It is almost time for one of the most historic moments in cycling as the women's professional peloton takes on the famous cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix Femmes - Here is everything you need to know about it.
The race is set to take place on Saturday, October 2 which is the day before the men's race. It's been a long wait for the women's side of the sport, but it is finally happening with some of the biggest names set to be taking to the start in Denain.
It would've been mayhem if the race was on the same day as the men's epic 257km Monument, so the day before is the perfect fit for a brutal weekend of cycling.
With the likes of Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Vism), Lotte Kopecky (Liv Racing), Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) and Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) all set to ride.
Check below for all the route details, the start list and more:
Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021 route
The first running of the women's race will only be over a relatively short 116.4km, almost 140km shorter than the men's race on the following day.
Starting in the town of Denain, which itself is known for the men's race of the GP Denain that ran recently, the race starts 127km north of the men's start town of Compiègne with the peloton facing 17 cobbled sectors instead of the men's 29.
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This also means the race just misses out on taking on the cobbled hell of the Arenburg Trench, arguably the most iconic cobbled stretch in the men's race.
But after the start in Denain the race joins the men's route in Hornaing after 31km of riding all the way to the outdoor velodrome in Roubaix where the victor of the inaugural women's Paris-Roubaix will be crowned.
They do have to tackle the famous five star sectors of Mons-en-Pévèle and Carrefour de l’Arbre as part of the 30km of cobbled riding.
The route for Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021
(Image credit: ASO)
Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021 start list
There will be 24 teams competing in the first edition of the race, with eight UCI WorldTeams on the start list, including Trek-Segafredo, Jumbo-Visma, and SD Worx.
The start list is not yet full, but already includes a number of star names, including former world champions Deignan, Van Vleuten, Vos, and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (SD Worx), as well as some serious contenders like Lorena Wiebes (Team DSM), and Lotte Kopecky (Liv Racing).
Here is the start list for the women’s Paris-Roubaix:
Trek-Segafredo
Lizzie Deignan (GBr)
Ellen van Dijk (Ned)
Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita)
Audrey Cordon-Ragot (Fra)
Lauretta Hanson (Aus)
Trixi Worrack (Ger)
Team SD Worx
Chantal van den Broek-Blaak (Ned)
Amy Pieters (Ned)
Jolien D'Hoore (Bel)
Christine Majerus (Lux)
Lonneke Uneken (Ned)
Elena Cecchini (Ita)
Hi, I'm one of Cycling Weekly's content writers for the web team responsible for writing stories on racing, tech, updating evergreen pages as well as the weekly email newsletter. Proud Yorkshireman from the UK's answer to Flanders, Calderdale, go check out the cobbled climbs!
I started watching cycling back in 2010, before all the hype around London 2012 and Bradley Wiggins at the Tour de France. In fact, it was Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck's battle in the fog up the Tourmalet on stage 17 of the Tour de France.
It took me a few more years to get into the journalism side of things, but I had a good idea I wanted to get into cycling journalism by the end of year nine at school and started doing voluntary work soon after. This got me a chance to go to the London Six Days, Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain to name a few before eventually joining Eurosport's online team while I was at uni, where I studied journalism. Eurosport gave me the opportunity to work at the world championships in Harrogate back in the awful weather.
After various bar jobs, I managed to get my way into Cycling Weekly in late February of 2020 where I mostly write about racing and everything around that as it's what I specialise in but don't be surprised to see my name on other news stories.
When not writing stories for the site, I don't really switch off my cycling side as I watch every race that is televised as well as being a rider myself and a regular user of the game Pro Cycling Manager. Maybe too regular.
My bike is a well used Specialized Tarmac SL4 when out on my local roads back in West Yorkshire as well as in northern Hampshire with the hills and mountains being my preferred terrain.
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