Paris-Roubaix

Visually spectacular, adrenalin-fuelled, mucky, crazy, and cobbled, Paris-Roubaix is one of those one-day cycling events that any sports fan would want to watch. Just imagine a racer cycling for a whopping 170 miles nonstop! Perhaps Paris-Roubaix is a sporting event with which cyclists have a love-hate relationship. To put it literally, Paris-Roubaix is a bicycle race that stretches from Paris to Roubaix. The race ends in a huge outdoor velodrome, similar to the football’s Wembley Stadium. The racecourse is a 275-kilometre (170-mile) long stretch, which features 29 cobbled sections. Whether you’re watching the event live or on TV, the fact remains that Paris-Roubaix will get your heart racing. But what makes this race special?

Why Paris-Roubaix Is Such a Special Bike Race

Paris-Roubaix is not the only bike race that features cobbles. Many other races take place on a cobbled racecourse and Tour of Flanders is one such a race. However, Paris-Roubaix is the ‘Queen of the Classics.’ It is what one would call the cycling calendar’s FA Cup. And truth be told; there is no single bicycle race with such so many cobbles as the ‘Queen of the Classics.’ What is even more unique is the fact that the cobbles are spread throughout the racecourse.

During every edition of this event, you will find thousands of fans lining the Carrefour de l’Arbre, a famous 2.1-kilometre cobbled road located in Northern France, just about 10 miles from the finish point. Most of these fans are Belgians, and they perhaps get to enjoy the best part of the show. The route has no shortage of British fans either.