Some of the most brutal cobblestone sections at Paris-Roubaix are even more unforgiving now than they usually are.
Race director Thierry Gouvenou says cobblestones are disappearing from the iconic sections at an alarming pace, leaving large gaps in the road that could spell trouble for riders in Sunday's prestigious race.
According to Race Director Thierry Gouvenou, cycling fans dig up the stones to take them home as souvenirs. A dangerous trend, as it can have fatal consequences if the gaps are not discovered and filled.
“We are dealing with this more and more. In the Forest of Wallers, and also in the Carrefour de l’Arbre sector, we have a lot of extra work", says Gouvenou to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“These are mythical sectors, and people steal cobblestones to take them home as souvenirs. What they don’t realise is that by doing so, they create large and deep holes in the road. It is incomprehensible that they don’t think about the consequences this can have for the race. That will inevitably cause crashes in both the women’s and men’s races on Sunday,” he continued.
“What these people do can be extremely dangerous. Just imagine what happens if riders hit one of those holes… They go through this sector at speeds of 50 kilometres per hour."
Thierry Gouvenou says that cobblestone thieves are only part of the challenge of ensuring safe conditions for riders, while wild boar remain a concern for the organisers.
“Those animals feel at home in the Forest. They bring a lot of soil and leaves onto the sectors. We try to clean it as best as possible. But all of that pales in comparison to the much bigger concern in recent years, people digging up cobblestones and taking them away.”
Paris-Roubaix, often called l'enfer du Nord or "Hell of the North features iconic, difficult cobblestone sectors - such as the Trouée d'Arenberg (Arenberg Trench) - that are notoriously hard to navigate, often resulting in crashes, punctures, and broken equipment.
The 123rd edition of Paris-Roubaix will take place on Sunday with Tadej Pogacar as the defending champion.
