Not since 2010 has the same rider won the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Back then, that rider was Fabian Cancellara. This year, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) will head into the ‘Hell of the North’ as the outstanding favourite, as defending champion, and off the back of an incredible ride at Flanders.
Major illness and injury issues across Visma-Lease A Bike’s men’s team put in doubt the big showdown between Wout van Aert and Van der Poel that most fans expected at this year’s Roubaix.
Van Aert became the most high profile victim in last Wednesday’s Dwars Door Vlaanderen, abandoning the race after coming down heavily in a big crash that was seemingly caused by a gust of wind. Multiple fractures including collarbone and ribs ruled the Belgian out of this year’s ‘Hell of the North’.
This could mean that on-song Dane Mads Pedersen steps in to fill the breach opened by Visma’s woes, joining Van der Poel in what would surely be the favoured pair in the men’s event. While Pedersen was caught up in the same crash as the above at Dwars, he might have fully recovered by Roubaix.
The women’s field has fortunately been less afflicted, with – at the time of writing – favourites such as Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), her team-mate Lorena Wiebes, and Longo Borghini all fit and on form.
Kopecky, Wiebes, and their strong SD Worx team will be looking to bounce back at the first opportunity after a disappointing Flanders, but Lidl-Trek have been strong all Classics season, and might have found the key to countering SD Worx on the cobbles.
Meanwhile, Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) has won pretty much everything within her power other than Roubaix, and will be looking to add to her 250 road wins next Saturday. The list of further contenders is endless, especially when one reflects on Alison Jackson (EF Education-Cannondale) and her shock win from the break at last year’s race. It could be anyone.
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Paris-Roubaix 2024 Key Information
Date: Saturday April 6 (women); Sunday April 7 (men)
Location: Denain to Roubaix (women); Compiègne to Roubaix (men)
2023 winners: Mathieu van der Poel (men); Alison Jacksono (women)
TV: Discovery+/Eurosport
Distance: 148.5km (women); 259.7km (men)
Paris-Roubaix 2024 route
There are no dramatic course changes to either men’s or women’s races this year, which begin in Compiègne and Denain respectively and finish, of course, in the iconic Roubaix velodrome.
Both men’s and women’s races are three kilometres longer than last year, with the men riding more pavé than they have done in the past 30 years, thanks to a pair of returning sectors that have been inserted early on in the race at Briastre (sector 26) and Le Hameau de Buat (sector 24). The total number of cobbled sectors stays at 29, across a total 55.7km.
The women’s race, while also gaining three kilometres to take it up to 148.5km in total, doesn’t gain any new (or indeed returning) cobbles among its 17 sectors. Instead the course has been routed around a section deemed high-risk by organiser ASO, which adds the distance.
The Carrefour de l’Arbre (translated as crossroads of the tree) is a perennially significant sector in Paris-Roubaix that comes with around 15km left to ride. With each cobbled sector ranked out of five stars, the Carrefour is one of only three five-star sectors in the men’s race, and only two in the women’s.
The race is often won here, as the final selection is made and the most tired riders are found out in the face of attacks by the strongest. Along with the four-star Camphin-en-Pevèle sector that softens up the riders’ legs immediately beforehand, and the two-star Gruson sector that comes straight away afterwards, the Carrefour is the equivalent of the Oude Kwaremont-Paterberg double-punch in the Tour of Flanders.
Paris-Roubaix 2024 sectors
Each cobbled sector is ranked from one to five stars, with five the hardest. The women’s race hits the cobbles at sector 17, Hornaing in Wandignies.
