On April 12, the Paris–Roubaix returns to the brutal cobblestones of northern France. In 2026, the race will take place on a single day, as organizers have opted to avoid the traditional weekend double-header format.
First held in 1896, Paris–Roubaix is one of the oldest cycling races in the world. The women’s race, however, only debuted in 2021. Born from a story involving entrepreneurs, newspapers, and profit-driven ambition, the event has grown into a legend. Over time, it earned iconic nicknames such as “The Queen of the Classics” and “The Hell of the North”, and it remains one of the most prestigious victories in professional cycling.
2025 Recap
In 2025, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot made a sensational return to road racing, launching a decisive solo attack on the only slight uphill section to secure a memorable victory. Letizia Borghesi delivered a career-best performance to finish second, while Lorena Wiebes completed the podium.
The following day, Mathieu van der Poel claimed his third consecutive Paris–Roubaix title, holding off a strong challenge from Tadej Pogačar. Pogačar crashed with 38 km to go and never managed to reconnect with the Dutchman.
Key Information
Date: April 12, 2026 (Sunday)
Start: Women – Denain | Men – Compiègne
Finish: Roubaix Velodrome
Distance: Women – 143.1 km | Men – 258.3 km
Cobblestones: Women – 33.7 km (17 sectors) | Men – 54.8 km (30 sectors)
2025 Winners:
Women – Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Team Visma | Lease a Bike)
Men – Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Deceuninck)
Record Wins: Tom Boonen and Roger De Vlaeminck (4 each)
Men’s Route
The 2026 route remains largely similar to recent editions, with minor adjustments in the early cobbled sectors. The first two sectors remain unchanged, while the third has been modified. Organizers have also introduced an additional cobbled section—an 800-meter uphill stretch rated three stars—perhaps favoring certain riders. Cobblestones make up 54.8 km, around 20% of the total race distance.
As always, attention centers on the three decisive five-star sectors:
Trouée d'Arenberg
Mons-en-Pévèle
Carrefour de l'Arbre
Despite being nearly 100 km from the finish, Arenberg often shatters the peloton with crashes and mechanicals. Carrefour de l’Arbre, 2.1 km long, frequently serves as the final launchpad for race-winning attacks.
In 2023, Van der Poel attacked here after Wout van Aert suffered a puncture—an iconic moment. From there, riders head to Roubaix Velodrome for the final lap and sprint finish.
Women’s Route
The women’s race features 33.7 km of cobbles across 20 sectors, an increase of 4.5 km from the previous year. Riders will cover selected men’s sectors but still skip Arenberg, a decision many fans hope will change in the future.
Race Outlook
Paris–Roubaix is often described as a lottery. A single puncture, crash, or moment of hesitation can end any rider’s chances.
However, for the men’s race, it may feel less like a lottery due to the dominance of Mathieu van der Poel, who is targeting a fourth consecutive victory.
His biggest rival is Tadej Pogačar. After crashing in his debut, the Slovenian returns in 2026 in exceptional form, having already won two Monuments this season. While the flat terrain favors Van der Poel, a victory here would allow Pogačar to complete all five Monuments.
Other Contenders (Men)
Key challengers include:
Wout van Aert (seeking first win of the season)
Filippo Ganna (recent Dwars door Vlaanderen winner)
Mads Pedersen (Lidl–Trek)
If it comes down to a sprint in the velodrome, watch:
Jasper Philipsen
Jonathan Milan
Matthew Brennan
Jordi Meeus
Arnaud De Lie
Women’s Favorites
The start list is still evolving, but key names include:
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx–Protime)
Notably, the race has yet to produce a repeat winner.
Other contenders:
Marianne Vos
Elisa Balsamo
Lara Gillespie
Shari Bossuyt
FDJ–SUEZ fields a strong lineup including Élise Chabbey and Franziska Koch.
Rising stars to watch:
Cat Ferguson
Zoë Bäckstedt
⭐ Predictions
Men
★★★★★: Mathieu van der Poel
★★★★: Tadej Pogačar
★★★: Wout van Aert, Jasper Philipsen, Mads Pedersen
★★: Filippo Ganna, Florian Vermeersch, Christophe Laporte
★: Gianni Vermeersch, Laurence Pithie, Alec Segaert, Matej Mohorič, Jasper Stuyven
Women
★★★★★: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Lotte Kopecky
★★★★: Lorena Wiebes
★★★: Marianne Vos, Elisa Balsamo, Zoë Bäckstedt, Élise Chabbey
★★: Shari Bossuyt, Franziska Koch, Letizia Borghesi
★: Cat Ferguson, Pfeiffer Georgi
Mathieu van der Poel
Tadej Pogačar
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
Lotte Kopecky
Lorena Wiebes
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