{"id":48196,"title":"Paris-Roubaix guide 2026","description":"Rijden's guide to Paris-Roubaix a cycling Monument held in France each year on the cobbled roads of Northern France. Read the guide to find out the course favourites and tv broadcasters for this famous cycling classic.","content":"<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/use-of-cookies-and-disclaimer\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>How we use cookies on the Rijden website<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>Published in<\/strong><span style=\"font-family:Roboto, sans-serif;\">: <\/span><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/cobbles-and-classics-stories\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>COBBLES &amp; CLASSICS<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, 12 April 2026<\/strong><\/p><p>Paris-Roubaix is the French race that\u2019s so Flemish they might as well move the border. Like the Tour de France, the French just can\u2019t seem to win their top classic. Belgium has won 57 editions (as of 2025) compared to France\u2019s 18 and Italy\u2019s 14.<\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/7f3v63xwa1fmquvhzap4lu7uaw6zddu6tz5iallxnkaxoswh.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Paris-Roubaix\" title=\"Paris-Roubaix\" \/>The first edition was won by Germany\u2019s Josef Fischer in 1896. Twenty-eight riders completed the 280 kilometres from Paris to the Roubaix velodrome. The 2025 edition is marginally shorter at 259 kilometres. It still finishes at the famous velodrome but starts in Compi\u00e8gne, which lies about 80 kilometres northeast of Paris.<\/p><p>The women\u2019s race only started in 2021, with Briton Lizzie Deignan taking the honours. The women start in Denain but finish, like the men, on the velodrome in Roubaix.<\/p><p>It\u2019s the horrible, gnarled cobbled secteurs that give the race its character. Difficult and bone-jarring in the dry, they are treacherous in the wet.<\/p><p><strong>Did you know?<\/strong>: Paris-Roubaix is often known as <em>L\u2019Enfer du Nord<\/em> - The Hell of the North.<\/p><p><strong>Status<\/strong>: UCI WorldTour Men's one-day &amp; UCI Women\u2019s WorldTour one-day<\/p><p><strong>Women\u2019s race<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>Start: Denain<\/p><\/li><li><p>Start time: 14:35 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p>Race distance: 148.5 km<\/p><\/li><li><p>Finish: Roubaix<\/p><\/li><li><p>Estimated finish time: 18:09, the earliest estimate CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Website: <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paris-roubaix-femmes.fr\/en\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/www.paris-roubaix-femmes.fr\/en<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Men\u2019s race:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><p>Start: Compi\u00e8gne<\/p><\/li><li><p>Start time: 10:50 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p>Race distance: 258.3 km<\/p><\/li><li><p>Finish: Roubaix<\/p><\/li><li><p>Estimated finish time: 16:35, the earliest estimate CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Website: <\/strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paris-roubaix.fr\/en\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/www.paris-roubaix.fr\/en\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Related cyclosportive<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.parisroubaixchallenge.com\/en\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/www.parisroubaixchallenge.com\/en\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p><hr \/><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/gift-ideas-for-cyclists\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/cnykhsbhnmvmcxw4ugvk9ev2cemqehg2auhhmafie4wac60r.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"Cycling gifts by Rijden\" title=\"Cycling gifts by Rijden\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Paris-Roubaix on TV<\/h2><p><strong>Paywall (geo-restricted)<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Men 09:30<\/p><\/li><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Women 15:45<\/p><\/li><li><p>TNT Sports 1 \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Men 09:30<\/p><\/li><li><p>TNT Sports 1 \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 Women 16:00<\/p><\/li><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Men 10:30<\/p><\/li><li><p>HBO Max \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Women 16:45<\/p><\/li><li><p>FloBikes \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 09:35 GMT+1<\/p><\/li><li><p>Peacock \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8<\/p><p><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>\u2764 Free TV coverage (geo-restricted):<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sbs.com.au\/ondemand\/cycling\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SBS<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Men 09:45 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sbs.com.au\/ondemand\/cycling\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SBS<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Women 