Press releases



Issy-les-Moulineaux, 3rd of April 2006

52,7 KMS OF COBBLED PATHS: THE NOTES

Based on the scrutineering made on the course on the 3rd of April by Jean-François Pescheux and his team, the organisers have given levels of difficulty to the 27 cobbled sections of the race, evaluated on their lengths, the state of the portion and its place. The section of the Wallers-Arenberg forest, that went through repairs during the winter will be back on the race course after a one-year absence. The total number of kilometres of these cobbled sections is 52,7 (54,7 kms in 2005).

 

The 27 cobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix
27. Troisvilles
(km 98 - 2200 m)
     
26. Viesly
(km 104,5 - 1800 m) 
  12. Orchies
(km 198,5 – 1700 m) 
25. Quievy
(km 107 - 3700 m) 
  11. Auchy-lez-Orchies - Bersée
(km 205 – 2600 m)
24. Saint-Python
(km 112 - 1500 m) 
  10. Mons-en-Pévèle
(km 210,5 – 3000 m)
23. Vertain (km 119,5 - 1900 m)    9. Mérignies – Pont-à-Marcq
(km 216,5 – 700 m) 
22. Capelle-sur-Ecaillon – Le Buat
(km 126,5 – 1700 m)
  8. Pont-Thibaut
(km 219,5 – 1400 m) 
21. Verchain-Maugré - Quérénaing
(km 138 – 1600 m)
  7. Templeuve l’Epinette
(km 225 – 200 m) 
20. Querenaing - Maing
(km 141 – 2500 m)
  Le Moulin de Vertain
(km 225,5 – 500 m)
19. Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon
(km 144 - 1600 m)
  6. Cysoing - Bourghelles
(km 232 – 1400 m)
18. Haveluy
(km 155,5 – 2500 m)
  Bourghelles – Wannehain
(km 234,5 – 1100 m)
17. Trouée d’Arenberg
(km 163,5 – 2400 m)
  5. Camphin-en-Pévèle
(km 239 – 1800 m) 
16. Wallers – Hélesmes
(km 170 – 1600 m
  4. Le Carrefour de l’Arbre
(km 242 – 2100 m)
15. Hornaing - Wandignies
(km 176,5 – 3700 m) 
  3. Gruson
(km 244 – 1100 m) 
14. Warlaing - Brillon
(km 184 – 2400 m) 
  2. Hem
(km 251 – 1400 m) 
13. Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosières
(187,5 – 2400 m) 
  1. Roubaix
(km 257 – 300 m) 


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Issy-les-Moulineaux, 29th of March 2006


WHO CAN BEAT BOONEN ?

For the 104th edition of Paris-Roubaix, that will be held on the 9th of April 2006, the title holder looks again to be a clear favourite for final victory. Since his triumph on the Roubaix velodrome back in spring 2005, Tom Boonen conquered the World Champion jersey in Madrid and showed what great shape he was in the early stages of the season. A winner of the Tour of Qatar and three stages of Paris-Nice, he also impressed during his last success at the GP E3 in Harelbeke for the start of the spring campaign. Boonen will have to keep a close eye on his main rivals on the cobbled-stones. Just after the famous Tranchée d’Arenberg, that will be back on the race course for this edition after a one-year absence, one can count on riders that were already in the leading group in 2005 with the likes of Fabian Cancellara, Juan-Antonio Flecha, Lars Michaelsen, George Hincapie and even Filippo Pozzato, Boonen's teammate and recent winner of Milan – San Remo. In the context of a battle between Belgian teams, the leaders of Davitamon-Lotto, Leon Van Bon and especially Peter Van Petegem, who had fell last year will do their best to compete against Boonen... and try to beat him.

 

The favourites from the 25 teams

Germany
Gerolsteiner : Hoj (DAN), Lang (ALL), Wrolich (AUT)
T-Mobile Team : Klier (ALL), Wesemann (SUI)

Belgium
Davitamon - Lotto : Mattan (BEL), Van Bon (HOL),
Van Petegem
Quick Step - Innergetic : Boonen (BEL), Knaven
(HOL), Nuyens (BEL), Pozzato (ITA)
Landbouwkredie - Colnago : Meirhaeghe (BEL)
Unibet.com : Cooke (AUS)

Denmark
Team CSC : Cancellara (SUI), Michaelsen (DAN)

Spain
Euskaltel - Euskadi : Isasi, J.Zubeldia (ESP)
Caisse d’Epargne - Illes Balears : Garcia Acosta
(ESP), Brard (FRA)
Liberty Seguros – Würth Team: De Kort (HOL),
Yakovlev (KAZ)
Saunier Duval - Prodir : Pagliarini (BRE), Ventoso (ESP)

United States
Discovery Channel Team : Devolder (BEL),
Hammond (GBR), Hincapie (USA), Van Heeswijk (HOL)


 

