Roubaix stage viewing

chieflordy
chieflordy Posts: 48
edited July 2018 in Pro race
Hello all,
Does anyone know which (if any) of the sectors of cobbles has raised banks on either side?
I am taking my 6 year old daughter, I found at the cobbled stage 2 or 3 years ago sitting at the top of the bank was much better/less hectic with a small child. I don’t think the sector we watched from then is on the route this year though.

Comments

  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Of the sectors which are the same as Paris Roubaix (12-1), I don't think any of them have raised banks. So I think your best bet would be to head for Sector 14, d'Eswars à Paillencourt. You can see from Google Streetview there are some banks there, they aren't very high, or don't look too high, but they might do for you.

    https://goo.gl/maps/ZBkzMBhBRZQ2

    The other two sectors which don't feature in Roubaix, 15 (d'Escaudœuvres à Thun) and 13 (d'Auberchicourt à Écaillon) can't be viewed with Streetview at the moment. There might be something on those, but I don't know them at all.

    If you saw the race in 2015, you might have watched somewhere around St. Python/Quiévy. There are raised banks there, but the race doesn't use the sections of cobblestones in that area this time.
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    Thank you greasedscotsman, very informative.

    Yes, St Python rings a bell in terms of where we watched last time, it was fairly close to the finish I remember that.

    Thanks for the street view link, that sector looks a possibility. I am a bit torn between my desire to watch nearer the finish though when the race will be more broken up and somewhere not too hectic for my daughter to enjoy it (although in truth it is the caravan that she loves!).

    We watched Paris Roubaix again a few years ago from the Camphin-en-Pevele sector, it was 4 or 5 sectors from the finish and wasn’t too busy, once we had walked a few hundred yards into the sector away from all the flemish beer tents. I am thinking TDF stage less than 20k from finish could be a different story though...
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Yeah, I think you're right. For Roubaix, even on the last for sections of cobblestones, most of the crowds congregate around the start and end. Not so sure if it will be like that for the Tour though. But then maybe head for something in the middle, like Mons en Pevele or Pont Thibaut. Should be quiet enough in the middle.

    I'm trying to decide if I should try and catch the race twice. Should be easy enough to do, just a bit worried about what the road closures might be like.

    Still, should be a great day out whatever, or where ever you go.
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    The big difference as well this year, compared to the last cobbled TDF stage is that this one is on a weekend, that was a mid week day I seem to remember so that will probably raise crowds a bit as well.

    I watched the last 60k (with a bit of fast forwarding) of a recent edition of Paris Roubaix on YouTube last night to get an idea of the sectors/crowds, I think we are going to go for sectors 3 or 4, open fields with no raised bank but a ditch we can stand the other side of and very sparsely populated in the middle of the sectors. Plus still close enough to the finish for the field to be spread out.

    Good luck, if I didn’t have wife and daughter in tow I’d do that. With some careful parking it should be very do-able, see sector 14 or 15 then hop on the motorway to one of the latter sectors.
  • effillo
    effillo Posts: 257
    I literally just came to the forum today to ask about this stage. I am taking the wife and toddler to watch this stage. We are planning on watching at the start in Arrass (have a nose around buses etc) then heading either to a late cobbled section or to Roubaix for the finish, not sure yet. Does anyone know if the caravan goes down the cobbled, just I know little one will love that so don't want to miss it. As far as parking goes for these sections, do we just aim to head to either start or finish of one and there will be parking there? Novice to watching it in France you see. If we went for the finish do you think it'd be easy to park up in Roubaix somewhere?
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    Yes, caravan goes down the cobbles. Official TDF guide is useful, it gives times caravan should pass across the route.

    Parking is ok, surrounding roads leading to route are closed, so park down one of them, there will be plenty of other people doing the same so follow them to the course.

    I wouldn’t head to Roubaix, too busy, not a very nice area either. You probably want a cobbled sector that is not to hectic, exactly what I am after with my little one. For your wife and daughter the caravan will be the highlight of the day, try to pick a good spot where they can get plenty of goodies (another reason to pick somewhere that is not too busy).

    Good luck and enjoy.
  • effillo
    effillo Posts: 257
    Yes I have the guide, the timings are useful. Need to try and get hold of the roadbook for info about start area. We are staying in Lille (sold the trip to the wife as a city break plus cycling!) So will probably try for one of the sectors closest to there then.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Worth noting, that if you're thinking of going to the finish, it doesn't finish in the velodrome.
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    Keep on eye on the timings though, start is not to 12:35, as it is a short stage by the time you get back to your car and on the road you are going to be hard pressed to get to anything but the last few sectors before the caravan comes though, which will be the undoubted highlight for wife and toddler!

