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Roubaix – Gouvenou and Perque: “Another Paris-Roubaix…”

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The latest acknowledgments of the course of Paris-RoubaixSaturday for women and Sunday for men, were performed on Tuesday 12 April by Thierry Governorrace director of Paris-Roubaixand frank perquerace director of Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift† The organizers assigned a degree of difficulty to each of the cobbled sections of the race, judged by their length, the irregularity of the cobblestones, the general condition of the section and its location. Sectors classified as five stars remain the Arenberg Gorge (#19), Bergen-en-Pevele (#11) and the Crossroads of the tree (#4).

Video – Gouvenou and Perque during this Tuesday’s reconnaissance of Paris-Roubaix

Thierry Gouvenou: “Great chance of champion time trial in the front”

Over the total distance of 257.2 km, the runners of the 119and edition will compete next Sunday, April 17 on the cobblestones for 54.8 km, with 30 sectors to cover the last 160 kilometers, the difficulty of which varies between one and five stars. As for the second edition of Women Paris-Roubaix of Zwifttaking place the day before Saturday, April 16, features 29.2km of cobblestones, the final 84km of which are common to both races. Thierry Governorrace director of Paris-Roubaixand frank perquerace director of Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift let us know what awaits us this weekend at thenorthern hell†

“We expect a Paris-Roubaix with dust and wind, that will be different from last year”confides Thierry Gouvenou† “Running in dry conditions favors the big riders, the tactical and technical aspects are a little less important. On the other hand you need a lot of power and I think we have a good chance of having time trial champions up front. including Ganna, Küng and Asgreen. Behind us will be specialists who adapt to all weather conditions, with Mathieu van der Poel who should be at his highest level. There will be a fight for the win, that’s for sure.”

Thierry Governorrace director of Paris-Roubaixand frank perquerace director of Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift

Star counters usually have their eyes glued to the sky and their heads in the clouds. Those dissecting the Paris-Roubaix cobblestones, on the other hand, have their eyes on the ground and tracked down the traps in which the riders could get their guts bogged down. In the days leading up to the Queen of the Classics, we witness the ballet of teams that come to soak up the atmosphere and hop more or less gracefully on the cobblestones they will have to brave next weekend. Traditionally, it is the organizers who kick off these “recos”, also inviting the media to discover the state of affairs of the course.

The discussions then revolve a lot around weather forecasts, with each party also acting as a road authority in evaluating the deterioration or improvement of certain sections. This year the very minor changes to the route are at the level of the first difficulties, the Vertain sector (#26) returns to the program in its long version, as does the more affordable Saulzoir sector (#24), where the students of the Raismes horticultural school were able to explain the art of paving to their visitors of that day. At the end of their journey to the velodrome, the Paris-Roubaix riders will be able to count 94 stars, one less than last fall, the difference being explained by the recent renovation of the Hem sector (#2) , the penultimate of the extensive menu.

The 2nd edition of Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift

The runners of Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift saw their mileage increase by about ten kilometers as a circuit lap was added after the start in Denain. In contrast, their cobblestone program remained the same, with 29.2 kilometers spread over 17 sectors. For the ladies, the route links up with that of the men at 85 kilometers from the finish: they therefore start with the four-star sector from Hornaing until Wandignies, 3.7 km long. It is precisely on this passage, which was delicate from the beginning, that the British Lizzie Deignan had launched its victorious solo attack last year. This Saturday it will certainly be more difficult to surprise the favorites.

“We are leaving, we are ready for this 2nd edition”To explain Frank Perquethe race director, at the microphone of Sports 59/62† “The weather looks pretty good, we should have dry cobblestones, which was not the case last year. We should therefore have a slightly different race, with maybe more riders in the foreground. Rollers, like Ellen van Dijk […] Last year we set the bar pretty high and if we noticed that the girls had been going over 39km/h in fairly extreme conditions then we can expect the course to evolve (in the coming years) if they continue this fast. “

30: Troisvilles to Inchy (km 96.3 – 2.2 km) †

29: Viesly to Quiévy (km 102.8 – 1.8 km) †

28: Quiévy to Saint-Python (km 105.4 – 3.7 km) †

27: Saint-Python (km 110.1 – 1.5 km) †

26: Vertain in Saint-Martin-sur-Ecaillon (km 117.9 – 2.3 km) †

25: Haussy (km 123.7 – 0.8 km) †

24: Saulzoir to Verchain-Maugré (km 130.6 – 1.2 km) †

23: Verchain-Maugré to Quérénaing (km 134.9 – 1.6 km) †

22: Querenaing in head (km 137.6 – 2.5km) †

21: head in Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 140.7 – 1.6 km) †

20: Haveluy to Wallers (km 153.7 – 2.5 km) †

19: Trouee d’Arenberg (km 161.9 – 2.3 km) †

18: Wallers to Hélesmes (km 167.9 – 1.6 km) †

17: Hornaing to Wandignies (km 174.7 – 3.7 km) † (first sector of Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwift†

16: Warlaing to Brillon (km 182.2 – 2.4 km) †

15: Tilloy in Sars-et-Rosières (km 185.6 – 2.4 km) †

14: Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies (km 192 – 1.4 km) †

13: Orchids (km 197 – 1.7 km) †

12: auch-lez-Orchies to Bersée (km 203.1 – 2.7 km) †

11: Mons-en-Pévèle (km 208.6 – 3 km) †

10: Mérignies to Avelin (km 214.6 – 0.7 km) †

9: Pont-Thibault in Ennevelin (km 218 – 1.4 km) †

8: Templeuve – L’Epinette (km 223.4 – 0.2 km) †

8: Templeuve – Moulin-de-Vertain (km 223.9 – 0.5 km) †

7: Cysoing to Bourghelles (km 230.3 – 1.3 km) †

6: Bourghelles to Wannehain (km 232.8 – 1.1 km) †

5: Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 237.3 – 1.8 km) †

4: Crossroads of the Tree (km 240 – 2.1 km) †

3: Gruson (km 242.3 – 1.1km) †

2: Willems to Him (km 249 – 1.4 km) †

1: Roubaix – Espace Charles Crupelandt (km 255.8 – 0.3km) †

Paris-Roubaix Challenge

Saturday April 16, 2022 – 24 hours before the elite race and a few hours before Paris-Roubaix Women with Zwifta platoon of amateur runners will compete against the Queen of the Classics and its legendary cobblestone sections. Three distances are offered to cyclists to suit all levels of preparation: 70, 145 or 170 km, everyone will find a legend to their liking. Information and registrations on parisroubaixchallenge.com and timeto.com

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