Riders negotiate the cobbles at Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
2017 Paris-Roubaix route(Image credit: ASO)
AG2R La Mondiale race along the cobbles at Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
570m of cobbles in the Pave du Moulin de Vertain(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) on the cobbles at Gent-Wevelgem(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The protagonists of the 2003 Paris-Roubaix on a sector of pave(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The organisers of Paris-Roubaix carried out their traditional final reconnaissance of the race route on Monday, confirming a total of 55km of cobbles during Sunday's 257km race.
A new colour-coding system has also been created to highlight the difficulty of the 29 sectors of pave. The hardest and longest sectors - that are traditionally given five stars, are also highlighted in black. Lesser sectors are coloured red, orange, blue and yellow, with coloured signage making it easy to identify the sectors.
There are three five-star black sectors in this year's race: The Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre. The Arenberg traditionally sparks the first splits in the peloton, with 96km to go, while Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre often inspire decisive attacks.
This year’s race is expected to be dry and fast, with little rain falling in Northern France in recent weeks. Sun is forecast for Sunday with temperatures of 20C and only a modest northern breeze.
"In twelve years of recognition of the course, I had never seen the paving stones as clean. It's going to be fast, especially as the weather forecasts for Sunday are good," race director Christian Prudhomme told French media after enjoying breakfast in a cafe near Troisvilles before studying the key sectors of pave and inking a new agreement with local authorities to help fund the protection the pave tracks.
"We're expecting a 'grosse bagarre' Sagan and Van Avermaet will be looking for revenge and it'll be Tom Boonen's last race. Stopping his career after Paris-Roubaix is the most beautiful tribute he could have made to the race.”
Prudhomme confirmed that Boonen - a four time winner of Paris-Roubaix - will be feted at the team presentation on Saturday afternoon, with a special tribute during the race at Vertain wind mill. Each blade of the windmill will recall each of Boonen's victories. Boonen could become the only rider with win Paris-Roubaix five times if he ends his career on a high.
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The route of Paris-Roubaix changes every year as sectors of pave are restored and repaired by the Les Amis du Paris-Roubaix association and local technical college students.
Two new sector between Viesly and Briastre has been added after a 30-year absence. They come after 110km of racing. The three-kilometre sector is largely downhill but is not expected to split the peloton.
"We added 3.8 km of cobblestones at the beginning of the race and we removed 1.5km a little farther on," the technical director for ASO Thierry Gouvenou explained.
"It's important not to make things too hard. If it is dry then things are fine but it is wet then it's a long, hard day."
2017 Paris-Roubaix cobble sectors and rating (in reverse order, as raced):
Secteur 29: Troisvilles à Inchy (2.2km) *** Secteur 28: Viesly à Quiévy (1.8km) *** Secteur 27: Quiévy à Saint Python (3.7km) **** Secteur 26: Viesly à Biastre (3km) *** Secteur 25: Biastre à Solesmes (0.8km) ** Secteur 24: Vertain à Saint-Martin-sur-Ecaillon (2.3km) *** Secteur 23: Verchain-Maugré à Quérénaing (1.6km) *** Secteur 22: Quérénaing à Maing (2.5km) *** Secteur 21: Maing à Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (1.6km) *** Secteur 20: Haveluy à Wallers (2.5km) **** Secteur 19: Trouée d'Arenberg (2.4km) ***** Secteur 18: Wallers à Hélesmes (1.6km) *** Secteur 17: Hornaing à Wandignies (3.7km) **** Secteur 16: Warlaing à Brillion (2.4km) *** Secteur 15: Tilloy à Sars-et-Rosières (2.4km) **** Secteur 14: Beuvry-la-Forêt à Orchies (1.4km) *** Secteur 13: Orchies (1.7km) *** Secteur 12: Auchy-lez-Orchies à Bersée (2.7km) **** Secteur 11: Mons-en-Pévèle (3km) ***** Secteur 10: Mérignies à Avelin (0.7km) ** Secteur 9: Pont-Thibault à Ennevelin (1.4km) *** Secteur 8: Templeuve (0.5km) ** Secteur 7: Cysoing à Bourghelles (1.3km) *** Secteur 6: Bourghelles à Wannehain (1.1km) *** Secteur 5: Camphin-en-Pévèle (1.8km) **** Secteur 4: Carrefour de l'Arbre (2.1km) ***** Secteur 3: Grusson (1.1km) ** Secteur 2: Willems à Hem (1.4km) *** Secteur 1: Roubaix (0.3 km) *
Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
