The 119th edition of Paris-Roubaix returns to a spring calendar spot, April 17, 2022, though the cobbled Classic moved back a week from its traditional mid-April date due to French presidential elections, switching Sundays with Amstel Gold Race.
The Hell of the North continues its traditional 257.2km course that begins in Compiègne. Last year’s race, rescheduled in October, saw Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) take victory across a course with heavy rain and deep mud.
The 2022 route has remained mostly unchanged, with 30 sectors of pavé that add up to 54.8 kilometres. Three of these sectors will be traversed again in July by many riders, as part of stage 5 of the Tour de France. The trio come after the Arenberg - Hornaing-Wandignies (#17), Warlaing-Brillon (#16) and Tilloy-Sars-et-Rosières (#15).
The opening third of the route, almost 100km, provides smooth tarmac for the peloton, with the first cobbled sector on the menu falling immediately after the village of Troisvilles with 161.4km to go. The slight changes from the 2021 fall edition concern the Cambrésis cobbled sectors, but they shouldn't change their impact on the race.
Once the peloton thins, the contenders will look to create gaps with the five-star Trouée d'Arenberg, sector 19 at 2,400 metres in length. Then Wallers-Hélesmes sector 18 leads to the longest of the cobbles, Hornaing-Wandignies sector 18, which is 3700 metres long.
The remaining five-star sectors are Mons-en-Pévèle (11) and Carrefour de l'Arbre (5), with this final beast falling just 17.2km from the finish inside the Roubaix velodrome.
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