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Home > Paris-Roubaix: A Journey Through Hell
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Paris-Roubaix, aka "The Hell of the North," has enough cobbles to shake bikes and bones to bits, and enough bad weather to make it treacherous even for the best professional cyclists. Held every April since 1896, the race follows a 270-kilometer course between the suburbs of the French capital and the northern industrial city of Roubaix, and its long history and location have made it pivotal in attracting cycling's superstars and testing their reputations. This lavish, large-format book recounts the history and excitement of Paris-Roubaix. With authoritative text from the top sportswriters at France's "L'Equipe," the book presents the inside story of the race, its great riders, its traditions, and its secrets. Arranged chronologically, "Paris-Roubaix" includes an exclusive, behind-the-scenes chapter to bring readers directly into the action. Hundreds of spectacular color and black-and-white photos, many of them never before collected in book form, round out this memorable portrait of one of cycling's greatest events.
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 A Beautiful Book about an Ugly Race, November 12, 2007
By Sprocketboy (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
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Greg Lemond famously said about cycling:" It doesn't get any easier. You just get faster." And for a sport that values the ability to suffer, the least easy of all races is Paris-Roubaix, variously feted as "the Queen of the Classics" and cursed as "the Hell of the North." In 2006, L'Équipe published a gorgeous history of the race and it is this book, in an excellent idiomatic English translation by cycling historian David Herlihy, that has now been published by VeloPress. Compared to the vast tide of books about the Tour de France, this one appears to be the only substantial work in English about Paris-Roubaix, in spite of the race's legendary status. This in itself merits its inclusion on a cyclist's bookshelf, but the book has intrinsic qualities that make it a must-have.
Paris-Roubaix is a throwback to another age. When it began in 1896, the velodrome ruled the land and road races were the exception: difficult to organize and with only a few racers, unable to compete for the rich prizes of the tracks, available to participate. To enliven proceedings, some velodrome owners promoted road races to end at their tracks. This was the case of Paris-Roubaix, and at the first race was so novel and popular that part of the grandstand collapsed under the weight of spectators. The winner, the German strongman Josef Fischer, completed the race at an average of over 30 km/h. So this race had everything: an international field, a challenging route and an enthusiastic audience. It has gone from strength to strength as the other classics from that year (Paris-Mons? Paris-Royan? Bordeaux-Paris?) are long gone, along with most of the velodromes. This book covers the race from its beginnings, a time when cobblestones were commonplace and men and bikes seemed to have been made of iron, to today's carbon-fiber age but the race has always been brutally hard, a merciless test of men and equipment.
The authors have approached the race in a clever and unusual fashion. Rather than following a chronology, the majority of the eleven chapters of "Paris-Roubaix: A Journey Through Hell" are divided into different aspects of the race These include: the cobblestones themselves; the impact of the weather; messed-up finishes; unexpected winners; the Roubaix velodrome; and a brilliant chapter devoted to the effects of getting a flat tire. There is a gallery of the most celebrated winners and the whole book is stuffed with marvellous photos taken from the archives of L'Équipe. There appear to have been photographers present at every dramatic crash, or else there are always so many crashes that you just have to stand around and wait.
The race has attracted cycling's greatest figures, who seem to have always had a love-hate relationship. Bernard Hinault felt that Paris-Roubaix was a ridiculous race, a lottery where chance ruled but he knew that posterity demanded that he win Paris-Roubaix. He did it in convincing fashion in 1981, wearing the rainbow jersey of the World Champion, and crushing five opponents (four of them previous P-R winners!) in the final sprint at the velodrome. Although the race counts several other Tour de France victors among its winners, including Garin, Lapize Coppi and Merckx, it is more notable for its special "hard men," who have specialized in beating the cobbles, such as four-time winner Roger de Vlaeminck, three-time champion Francesco Moser and the indomitable Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, who participated in the race seventeen times, finally winning on the 14th attempt and repeating the following year. Their stories are all told in loving detail in this book.
