Paris-Roubaix Recon – Weather outlook, the ‘chicane’, and a last taste of the cobbles before race day

Following several days of intense debate about the Paris-Roubaix chicane and a wider issue of safety in races, defending champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and other riders headed out for a final reconnaissance of the cobbles on Friday.

The women opted for shorter rides and avoided the Arenberg forest sector before their race from Denain to Roubaix on Saturday. Arguably the most treacherous sector of cobbles is not (yet) included in the Paris-Roubaix Femmes, with different opinions on if it should be.