Paris - Roubaix 2026: Route

Sunday, 12 April – Also known as the ‘Hell of the North’, Paris–Roubaix is one of the oldest and most challenging one-day races, with riders having to endure a daunting gauntlet of cobbled sectors before finishing in the Roubaix Velodrome. This year’s route covers 258.3 kilometres, with all thirty cobbled sectors concentrated in the final 165 kilometres.

First published on 3 April 2026

As always, the riders clip in at Compiègne and pedal just under 100 kilometres through the fields of northern France. Then the cobbles hit, starting with the first of 30 sectors: Troisvilles to Inchy, 2,200 metres long and rated three stars.

Paris–Roubaix gets underway with 4 sectors tackled within the first 15 kilometres. It’s a replica from four years ago, and because the organisers hope to spark early action, another sector follows immediately: 800 metres from Briastre to Solesmes, featuring an gentle incline. This sector was last used in 2017.

Juggling the early sectors isn’t new; the organisers do it every year. Usually it doesn’t have a decisive impact, because Paris–Roubaix only truly heats up approaching the Forest of Wallers, also known as the Trouée d’Arenberg. The 2,400-metre, perfectly straight and slightly descending cobbled stretch is notorious for crashes and punctures. Riders caught behind a crash are forced into a chase, making positioning essential entering the forest.

After leaving the Trouée, around 95 kilometres remain. Over that distance the riders face another 18 sectors, so roughly one every 6 kilometres. It’s a relentless succession of obstacles, where mechanical trouble can instantly end your cobbled dreams for another year.

As the race approaches Mons-en-Pévèle, the tension spikes. About 50 kilometres from the finish, the riders hit this feared and revered sector. Its 3,000 metres in length combined with the notoriously poor condition of the cobbles guarantees spectacle.

After Mons-en-Pévèle there are still 11 sectors to navigate. Over the following 30 kilometres the riders tackle Mérignies to Avelin (700 metres), Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin (1,400 metres), Templeuve–L’Épinette (200 metres), Templeuve–Moulin-de-Vertain (500 metres), Cysoing to Bourghelles (1,300 metres), Bourghelles to Wannehain (1,100 metres), and Camphin-en-Pévèle (1,800 metres).

Barely 1 kilometre after Camphin-en-Pévèle comes the ultimate assault on riders’ bodies with the Carrefour de l’Arbre. The 2,085-metre sector is feared for its sloping corners and brutally rough surface. For the cobble specialists, it’s the last chance to make a difference on their favourite terrain. Once the riders turn onto the tarmac at café Auberge de l’Arbre, only 3 sectors remain: Gruson, Willems to Hem, and the showpiece in Roubaix; none of which are particularly challenging.

In the past four editions, the Dutch have prevailed at the Roubaix velodrome. Dylan van Baarle soloed from Camphin-en-Pévèle in 2022, while the following year Mathieu van der Poel attacked at Carrefour de l’Arbre, just1 sector later. In 2024, wearing the rainbow jersey, he wasted no time: with 60 kilometres to go he had already left the field behind, soloing to his second consecutive victory.

Last year, Van der Poel had the chance to join Octave Lapize (1909–1911) and Francesco Moser (1978–1980) as the only riders to win Paris–Roubaix three years in a row. He was ahead of the field together with Tadej Pogacar when the Slovenian misjudged a corner on the Pont-Thibault to Ennevelin sector, with 38 kilometres remaining. The Dutchman pressed on, leaving the cobbles 20 seconds ahead of Pogacar, who intially closed the gap by 5 seconds before it ultimately stretched to over 1 minute.

In short, Van der Poel is currently the only active rider to have won Paris–Roubaix three times consecutively. One more victory would see him equal record-holders Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX Paris-Roubaix 2026.

Paris–Roubaix starts at 10:50 and the race is expected to finish around 16:50 - both local times (CEST).