On Monday, changes were announced in 2026 for the toughest one-day race in the world. Next year will see both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s Paris-Roubaix races on the same day: Sunday, April 12. According to race organizers, the ASO, there are several reasons for the change. But are they good or bad for women\u2019s cycling?<\/p>\n
Thierry Gouvenou, race director, explained the new format to DirectVelo<\/a>. \u201cBringing everything together on the same day makes it easier to organize security. Setting up the course once for both races is far less demanding for law enforcement. There are also budgetary considerations,\u201d the former pro said.<\/p>\n Previously, the women\u2019s race had taken place on Saturday, which, according to the former French pro, \u201ccomplicated arrangements across the Lille metropolitan area.\u201d<\/p>\n Blocking roads for two consecutive days created challenges for local communities. Gouvenou acknowledged that combining the events will make the logistics more complex:<\/p>\n \u201cIt will require more vehicles and additional staff,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cOn Saturday, it [the women\u2019s race] already had decent attention, but now people will watch the men\u2019s race first and then follow the women\u2019s event,\u201d Gouvenou said. He says the later start should boost the women\u2019s race by keeping fans in place after the men finish \u2014 and maybe winning over spectators who wouldn\u2019t normally tune in. It follows the model used at several other WorldTour events.<\/p>\n However, this sentiment is not shared by Alison Jackson, the 2023 winner from Vermilion, Alta.<\/p>\n Alison Jackson heads to new squad for 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n She has already mentioned how Canadians \u2014 notably women \u2014 winning the big races has changed things for all the riders in the peloton, whether present or future. She pointed to her longtime teammate and friend Magdal\u00e8ne\u202fValli\u00e8res\u202fMill taking a historic rainbow jersey as being such a milestone in the sport.<\/p>\n \u201cI am so proud of her. I could not be more proud. Megs is a gem of a person. I have always been a teammate, teammate, teammate, but when she came she said I am going all in for this world champs, with preparation, altitude, the training just so focused,\u201d she said to Velo<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jackson said that, \u201cI know when I won Roubaix, I remember seeing the Canadian riders afterwards. Canadians never win these big races. I was seeing that in their eyes something changed, like \u2018I can do it too.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Which comes back to the question of exposure for female pros \u2014 whether Canadian, Belgian or French. Is the ASO trying to make things easier on themselves for logistics \u2014 surely having two races on the same day may be a bit smoother. Some argue that having the women\u2019s race the same day as the men\u2019s may create new fans. Some old French or Belgian guy who is used to watching men\u2019s races may suddenly discover, \u201coh wow, there are female pros? Who is this Pauline Ferrand-Pr\u00e9vot? Holy, this stuff is also worth watching?\u201d<\/p>\n The question is, is it the organizers making it easier on themselves or are they trying to expand the fanbase?<\/p>\n