Paris–Roubaix Challenge: routes, cobbles and how to prepare
- Distance
- 174 km
- Climbing
- 815 m
- Highest point
- 151 m
- Categorised climbs
- 3 · up to 5 %
- Shape
- Point to point
Measured on the Discover route you ride free. The organiser's own figures are below.
Elevation profile
14–151 m · 3 categorised climbsThe Paris–Roubaix Challenge lets amateur riders take on the cobbled sectors of the Hell of the North the day before the professional race, finishing with a lap of the Roubaix velodrome. The 17th edition is on Saturday 10 April 2027. In 2025 there were three routes: the Hell of the North, 170 km with 30 cobbled sectors from Busigny; the Legendary, 145 km with 19 sectors; and the Discovery, 70 km with 8.
Paris–Roubaix Challenge at a glance
- Where
- Busigny / Roubaix, France
- Official website
- parisroubaixchallenge.com ↗
- Next edition
- 10 April 2027
- Routes
- Hell of the North: 170 km · The Legendary: 145 km · The Discovery: 70 km
- Terrain
- Rolling to flat
- Facts checked
- 4 November 2026, against the sources below
Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Free to ride. This course is one of Discover's Iconic events. Ride it free
The routes
The Paris–Roubaix Challenge offers 3 routes.
| Route | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| Hell of the North (30 cobbled sectors) | 170 km | — |
| The Legendary (19 cobbled sectors) | 145 km | — |
| The Discovery (8 cobbled sectors) | 70 km | — |
What the course asks of you
There are no climbs: the difficulty is the cobbles. The sectors, from a few hundred metres to several kilometres long, are rough, uneven and often dusty or muddy, and the most famous of them — the Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle, the Carrefour de l'Arbre — come in sequence on the longer routes.
On the cobbles, ride a big gear at a steady, high effort, hold the bars loosely and keep your weight back; slowing down makes it worse. Wider tyres at lower pressure matter as much as fitness, and hands and shoulders need training too.
How to prepare
The general shape of a good preparation, which Event Coach turns into a plan for your fitness, time and date:
- Train sustained endurance and tempo: long efforts at a steady, comfortably hard pace are what a flat day like the Paris–Roubaix Challenge asks.
- Build the long ride towards 170 km: on the flat there is no climb to rest on the way down, you pedal all the time.
- Ride in a group in training and learn to share the work: on flat roads, the wind and the wheel in front decide the day.
Pacing mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost riders the most on a day like this:
- Riding the first hour of the Paris–Roubaix Challenge too hard because the speed feels free in a big group.
- Spending time on the front alone into the wind, when a wheel would carry you for a fraction of the effort.
- Eating too little: on a flat day you never stop pedalling, and the energy runs out without warning.
Prepare the Paris–Roubaix Challenge with Cycloscape
Tell Event Coach you are doing the Paris–Roubaix Challenge, your route and what you want from the day, and it builds your preparation towards 10 April 2027: structured workouts held by your trainer in ERG, Race Pacing for how to spend your effort, and Performance Lab to see whether the work is landing. Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Frequently asked
When is the Paris–Roubaix Challenge 2027?
On Saturday, 10 April 2027, according to the organiser.
How long are the routes of the Paris–Roubaix Challenge?
Hell of the North: 170 km; The Legendary: 145 km; The Discovery: 70 km. The 2025 routes as the organiser listed them; all finish at the Roubaix velodrome.
How many riders take part?
About 6,500 amateur riders were expected in 2026, according to the organiser.
Can I ride the course of the Paris–Roubaix Challenge in Cycloscape?
Yes, free: it is one of Discover's Iconic events. Event Coach adds the preparation around it.