The Queen of the Classics, L’enfer du Nord, The Hell of the North – the many nicknames of Paris-Roubaix reflect its reputation as probably the hardest one-day race in the world. The cobbles, the dirt, the mud, the crashes; it’s a race that captures the attention like few others.
Sadly, the race won’t be held in 2020. It was originally scheduled for April, postponed to this coming weekend due to coronavirus, and then eventually cancelled as the number of cases rose again in France. Fear not though — we’ve got just the thing if you’re lamenting the fact the race won’t run. We’ve trawled through the archives to find some images that capture just how hard Paris-Roubaix is. Not only that but we’ve also pulled together some highlights videos from recent editions. Enjoy!
Video highlights
This article is an updated version of one we first published in 2014.
Photo gallery
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- Roger De Vlaeminck is one of only two riders to have won Paris-Roubaix four times, in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1977 (Tom Boonen is the other).
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- Eddy Merckx won Paris-Roubaix on three occasions, in 1968, 1970 and 1973. Here is Merckx after a flat tyre during the 74th edition of the race, in 1976.
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- Bernard Hinault wins the 1981 Paris-Roubaix ahead of Roger de Vlaeminck and Francesco Moser. After winning the race Hinault famously said “Paris-Roubaix est une connerie” (Paris–Roubaix is bullshit).
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- Hennie Kuiper dropping the hammer on the cobbles during the 1983 Paris-Roubaix. Kuiper crashed twice, somehow maintaining his position within the lead group, before having another setback with six kilometers to go — a puncture. His team manager was able to quickly bring a new bike to him. Kuiper would enter the velodrome in Roubaix alone, winning by over a minute.
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- “A Paris–Roubaix without rain is not a true Paris–Roubaix. Throw in a little snow as well, it’s not serious.” – Sean Kelly
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- Alain Bondue of France and Gregor Braun of Germany put in a huge effort in the mud during the 1984 Paris-Roubaix.
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- Sean Kelly won Paris-Roubaix twice, in 1984 (pictured) and in 1986. Kelly’s total of nine Monument victories makes him one of the most successful classics riders in history. Though he finished second at the Tour of Flanders on three occasions, and third at worlds twice, he never won either race.
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- More of Kelly from the 1984 edition. Check out the condition of the road.
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- Adrie van Houwelingen and Phil Anderson sport some terrific caps in an early-1980s edition of the race.
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- The 1987 Paris-Roubaix is considered by many to have been one of the most grueling editions ever. On this day, only 47 of 192 starters made it to the finish, with 25-year-old Eric Vanderaerden finishing at the top of the podium. Instead of finishing in the Roubaix Velodrome, the 1987 edition finished on the Avenue des Nations-Unies.
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- Mario Cippolini stomps through the dust in the mid-90s.
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- Andrei Tchmil soloed to victory in 1994 by over a minute.
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- Mapei go one-two-three at the 1998 Paris-Roubaix with Andrea Tafi (left, second place) Franco Ballerini (center, winner) and Wilfried Peeters (right, third place).
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- Andrea Tafi battles the cobbles and the dust en route to victory in 1999.
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- Things got a little messy in 2001. Here’s Ludo Dierckxsens on his way to sixth.
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- In 2001 French rider Philippe Gaumon broke his femur after falling at the start of the Trouée while leading the peloton.
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- Frank Hoj grinds his way to 30th in 2001.
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- Servais Knaven on his way to victory in 2001.
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- An exhausted Knaven moments after winning in 2001.
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- One of the great Paris-Roubaix traditions: using the showers of the old velodrome in Roubaix post-race.
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- Peter van Petegem soaks himself in 2001. He would go on to win the race in 2003.
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- Jens Voigt (left) and George Hincapie (right) are in need of a shower.
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- 2002 was equally filthy. Here’s a young Tom Boonen on his way to third in his Roubaix debut!
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- A mud-encrusted George Hincapie leads the bunch in the 2002 Paris-Roubaix.
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- Those glasses!
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- Left: Sector 9, Orchies. Top right: Arenberg Forest in 2007. Bottom right: Stephano Zanini, Max van Heeswijk and Andrea Tafi shut down the race for Johan Museeuw.
