5★
Paris–Roubaix
The 123rd edition of Paris-Roubaix, 'The Hell of the North' or 'Queen of the Classics', ran 258.3km from Compiègne to the Roubaix velodrome on April 12. The men's race featured 30 sectors of pavé spread across the Northern French countryside. The first half of the race is largely flat tarmac; the cobbled action begins at sector 30 (Troisvilles to Inchy, 162.5km to go) and intensifies through the day. Key five-star sectors include the Trouée d'Arenberg (sector 19, 95.3km to go, 2.3km), Mons-en-Pévèle (sector 11, 48.6km to go, 3km), and Carrefour de l'Arbre (sector 4, 17.1km to go, 2.1km). The finish comes after a short sector of easy municipal cobbles leading onto the Roubaix velodrome where riders complete a lap and a half before the line.
Where to watch
⚠️ Spoiler warning: live streams and broadcaster home pages may show current standings. Disable autoplay & avoid sidebar recommendations on YouTube.
Paris-Roubaix
The decisive pavé
Who to watch
Narratives to watch
- Mathieu van der Poel sought to become only the third rider ever to win four consecutive Paris-Roubaix, after Octave Lapize and Francesco Moser
- The early race route changes for 2026 - concentrated cobbled sectors in the opening - accelerated the racing from the start
- Tadej Pogačar continues his Monument chase - Roubaix is among the few still missing from his palmarès
- Team tactics on the Arenberg and Mons-en-Pévèle historically set the tone - the move that wins is usually clear by the Carrefour de l'Arbre
Form book & lore
Paris-Roubaix dates to 1896 and has been held 120+ times since. Belgians dominate the winner's list with 57 victories. Compiègne has hosted the start since 1977 (Paris itself from 1896-1967). The cobbled sectors are rated 1-5 stars based on length and roughness; five-star sectors are Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle, and Carrefour de l'Arbre. The race finishes in the historic Roubaix velodrome - a unique cycling venue where winners have a distinctive lap-and-a-half to the line. Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, and Tom Boonen hold records with four wins each. Mathieu van der Poel won three consecutive editions (2023-2025).
When to tune in
Paris-Roubaix is nearly six hours of television - tune in from the first sector (Troisvilles, ~3h into the race) for the tension, or skip to the Arenberg (95km to go) for the historic flashpoint. The critical TV window is the final 90 minutes from Mons-en-Pévèle (48.6km to go) through Carrefour de l'Arbre (17.1km to go). The velodrome finish is iconic. Spoiler caution: race highlights and YouTube thumbnails often spoil the outcome. Disable autoplay and avoid sidebar recommendations.