There has been increasing discussion about why Trouée d’Arenberg has not been introduced to Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, but Grace Brown says that the pavé sectors, as a collective, are more important to the route than just one – even one as iconic as the Arenberg.
Organisers ASO have indicated that it is still “too dangerous” to include the Arenberg Forest in the women’s route due to its proximity to the start in Denain. However, with careful route changes and additional pavè sectors added earlier in the race, the women’s event could cross the five-star sector in future editions.
“The cobbles sectors have been the same for each of the three editions, but I agree we shouldn’t start the race on Arenberg, it’s a little bit dangerous for the full peloton to come racing into full speed at that sector,” Brown said on the eve of the third edition of the race.
“If the race becomes longer and we can fit a few more cobble sectors before that, so a small bunch arrives [to the Arenberg], there is potential for it to be included.
“At the same time, one cobble sector doesn’t make Paris-Roubaix, it’s all of them together, so I don’t think we 100% need Arenberg in the race to make it significant.”
Paris-Roubaix Femmes route once again begins in Denain, but the total distance has increased from 124.7km to 145.4km, with the start of the race extended ahead of the first pavé sector – Hornaing to Wandignies.
Although the route does not include the Trouée d’Arenberg, it does offer 29.2km of pavé spread across 17 cobblestone sectors, including five-star sectors Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre.
FDJ-SUEZ previewed the pavé earlier in the week, wearing their special edition orange jerseys used for training, to raise awareness for cyclists’ safety. She said that while it was somewhat dry on Wednesday, she believes that the rain on Thursday and Friday mean that the cobbles could be slippery and muddy come Saturday’s event.
“It’s hard to know what state the cobbles will be in, a little bit dry and a little bit of mud, probably,” said Brown, who missed the muddy inaugural edition won by Lizzie Deignan in 2021 but finished 12th in a dry and fast edition in 2022, won by Elisa Longo Borghini.
“I didn’t do the first edition, so last year it was dusty cobbles and no mud. We rode with a bit of mud during recon, though, and it was slippery but something that you have to deal with when you get there.”
FDJ-SUEZ will also line up with Clara Copponi, Eugenie Duval,…
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