More than any other sport, Paris-Roubaix, known as either the Queen of the Classics, the Hell of the North, la Pascale, or simply the Easter race, brings to mind the ever-present risk of broken dreams and physical injury. This is the world’s most iconic one-day bike race – a gruelling contest that even the most seasoned riders find challenging.
Dating back to its inaugural race in 1896, Paris-Roubaix is one of the oldest sporting events of its kind. The 121st edition of the race took place on this past Sunday, starting from Compiègne, a location 80 kilometres north of Paris, and ending at Roubaix Velodrome, near the Belgian border. Covering 260 kilometres, the race includes 29 segments on the infamous granite cobblestones, where numerous accidents from minor mechanical glitches to severe crashes can occur.
During the recent race, a particularly severe accident occurred amidst dense woodland, just after a sweeping right-hand turn with only 35 kilometres remaining. The crash surprisingly took place at the very front, causing injuries to numerous riders, including Tour de France hopefuls such as Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic, Jay Vine, and Remco Evenepoel.
This year’s Paris-Roubaix brought with it a certain level of anxiety, replacing the usual rush of anticipation among the riders. The inherent hazards of the sport have never been more apparent than in recent Stage 4 of the Itzulia Basque Country, in which a single accident severely injured multiple competitors. Notably, Vingegaard, a three-time Tour champion, suffered from a broken collarbone and several broken ribs. Evenepoel also sustained a collarbone fracture and a scapula injury.
Total Energies’ cyclist, Steff Cras, a Belgian, suffered injuries including a right pneumothorax, several rib fractures, two dorsal vertebral fractures along with dermabrasions, wounds, and several hematomas, as stated by his team. Such incidents, particularly where there are no safety barriers, have sparked again the debate about the safety of riders. The riders need to possibly exercise more caution, as seen from these occurrences.
No doubt, Mathieu van der Poel’s unique talent and undeniable prowess stand out prominently, which is noteworthy considering bicycle racing scenarios. At 29, van der Poel, who is currently the most renowned one-day cyclist in the world, is expected to be the top contender for Paris-Roubaix like none before.
In the last Sunday’s Tour of Flanders, a grueling 270km route from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, he maneuvered the infamous Koppenberg, the twelfth amongst seventeen partially-cobbled and rain drenched climbs with a 20 percent gradient. While the rest cycled with caution, van der Poel escalated his pace to an astonishing two-minute lead before finishing.
Decelerating at the finish line, he stopped pedaling, proudly lifting his bicycle, standing alone relishing his victory. The Dutch man, born in Belgium, celebrates his win in Flanders yet again.
Van der Poel reputation extends beyond victories, renowned for avoiding collisions; an attribute evident in his extraordinary cycling skills. His victorious endeavor in last year’s Paris-Roubaix was marked by a record-breaking average speed of 46.84 km/h (29.10mph).
Despite his Kapellen roots, he firmly identifies as a Dutch cyclist. He celebrated his third win in Flanders just this past Sunday, replicating the feat his father, Adri van der Poel, achieved 38 years ago in 1986. In that race, he narrowly won a four-man sprint finish, beating British English-speaking rider Seán Kelly by the slim margin of his front tyre’s width.
Sadly, that’s the only Monument title that evaded Kelly, yet he remains only one of three English-speaking cyclists to conquer Paris-Roubaix. Additionally, he has the distinction of being the first and only Irish cyclist to secure the most prestigious single-day trophy in cycling not only once but twice, in 1984 and 1986.
According to Kelly, “The competition is gruelling to participate in, yet there’s no victory sweeter.” He further expounds, “You can be at your peak, the best of the best, yet there are numerous hurdles to overcome, including accidents, and mechanical difficulties, among others.”
Indeed, accidents do seem to be an inherent part of the race. In a recent development, Thierry Gouvenou, the race director of Paris-Roubaix, unveiled plans the day before the Itzulia Basque crash for three new speed-restraining chicanes at the opening of Trouée d’Arenberg. This addition is geared toward cutting down the pace of the peloton on the pavé’s fastest sections.
Upon discovering the changes, Van der Poel expressed his disbelief, candidly commenting, “Is this some kind of joke?” However, American cyclist Matteo Jorgenson’s view was more positive. He questioned, “Do spectators really wish to witness cyclists riddled with gashes from plummeting directly on sharp stones at a speed of 50mph/80 km/h in the woods? I would certainly prefer some twists and turns and a few falls on smooth tar any day…”
The allure of Paris-Roubaix is unlikely to diminish if safety measures are heightened. The event is inherently challenging regardless, as displayed in the 1976 race, documented by Jorgen Leth, a Danish filmmaker, in ‘Sunday in Hell’. The final scenes, reminiscent of purgatory, showcase battered cyclists navigating the concrete shower room. Merckx, three-time winner by that point, came sixth and appeared on the brink of exhaustion, while the victor, Marc Demeyer, passed away due to a heart attack half a decade later.
On the other hand, Van der Poel secured his first Milan-San Remo victory last year, 62 years subsequent to his maternal grandfather and revered French cyclist, Raymond Poulidor. Poulidor had been a three-time second place finisher in the Tour de France.
Despite his formidable build, typically seen as a hindrance to Grand Tour accomplishments, Van der Poel remains undaunted. Last month saw him pledge his allegiance to Alpecin-Deceuninck for another half-decade, demonstrating an unwavering loyalty rare in the cycling world.
His pursuit of triumph on Sunday is somewhat simplified by the absence of his fellow Belgian competitor, Wout van Aert. Van Aert received multiple fractures in a collision at last month’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, ending his spring season prematurely, following the same unfortunate path as Vingegaard, Roglic, Vine and Evenepoel.
Whether or not Van der Poel’s success in Paris-Roubaix relies on a spill, the enhancement of rider safety can indeed only boost his odds.