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- Left: Johan Museeuw winning his second Paris Roubaix in 2000. He pointed to his knee as he crossed the finish line — a knee he broke two years earlier in a crash that almost ended his career thanks to an infection. Right: Matt Hayman after the 2008 Paris Roubaix.
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- Johan Museuuw in 2002 on his way to winning a third Paris-Roubaix.
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- Max van Heeswijk (right) and Serguei Ivanov come to grief in the 2003 edition.
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- Peter van Petegem celebrates after winning the 2003 Paris-Roubaix ahead of Dario Pieri. Van Petegem now sells insurance in a small town near Gent, close to the Koppenberg.
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- A crash sends a handful of riders into the mud during the 2005 Paris-Roubaix.
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- Tom Boonen holds aloft the first of his four cobblestone trophies from Paris-Roubaix.
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- George Hincapie sits by the roadside in 2006 after his steerer tube broke and he fell off, injuring his collarbone. It was Hincapie’s race to win that year, but if he didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all …
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- Paris-Roubaix has prompted the design of some interesting bike tech over the years.
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- In 2007 Stuart O’Grady became the first Australian to win Paris-Roubaix. When Stuey came home at the end of that season, he brought that cobbled trophy to Cafe Racer and passed it around. Grown men wept …
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- Fabian Cancellara grits his teeth on the Carrefour de l’Arbre on his way to winning a second Paris-Roubaix, this one in 2010.
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- Johan Van Summeren ploughs through a dusty cobbled sector before going on to win the 2011 Paris-Roubaix.
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- Niki Terpstra hangs on for dear life as Tom Boonen kicks on the afterburners in the 2012 Paris-Roubaix. Terpstra would soon be dropped and Boonen would go on to ride solo for more than 50km, winning his fourth Paris-Roubaix by roughly 90 seconds.
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- Fabian Cancellara won his third Paris-Roubaix in 2013 from a two-up sprint against Sep Vanmarcke. Cancellara and Vanmarcke had ridden into the Roubaix Velodrome together and while Cancellara was leading in the early part of the lap, Vanmarcke was forced to the front by some clever riding by Cancellara. Vanmarcke started his sprint first but Cancellara caught on to the Belgian’s wheel, then pushed past for an hard-fought win.
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- In 2014 Niki Terpstra bridged across to the lead group with 8.9km to go, before setting off alone with 6.3km left to race.
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- Terpstra held on to win the 2014 Paris-Roubaix by 20 seconds ahead of nine chasers. John Degenkolb was second while Mr Consistent, Fabian Cancellara, was third.
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- In the 2015 edition of Roubaix, several riders chanced their arm at a level crossing, getting across mere seconds before a high-speed train came through. Thankfully no one was hit, but the incident did prompt a change in the rules, hopefully preventing a repeat performance in future.
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- It was an unusually large group that reached the Roubaix velodrome in 2015. Degenkolb won the sprint easily.
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- In his 15th attempt at Paris-Roubaix, Mat Hayman took a sensational surprise victory in 2016. The Australian was in the early break, then followed the favourites, before beating the likes of Tom Boonen in the final sprint. A remarkable story, particularly given Hayman had broken his elbow just a few months earlier.
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- Tom Boonen impressed many with his words of praise for Hayman after being beaten. “If someone out of the other guys had to win it, it was Mathew. The guy deserves it. He has been such a good helper all of his career and for him it’s a life-changer, and if I win a fifth, what would it change? I would have been happy, a little bit happier, but for the rest would’ve changed nothing. For him it changes his life. It was nice to see him win.”
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- After needing a replacement bike midway through the 2017 edition, Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) attacked late, forged the lead group, then won the sprint.
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- In 2018, world champion Peter Sagan attacked from the peloton and bridged across to the remnants of the break (including Silvan Dillier). Sagan and Dillier went to the finish together where Sagan comfortably won the sprint.
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- In 2019, Philippe Gilbert (front) got in an elite lead group then got clear with Nils Pollitt for company. Gilbert won the two-up sprint. He’s now won four of the sport’s five Monuments.