The women set off from Denain, 50 kilometres south of Roubaix. Following two laps south of the former coal town – one small, one bigger – the riders head for the cobbles.
The riders are to navigate 17 ‘secteurs’, the first of which is the longest of the day. Running from Hornaing to Wandignies, the sector is 3.7 kilometres long and classified with 4 stars. No rest for the wicked and the cobbles come thick and fast after this. Every 6 kilometres or so a new set of cobbles from hell are served. No Forest of Wallers, but Mons-en-Pévèle is definitely included in the women’s race with its 2,985 metres of hardship on bone-crushing pavé.
Still eleven sectors remaining after leaving Mons-en-Pévèle. The riders tackle the pavé of Mérignies à Avelin (700 metres), Pont-Thibault à Ennevelin (1,400 metres), Templeuve – L’Epinette (200 metres), Templeuve-Moulin-de-Vertain (500 metres), Cysoing à Bourghelles (1,300 metres), Bourghelles à Wannehain (1,100 metres) and Camphin-en-Pévèle (1,800 metres).
The riders hit the iconic Carrefour de l’Arbre with 16.5 kilometres remaining. At 2,086 metres, this stretch of pavé is feared for the sloped corners. After 1,200 metres a tricky left-hand bend leads to a slight ascent. If specialists want to strike on their beloved pavé, the Carrefour de l’Arbre is their last opportunity. At the end the riders turn right at Restaurant l’Arbre Gruson before they are treated with the heavenly feel of smooth asphalt almost all the way to the Velodrome in Roubaix.
Just two more harmless sectors, Gruson and Willems à Hem, lead the way to the last cobbled section, in Roubaix itself, which is a tribute to the race. The cobbles are neatly organised to avoid major discomfort. Riders go from here into the old Velodrome with one and a half laps to go.
The first two editions of Paris-Roubaix were won with lone range-attacks, respectively by Lizzie Deignan and Elisa Longo Borghini. Last year’s edition turned out differently, as – surprise, surprise – the breakaway survived. Eightteen women came together ahead of the first cobbles and eventually Alison Jackson outsprinted Katia Ragusa and Marthe Truyen for the win in the Roubaix Velodrome.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2024.
Other interesting reads: results and start list 2024 Paris-Roubaix Femmes.
Paris – Roubaix Femmes 2024: route, profile, more
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