Preparation guide · Paris–Roubaix Challenge
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 2027: how to prepare it and what to eat and drink
The next edition is on Saturday 10 April 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held on 11 April. Start time is indicative), starting in Northern France (check the start for your distance on the official website) at 7:00. Here you have the route of Paris–Roubaix Challenge 70 km, Paris–Roubaix Challenge 145 km and Paris–Roubaix Challenge 170 km, its climbs, the usual weather and how much to eat and drink for your target time.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 70 km: route and profile
70 kmofficial distance
167 melevation gain
71 mhighest point
0long climbs
Amateur Challenge route (not the professional classic); official 2026 GPX. Sectors located on the track; official race lengths and star ratings.
The cobbled sectors, one by one
| Sector | Length | Surface and how to tackle it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Templeuve (L'Épinette y Moulin-de-Vertain) km 38.4 | 0.7 km | Two short stretches by the Vertain windmill. Short but with bends: brake before going in and don't take risks to overtake. |
| 2. Cysoing → Bourghelles km 44.9 | 1.3 km | Uneven stones and a tight bend. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 3. Bourghelles → Wannehain km 46.2 | 1.1 km | Short, narrow sector. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 4. Camphin-en-Pévèle km 50.3 | 1.8 km | ★★★★ · Very broken stones on a narrow lane, linked straight to the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Go in well placed without emptying yourself: there's hardly any tarmac before the Carrefour. |
| 5. Carrefour de l'Arbre km 53 | 2.1 km | ★★★★★ · The last five-star one: very broken stones, right-angle bends and a second half worse than the first up to the L'Arbre café, with wind. You arrive with everything piled up: whatever you have left, spend it here, wisely. Loose hands, the crown of the road and brake before the bends. After this there are just three easy sectors left. |
| 6. Gruson km 55.3 | 1.1 km | Short, smoother sector right after the Carrefour. Breathe and ease off: the worst is done. |
| 7. Willems → Hem km 63 | 1.4 km | Second-to-last sector, with a tight bend at the entry. Careful with the entry bend and with rushing: at this point lots of people crash through fatigue. |
| 8. Roubaix (Espace Charles Crupelandt) km 70.2 | 0.3 km | Smooth, symbolic pavé on the way into Roubaix, before the lap and a half of the velodrome. Enjoy it: the finish in the Roubaix velodrome is all that's left. Careful entering the track. |
Route keys
- This is the April Paris–Roubaix Challenge, the amateur ride the day before the professional race, finishing in the Roubaix velodrome. Not the VC Roubaix cyclo-sportive in May (which has its own page).
- There are no climbs here: what tires you is the pavé, each sector 4 to 8 minutes close to threshold with your hands and back suffering. Train long rides with 5–8 minute blocks at 90–95 % of FTP.
- The cobbled sectors are ridden with rhythm, not flat out: 30–32 mm tyres, tubeless if you can and less pressure than on tarmac (3.8–4.3 bar on 30–32 mm for about 70–75 kg), loose hands on the tops and no braking on the stones.
- The three five-star sectors (Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre) decide your day: reach them fed, watered and well placed.
4 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 70 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 h | 60 g/h | 145 g | 400 ml/h | 1.2 l | 300 mg/h |
| 3 h 45 | 75 g/h | 220 g | 400 ml/h | 1.5 l | 300 mg/h |
| 4 h 30 | 75 g/h | 255 g | 400 ml/h | 1.8 l | 300 mg/h |
| 5 h 15 | 75 g/h | 330 g | 400 ml/h | 2.1 l | 300 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
One feed station (kilometre not confirmed): 226ERS drinks, bars and gels, fruit and biscuits.
The organisers don't publish the kilometre of each station. When they do, mark them in WinWatts and you'll see how much to eat and drink between them at your pace on every climb.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 70 km: weather in early April
What the weather was like on the Challenge Saturday in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 ºC | 4 ºC | 0.0 mm | 11 km/h |
| 2023 | 4 ºC | 7 ºC | 0.0 mm | 8 km/h |
| 2024 | 12 ºC | 14 ºC | 0.0 mm | 12 km/h |
| 2025 | 7 ºC | 9 ºC | 0.0 mm | 12 km/h |
| 2026 | 8 ºC | 10 ºC | 0.0 mm | 18 km/h |
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 145 km: route and profile
145 kmofficial distance
237 melevation gain
71 mhighest point
0long climbs
Amateur Challenge route (not the professional classic); official 2026 GPX. Sectors located on the track; official race lengths and star ratings.