Details indeed. For example, there is a section recounting how Jean Stablinski, a former World Champion, suggested a particular section of cobbles to the race organizers and the famous Wallers-Arenberg stretch, a positively medieval piece of road, was added in 1968. The modernization of France meant the removal or paving over the cobbles that are such a characteristic (and feared) part of the race and by 1968 the race against time was on as the countryside was scoured to find more cobbled roads. At its lowest point in 1965, the Queen of the North had only some 22 kms of cobblestones in its 294 km route. Today efforts have been made to protect and preserve the famous roads and the pros can look forward to more than 50 kms of pavé in twenty-six sections. And the mud and the dust are with us always.
And the people who protect and preserve the roads are the subject of the last chapter, "The Angels of Hell." Described as the "guardians of the temple," these include journalists, fans and even the artist, who painted 12 kilometers of cobbles (using 18 tons of paint) as a work of art and a tribute in 1986. This is the kind of insight so lovingly presented in "Paris-Roubaix: A Journey through Hell". There is no reference to the amateur version of the ride, held in September rather than in the third week of April as is the pro race, but the Everyman participants in that ride are given a piece of pavé when they reach the velodrome in Roubaix as a memento, echoing pro cycling's most cherished trophy, the single cobblestone mounted on a plaque, that goes to Cycling's Strongest Man every Spring. A beautiful book about a not-so-beautiful race.
34 of 34 people found the above review helpful.
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A WONDERFUL Journey through Hell, November 22, 2007
By B. Hughes (New York, NY USA)
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This is the ultimate telling of the Paris-Roubaix story. L'enfer du Nord as it is know in France, is one of the most grueling and notorious one-day races held every spring for last 100+ years. Most famous is the stretch of cobblestone pave that makes for the toughest section of the race. If it is too dry, dust occludes everything, and if it is wet the cobbles are dangerously slippery and muddy. In either case it is a bone jarring ride and no sane place to have a bike race.
The book is excellently laid out with a history of the race, profiles on the key winners and special sections on some of the features that make this race unique. For example there is a chapter dedicated to describing the feel and the mood of the showers in the velodrome at the end of the race. Unlike any locker room in any other sport, these showers are a unique character of the race in their own right. It is where the warriors relive, consul, try to forget, and most importantly remove the caked on mud from the day.
The best feature is the 100 years of photographs that capture the pain, glory, and muddy mess that makes up this unique event.
This is a must own for any cycling fan.
11 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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A WONDERFUL Journey through Hell, November 22, 2007
By Benjamin Hughes (New York, NY USA)
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This is the ultimate telling of the Paris-Roubaix story. L'enfer du Nord as it is know in France, is one of the most grueling and notorious one-day races held every spring for last 100+ years. Most famous is the stretch of cobblestone pave that makes for the toughest section of the race. If it is too dry, dust occludes everything, and if it is wet the cobbles are dangerously slippery and muddy. In either case it is a bone jarring ride and no sane place to have a bike race.
The book is excellently laid out with a history of the race, profiles on the key winners and special sections on some of the features that make this race unique. For example there is a chapter dedicated to describing the feel and the mood of the showers in the velodrome at the end of the race. Unlike any locker room in any other sport, these showers are a unique character of the race in their own right. It is where the warriors relive, consul, try to forget, and most importantly remove the caked on mud from the day.
The best feature is the 100 years of photographs that capture the pain, glory, and muddy mess that makes up this unique event.
This is a must own for any cycling fan.
11 of 11 people found the above review helpful.
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Sharing the journey through hell, December 30, 2007
By wellness practitioner (Bracken Gardens, Alberton South Africa)
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If you're looking for a book that covers the emotional, technical and psychological aspect of the Paris-Roubaix, then this is the one. The photographs are phenomenal, the written text entertaining and the book overall is highly recommended. A must-have for all cyling enthusiasts!
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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A Trek Into The Mists Of The Abyss, October 7, 2008
By Thunder on the Turf
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With phenomenal photographs and a text that delves into interesting facets of the event, the coffee table book is a great tribute to the iron men who have fought through pain and the elements in a race of survival, with the select few etching their names with the elite company of champions.
Since 1896, "l'enfer du Nord," has conquered more riders than been vanquished by the swift and strong. Sections covering the famed cobblestones, weather and those who have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat - and vice versa - are fascinating.
