The Nord-Pas de Calais region, close to the Belgian border, is known for its farm lanes and farm roads. Farm roads strewn with cobblestones aka cobbles. In winter, it is bleak, grey and dreary. In summer, it is different, but many will step on the gas when the border with Belgium is crossed. Belgium and France passed, heading for the sunny(r) south. Actually, there is nothing there. The city of Lille (Lille) does a lot of image building. To Roubaix you only come for the cycling track and the showers. This is the heart of 'hell'. Paris-Roubaix and its cobbled strips await you here. We have picked five that you must have seen (or ridden) at least once.
Text: Sander Kolsloot, photos: Michiel Maas, Adobe, Ag2r, Sander Kolsloot
Sloping
It slopes a bit, the Dutch will say hills. The region does not really invite to go for a nice ride at all. But the magic of 'Paris-Roubaix' attracts many cycling tourists to these regions every year. Those who madly want to ride over 'Mons-en-Pévèle' or 'Carrefour de L'Arbre' once. Cobbled sections that are invariably rated 5 stars. For those not in the know: big holes, pointy cobbles uphill and bouncing to the end. That's not a good idea for anyone. Paris-Roubaix and cobbled strips are a combination that hurts at the mere thought.
Of course, during the Paris Roubaix Challenge Have yourself declared an eternal hero and pick up a cobblestone at the finish. You can also ride a lap yourself. The race is (as almost always) in spring, the second weekend of April. That's why this time a piece about five strips, all of which hurt. With a great story.
Forest of Wallers - Trouee D'Arenberg
When I first watched 'Hell of the North' once, this has stayed with me. The Trouee D'Arenberg. Wallers forest. The long, straight road between the trees. The bouncing steers, what shall I say, the bouncing riders. Because the first edition I watched, I don't remember the year exactly, was wet and rancid. So riders went down.
The Arenberg strip is the strip of Paris-Roubaix as far as I'm concerned. So iconic. Actually also the first strip that really hurts. 2.4 kilometres of pure misery. Or pure heroism. Here, in my youth, I saw so many men falling, going over each other, that I would love to stand by it again to see that. In current years, the crowd is regulated, but before, sometimes you couldn't see the riders among the sea of people. Nor could you properly assess how painful such a cobbled section was now. Until a crash reminded you that this was not for wimps. Broken thighs, faces shattered. And then there's a hill in it too. Arm yourself well!
Camphin-en-Pévèle
This strip always looks so bad. It often gets four stars from the organisation, or five. Guaranteed to bounce. The reason it is actually always in the top 5 lists is its length (1,800m) and also its proximity to Carrefour de L'Arbre. In the 2018 race version, (Forza) Yves Lampaert made the difference here. If you want to cross this yourself, good luck. There is no room for a bit through the grass or a bit of redemption from the permanent bounce. 1800 long metres, with the right-angled bend about halfway through. If you are there yourself and it has been raining, it is extra careful here. Otherwise it will end badly for you.
Mons-en-Pévèle
In 2018, I myself stood by the side of this chatterbox of a cobbled section. Not for the 'Hell' itself, but for a stage in the tour. I just couldn't believe the riders were eager to ride over this. What a hotch-potch begonia garden of a road this was. Scots and crooked heads, no good 'docking'. No, stomping it was going to be. It was summer because it was the Tour de France. Was it an indication that the advertising caravan was skipping this stretch? I almost think so.
In this stage, riders went down on this strip despite the dry and warm weather. It was brilliant to see others go over it. But riding this 3-kilometre hell myself has not occurred to me afterwards. It's twisty, it's dusty in summer and slippery in spring and autumn. Winter I would skip. Just because you don't want to. Mons-en-Pévèle always guarantees spectacle. Just ask Fabian Cancellara, who posted the decisive demarrage for the win in 2010.
Carrefour de l'Arbre
After the Forest of Wallers, the cobbled section of Carrefour de L'Arbre standard 5-star rating and this is also where the race is often decided. At 15 kilometres from the finish, this is the moment for those riders who still have a 'cartouche' left. The strip is slightly shorter compared to Mons-en-Pévèle, but at 2100 metres it is still far too long for a sane person. Anyone would think: to hell with it. I'm not going to cycle over this with my sanity, am I? No. Any common sense I would also leave at home. You don't do this for fun, but for the story afterwards. When you're watching the race, that you can say, yes! There I went out of the saddle too!
This is the strip forever linked with Marc Madiot (2x winner, left here) and the BBC: Backstedt, Boonen and Cancellara.
Warlaing-Brillon
You often see other vowel strips recurring in this kind of row, such as Hornaing, Haveluy and more of the sort. I choose Warlaing-Brillon here. Why? The only reason is Mapei, 1996. This strip is so connected to Roubaix for me. I remember how incredible it was to see a trio from the same team riding in the lead in this race. And what a trio it was. Actually there were four of them, but Franco Ballerini had a puncture. Where was that? Right, Warlaing-Brillon. Almost 2 kilometres of misery, which has since been polished up a bit. It was just a bit too much misery for Ballerini, as a flat tube forced him to let the men ride. The rest is history, so are the images.
Driving yourself
Every year, several thousand cycling tourists flock to the north of France to torture themselves on the cobblestones and over the (wet and dusty) agricultural roads. From Paris to Roubaix. Whatever you want, you just have to fancy it. For those who like it, there is the possibility of cycling (parts of) the classic yourself. The Paris Roubaix Challenge is one for the books. Check the site to know more and there you will also find the route. You can choose from 70, 140 or 175 kilometres of pure misery. Including the cobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix, that is.
