Skip to content

PARIS ROUBAIX  2025

Women's race 12 April 2025

Men's race 13 April 2025

Paris-Roubaix is one of the most popular one-day races in the world of road cycling competitions. Spectacular, dramatic, and a bit of an oddity among the road cycling races, because its essence is given by the part of the program outside of the modern tarmacked roads.

 

THE FADING GLORY OF PARIS-ROUBAIX

[...] for many years, Paris-Roubaix used to be my favourite race. I assume that the level of intensity made it to me that special. From all the five Monuments, this one encapsulated the heroic self-representation, such an important element in the early days of this sport, the most.

The cobblestones. The dusty or muddy faces. Even the crashes look sometimes like Renaissance or Baroque paintings.

And then came that cold and wet October Sunday in 2021. And I had to ask from myself: what the hell I’m watching exactly?

Suddenly it seemed like a terrible, nasty business with unnecessary cruelty towards the cyclists [...]

Read my essay on Patreon>>

 

SOME MEMORABLE PARIS-ROUBAIX IMAGES

Start of firstParis-Roubwix in 1896
The first Paris-Roubaix was held on 19 April 1896 which makes it the second oldest race among the Monuments.
r Andre Leducq arriving in the finish of Paris-Roubaix 1928
The always very photographic André Leducq crossing the finish line first in 1928
Fausto Coppi after Paris-Roubaix1959
Paris-Roubaix 1959 was one of the last events Fausto Coppi participated in before his untimely death in January 1960.
French cycling legend Bernard Hinault takes a tumble in the mud during Paris-Roubaix 1981
Bernard Hinault, winner of the 1981 edition did not love Paris-Roubaix. I wonder, why? 🤔
First Paris-Roubaix was heod in 1919 after the devastating World War 1
Paris-Roubaix got its nickname "Hell of the North" after the devastating years of World War 1 that impacted the region where the race is held the most. Just take at the ruined building behind the cyclist on this picture.
Controversal finish of Paris-Roubaix 1936
One of the most controversal Paris-Roubaix editions (1936). As the photograph show Romain Maes crossed the finish line first, but Georges Speichert was declared as winner.
Eddy Merckx in Arenberg during the 1969 edition of Paris-Roubaix
When legends meet: Eddy Merckx on the cobbles of Arenberg Forest during Paris-Roubaix 1969
A bunch of cyclists led by Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly ride into a puddly during a very wet and muddy Paris-Roubaix in 1985
Paris-Roubaix 1985 was a very wet and muddy edition, as these bunch of riders led by Sean Kelly surely recognized