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If you like the drama, crashes and carnage that racing on cobbles brings, then Paris-Roubaix is the race for you. The Hell of the North takes its name from the state of the countryside the organisers found when they checked out the route for the 1919 race after 4 years of war in Northern Europe. However, as always, it will be the pavé sections that will decide the race. There are 27 cobbled sections making up just over 52km of pavé in the 2015 edition, which the organisers rank giving a star rating from * to ***** based on their length, difficulty, general condition and strategic importance based on how far remains in the race. The sections count downwards, so the last section is no.1 at Roubaix. Of particular interest this year will be sections 25, 24 and 22, which are included on Stage 4 of the Tour de France. Section 18 at Forest of Arenberg will be one of the telling points of the race, with a very difficult 2400m section of pavé. With 100km to go Arenberg is unlikely to be decisive, but judging by past years two of the sectors likely to see a selection made will be Mons-en-Pévèle (10) at 204.5km and Le Carrefour de l'Arbre (4) at 236.5km.

The other thing to consider is the weather. If it's dry the cobbles throw up dust but that is probably preferable to the slippy, muddy state the cobbles get in to when it rains. It stayed dry for Tour of Flanders last week, but if the rain comes this can turn really nasty.



This is a race for the ultimate hardmen. Again, the race could be considered lessened by the absence of Cancellara and Boonen, but there are plenty of stars waiting to take the crown. After 253km of hell they finish as always in the Roubaix velodrome, where the first man over the line receive the Paris-Roubaix trophy, manufactured from one of the famous cobbles.




52.7km of cobbles: The star ratings
27. Troisvilles (km 98,5 - 2200 m) +++
26. Viesly (km 105 - 1800 m) +++
25. Quievy (km 108 - 3700 m) ++++
24. Saint-Python (km 112,5 - 1500 m) ++
23. Vertain (km 120,5 - 2300 m) +++
22. Verchain-Maugré (km 130 - 1600 m) +++
21. Quérénaing - Maing (km 133,5 - 2500 m) +++
20. Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 136,5 - 1600 m) +++
19. Haveluy (km 149,5 - 2500 m) ++++
18. Trouée d'Arenberg (km 158 - 2400 m) +++++
17. Wallers - Hélesmes, dit « Pont Gibus » (km 164 - 1600 m) +++
16. Hornaing (km 170,5 - 3700 m) ++++
15. Warlaing - Brillon (km 178 - 2400 m) +++
14. Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosières (km 181,5 - 2400 m) ++++
13. Beuvry-la-Forêt - Orchies (km 188 - 1400m) +++
12. Orchies (km 193 - 1700 m) +++
11. Auchy-lez-Orchies - Bersée (km 199 - 2700 m) ++++
10. Mons-en-Pévèle (km 204,5 - 3000 m) +++++
9. Mérignies - Avelin (km 210,5 - 700 m) ++
8. Pont-Thibaut (km 214 - 1400 m) +++
7. Templeuve - Moulin de Vertain (km 220 - 500 m) ++
6. Cysoing - Bourghelles (km 226,5 - 1300 m) +++
Bourghelles - Wannehain (km 229 - 1100 m) +++
5. Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 233,5 - 1800 m) ++++
4. Le Carrefour de l'Arbre (km 236,5 - 2100 m) +++++
3. Gruson (km 238,5 - 1100 m) ++
2. Hem (km 245,5 - 1400 m) ++
1. Roubaix (km 252 - 300 m) + 

10. Mons-en-Pévèle (km 204,5 - 3000 m) +++++
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4. Le Carrefour de l'Arbre (km 236,5 - 2100 m) +++++
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Paris-Roubaix Previous Winners
2014 | TERPSTRA Niki
2013 | CANCELLARA Fabian
2012 | BOONEN Tom
2011 | VANSUMMEREN Johan
2010 | CANCELLARA Fabian
2009 | BOONEN Tom
2008 | BOONEN Tom
2007 | O'GRADY Stuart
2006 | CANCELLARA Fabian
2005 | BOONEN Tom

Top-10 2014 Paris-Roubaix
1.TERPSTRA Niki 6:09:01
2.DEGENKOLB John 0:20
3.CANCELLARA Fabian ,,
4.VANMARCKE Sep ,,
5.ŠTYBAR Zdeněk ,,
6.SAGAN Peter ,,
7.THOMAS Geraint ,,
8.LANGEVELD Sebastian ,,
9.WIGGINS Bradley ,,
10.BOONEN Tom ,,

Startlist http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Paris_Roubaix_2015-startlist

Market
Kristoff 6/1
Stybar 8/1
Vanmarcke 8/1
Degenkolb 9/1
Wiggins 9/1
Terpstra 9/1
Thomas 12/1
Sagan 14/1
Van Avermaet 14/1
Boom 20/1
Stannard 33/1
Demare 40/1
Roelandts 40/1
Vandenbergh 40/1
Griepel 50/1
Oss 50/1