – La Porte du Hainaut over a total distance of 143.1 km. The calendar change also comes with an increase in cobbled sections: 33.7 kilometers, 4.5 km more than last year. The women will tackle, in particular, the 17 sectors that make up the finale of the men’s race, totaling 29.2 km. The finish is expected around 6:20 pm.