    I giving the start a miss partly for that reason, also makes it a long day for wife and daughter, especially as they are not really interested. We’ll have a early steak and chips lunch somewhere on the Belgian side of the border then head to the course.
  • effillo
    effillo Posts: 257
    I'll have to study the times and check. Was well worth this thread thanks. Thinking we will probably head to one of the last three secteurs, is anyone familiar with them?

    Also, what kind of field spread do we think there will be? I've looked for previous results but can I let find top 20 times.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    effillo wrote:
    I'll have to study the times and check. Was well worth this thread thanks. Thinking we will probably head to one of the last three secteurs, is anyone familiar with them?

    What do you need to know?
    effillo wrote:
    Also, what kind of field spread do we think there will be? I've looked for previous results but can I let find top 20 times.

    That's anyone's guess. Depends on how it's raced and what the weather is like. But here are the last few times there have been this sort of stage at the Tour.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-d ... 3/results/
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-d ... 5/results/
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-d ... 4/results/
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    Second from last sector, Camphin-en-Pevele, I watched Paris Roubaix with my wife and then three year old from there in 2015.

    Parking was easy on the roads/farm tracks surrounding the sector. Start of sector was very busy, there was a big Flemish hospitality tent set up a field away and they all piled out very drunk to watch, that may not be there for the TDF though.

    Further in to the sector was quiet enough. My concern, which prompted me to start this thread was knowing how busy it will be for the last 20km of a TDF stage, I don’t really want to be in jostling crowds with a small child.

    Field spread, by the end probably close to 30 mins. The leaders, a couple of big groups of riders, then some smaller groups/ stragglers.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Just looking at the roadbook. Seems like apart from 15, 14 and 1, the publicity caravan will not be going though the cobblestone sections and will follow diversions.
  • effillo
    effillo Posts: 257
    Ah great info. I suspected that may happen. Do you have a link to it?
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    It's on the Tour Spectators thread.
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    Just looking at the roadbook. Seems like apart from 15, 14 and 1, the publicity caravan will not be going though the cobblestone sections and will follow diversions.

    Blimey, time for a rethink. Good spot and thanks for sharing.

    Can’t get that roadbook link to open on my iPad, will try on main pc later.

    As there is a big gap between the caravan and the riders, depending on the extent of the diversion might be scope to see caravan then walk on to cobbles. Road section from Wannehain to Camphin-en-Pevele turn off springs to mind, I need to check that roadbook though....
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    The diversion for Camphine en Pevele is quite simple, just goes straight up the Grande Rue/D93 whilst the race goes left onto the Rue de la Justice and the cobblestones.
  • chieflordy
    chieflordy Posts: 48
    The diversion for Camphine en Pevele is quite simple, just goes straight up the Grande Rue/D93 whilst the race goes left onto the Rue de la Justice and the cobblestones.

    Cheers, downloaded the roadbook. Diversions aren't too bad, all easy walking distance from the sectors, apart from the one for sectors 10-12 that is.
  • effillo
    effillo Posts: 257
    Looks like we are Def going for sec 5 or 6 depending on where we can get parked. Will walk to one end to watch the caravan then find a spot somewhere along the cobbles. Little concerned as it's supposed to be another scorcher so have to try and keep little one out the sun somehow.

    Only problem is afterwards trying to get back to Lille to watch the WC final, especially if England can do it tomorrow night. Watching a France v England final in France would be something else!
  • ContrelaMontre
    ContrelaMontre Posts: 3,027
    I'm also heading over with the family for the Roubaix stage this weekend. Bit of a last minute decision, we just booked the Eurotunnel at the weekend!

    I plan to aim for Camphin en Pevele as we went there for 2016 Paris-Roubaix so it's familiar. There is a brasserie in the village (Funquerel) which will be holding a party for the Tour as well as showing the world cup final afterwards and with live music too. It had a nice ambience so should be good on Sunday. Didn't realise the Tour caravan doesn't go down the cobbled secteur, can someone post the link please to the roadbook?

    Re the city break in Lille, we're also staying in Lille and as it is Bastille Day on Saturday there will be a fireworks display in the evening which has to be worth checking out https://www.lille.fr/Actualites/Feu-d-a ... 14-juillet

    Rule No.10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster