Paris Roubaix 2008

The Pave from Cysoing through Le Carrefour de l’Arbre is often where the race is won

The Paris Roubaix organisers carried out a reconnaissance of the course on April 7 by Christian Prudhomme and Jean-François Pescheux.

There will be 28 cobblestone sectors of the race and categorised in severity; by length, irregularity and the general state of each section and its location.

After the work carried out in 2007 on the Troisville sector and the addition of the new, le Chemin du Moulin sector, situated between Beuvry-la-forêt and Orchies, the course for the 106th edition will be identical to that of 2007.

Additionally, this reconnaissance day was an occasion to pay tribute to Jean Stablinski, who past away on July 22, 2007. The once miner, turned world cycling champion was one of the guardians of the Paris-Roubaix esprit.

The Arenberg Forest - 2k of mean cobbles

As a resident of Aulnoy-les-Valenciennes, Stablinski regularly took part, thanks to his vast knowledge of the region, in the evolution of the route. He was, for example, at the origins of the introduction of the Arenberg trench and more recently discovered the uphill Buat sector, which has been part of the race for the past two years.

A pillar was inaugurated in “Stab’s” honour at the beginning of the famous Trouée de Wallers-Arenberg: “He was the only person to have worked in the hole as a miner and ridden over it”, declared Alain Bocquet, president of the commune of Porte du Hainaut, who was on hand for the ceremonies among with numerous personalities.

The 2008 Paris Roubaix starts in Compiegne on April 13, and the first section of 'Pave' comes at Troisvilles, and then ten sections are to be covered before the race hits the infamous Arenberg Forest (Or Trench), where the race is often lost due to crashes and mechanicals. In the kilometres leading up to the Arenberg the lead riders will be hoping that their teams can place them near the front and potentially out of trouble.

The following sections of pave continue to whittle down the race, especially the five star Mons-en-Pévèle pave, and then they hit a string of pave starting at Cysoing that takes them through Le Carrefour de l’Arbre, a place that will see huge crowds, that pin the riders to the pave, and this is often where the race is won.

The 28 cobblestone sectors (The more stars, the worse it is!)
28. Troisvilles (km 98 - 2200 m) - 3 stars
27. Viesly (km 104,5 - 1800 m) - 3 stars
26. Quievy (km 107 - 3700 m) - 4 stars
25. Saint-Python (km 112 - 1500 m) - 2 stars
24. Vertain (km 119,5 - 2000 m) - 3 stars
23. Capelle-sur-Ecaillon – Le Buat (km 126,5 – 1700 m) - 3 stars
22. Verchain-Maugré - Quérénaing (km 138 – 1600 m) - 3 stars
21. Querenaing - Maing (km 141 – 2500 m) - 3 stars
20. Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 144 - 1600 m)  - 3 stars
19. Haveluy (km 155,5 – 2500 m) - 4 stars
18. Trouée d’Arenberg (km 163,5 – 2400 m) - 5 stars
17. Wallers – Hélesmes (km 170 – 1600 m) - P 4 stars
16. Hornaing - Wandignies (km 176,5 – 3700 m) - 3 stars
15. Warlaing - Brillon (km 184 – 2400 m) - 3 stars
14. Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosières (187,5 – 2400 m) - 3 stars
13. Beuvry-la-Forêt à Orchies (km 194 – 1400m) - 3 stars
12. Orchies (km 198,5 – 1700 m) - 3 stars
11. Auchy-lez-Orchies - Bersée (km 205 – 1200 m) - 2 stars
10. Mons-en-Pévèle (km 210,5 – 3000 m) - 5 stars
9. Mérignies – Pont-à-Marcq (km 216,5 – 700 m) - 2 stars
8. Pont-Thibaut (km 219,5 – 1400 m) - 3 stars
7. Templeuve l’Epinette (km 225 – 200 m) - 1 star
Le Moulin de Vertain (km 225,5 – 500 m) - 2 stars
6. Cysoing - Bourghelles (km 232 – 1300 m) - 4 stars
Bourghelles – Wannehain (km 234,5 – 1100 m) - 4 stars
5. Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 239 – 1800 m) - 4 stars
4. Le Carrefour de l’Arbre (km 242 – 2100 m) - 5 stars
3. Gruson (km 244 – 1100 m) - 2 stars
2. Hem (km 251 – 1400 m) - 1 star
1. Roubaix (km 257 – 300 m) - 1 star