France
AG2R – Prevoyance : J-P. Nazon (FRA)
Agritubel : Baranauskas (LTU)
Bouygues Telecom : Se.Chavanel (FRA)
Credit Agricole : Bodrogi (HON), Engoulvent (FRA),
Hushovd (NOR)
Cofidis Le crédit par téléphone : Casper (FRA),
Wiggins (GBR)
Française des Jeux : Eisel (AUT), Guesdon (FRA),
Mourey (FRA)

Italy
Lampre - Fondital : Ballan (ITA), Napolitano (ITA)
Team Milram : Zabel (ALL)
Liquigas : Zanini (ITA)

Netherlands
Rabobank : Flecha (ESP), Posthuma (HOL)
Skil – Shimano : Tjallingii (HOL), Vierhouten (HOL)

Swiss
Phonak Hearing Systems : Hunter (AFS)
Team L.P.R. : Konyshev (RUS), Pieri (ITA)





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Issy-les-Moulineaux, the 25th February 2006


TROUÉE D'ARENBERG : IT'S BACK


Temporarily taken off the course of the race for security reasons, the famous Trouée d’Arenberg will be back for the 2006 edition of the Paris-Roubaix classic. Damaged during the past few years because of a water run-off problem, the 'Drève des Boules d’Hérin' (the official name of the portion) went through several weeks of works undertaken after an initiative from the Conseil Général du Nord, of the Community of agglomeration of the Porte du Hainaut and ASO.

This after-noon, Jean-Marie Leblanc, General Director of A.S.O and Jean-François Pescheux, Director of the event, went on site to check how the works were going alongside M. Bernard Derosier and M. Alain Bocquet, Presidents of the two institutions:

" Based on what we have just seen on site and having been told about the program for the next weeks, it is now possible to guarantee to the cycling teams that the riders will not go through a trap when entering the Arenberg forest. But be careful, the improvements brought to the Trouée do not mean that it'll be a boulevard. Arenberg remains one of the tricky portions of the race: it will still be important to leave it in the leading group to hope and win the race on the Roubaix velodrome", insisted Jean-François Pescheux after the visit.

The cobbled portion of Arenberg, 2,4 km long, will be covered for the 29th time in the history of the Queen of Classics. The very tricky section was discovered back in 1968, and used up to 1973. After a ten year break, the Trouée d’Arenberg was then to come back and remain durably on the course of Paris-Roubaix. In 2006, there will be a total of 52,7 km competed on cobbled stones, covered on 27 different sections.

Added to that, during their visit, the directors of ASO met on the former mining site of Wallers-Arenberg the elected officials of the villages and towns situated on the 2006 course to consider, like in 2004, the presence of the famous Northern Giants in order to mark the popular and festive importance of this northern event.




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Issy-les-Moulineaux, the 14th February 2006


PARIS-ROUBAIX : THE 25 TEAMS SELECTED


The list of teams invited to take part in the 104th edition of Paris - Roubaix, that will be held on Sunday the 9th of April 2006, has been announced by the organisers of the event.

The start will take place in front of the Château de Compiègne (Oise), and the finish on the Roubaix vélodrome. The final number of cobbled portions is still to be decided and the possibility of going through the Tranchée d'Arenberg will depend on the renovation works started by the Conseil Général du Nord and the community of agglomeration of the Porte du Hainaut. A decision will be taken during an upcoming visit on site of the sporting organisers. A last check of the course, where journalists will be invited, will be organised on the 3rd of April 2006.



The 20 Pro Teams

Germany
T-Mobile Team
Gerolsteiner

Belgium
Davitamon – Lotto
Quick Step – Innergetic

Denmark
Team CSC

Spain
Caisse d'Epargne – Illes Balears
Euskaltel – Euskadi
Liberty Seguros – Würth Team
Saunier Duval – Prodir

 

France
AG2R Prevoyance
Cofidis – Crédit par téléphone
Crédit Agricole
Française des Jeux
Bouygues Telecom

Italy
Lampre
Team Milram
Liquigas

Netherlands
Rabobank

Switzerland

Phonak Hearing Systems

United States
Discovery Channel




The 5 UCI Professional Continental Teams
Belgium
Landbouwkrediet – Colnago
Unibet.com

France
Agritubel
 

Netherlands
Skil – Shimano

Switzerland
Team L.P.R



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Issy-les-Moulineaux, the 6th of December 2005


PARIS-ROUBAIX : GREEN LIGHT FOR RESTORATION WORK ON THE TRANCHÉE D'ARENBERG

The organisers of the Paris-Roubaix are pleased to announce that they have been informed of two decisions taken on the 5th of December by the Departmental Council of the North and the Porte du Hainaut Urban Community, relative to restoration work for reasons of safety on the Tranchée d'Arenberg.

This work, due to begin very soon, goes hand in hand with the restoration work already undertaken on the Wallers section (the Pont Gibus).

Hence the organisers envisage a return of the legendary cobblestone section to the route of the Paris-Roubaix in 2006 if this restoration work is completed before the 9th of April, date of the 104th edition of the competition.


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