The cobbled sectors, one by one
| Sector | Length | Surface and how to tackle it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Trouée d'Arenberg km 51.3 | 2.3 km | ★★★★★ · The straight through the Arenberg forest: 2.3 km of huge, widely spaced stones, damp and mossy under the trees, entered very fast on a slight descent. Go in with your gear chosen, without braking on the stones, and ride the middle (the crown), which is the least bad. Look far ahead, not at the wheel in front, and leave a gap: lots of punctures and crashes here. In the wet, grip sets the pace, not your legs. |
| 2. Wallers → Hélesmes km 57.4 | 1.6 km | Right after Arenberg, with legs and arms still shaking. Loosen your hands and breathe: it's the sector to recover from Arenberg, not to make up time. |
| 3. Hornaing → Wandignies km 64.1 | 3.7 km | ★★★★ · The longest of Roubaix: 3.7 km of uneven stones, straight and exposed. Split it into three parts and keep a steady rhythm. Drink and eat just before: inside it's 7–10 minutes without letting go of the bars. |
| 4. Warlaing → Brillon km 71.6 | 2.4 km | Uneven stones, often with mud along the edges. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 5. Tilloy → Sars-et-Rosières km 75.1 | 2.4 km | ★★★★ · Very broken stones with bends, one of the hardest in the middle of the event. Seated, loose hands and braking before the bends. If your hands start to hurt, change your grip on the tarmac afterwards. |
| 6. Beuvry-la-Forêt → Orchies km 81.9 | 1.4 km | Short sector with uneven stones. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 7. Orchies km 86.8 | 1.7 km | Lane between fields on the way out of Orchies. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 8. Auchy-lez-Orchies → Bersée km 92.9 | 2.7 km | ★★★★ · Long, with uneven stones and right-angle bends, often windy. Steady rhythm and set up before the bends. Mons-en-Pévèle is next: don't empty yourself here. |
| 9. Mons-en-Pévèle km 98.3 | 3 km | ★★★★★ · 3 km of very uneven stones, with right-angle bends and exposed to the wind on top of the plateau. One of the three hardest: a gel before going in, brake before every bend and find the middle. In a crosswind, everyone takes their own line, without sitting on the wheel. |
| 10. Mérignies → Avelin km 104.4 | 0.7 km | Short sector. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 11. Pont-Thibault → Ennevelin km 107.8 | 1.4 km | Uneven stones between fields, with a bend at the entry. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 12. Templeuve (L'Épinette y Moulin-de-Vertain) km 113.8 | 0.7 km | Two short stretches by the Vertain windmill. Short but with bends: brake before going in and don't take risks to overtake. |
| 13. Cysoing → Bourghelles km 120.2 | 1.3 km | Uneven stones and a tight bend. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 14. Bourghelles → Wannehain km 121.6 | 1.1 km | Short, narrow sector. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 15. Camphin-en-Pévèle km 125.6 | 1.8 km | ★★★★ · Very broken stones on a narrow lane, linked straight to the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Go in well placed without emptying yourself: there's hardly any tarmac before the Carrefour. |
| 16. Carrefour de l'Arbre km 128.4 | 2.1 km | ★★★★★ · The last five-star one: very broken stones, right-angle bends and a second half worse than the first up to the L'Arbre café, with wind. You arrive with everything piled up: whatever you have left, spend it here, wisely. Loose hands, the crown of the road and brake before the bends. After this there are just three easy sectors left. |
| 17. Gruson km 130.6 | 1.1 km | Short, smoother sector right after the Carrefour. Breathe and ease off: the worst is done. |
| 18. Willems → Hem km 138.3 | 1.4 km | Second-to-last sector, with a tight bend at the entry. Careful with the entry bend and with rushing: at this point lots of people crash through fatigue. |
| 19. Roubaix (Espace Charles Crupelandt) km 145.6 | 0.3 km | Smooth, symbolic pavé on the way into Roubaix, before the lap and a half of the velodrome. Enjoy it: the finish in the Roubaix velodrome is all that's left. Careful entering the track. |
Route keys
- This is the April Paris–Roubaix Challenge, the amateur ride the day before the professional race, finishing in the Roubaix velodrome. Not the VC Roubaix cyclo-sportive in May (which has its own page).
- There are no climbs here: what tires you is the pavé, each sector 4 to 8 minutes close to threshold with your hands and back suffering. Train long rides with 5–8 minute blocks at 90–95 % of FTP.
- The cobbled sectors are ridden with rhythm, not flat out: 30–32 mm tyres, tubeless if you can and less pressure than on tarmac (3.8–4.3 bar on 30–32 mm for about 70–75 kg), loose hands on the tops and no braking on the stones.
- The three five-star sectors (Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre) decide your day: reach them fed, watered and well placed.