16:00 UK time<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sporza.be\/nl\/programmagids\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sporza &amp; VRT 1<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Men 12:40 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sporza.be\/nl\/programmagids\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sporza &amp; VRT 1<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea 17:00 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/auvio.rtbf.be\/widget\/18990\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>RTBF Auvio<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Men 12:35 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/auvio.rtbf.be\/widget\/18990\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>RTBF Auvio<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Women 16:55 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nos.nl\/live\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>NOS<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Men 12:45 CET<\/p><\/li><li><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/nos.nl\/live\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>NOS<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Women 16:50 CET<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong>: <em>Read our <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/cyclings-monuments\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>guide to cycling\u2019s Monuments<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em> to find out what they are, when they take place this year, how you can watch them and more.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/cyclings-monuments\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ocz7ru3mid7n7o23d2iikvohslro6y97vxfiy6pkaqful349.jpg.jpg?w=1140&amp;project=rijden-2-61247&amp;v=2\" alt=\"ocz7ru3mid7n7o23d2iikvohslro6y97vxfiy6pkaqful349.jpg.jpg?w=1140&amp;project=rijden-2-61247&amp;v=2\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Paris-Roubaix route: Men<\/h2><p><strong>Start: <\/strong>Despite its name, the race starts in Compi\u00e8gne, about eighty kilometres northeast of Paris.<\/p><p>Not much will happen in the first 90 kilometres apart from the establishment of the standard break of the day. As the race approaches the first cobbled section with 163 kilometres left to race, the speed will ratchet up as teams try to get their leaders to the front.<\/p><hr \/><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/keep-in-touch\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/0ut7ptmxftuqzbobviujzmxfopptovfblclaenol8f76wjkn.png.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter\" title=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>The cobbles<\/strong>: The feared cobbled sections are the infamous five-star secteurs: Trou\u00e9e d'Arenberg, Mons-en-P\u00e9v\u00e8le and Carrefour de l\u2019Arbre. Often, however, it\u2019s the paved roads in between where the race is won and lost. The cobbles create the launch pad. The tarmac provides the opportunity to press home the advantage.<\/p><p><strong>Finish<\/strong>: On the velodrome in Roubaix.<\/p><p>Note that all times below are CET (French local time) and are based on the fastest estimated race.<\/p><p><strong>The cobbled <\/strong>\u2756 <strong>sections<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>10:50 Compi\u00e9gne neutralised start \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7<\/p><\/li><li><p>11:05 258.3 km Compi\u00e9gne official start<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:07 163.5 km - 30 - Troisvilles \u00e0 Inchy \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:16 156.0 km - 29 - Viesly \u00e0 Qui\u00e9vy \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:19 153.4 km - 28 - Qui\u00e9vy \u00e0 Fontaine au Tertre \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:27 147.2 km - 27 - Viesly \u00e0 Briastre \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:32 143.4 km - 26 - Briastre \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:43 134.6 km - 25 - Solesmes \u00e0 Haussy \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:52 127.8 km - 24 - Saulzoir \u00e0 Verchain-Maugr\u00e9 \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>13:57 123.4 km - 23 - Verchain-Maugr\u00e9 \u00e0 Qu\u00e9r\u00e9naing \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:01 120.8 km - 22 - Qu\u00e9r\u00e9naing \u00e0 Maing \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:05 117.6 km - 21 - Maing \u00e0 Monchaux-sur-\u00c9caillon \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:21 104.7 km - 20 - Haveluy \u00e0 Wallers \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:33 95.3 km - 19 - la Trou\u00e9e d'Arenberg \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:41 89.2 km - 18 - Wallers \u00e0 H\u00e9lesmes \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:50 82.4 km - 17 - Hornaing \u00e0 Wandignies \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:59 75.0 km - 16 - Warlaing \u00e0 Brillon \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:03 71.5 km - 15 - Tilloy \u00e0 Sars-et-Rosi\u00e8res \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:12 61.5 km - 14 - Beuvry-la-For\u00eat \u00e0 Orchies \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:18 60.1 km - 13 - d'Orchies \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:26 54.0 km - 12 - Auchy-lez-Orchies \u00e0 Bers\u00e9e \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:33 48.6 km - 11 - Mons-en-P\u00e9v\u00e8le \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:40 42.6 km - 10 - M\u00e9rignies \u00e0 Avelin \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:45 39.2 km - 9 - Pont-Thibault \u00e0 Ennevelin \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:52 33.8 km - 8 - Templeuve (Moulin-de-Vertain) \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:00 26.8 km - 7 - Cysoing \u00e0 Bourghelles \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:03 24.3 km - 6 - Bourghelles \u00e0 Wannehain \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:09 19.9 km - 5 - Camphin-en-P\u00e9v\u00e8le \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:13 17.1 km - 4 - Carrefour de l'Arbre \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:16 14.8 km - 3 - de Gruson \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:24 8.1 km - 2 - Willems \u00e0 Hem \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:33 1.4 km - 1 - Roubaix (Espace Charles Crupelandt) \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>0 km 16:35 Finish \ud83c\udfc1<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><p style=\"text-align:center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tjuzf5funsavvl03lu5yglzerfu1w3k2i4c7kjv9gbtr2of0.png.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Men\u2019s Paris-Roubaix 2026 race route. \u00a9 ASO\" title=\"Men\u2019s Paris-Roubaix 2026 race route. \u00a9 ASO\" \/><em>Men\u2019s Paris-Roubaix 2026 race route. \u00a9 ASO<\/em><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>Did you know?<\/strong> France hasn\u2019t won the men\u2019s race since 1997, when the shock winner was Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Guesdon. He never again achieved the same level of success. A French winner at Roubiax seems as likely at the moment as a Frenchman winning the Tour de France.<\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Paris-Roubaix route: Women<\/h2><p><strong>Start: <\/strong>The women\u2019s race starts in Denain, which is only fifty kilometres south of Roubaix.<\/p><p><strong>The cobbles<\/strong>: The women \u2018enjoy\u2019 fewer cobbled sections than the men, but they still get the pleasure of the five-star secteurs of Mons-en-P\u00e9v\u00e8le and Carrefour de l\u2019Arbre.<\/p><p>From sector 17 onwards, the route is identical to the men's race<\/p><p><strong>Finish<\/strong>: On the velodrome in Roubaix.<\/p><p>Note that all times below are CET (French local time) and are based on the fastest estimated race.<\/p><p><strong>The cobbled <\/strong>\u2756 <strong>sections<\/strong>:<\/p><ul><li><p>14:35 Denain neutralised start \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7<\/p><\/li><li><p>14:45 143.1 km official start<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:27 113.8 km - 20 - Solesmes \u00e0 Haussy TBA<\/p><\/li><li><p>15:37 107.0 km - 19 - Saulzoir \u00e0 Verchain-Maugr\u00e9 \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:00 90.7 km - 18 - Haveluy \u00e0 Wallers \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:12 82.4 km - 17 - Hornaing \u00e0 Wandignies\u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:22 75.0 km - 16 - Warlaing \u00e0 Brillon \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:27 71.5 km - 15 - Tilloy \u00e0 Sars-et-Rosi\u00e8res \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:36 61.5 km - 14 - Beuvry-la-For\u00eat \u00e0 Orchies \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:43 60.1 km - 13 - d'Orchies \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>16:59 54.0 km - 12 - Auchy-lez-Orchies \u00e0 Bers\u00e9e \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:00 48.6 km - 11 - Mons-en-P\u00e9v\u00e8le \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:09 42.6 km - 10 - M\u00e9rignies \u00e0 Avelin \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:13 39.2 km - 9 - Pont-Thibault \u00e0 Ennevelin \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:21 33.8 km - 8 - Templeuve (Moulin-de-Vertain) \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:31 26.8 km - 7 - Cysoing \u00e0 Bourghelles \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:35 24.3 km - 6 - Bourghelles \u00e0 Wannehain \u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:41 19.9 km - 5 - Camphin-en-P\u00e9v\u00e8le \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:45 17.1 km - 4 - Carrefour de l'Arbre \u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:47 14.8 km - 3 - de Gruson \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>17:58 8.1 km - 2 - Willems \u00e0 Hem \u2756\u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>18:07 1.4 km - 1 - Roubaix (Espace Charles Crupelandt) \u2756<\/p><\/li><li><p>0 km 18:09 Finish \ud83c\udfc1<\/p><\/li><\/ul><hr \/><p style=\"text-align:center;\"><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/lztz0imxekp8apsqawmeyfxwqnwbj68qnlrs8s7rwtya2dz8.png.