Did you know that it was Le Paris Roubaix today?

What is Le Paris Roubaix?  It is one of the oldest and most prestigious cycling race ( l'une des plus vieilles et des plus prestigieuses courses cyclistes). It started in 1896 and has been going eversince, except during the two world wars. This year was the 113th ( la 113 ème édition).
It used to start from Paris, not anymore, it has been starting from Compiègne since 1977, it covers a distance of more than 250km.
It is called either:
L'enfer du nord ( the hell of the North)
Or: La Pascale, because it is around Easter time, we talk of le week-end pascal ( the Easter weekend)
Or: La reine des classiques ( the queen of the classical races)
The race has 27 sections of cobbles ( des pavés) on a distance of 57 km, one of the most famous sections is at le Carrefour de l'Arbre. These cobbles increase the chances of nasty falls ( des mauvaises chutes ) or punctures ( des crevaisons) which explain why it is called L'enfer du nord.

 

The last French cyclist ( le dernier cycliste français) to win the race was Frédéric Guesdon in 1997.

 

This year it has been won by a German, John Degenkolb.
The trophy is a cobble: un pavé

 

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