Pont Thibaut
1400 meters - 3 stars
From here it is still 35 kilometers to the finish with a total of 11 kilometers of cobblestones. The strip of Pont Thibaut has "only" 3 stars.
Yet it is far from an easy stretch and the riders have a good 220 kilometers ahead at that time. It's going to weigh and count!
The strip is also a challenge due to a number of very difficult bends. Especially the right-left combination in the second part is very difficult. Riders fall here or you suddenly completely lose your pace.
These are really bends where you can completely stop.
The last part was restored a few years ago. That was really necessary because a piece of 100 meters on the right side of the road had completely sunk
The strip has been part of Paris-Roubaix since 1978 and is a fixture in the final.
In 2011, Fabian Cancellara placed a brilliant attack on this strip. Special how he stood on the pedals to get maximum speed.
Still, a steering artist like Cancellara was remarkably careful through the corners. Proof of course knowledge and understanding.
In addition, Fabian is of course someone who quickly got back on track and this strip was tailor-made for him.
Riders who can quickly bring a bicycle back up to speed have a big advantage here. Because it is less than an hour's course from here, no one is waiting for anyone anymore.
The final has been underway for a while and those who are now driving in front do a lot to prevent pursuers from coming back.
Usually there are few spectators here because they usually choose Mons En Pevele or Carefour de L'Arbre. Yet it is precisely this strip that is worth checking out, because the bends allow you to see the riders over a long distance.
The strip is also a regular breaking point in the price. When it has rained it is one big mud puddle here because in many places the fields are slightly higher and the water with mud runs to the road.
The strip starts in Pont Thibault on the D917 and runs to Ennevelin. In daily life, this strip has hardly any other function than a farm road.
It also happens regularly that on days when there is no course there is a lot of manure on the road.