29: Troisvilles in Inchy (km 96 – 2,2 km) ***
28: Viesly in Quiévy (km 102,5 – 1,8 km) ***
27: Quiévy in Saint-Python (km 105,1 – 3,7 km) ****
26: Viesly in Briastre (km 111,3 – 3 km) ***
25: Vertain in Saint-Martin-sur-Ecaillon (km 122,6 – 2,3 km) ***
24: Capelle in Ruesnes (km 129,3 – 1,7 km) ***
23: Artres in Quérénaing (km 138,3 – 1,3 km) **
22: Quérénaing in Maing (km 140,1 – 2,5 km) ***
21: Maing in Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 143,2 – 1,6 km) ***
20: Haveluy in Wallers (km 156,2 – 2,5 km) ****
19: Trouée d’Arenberg (km 164,4 – 2,3 km) *****
18: Wallers in Hélesmes (km 170,4 – 1,6 km) ***
17: Hornaing in Wandignies (km 177,2 – 3,7 km) ****
16: Warlaing in Brillon (km 184,7 – 2,4 km) ***
15: Tilloy in Sars-et-Rosières (km 188,2 – 2,4 km) ****
14: Beuvry in Orchies (km 194,5 – 1,4 km) ***
13: Orchies (km 199,5 – 1,7 km) ***
12: Auchy in Bersée (km 205,6 – 2,7 km) ****
11: Mons-en-Pévèle (km 211,1 – 3 km) *****
10: Mérignies in Avelin (km 217,1 – 0,7 km) **
9: Pont-Thibault in Ennevelin (km 220,5 – 1,4 km) ***
8: Templeuve – L’Epinette (km 225,9 – 0,2 km) *
8: Templeuve – Moulin-de-Vertain (km 226,4 – 0,5 km) **
7: Cysoing in Bourghelles (km 232,8 – 1,3 km) ***
6: Bourghelles in Wannehain (km 235,3 – 1,1 km) ***
5: Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 239,8 – 1,8 km) ****
4: Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 242,5 – 2,1 km) *****
3: Gruson (km 244,8 – 1,1 km) **
2: Willems in Hem (km 251,5 – 1,4 km) **
1: Roubaix (km 258,3 – 0,3 km) *
Paris-Roubaix 2024 riders to watch
Mads Pedersen
Lidl-Trek
****
A fast-finishing rouleur in the shape of one former ‘Mr Paris-Roubaix’ Tom Boonen, Pedersen is in the form of his life, and while few eyes will stray far from Van der Poel, former world champion Pedersen, who was fourth here last year, should not be discounted from taking his first victory in the famous Roubaix velodrome.
Matteo Jorgensen
Visma-Lease A Bike
***
One of the few riders in the Dutch team who has not at this point been hit by crashes or illness in the past weeks, it so happens that Jorgensen is also on great form, having won Dwars Door Vlaanderen last week with a late solo effort. Team-mate Tiesj Benoot, also riding well, could provide useful backup and a potential plan-B.
Mathieu van der Poel
Alpecin-Deceuninck
******
Van der Poel, the champion of Flanders for a third time, is on fiery, determined form. Instigating moves or pushing them to succeed, at this point he is the rider to beat. One issue for him could lie in the fact that Pedersen is the quicker finisher, so he will want to lose him before the finish.
Pfeiffer Georgi
dsm-firmenich PostNL
***
Georgi has always been there or thereabouts in the Classics, both this season and last – active in the moves but never topping the podium in the biggest races. However, she is still just 23 and only getting stronger. The London rider represents a serious podium threat and her big-name rivals will discount her at their peril.
Lotte Kopecky
SD Worx-Protime
*****
In Gent-Wevelgem Kopecky put in an early attack, she explained, just to stave off boredom – before going on to lead out her team-mate Lorena Wiebes for the win. With wins at Strade Bianche, the UAE Tour and Danilith Nokere Koerse already this season, she can afford to have fun and be generous too. But it feels like she is biding her time for Paris-Roubaix.
Marianne Vos
Visma-Lease A Bike
****
Paris-Roubaix is one of the few major Classics Vos has yet to win. At 36, the Dutchwoman continues to vie for the top places here, though this could be one of her last solid chances to win. She took 10th place last year at the head of a chasing group of favourites behind winner Alison Jackson (EF Education-Tibco-SVB). This season she has already won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, with a creditable ninth at Strade Bianche her most recent result.