The book is a must for fans of pro cycling or those who enjoy exploring impressive athletic achievements. It is an incredible journey.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Cycling Hell (or heaven?), February 8, 2008
By R. Cockerton (Durban, South Africa)
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An absolutely stunning book, detailing the history of this awe-inspiring race from its inception to date.
Clear production and well journalised personal stories provide a book you can pick up and browse through again and again
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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A Trek Into The Mists Of The Abyss, October 7, 2008
By Bicycle Day
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With phenomenal photographs and a text that delves into interesting facets of the event, the coffee table book is a great tribute to the iron men who have fought through pain and the elements in a race of survival, with the select few etching their names with the elite company of champions.
Since 1896, "l'enfer du Nord," has conquered more riders than been vanquished by the swift and strong. Sections covering the famed cobblestones, weather and those who have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat - and vice versa - are fascinating.
The book is a must for fans of pro cycling or those who enjoy exploring impressive athletic achievements. It is an incredible journey.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Paris-Roubaix, October 14, 2010
By Outback Aussie (Australia)
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Recommended reading and viewing - great photos and good history. Good book to get out every now and then and just browse through. Includes all events up to Stuart O'Grady.
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Paris-Roubaix, March 26, 2009
By raceinggreen (Las Vegas)
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Best book ever on the world's finest race. Lots of photos and stories. Don't pass this one up if you are a true bike raceing fan.
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RUBAIX TO STAY in my LIBRARY, March 8, 2009
By Simplesime (Melbourne, Vic, Australia)
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UNBELIEVABLE _ this book is such a great journey from past to present of this amazing event - well supported with amazing photography & in-depth insight into the race in all its facets - if you like cycling - then this is a must have coffee table book - if you are into fascinating endeavors, incredible achievements & miraculous victories - then look no further - enjoy it, like i do each time I flick the pages...
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Bloodied, Muddied and Glorious, August 27, 2011
By Judy Delany (Danville, CA)
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It took a band of writers, photographers and designers to capture the Paris-Roubaix bike race otherwise known as the Hell of the North. Achingly beautiful photographs and first person narrative in the words of a battle weary rider fill the pages. Skinny bicycle tires on fat cobblestones, sleet, hail, sun and wind all contribute to the scourge that is the path to victory. "The Hell of the North includes some sections of cobblestones that are even more infernal than others. Yesterday it was the hill at Doullens. Today it's the pave at Troisvilles, Wallers-Arenberg, Mons-en-Pevele, and the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Among the numerous pitfalls of Hell, these five sections stand out. Here whistles the wind of legend." Our rider is at times a lover too, "...Of course I loved Milan-San Remo to death, and a hundred times I had my way with it. I loved Liege, and I loved the Tour of Flanders and its demons...I loved the Tour de France, which replaced long distances with mountain climbs. But you, Paris-Roubaix, I loved you like no other, if you allow me to speak of you as a woman."
Scandalous and conflicted, victories at Paris-Roublaix don't come easily, "Misfortune, rotten luck, punctures and crashes all afflict the accursed of Paris-Roubaix. If that's not enough, then you can add the finish-line judges. Here,(photograph), in 1927, they decided that Belgium's Ronsse, sprinting in the center of the road was the winner, whereas the Frenchman Curtel appeared clearly to cross the line first. The band started to play "La Marseilles," the French national anthem, but quickly changed to Belgium's "Brabanconne" when the judges announced their decision. Curtel never got over it."
Although the book is about winners and losers the real star of the Paris-Roubaix is the route that survived everything from the shells and bomb holes in World War I, to a disastrous resurfacing in 1939 when the race became much less difficult, the war with tar in the 70's, to slowing down the tarring process in 1982 to preserve the race. The only enemy to the pave now is water. Thankfully, the battleground that is Paris-Roubaix has not lost its mystique, quite literally cobbled together over the centuries.
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Great reading, January 13, 2012
By Henrique
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It's a great book about one of the greatest bicycle races. Pleasent reading with great high quality pictures
I'm still reading it but in homeopatic doses to savor it for a little bit longer
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