The fourth edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes takes place on Sunday, April 12, and the women’s race is shaping up to be the most competitive and unpredictable edition yet. A 143.1-kilometre route from Denain to the iconic Roubaix Velodrome features 17 sectors of cobblestones that will test the strongest riders in the peloton across some of the most unforgiving terrain in professional cycling.
While the men’s race commands centuries of tradition, the women’s Paris-Roubaix is rapidly establishing its own identity — one defined by aggressive racing, dramatic plot twists, and a depth of contenders that makes predicting a winner genuinely difficult. Here is everything you need to know about Sunday’s race.
The Course
The women’s race follows a shorter route than the men’s 258-kilometre epic, but it packs in enough cobblestone punishment to make the distance almost irrelevant. The 17 sectors of pavé range from relatively smooth farm tracks to the bone-rattling, wheel-swallowing corridors that have defined this race since its inception.
The decisive sectors come in the final 50 kilometres. The Mons-en-Pévèle sector (rated four stars) typically triggers the first major selection, as its combination of length, surface quality, and positioning at a critical point in the race forces teams to commit their leaders to the front. The Carrefour de l’Arbre (five stars) is where Paris-Roubaix races are won and lost — a 2.1-kilometre stretch of brutal cobblestones that arrives when fatigue has stripped away all pretence and only raw power and willpower remain.
After Carrefour de l’Arbre, approximately 15 kilometres of paved roads lead to the velodrome in Roubaix. This stretch is where chasers can sometimes bridge back to leaders, and where tactical errors in the final pavé sector can be punished. The finish inside the velodrome — a half-lap around the banked concrete track — provides one of the most dramatic settings in all of sport.
The Favourites
Marlen Reusser arrives in sensational form after her photo-finish victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen. The Swiss champion’s combination of time-trial power, physical resilience, and bike-handling skills makes her ideally suited to the cobblestones. At 34, she knows her opportunities at this level are finite, and that urgency could make her the most dangerous rider in the race.
Demi Vollering will be desperate to convert her spring form into a major cobbled victory. The SD Worx-Protime leader has been the strongest rider in the peloton for weeks — her solo win at the Tour of Flanders proved she can dominate the Flemish Classics. Paris-Roubaix requires a different skill set, however. The cobblestones are less about pure climbing power and more about sustained output, positioning, and the ability to absorb punishment over hours of racing.
Lotte Kopecky remains the riders’ favourite whenever cobblestones are involved. The Belgian champion has the rare combination of sprint speed, endurance power, and tactical intelligence that Paris-Roubaix demands. Her Milan-San Remo victory earlier this spring showed she is peaking at exactly the right moment in the calendar.
Elisa Longo Borghini won the inaugural women’s Paris-Roubaix in 2021 and has been a consistent performer in the cobbled Classics throughout her career. The Italian’s experience on the pavé — knowing which lines to take, when to move to the front, and how to manage energy across the sectors — gives her an advantage that cannot be underestimated.
Key Tactical Questions
The biggest question heading into Sunday is whether SD Worx-Protime’s squad dominance will translate to the cobblestones the same way it has on the hilly Flemish roads. In races like the Tour of Flanders, the team can control the pace on the climbs and set up Vollering for a solo attack. On the flat, exposed pavé of northern France, team tactics are harder to execute — punctures, crashes, and mechanical problems can eliminate riders regardless of form.
Weather could play a significant role. A wet Paris-Roubaix transforms the cobblestones from merely brutal to genuinely treacherous, with mud-filled gaps between stones creating a surface that is closer to mountain biking than road racing. Early forecasts suggest mixed conditions for Sunday, which would favour technically skilled riders over pure power athletes.
Equipment choices will matter too. Tire pressure, tire width, and the decision of whether to use a road bike or a cobble-specific setup with wider clearances all influence how a rider handles the pavé. The blurring line between road and gravel bikes is particularly evident at Paris-Roubaix, where several teams now use frames and components borrowed from their gravel racing programmes.
How to Watch
The women’s race starts in Denain in the late morning, with the finish at the Roubaix Velodrome expected in the early afternoon. Coverage is available through Eurosport, GCN+, and various national broadcasters. The expanded broadcasting deals for the Women’s WorldTour mean this year’s race will reach a larger audience than any previous edition.
The Bottom Line
Paris-Roubaix Femmes has quickly established itself as one of the premier events on the women’s calendar, and this year’s edition has all the ingredients for a classic. A deep field of contenders, uncertain weather, and the chaotic unpredictability of cobblestone racing mean that Sunday’s winner will need more than just strong legs — she will need courage, composure, and perhaps a touch of luck to survive the Hell of the North.
Sources: Olympics.com, Cyclist magazine, Cyclingnews. The women’s Paris-Roubaix takes place on Sunday, April 12, 2026, from Denain to Roubaix (143.1km).
