Paris-Roubaix 2025: Everything you need to know

Following the Tour of Flanders, the 2025 Spring Classics move to France for Paris-Roubaix Femmes (12 April) and Paris-Roubaix (13 April). Also referred to as the ‘Hell of the North,’ the races mark the end of the cobbled Classics for another year. Anticipate star-studded line-ups for both races as we preview the courses and the key storylines and show you how to follow the action. 

Paris-Roubaix is the third Monument in the Classics calendar, following Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders. Like Flanders, which takes place a week before, the French race has become woven into the very fabric of the sport.  

Also known as The Hell of the North, L'Enfer du Nord, Queen of the Classics and A Sunday in Hell, Paris-Roubaix epitomises everything unique about bike racing. The brutal cobbles and pavé that define the race, the weather conditions that can vary from sunshine to rain and mudbaths and the full-on commitment from the heroic riders come together to create astonishing moments. Everyone can remember their first Paris-Roubaix, whether from the perspective of an exhausted rider entering the Roubaix velodrome gates for the first time, the cycling fan glued to their screen, or shouting encouragement from the roadside.  

No race on earth comes close to Paris-Roubaix. 

Founded in 1896 and firmly established as one of the oldest races in professional cycling, Paris-Roubaix has become the sport’s most famous one-day race. Heading into its 122nd edition on the men’s side and fifth on the women’s, the list of previous winners on each side of the sport is littered with legends and incredible feats of strength and bravery that have created some of the most amazing moments in cycling history. 

Roger De Vlaeminck and Tom Boonen have the record for the most wins on the men’s side with four apiece, while Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Deceuninck) continues to build on his legacy with two titles already in the bank. No rider has won the women’s race more than once, and 2025 is again expected to be a wide-open affair. 

In total, 13 start towns have been used in the men’s race over the years, with Compiègne the location to hold that honour since 1977. The Roubaix velodrome has been used as the iconic finishing location during two historical periods - between 1943 and 1985 and from 1989 to the present. 

Since its inception, Belgium has dominated the race, with 57 wins to France’s 28. No French rider has won the race since Frédéric Guesdon in 1997. 

The women’s race was established in 2021 but has already become one of the most celebrated races on the Women’s WorldTour calendar.  

The men’s and women’s editions of Paris-Roubaix occur on separate days. The women’s race, Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, takes place on April 12, and the men’s race takes place on April 13. 

Amaury Sport Organisation presented the men’s and women’s Paris-Roubaix race routes in February. The French organisers, who also put on the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, have created a 259.2 km route for the men, while the women’s peloton will tackle 148.5 km. 

Compiègne once more plays host to the start of Paris-Roubaix in 2025, with the men’s peloton racing a gruelling 259.2 km that includes a whopping 30 sectors of cobbles. There have been a couple of modifications to the course from last year, with two new sectors added before the critical Forest of Arenberg and one removed, but the rest of the route remains untouched.  

Heading out from Compiègne, the riders tackle just under 100 km of the course before hitting the first pavé sector at Troisvilles. From that point on, there’s little to no breathing space with back-to-back sectors littering the parcours and wearing down the main field before the new sectors and then the iconic Forest of Arenberg, where the race will likely explode in a flurry of action. Bad luck or poor positioning can end even the strongest rider’s chances, so the fight for the front places will be intense as the peloton hurtles into the sector.  

From that point, there are still 11 sectors of cobbles to race, with Mons-en-Pévèle, Camphin-en-Pévèle, and the always-important Carrefour de l'Arbre before three typically less influential sectors and the famous finish in the Roubaix velodrome. 

Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift 2025 will take on the same course from twelve months ago, with the women’s peloton tackling 29.2 km of cobbles across 17 pavé sectors. The fifth edition of the race will once again start in Denain, with the full route comprising of 148.5 kilometres.  

The race route initially heads south before hooking north and bombarding towards the first sector of cobbles at Hornaing to Wandignies with 85 km remaining. The first sector has a four-star rating of difficulty - with five stars for the hardest - and the peloton will have little respite with sectors at Warlaing to Brillon, Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières, Beuvry-la-Forêt to Orchies, and Orchies coming thick and fast. The four-star Auchy-lez-Orchies to Bersée comes with 54km to go, and it proceeds the five-star Mons-en-Pévèle - the longest sector of cobbles in the entire race. 

The next set of sectors will help wear down the bunch until only the strongest riders and the early break are still in contention. However, sector 5, Camphin-en-Pévèle and the infamous Carrefour de l'Arbre at sector four have the potential to blow the race apart. They’re rated as four and five start sectors, respectively, and they’re the last real opportunities for significant attacks to take place. The final three sectors of pavé are relatively short, although there could be a sting in the tail on the penultimate sector of Willems to Hem with 8.2km remaining. The final sprint on the iconic Roubaix velodrome will again decide the winner. 

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) crushed the opposition in 2024, retaining his crown after going away solo on his Canyon Aeroad with 60km remaining in the race. The two-time race winner will once again start this year’s race as the rider to beat, and the former road world champion will have the full backing of his teammates.  

Even if van der Poel falters, Alpecin-Deceuninck has a ready-made replacement in Jasper Philipsen, who was second in 2023 and 2024! The Belgian’s fast finish makes him another pre-race favourite. The race could be an epic showdown between van der Poel and the current world champion, Tadej Pogačar, who hasn’t ruled out taking part in the race for the first time. 

Winning a third straight title would put van der Poel on par with the only two other riders in history to achieve the feat: Francesco Moser and Octave Lapize. 

In contrast, the women’s race could be a wide-open affair with CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto, Movistar, and Fenix-Deceuninck all expected to send highly competitive teams. The start list for the women’s race has yet to be confirmed, but CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto is likely to rely on Zoe Bäckstedt and Chloé Dygert. 

Movistar has already seen Marlen Reusser hit the ground running since joining the team and racing on a Canyon. She could be a main favourite if she lines up at the race, while Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) is another rider with serious aspirations. Her mountain bike skills from racing on the Canyon Lux World Cup could be helpful over the cobbles. 

Keep an eye out for Cat Ferguson. The former world junior champion is a possible inclusion in what would be her debut in Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift. 

In 2025, the men’s and women’s Paris-Roubaix will be shown on several international channels and streaming services, including Discovery+, TNT, SBS on Demand (Austarlia), and FloBikes (North America).  

You can also follow Canyon's social media channels for news on all our riders during the Spring Classics, and don’t forget to check out our complete guide to the 2025 Spring Classics.