Modern Adventure and Unibet-Rose Rockets get wildcard selections as the cobbles will include a new sector in the opening act.
Kristof Ramon, Cor Vos
Abby Mickey will have analysis of Paris-Roubaix Femmes course changes shortly.
Paris-Roubaix promoters ASO announced the route and wildcard teams lineup for the 2026 edition, set to be held April 12, and it looks to be a wild one whatever the weather.
The 258.3 km route is almost exactly the same distance as last year, but it includes a whopping 30 sectors of cobbles totaling almost 55 km in length. What’s more, the action will likely start early. The opening act is the same as always, with the start in Compiegne, northeast of Paris, leading to roughly 100 km of flat to gently rolling roads, albeit on rough pavement sometimes.
But things kick off just after the traditional opening sector of cobbles at Troisvilles. As usual, several other sectors follow in quick succession. But for 2026, the ASO has added a rarely used section of pavé that features an 800-meter long (length, not vertical gain) climb. “By veering slightly east towards the village of Briastre, we arrive at a situation where the first four sectors follow one another in quick succession, with almost no asphalt in between, creating an unmatched density of cobbles,” ASO technical director Thierry Gouvenou, who designs the route, said of the change.
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