A chicane installed before the Trouée d’Arenberg for Paris Roubaix, Mathieu van der Poel unhappy with the decision

The organizer of Paris-Roubaix announced; this Wednesday, April 3, a modification of the route &agrav; a few days before the race.

This is the news from the last few hours. À a few days before the legendary Paris-Roubaix cycling race, the organizer of the event has announced This Wednesday, April 3, the installation of a chicane on the course, just before the entrance to the legendary Trou'e d'Arenberg. The objective of this modification of the course is to break the speed of the competitors, which could reach 60 ' 70 km/h before this paved sector.

A change requested by cyclists

As Thierry Gouvenou, the race director, clarified, this modification of the route is a request from the union of professional cyclists, concerned about the number and severity ; falls on this paved strip of more than two kilometers. Instead of arriving in a straight line in the Arenberg hole, the runners will go around a central island. The idea is to “approach the gap” through the lens. at a speed of around 25 km/h, he said. &agrav; theAFP the organizer of the race.

Thierry Gouvenou also clarifiedé that this very pronounced chicanery was a temporary solution, and that the organization was thinking of changing it. a less dangerous device for future editions.

Contrasting reactions

The change request may well have been completed. made by the cyclists' union, not everyone appreciated it. this last minute change. This is particularly the case of the great favorite of the edition Mathieu van der Poel. The latter, visibly unhappy with this change, replied "It's a joke?" has a video on X of the plot  of the famous chicane. On the other hand, the winner of the 2022 edition Dylan van Baarle seems on his side to win. satisfied with this modification.

An even more difficult sector ?

Already renowned to be one of the hardest sectors of the Hell of the North, the Arenberg hole should with this chicane be even more complicated this year. Indeed, by breaking the speed before its entry, the organization has also removed the momentum with which the runners arrived. We therefore risk seeing many competitors set up shop. earth in this sector due to the very irregular state of the paving stones in the hole. Already a symbol of the hell that is Paris-Roubaix between the wind, the rain and the cobblestones, the Arenberg hole could this year make even more of a difference, despite its location à approximately 100 kilometers from arrival.