Floubaix

Oudenaarde
Floubaix banner
The finishes of De Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix are really quite close together, less then 40km! From Oudenaarde, you can be on the iconic banking of the velodrome where Paris-Roubaix finishes in no time. Together with our friends at Cyclist Magazine, we plotted an extremely indirect course of 120km from the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen to the velodrome in Roubaix, taking in the edited highlights of both races. The train takes you back or cycle back along the river. Get ready to shake them bones!!
 

The route step by step

0KM

Start

Oudenaarde
Cyclist_Flanders
0KM

And we're off!

Koppenberg
5KM
Mariaborrestraat Steenbeekdries
8KM
Cyclist Flanders
10KM

Thrilling cobbled!

Taaienberg
11KM
Oude Kruisberg
21KM
221208_Cyclist_Flanders_1152
23KM

Hotond

Oude Kwaremont
30KM
d’Oude Hoeve
33KM
Paterberg
36KM
Time to start our trek towards the border. At km 93, in Cysoing, you hit your first Paris-Roubaix cobbled sector: the Pavé Gilbert Duclos Lassalle. Nothing too brutal yet, so it serves as a nice appetizer for what's coming up next.
Pavés de Paris-Roubaix

Camphin-en-Pévèle is waiting for you at km 100. Being a 4 star sector, this one already gives you more of a typical boneshaking Paris-Roubaix experience. Enjoy the ride!

Carrefour de l'Arbre
102KM
Gruson

Km 102 of this route marks the start of the feared Carrefour De L’Arbre cobbles. The last five-star rated secteur of Paris-Roubaix and the final stretch of true, untamed pave’ before the race reaches the velodrome. The advice you always hear from old hands and TV commentators is to stay on the crown of the cobbles, that point should usually be reasonably intact and free of debris. That advice goes out the window, however, when the crown is reduced to a razor-sharp ridge covered in grass and dirt. Picking your line ahead of time here is vital, as is a callous disregard for your equipment. Just hit it as hard as you can and never stop pedalling.

Gruson
105KM
Doornik

Right after Carrefour, you hit the secteur that leads to the village of Gruson. These cobbles are much tamer than Carrefour De L’Arbre, requiring less concentration and weight shifting to ride effectively. These are much more similar to the still challenging but more uniform stones you left behind over the border.

Hem
112KM
Hem

Km 112 features the ride’s last real challenge, the recently refurbished pave at Hem. Should you be tiring of bouncing across the countryside by this point, then we have good news. The relaying of a section of cobbles that was, as recently as two years ago, beginning to resemble it’s more famous cousins has ensured a more uniform setting (the stones are still big with large gaps between them, cobble fans) but now boast a cycle-path next to them.

Cobbles

Before arriving at the velodrome is the ceremonial (and often missed) final section of cobbles that stretches to 200 metres and features the names of every winner laid out on the way to the turn onto the famous concrete banking. Spend a few minutes to pick out your favourites!

Roubaix
120KM

One last round to the finish

The velodrome itself is, officially, a public park. This means you should be able to access it whichever day of the year you show up for your regulation lap-and-a-half. It's always a strange feeling to arrive here after a hard day of pushing across cobbles and bergs to eerie silence or teenagers smoking in the tribune. There is, however, a magic about the place that can’t be denied: the only place this ride could have ended.

From Roubaix, you can easily take a train back to Oudenaarde, taking just under 1 hour. If you like to cycle back and take in the official last kilometres of De Ronde, you could use this route we designed: Roubaix - Oudenaarde.

120KM

Finish


READY TO GO?

So you’ve decided to shake your bones on the Floubaix route? Get ready here!

Cyclists passing by the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen

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While you're here: discover OUDENAARDE!


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