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Women\u2019s Paris-Roubaix 2026 race route. \u00a9 ASO\" title=\"Women\u2019s Paris-Roubaix 2026 race route. \u00a9 ASO\" \/><em>Women\u2019s Paris-Roubaix 2026 race route. \u00a9 ASO<\/em><\/p><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/toujours-hinault\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>The fact and fiction of how Hinault won the 1981 Paris-Roubaix<\/em><\/strong><\/a><em>. Bernard Hinault professed that he hated the cobbled races, but that didn\u2019t stop him from winning the Hell of the North. We look back at his epic victory and try to divine the facts from the myth.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/toujours-hinault\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/uz8fuqsm9fneuyhjpwqvvr8ms9weymauj3l2nstarwmdbd1p.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"The myths and legends of Bernard Hinault's 1981 at Paris-Roubaix\" title=\"The myths and legends of Bernard Hinault's 1981 at Paris-Roubaix\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Paris-Roubaix favourites: Men<\/h2><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Last year<\/h3><p>Having launched a decisive attack, Mathieu van der Poel was alone in the lead with Tadej Poga\u010dar when the latter crashed on a bend. Poga\u010dar was unable to rejoin Van der Poel, who, despite a late puncture, won by over a minute to take his third consecutive victory in the race.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Top favourites<\/h3><p>If this year\u2019s Paris-Roubaix feels like a re-run of De Ronde van Vlaanderen and Milano-Sanremo, where <strong>Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/strong> (11) and <strong>Mathieu van der Poel <\/strong>(1)<strong> <\/strong>were the outstanding favourites, then it\u2019s no real surprise. Van der Poel has won the last three editions of the Hell of the North, whilst Poga\u010dar, who has only ridden Paris-Roubaix once, when he finished second last year, has been so dominant in all races.<\/p><p>But Paris-Roubaix is a race like no other. The rough nature of the cobbles is on a different scale to those at the Tour of Flanders; there are almost no inclines, and luck is a significant factor. Combined, these three features open the race up to the opportunist, the fortunate or the sprinter who can survive with the best.<\/p><p>Step forward, therefore, <strong>Mads Pedersen<\/strong> (21) and<strong> Wout van Aert<\/strong> (31). Pedersen has been third at Roubaix for the past two years and fourth in 2023. After his early-season injury, he has recovered impressively, finishing in the top ten in every race in March and April. He looked strong at De Ronde, and if the Tadej-Mathieu tandem cannot get rid of him by Roubaix, they will fear his sprint.<\/p><p>An almost identical description could be written for Team Visma | Lease a Bike star Wout van Aert. Recovering from a fracture suffered at the Zilvermeercross, Wout has come back with conviction. A crash and long chase at Milano-Sanremo didn\u2019t prevent a third place, whilst he was outstanding at Dwars door Vlaanderen, and just off the podium at De Ronde.<\/p><p><strong>Prediction<\/strong>: 1. Mathieu van der Poel 2. Tadej Poga\u010dar 3. Mads Pedersen<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>Who else to look out for<\/strong><\/h3><p>Any number of riders will attempt to get in the early break, if one is allowed to escape. Assuming he\u2019s selected, <strong>Dries de Bondt<\/strong> (182) will start attacking as soon as he gets out of the team bus. He won\u2019t be happy until he\u2019s away up the road. Last year, <strong>Jonas Rutsch<\/strong> (57) finished in the top ten from the day\u2019s break.<\/p><p>Then there are the super-domestiques, including<strong> Florian Vermeersch <\/strong>(17 - for Poga\u010dar),<strong> Jasper Philipsen <\/strong>(4 - for Van der Poel), and <strong>Christophe Laporte<\/strong> (36 - for Van Aert). If their team leaders think a crash, puncture or marking compromise their own chances, then they\u2019ll get the nod to fight for themselves.<\/p><p>Others who should shine are <strong>Stefan Bissegger<\/strong> (41 - seventh last year), <strong>Matej Mohoric<\/strong> (101 - fifth in 2022 and eighth at De Ronde),<strong> Alec Segaert<\/strong> (107 - the winner at GP Denain and fifteenth at De Ronde), <strong>Jasper Stuyven<\/strong> (74 - sixth at De Ronde), and<strong> Filippo Ganna<\/strong> (61 - winner at Dwars door Vlaanderen and sixth at Paris-Roubaix in 2023).<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>Watch out for<\/strong><\/h3><p>Two riders to watch out for are Briton <strong>Fred Wright<\/strong> (206) and cyclocross rider-turned-roadman <strong>Toon Aerts <\/strong>(52). Wright was ninth last year and twelfth the year before. For a climber, he handles the cobbles very well.