Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021

Lizzie Deignan solos for 85km to win inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021 - As it happened

• 10 conclusions from the first Paris-Roubaix Femmes
• Deignan says her Paris-Roubaix-winning solo attack 'definitely wasn't the plan'
• Vos: We thought Deignan's Paris-Roubaix attack was too early
• Longo Borghini: You had to embrace the chaos in Paris-Roubaix Femmes

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Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) put on a masterclass of skill, determination and strength, soloing for over 80 kilometres across all 17 sectors of mud-slick cobblestones to claim the first women's Paris-Roubaix.

Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) chased in for second ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) to complete the podium.

With rain turning some of the sectors into a nearly unrideable mud puddle, Deignan's strategy of going solo paid off as she was able to avoid crashing while Vos and Longo Borghini each fell at least once.

Read the full report.

News and features

• The first-ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021 - Preview
• 10 riders to watch at the first ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes
• How to watch Paris-Roubaix 2021 – live TV and streaming
• History-making women discuss thoughts and expectations ahead of first Paris-Roubaix Femmes
• Enthusiasm ahead of Paris-Roubaix Femmes despite no Trouée d’Arenberg
• Marianne Vos: Paris-Roubaix Femmes is going to be a battlefield

• Trixi Worrack: A fond farewell to pro cycling at Paris-Roubaix Femmes
• Teams preview the pavé ahead of first edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes - Gallery
• Rain forecast for Paris-Roubaix as cobbles are cleaned and prepared for the weekend
• Lotte Kopecky: It will be an epic first edition of Paris-Roubaix
• Paris-Roubaix Femmes first-edition route to include 17 cobbled sectors
• Anna van der Breggen: The next chapter begins now
• Van den Broek-Blaak: 'You have to accept that anything can happen in Paris-Roubaix'
• Team SD Worx unveils custom bikes for Paris-Roubaix Femmes
• Annemiek van Vleuten confirms start at first-ever Paris-Roubaix Femmes
• Paris-Roubaix postponed to October due to COVID-19 pandemic in France
• Cyclingnews announces live coverage of Women's WorldTour, Olympics, Worlds
• Paris-Roubaix a surprise addition to revised Women's WorldTour
• Anna van der Breggen: A rider who isn't scared can win Paris-Roubaix
• 17 sectors of pavé in inaugural women's Paris-Roubaix
• Lizzie Deignan: Paris-Roubaix is such an exciting prospect
• Women's WorldTeams preview cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix - Gallery
• Lizzie Deignan: Paris Roubaix to be one of the most demanding races on calendar

The first-ever women's edition of Paris-Roubaix was added to the Women's WorldTour for October 25 in 2020, but was cancelled due to COVID-19. The first edition to be held will now take place on October 2, 2021, after a second cancellation from April of this year.

The UCI and ASO's decision to add the event to the calendar last year was an historical moment for women's cycling, as Paris-Roubaix is one of the world's most iconic Spring Classics. The event this fall will be a day written into the history books for both women's cycling and for the first winner of the Paris-Roubaix Femmes.

Last year, UCI President David Lappartient called the addition of Paris-Roubaix to the Women's WorldTour a step toward equality with in the sport. "I believe that for women it is important to have the same opportunity for men."

The Route

ASO announced the route details last September, which are believed to be the same route details for the edition held in October this year.

The women's race set to begin in Denain, south of Roubaix. The peloton will race 115.6 kilometres before finishing on the famous Roubaix Velodrome. There are 17 sectors of cobbled roads with the pavé beginning after just 20km of racing.

Two sectors rated at the maximum difficulty level will be included in the race – Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l'Arbre – while cobbles will take up 29.5km of the race route, meaning a quarter of the action will take place on the famous stones of northern France.

Many of the women's teams took the time to preview the Paris-Roubaix route last year, along with the key pavé sectors. Click through the gallery above to see teams previewing the cobbles sectors at Paris-Roubaix.

Anna van der Breggen spent time previewing the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix in 2019 during a promotional campaign for Specialized's new Roubaix. The current double world champion told Cyclingnews that all of the riders and teams participating in the women's inaugural Paris-Roubaix should take the time to preview the cobbles because they are unlike any others during the cobbled Classics season.

"I think it will be someone who is not scared, first of all," Van der Breggen said of the future first-ever winner of the women's Paris-Roubaix. "These cobbles, we tried them, they are brutal and different to any other cobbles. I don’t know how they find these. This race already has a lot of history in men’s cycling and now we are able to race, it is a big step for women."

The pavè

• 17 - Hornaing à Wandignies (km 31.1 - 3.7 km) ****
• 16 - Warlaing à Brillon (km 40.6 - 2.4 km) ***
• 15 - Tilloy à Sars-et-Rosières (km 44.1 - 2.4 km) ****
• 14 - Beuvry-la-Forêt à Orchies (km 50.5 - 1.4 km) ***
• 13 - Orchies (km 55.5 - 1.7 km) ***
• 12 - Auchy-lez-Orchies à Bersée (km 61.6 - 2.7 km) ****
• 11 - Mons-en-Pévèle (km 67 - 3 km) *****
• 10 - Merignies à Avelin (km 73 - 0.7 km) **
• 9 - Pont-Thibault à Ennevelin (km 76.4 - 1.4 km) ***
• 8 - Templeuve - L'Epinette (km 81.8 - 0.2 km) *
• 8 - Templeuve - Moulin-de-Vertain (km 82.4 - 0.5 km) **
• 7 - Cysoing à Bourghelles (km 88.8 - 1.3 km) ***
• 6 - Bourghelles à Wannehain (km 91.3 - 1.1 km) ***
• 5 - Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 95.8 - 1.8 km) ****
• 4 - Carrefour de l'Arbre (km 98.5 - 2.1 km) *****
• 3 - Gruson (km 100.8 - 1.1 km) **
• 2 - Willems à Hem (km 107.5 - 1.4 km) ***
• 1 - Roubaix-Espace Charles Crupelandt (km 114.2 - 0.3 km) *