Paris-Roubaix Challenge

Almost flat, and still one of the hardest days an amateur can choose. The 2027 edition offers routes of 70, 145 and 170 km, with 8, 19 and 30 cobbled sectors, the longest covering every sector of the race, about 50 km of stone. The two longer options take in the Trouée d'Arenberg, a straight 2.3 km of rough cobbles through the forest. Every route finishes as the professionals do, in the Roubaix velodrome. The 2027 edition is on Saturday, April 10, the day before the race. Fitness on the flat matters less than bike setup and the nerve to hold speed over the stones: wide tires at lower pressure, double bar tape and well-tightened bottles pay off here. Rain turns the sectors to mud and makes the whole day a lottery.