<\/p><p>For Toon Aerts, this is all new territory. He\u2019s like a kid in a sweet shop. Thirty-third at De Ronde and fifteenth at GP Denain show he can handle the cobbles.<\/p><p>Cyclocross star <strong>Tibor del Grosso<\/strong> (2), fresh from victory at the NXT Classic, makes his Monument debut.<\/p><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Men's Paris-Roubaix odds<\/h3><p style=\"text-align:center;\">Oddschecker @ 9 April 2026<\/p><p>1 Mathieu van der Poel 15\/8<\/p><p>2 Tadej Poga\u010dar 2\/1<\/p><p>3 Wout van Aert 9\/1<\/p><p>4 Mads Pedersen 10\/1<\/p><p>Rijden has no connection with any bookmakers mentioned, and this information should not be considered as a recommendation to bet.<\/p><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/paris-roubaix-1987\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The 1987 edition of Paris-Roubaix was settled in a drawn-out pursuit match<\/strong><\/a>. We look back at the race and the heroic actors that made it such an enthralling encounter of the cycling Monument.<\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/paris-roubaix-1987\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/e55qzhvvvmjjbjwwaa1fquvjbv3ls5pr5ogjzidpul3clbar.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"The dramatic story of the 1987 Paris-Roubaix\" title=\"The dramatic story of the 1987 Paris-Roubaix\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Paris-Roubaix favourites: Women<\/h2><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Last year<\/h3><p>Despite an earlier crash, Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot attacked from the front group with around 25 kilometres from the finish. Catching and passing lone leader Emma Norsgaard, she finished nearly a minute ahead of a group led in by Letizia Borghesi and Lorena Wiebes. It was the French woman\u2019s first road race win since 2015.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Top favourites<\/h3><p>As at De Ronde van Vlaanderen, the range of favourites for the women's Paris-Roubaix is wider than for the men's edition.<\/p><p>Last year's winner <strong>Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot<\/strong> (1) is back and she's supported by the rider with the highest number of top ten places at Roubaix, and the greatest all-round cyclist ever, <strong>Marianne Vos<\/strong> (6). Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot has only ridden two races this season, but she was second at De Ronde. Together, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders make a formidable pairing.<\/p><p><strong>Lotte Kopecky<\/strong> (11) may not be in her top form, but she's still managed fourth at De Ronde and triumphed already at Norkere Koerse and Milano-Sanremo this season. The 2024 Roubaix winner has what it takes to take her second title in the Roubaix stadium.<\/p><p>Kopecky's teammate <strong>Lorena Wiebes<\/strong> (16) was third last year and is virtually unbeatable in a sprint. If she's still in contention for victory in the Roubaix stadium, you'd be mad to bet against her sprint.<\/p><p><strong>Prediction<\/strong>: 1. Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot 2. Lotte Kopecky 3. Marianne Vos<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>Who else to look out for<\/strong><\/h3><p>Briton <strong>Pfeiffer Georgi<\/strong> (104) always goes well at Roubaix and was third in 2024.<\/p><p>Fellow Briton, <strong>Zoe B\u00e4ckstedt<\/strong> (51) is in excellent form and has been a strong performer on the cobbles of northern France in recent years. Does it help that the Welsh rider\u2019s dad Magnus is a former winner of the men's race?<\/p><p><strong>Elise Chabbey<\/strong> (31) has been a consistent performer at Roubaix, her victory at Strade Bianche and the strength of her riding in support of Demi Vollering mark her out as a dangerous threat.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Watch out for<\/h3><p><strong>Lara Gillespie <\/strong>(61)<strong> <\/strong>was eighteenth on her debut in Paris-Roubaix last year. The former Irish Champion is in flying form this year.<\/p><p><strong>Lucinda Brand<\/strong> (72) hasn't set the world alight this season, although she's in a support role for her Lidl-Trek team. We've heard she's been targeting this race and, of course, she was third in 2022.<\/p><p><strong>Julie Brouwers <\/strong>(161), the young Belgian cyclocross hope, makes her season and Monument debut for Lotto-Intermarch\u00e9 Ladies.<\/p><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\">Women's Paris-Roubaix odds<\/h3><p>We\u2019re still looking for a bookie offering odds.<\/p><p>Rijden has no connection with any bookmakers mentioned, and this information should not be considered as a recommendation to bet.<\/p><hr \/><h2 style=\"text-align:center;\">Paris-Roubaix weather forecast<\/h2><p>Sunday is expected to start off dry with a slight possibility of rain in the late afternoon. Light winds and mid-teen temperatures combined with sunny intervals will do their best to dry the cobbles from Saturday\u2019s showers.