4 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 145 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 h | 75 g/h | 365 g | 400 ml/h | 2.4 l | 300 mg/h |
| 7 h | 75 g/h | 440 g | 400 ml/h | 2.8 l | 300 mg/h |
| 8 h | 75 g/h | 515 g | 400 ml/h | 3.2 l | 300 mg/h |
| 9 h | 75 g/h | 585 g | 400 ml/h | 3.6 l | 300 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Three stations roughly 35–50 km apart (exact location not published): 226ERS drinks, bars and gels, fruit and biscuits.
The organisers don't publish the kilometre of each station. When they do, mark them in WinWatts and you'll see how much to eat and drink between them at your pace on every climb.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 145 km: weather in early April
What the weather was like on the Challenge Saturday in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 ºC | 8 ºC | 0.0 mm | 17 km/h |
| 2023 | 4 ºC | 9 ºC | 0.1 mm | 13 km/h |
| 2024 | 12 ºC | 18 ºC | 0.0 mm | 15 km/h |
| 2025 | 7 ºC | 15 ºC | 0.0 mm | 11 km/h |
| 2026 | 8 ºC | 14 ºC | 0.0 mm | 18 km/h |
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 170 km: route and profile
170 kmofficial distance
435 melevation gain
151 mhighest point
0long climbs
Amateur Challenge route (not the professional classic); official 2026 GPX. Sectors located on the track; official race lengths and star ratings.
The cobbled sectors, one by one
| Sector | Length | Surface and how to tackle it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Troisvilles → Inchy km 11.3 | 2.2 km | The first sector: uneven stones between fields, with lots of riders going in at once. Go in calmly and well placed: the first sector is where silly crashes and dropped bottles happen. Here you learn the line, you don't gain time. |
| 2. Viesly → Quiévy km 17.7 | 1.8 km | Farm track with worn stones and a few bends. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 3. Quiévy → Saint-Python km 20.3 | 3.7 km | ★★★★ · One of the longest, on a slight uphill drag: uneven, wearing stones. It's long: spread the effort and don't start it flat out. A slightly easier gear than on the flat and loose hands. |
| 4. Viesly → Briastre km 26.5 | 3 km | Long, open sector exposed to the wind. If there's a crosswind, find shelter in a group before going in; inside, everyone takes their own line. |
| 5. Briastre km 30.3 | 0.8 km | Short sector climbing on the stones. Seated, with the gear chosen beforehand: standing, the rear wheel slips. |
| 6. Haussy km 39.1 | 0.9 km | Short sector between fields. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 7. Saulzoir → Verchain-Maugré km 46 | 1.2 km | Two short stretches of stones with tarmac in between. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 8. Verchain-Maugré → Quérénaing km 50.3 | 1.6 km | Uneven stones with right-angle bends. Brake before the bends, on the tarmac or on the straight: on stones in a bend the wheel slides out. |
| 9. Quérénaing → Maing km 53 | 2.5 km | Long, flat sector between fields. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 10. Maing → Monchaux-sur-Écaillon km 56.1 | 1.6 km | Country lane with uneven stones. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 11. Haveluy → Wallers km 68.5 | 2.5 km | ★★★★ · Very uneven stones and the gateway to Arenberg: you arrive fast and nervy. Don't get carried away by the group's hurry: the hard part comes right after. Eat something on the tarmac between this and Arenberg. |
| 12. Trouée d'Arenberg km 77.9 | 2.3 km | ★★★★★ · The straight through the Arenberg forest: 2.3 km of huge, widely spaced stones, damp and mossy under the trees, entered very fast on a slight descent. Go in with your gear chosen, without braking on the stones, and ride the middle (the crown), which is the least bad. Look far ahead, not at the wheel in front, and leave a gap: lots of punctures and crashes here. In the wet, grip sets the pace, not your legs. |
| 13. Wallers → Hélesmes km 84 | 1.6 km | Right after Arenberg, with legs and arms still shaking. Loosen your hands and breathe: it's the sector to recover from Arenberg, not to make up time. |
| 14. Hornaing → Wandignies km 90.7 | 3.7 km | ★★★★ · The longest of Roubaix: 3.7 km of uneven stones, straight and exposed. Split it into three parts and keep a steady rhythm. Drink and eat just before: inside it's 7–10 minutes without letting go of the bars. |
| 15. Warlaing → Brillon km 98.2 | 2.4 km | Uneven stones, often with mud along the edges. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 16. Tilloy → Sars-et-Rosières km 101.7 | 2.4 km | ★★★★ · Very broken stones with bends, one of the hardest in the middle of the event. Seated, loose hands and braking before the bends. If your hands start to hurt, change your grip on the tarmac afterwards. |
| 17. Beuvry-la-Forêt → Orchies km 108.6 | 1.4 km | Short sector with uneven stones. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 18. Orchies km 113.6 | 1.7 km | Lane between fields on the way out of Orchies. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 19. Auchy-lez-Orchies → Bersée km 119.7 | 2.7 km | ★★★★ · Long, with uneven stones and right-angle bends, often windy. Steady rhythm and set up before the bends. Mons-en-Pévèle is next: don't empty yourself here. |
