Lead Photo – Roubaix Velodrome by Teocalli
Is it just me or is Paris Roubaix The Classic of The Classics. Does it have better PR (Public Relations) ie The Hell of The North? Is it because of the number of times I’ve watched A Sunday in Hell?
Anyway after a Covid break in 2020 Paris Roubaix is back for 2021 with an Autumn running. One thing for sure, it will be warmer than is normal for most previous events. Having said that, rain is in the forecast, so it could be the first wet Paris Roubaix for some years.
This will also be the first Paris Roubaix Femmes which will give us a double event for Sunday. Hopefully the coverage will be as good for the Femmes as we get for the Men.
Rider entries and race details for the Men can be found here.
Rider entries and race details for the Femmes can be found here.
I agree that they should get rid of the time cut for races like Paris-Roubaix. https://rouleur.cc/editorial/paris-roubaix-hors-delai-time-cut/
A great story from Paris Roubaix. I had not realised that there was an official time cut off for one day races at 8% of the winner’s time. So at that point everything packs up at the finish and anyone still out there is classified as DNF. However, Joseph Areruya, Delko Marseille Provence team-mate Przemysław Kasperkiewicz finished outside the time limit (hors délai) and were officially classified as DNF. Joseph Areruya was the first rider from Rwanda to participate in the race and was determined to finish. He came in some 40 mins behind Gilbert to a practically empty stadium… Read more »
I saw his get-off during the live TV coverage, so wanted to know how he did: https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/joseph-areruya-becomes-first-black-african-rider-finish-paris-roubaix-419997
And to complement Joseph Areruya’s story, his teammate who also finished outside the time limit and was locked out of the velodrome last year finished in the top 10! https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/rider-locked-velodrome-last-year-finishes-top-10-2019-paris-roubaix-420056
I also wanted to know about Joseph Areruya because one of the reasons I got back to riding after a 15 year hiatus was reading “The Land of Second Chances,” which is about the Rwandan cycling program and team. If you haven’t read it, it’s a great and inspiring read. http://inrng.com/2013/11/book-review-land-second-chances/
Chapeau indeed.
This is great though – Gilbert in the Roubaix showers ……. https://www.facebook.com/deceuninckquickstep/videos/510045006213035/