<\/p><hr \/><p><strong>READ MORE:<\/strong> <em>Rijden\u2019s guide on <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/how-to-watch-cycling-on-tv\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>how to watch cycling on TV <\/em><\/strong><\/a><em>explains how to access services such as TNT Sports, Discovery+ and Sporza, as well as ways of saving money on live cycling action, free alternatives and their legality.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/blog\/how-to-watch-cycling-on-tv\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/v63r8i2u2k8vnwgduzcgfy5jbhkypdvrrkwr5wa8rlztpsr0.png.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"How to watch cycling on TV\" title=\"How to watch cycling on TV\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/collection\/cycling-mugs\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/8wbzfrx81ximzdg709wzvwcpyrbsnvixyquwoky7mlcnskv3.png.jpg?w=1140&amp;h=auto\" alt=\"Coffee cups for fans of cycle racing\" title=\"Coffee cups for fans of cycle racing\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p><hr \/><p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>22 January 2026, Tim Costello<\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em>All images and text are the copyright of Rijden unless stated otherwise.<\/em><\/p><hr \/><h3 style=\"text-align:center;\"><strong>NEVER MISS OUT<\/strong><\/h3><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/keep-in-touch\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>SUBSCRIBE<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<em>to get all our latest stories and news. 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We don't want to send you junk, and you don't want to receive it.<\/em><\/p><p><em>We run occasional free competitions for newsletter subscribers.<\/em><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/keep-in-touch\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/pr24rvh8hpfwl7delnhhklj50dith5xjbvvretumwieqpuew.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter\" title=\"Subscribe to Rijden's free email newsletter\" \/><\/u><\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"paris-roubaix-guide","url":"\/blog\/paris-roubaix-guide\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/paris-roubaix-guide\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/rijden.uk\/blog\/paris-roubaix-guide\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1743885577,"updatedAt":1775943523,"publishedAt":1775943522,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":61205,"name":"Rijden_2"},"tags":[{"id":1216,"code":"road-racing","name":"RoadRacing","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/road-racing\/"},{"id":1874,"code":"guides","name":"Guides","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/guides\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/udzccwenw8vk28lhqe2h9vkgoljmxwvwtdjyeddosec6g7vy.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/udzccwenw8vk28lhqe2h9vkgoljmxwvwtdjyeddosec6g7vy.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/udzccwenw8vk28lhqe2h9vkgoljmxwvwtdjyeddosec6g7vy.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"Paris-Roubaix guide 2026 | Rijden","metaDescription":"Everything you need to know to enjoy Paris-Roubaix from the comfort of your armchair.","keyPhraseCampaignId":68172,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":9561,"title":"Guide to Belgian beer","url":"\/blog\/beer-guide-part-2\/","urlTitle":"beer-guide-part-2","division":61205,"description":"Here at Rijden, we love Belgian beer. There's not much better than settling down to watch one of cycling's Spring classics or a top cyclocross race with a Belgian beer in hand. In this article, we describe the different types of Belgian beer.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/utk2mdpa3ebapxomtdmcqm9xze7zpfjpxgzd2ysbsverygri.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/utk2mdpa3ebapxomtdmcqm9xze7zpfjpxgzd2ysbsverygri.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10141,"title":"Soviet Invasion","url":"\/blog\/goodwood-1982\/","urlTitle":"goodwood-1982","division":61205,"description":"The first of three stories about the 1982 World Cycling Championships which was held at Goodwood. Sleepy Sussex was the stage for a minor invasion of Soviet cyclists and their KGB minders.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ysyhin4y6wh2tspjf8niotiyhghaolmac7ucoddcx2tlpzmt.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ysyhin4y6wh2tspjf8niotiyhghaolmac7ucoddcx2tlpzmt.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10158,"title":"Goodwood 1982 - Amateur titles","url":"\/blog\/goodwood-1982-part-two\/","urlTitle":"goodwood-1982-part-two","division":61205,"description":"The UCI Cycling World Championships were held in England in 1982, with the road races at Goodwood in West Sussex. In the second part, we report on a rare British victory and socialist love.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/skobdoxdohlydrehwbak2vqm7psto0d1hfgryg4dee8axtqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/skobdoxdohlydrehwbak2vqm7psto0d1hfgryg4dee8axtqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}