Paris - Roubaix 2021 - 257.7kms **Spoilers**

Nearly two and a half years since the last time the peloton went North, and into hell. This time, thanks to the weather, hell could be hotter than usual.



Rain forecast for for most of the day, lots of cross/tailwind, and temperatures struggling to get above 10 degrees.riders having to endure a daunting gauntlet of cobbled sectors before the finish in the Roubaix Velodrome.
The men’s race at the 2021 edition of Paris-Roubaix will cover 257.7 km in full. Riders will start in Compiègne.



From there, the peloton will head north, and will ride through the French countryside on gentle roads for 96.3 km before arriving at the first of the 30 cobbled sectors, which are numbered from 30 (the first section) to 1 (the final section).



Secteurs pavés
#30: Troisvilles à Inchy, 2 200 m
#29: Viesly à Quiévy, 1 800 m
#28: Quiévy à Saint-Python, 3 700 m
#27: Saint-Python, 1 500 m
#26: Haussy à Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon, 800 m
#25: Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon à Vertain, 2 300 m
#24: Capelle à Ruesnes, 1 700 m
#23: Artres à Quérénaing, 1 300 m
#22: Quérénaing à Maing, 2 500 m
#21: Maing à Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon, 1 600 m
#20: Haveluy à Wallers, 2 500 m
#19: Trouée d'Arenberg, 2 300 m
#18: Wallers à Hélesmes, 1 600 m
#17: Hornaing à Wandignies, 3 700 m
#16: Warlaing à Brillon, 2 400 m
#15: Tilloy à Sars-et-Rosières, 2 400 m
#14: Beuvry à Orchies, 1 400 m
#13: Orchies, 1 700 m
#12: Auchy à Bersée, 2 700 m
#11: Mons-en-Pévèle, 3 000 m
#10: Mérignies à Avelin, 700 m
#9: Pont-Thibault à Ennevelin, 1 400 m
#8: Templeuve, 200 m + 500 m
#7: Cysoing à Bourghelles, 1 300 m
#6: Bourghelles à Wannehain, 1 100 m
#5: Camphin-en-Pévèle, 1 800 m
#4: Carrefour de l'Arbre, 2 100 m
#3: Gruson, 1 100 m
#2: Willems à Hem, 1 400 m
#1: Roubaix (Espace Charles Crupelandt), 300 m

3 Key Sectors:
The Arenberg Forest lies at the heart of the race. Tension usually starts to rise when approaching this so called Trouée d’Arenberg, which is a 2,284 metres stretch which heads straight on through the woods. Riders who aspire to win Paris-Roubaix have no choice – they have to spend energy here, to be at the front, otherwise, they risk getting caught up behind or in crashes.



Next, Mons-en-Pévèle, where the combination of the length of 2,985 metres and the sorry state of the cobbles usually account for the weakest of the group of favourites that have stayed in contention to this point.

Finally, the riders hit the iconic Carrefour de l’Arbre with 16.5 kilometres left. 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. Carrefour de l’Arbre is not just their last opportunity, but generally the point at which those who pick up the pave, at the end of the day in the Roubaix velodrome, attack.

In short, bike handling will be at a premium on Sunday as riders slog through muddy roads on lumpy terrain while buffeted by winds.

The Favorites for Paris- Roubaix 2021

With no form from the traditional Spring cobbled races to go on, rather the recent World championships and fatigue at the end of the long cycling season, also a factor, an already unpredictable race seems even more unpredictable this year.

**** Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert,
*** Michael Valgren, Yves Lampaert, Jasper Stuyven, Dylan van Baarle, Zdenek Stybar,
** Sonny Colbrelli, Peter Sagan, Florian Sénéchal, Kasper Asgreen, Nils Politt
* Stefan Küng, Sep Vanmarcke, Gianni Moscon, Nils Eekhoff, Greg Van Avermaet