| 20. Mons-en-Pévèle km 125.1 | 3 km | ★★★★★ · 3 km of very uneven stones, with right-angle bends and exposed to the wind on top of the plateau. One of the three hardest: a gel before going in, brake before every bend and find the middle. In a crosswind, everyone takes their own line, without sitting on the wheel. |
| 21. Mérignies → Avelin km 131.2 | 0.7 km | Short sector. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 22. Pont-Thibault → Ennevelin km 134.6 | 1.4 km | Uneven stones between fields, with a bend at the entry. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 23. Templeuve (L'Épinette y Moulin-de-Vertain) km 140.7 | 0.7 km | Two short stretches by the Vertain windmill. Short but with bends: brake before going in and don't take risks to overtake. |
| 24. Cysoing → Bourghelles km 147.1 | 1.3 km | Uneven stones and a tight bend. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 25. Bourghelles → Wannehain km 148.5 | 1.1 km | Short, narrow sector. Ride it with rhythm, without going too deep: it's one more in the series. Eat and drink before it, on the tarmac. |
| 26. Camphin-en-Pévèle km 152.5 | 1.8 km | ★★★★ · Very broken stones on a narrow lane, linked straight to the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Go in well placed without emptying yourself: there's hardly any tarmac before the Carrefour. |
| 27. Carrefour de l'Arbre km 155.3 | 2.1 km | ★★★★★ · The last five-star one: very broken stones, right-angle bends and a second half worse than the first up to the L'Arbre café, with wind. You arrive with everything piled up: whatever you have left, spend it here, wisely. Loose hands, the crown of the road and brake before the bends. After this there are just three easy sectors left. |
| 28. Gruson km 157.6 | 1.1 km | Short, smoother sector right after the Carrefour. Breathe and ease off: the worst is done. |
| 29. Willems → Hem km 165.4 | 1.4 km | Second-to-last sector, with a tight bend at the entry. Careful with the entry bend and with rushing: at this point lots of people crash through fatigue. |
| 30. Roubaix (Espace Charles Crupelandt) km 172.9 | 0.3 km | Smooth, symbolic pavé on the way into Roubaix, before the lap and a half of the velodrome. Enjoy it: the finish in the Roubaix velodrome is all that's left. Careful entering the track. |
Route keys
- This is the April Paris–Roubaix Challenge, the amateur ride the day before the professional race, finishing in the Roubaix velodrome. Not the VC Roubaix cyclo-sportive in May (which has its own page).
- There are no climbs here: what tires you is the pavé, each sector 4 to 8 minutes close to threshold with your hands and back suffering. Train long rides with 5–8 minute blocks at 90–95 % of FTP.
- The cobbled sectors are ridden with rhythm, not flat out: 30–32 mm tyres, tubeless if you can and less pressure than on tarmac (3.8–4.3 bar on 30–32 mm for about 70–75 kg), loose hands on the tops and no braking on the stones.
- The three five-star sectors (Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l'Arbre) decide your day: reach them fed, watered and well placed.
4 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 170 km: what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 h | 75 g/h | 440 g | 400 ml/h | 2.8 l | 300 mg/h |
| 8 h | 75 g/h | 515 g | 400 ml/h | 3.2 l | 300 mg/h |
| 9 h | 75 g/h | 585 g | 400 ml/h | 3.6 l | 300 mg/h |
| 10 h | 75 g/h | 660 g | 450 ml/h | 4.5 l | 300 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Three stations roughly 35–50 km apart (exact location not published): 226ERS drinks, bars and gels, fruit and biscuits.
The organisers don't publish the kilometre of each station. When they do, mark them in WinWatts and you'll see how much to eat and drink between them at your pace on every climb.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge 170 km: weather in early April
What the weather was like on the Challenge Saturday in recent editions:
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 ºC | 9 ºC | 0.0 mm | 17 km/h |
| 2023 | 3 ºC | 10 ºC | 0.1 mm | 13 km/h |
| 2024 | 11 ºC | 20 ºC | 0.0 mm | 18 km/h |
| 2025 | 9 ºC | 18 ºC | 0.0 mm | 14 km/h |
| 2026 | 8 ºC | 16 ºC | 0.3 mm | 21 km/h |
Your Paris–Roubaix Challenge, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical rider. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time, average power and finish time from your FTP and weight.
- The race-day forecast for each section, and what to wear.
- Your food and drink plan kilometre by kilometre, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Saturday 10 April 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the Paris–Roubaix Challenge. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Distances and feed stations from the official website and a 2026 guide; the historical official GPX is from 2025; weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.