A barely recognisable Johan Museeuw wins in 1996 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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A Mapei only podium in 1998 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The all Mapei podium in 1999 was a repeat of the year before (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Lars Michaelsen in the showers after the 1999 race (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Servais Knaven wins the 2001 edition (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Peter Van Petegem would be celebrating victory two years later in the same showers (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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A wet edition of Paris-Rouabix (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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A young Tom Boonen in 2002 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The 1996 peloton race through the Arenberg Forest
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Francesco Moser in action in Paris-Roubaix
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Eddy Merckx is closely followed by his compatriot Roger De Vlaeminck in the 1973 edition of Paris-Roubaix
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Tom Steels leads the peloton over the cobbles in his national champions jersey
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Andrea Tafi leads George Hincapie through the Arenberg Forest in 2000
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Johan Museeuw on crossing the line in 2000
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Andrei Tchmi rides through the mud of Paris-Roubaix in 2001
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Rolf Sorensen scans his injuries after the finish of Paris-Roubaix in 2001
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Frank Hoj at the finish of Paris-Roubaix
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Servais Knaven is helped to the podium after winning the race in 2001
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A crash in Paris-Roubaix in 2001
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Andrei Tchmi hits the showers after another epic Paris-Roubaix
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Peter van Petegem wins in 2003
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The 1953 edition of Paris-Roubaix
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Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle won the race in 1992 and 1993
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The year is unknown but the rider is Maurice Garin who won the race in 1897, 1898
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A rider from AKI races over the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix in 1996
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Italian cyclist Felice Gimondi throws up his arms in celebration after crossing the line to win the Paris-Roubaix
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Frederic Guesdon on the podium after his win in 1997
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Greg LeMond racing Paris-Roubaix in the early 1990s
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The late Franco Ballerini and former teammate Johan Museeuw
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The 1944 start to Paris-Roubaix
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Lucien Petit-Breton at the 1912 edition of Paris-Roubaix
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Rik Van Steenbergen racing Roubaix in 1944, the year he won the Tour of Flanders. He would go onto win Roubaix in 1948 and 1952
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A rider poses for a photograph before the 1913 edition of Paris-Roubaix
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Fausto Coppi (R) poses with his brother Serse Coppi at the end of Paris-Roubaix
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Sean Kelly came into the 1987 edition of Paris-Roubaix as the defending champion
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Magnus Backstedt (Alessio-Bianchi) wins the 2004 edition of Paris-Roubaix
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Marc Madiot rides solo to the win in 1985 (Image credit: AFP)
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Italy's Andrea Tafi made a solo breakaway in 1999, winning the event ahead of Belgian pair Wilfried Peeters and Tom Steels. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Bernard Hinault during the 1981 Paris-Roubaix. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Fausto Coppi talks to the press after the 1950 editon of Paris-Roubaix (Image credit: AFP)
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Jan Janssen sprints to the finish line of Paris-Roubaix in 1967 (Image credit: AFP)
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Eddy Merckx wins the 1970 Paris-Roubaix (Image credit: AFP)
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Eros Poli leads the race in 1996 (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Francesco Moser won three editions of Paris-Roubaix in a row (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Francesco Moser hits the front in Paris-Roubaix (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Georges Speicher is forced to fix a puncture in the 1934 Paris-Roubaix (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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The 1936 finish at Paris-Roubaix (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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British cyclist Tom Simpson (C) is congratulated at the end of the Paris-Roubaix cycling course, 11 April 1960 in Roubaix, after arriving in ninth place (Image credit: AFP)
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Back in 1990 Mercedes were as common in the convoy as Skodas are today. Here Sean Yates is stopped on the side of the road as the convoy goes past. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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The late Franco Ballerini, seen here en route to his 1995 victory, will be honoured at this year's race. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
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Riders cross the finish line inside Roubaix's velodrome during the 1990 edition. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Sunday would've seen the 116th edition of Paris-Roubaix, had the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic not swept away the spring calendar amid lockdowns and government decrees across Europe.
It's a big loss to the 2020 season, though may be run in the Autumn. Instead, we'll have to make do with images from past editions of the 'Hell of the North'.
Here, we've gathered iconic images from yesteryear in one place for you to look back and reminisce over. It's no substitute for the race itself, but we think you'll enjoy it.
First run in 1896, Paris-Roubaix has become a mythical race on the calendar and arguably the hardest of the one-day classics summoning all the beauty and hardship of cycling. In recent years, Tom Boonen (four wins) and Fabian Cancellara (three wins) have made the race their own but with both riders missing in 2015, the opportunity arises for one rider to add their name to the illustrious list of winners such as Coppi, Bobet, Gimondi, van Looy, Hinault....
From the cobbles of the Arenberg forest to the crazed fans on the road, the velodrome finish in Roubaix and the famous showers, Paris-Roubaix is like no other race, producing both heroic and memorable moments. It is a race of drama, excitement, disappointment and jubilation taking place where some of Europe's bloodiest wars have been fought.
It is a race that has tamed the great names of cycling and witnessed others make their own. In the 1970's, Roger De Vlaeminck was the king of the cobbles, becoming the first rider to win four Roubaix's and earning himself the nickname "Monsieur Paris–Roubaix". Along with Boonen, De Vlaeminck is the only rider with four wins to his name while seven riders have won the race three wins.
Between 1978 and 1980, Francesco Moser became the second rider after Octave Lapize (1909-11) to win three straight which is a record that still stands. Several riders have enjoyed two wins on the pavé since Moser but only Museeuw and Cancellara have managed three victories.
The last wet Paris-Roubaix took place in 2002 and while the rain and mud is the stuff of nightmares for the riders, it makes for a spectacle unseen elsewhere in professional sport.
Have a look through our gallery of some of the most iconic moments and riders of Paris-Roubaix.
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