The Paris-Roubaix organisers have implemented a chicane to reduce the speed into the Arenberg Forest cobbled sector 👀 #ParisRoubaix2024
"Falling on asphalt will cause many abrasions. But if you fall on cobblestones, you will really be in ruins" - Former Paris-Roubaix winner, Niki Terpstra supports introduction of chicane
CyclingThursday, 04 April 2024 at 12:30
Anyone who is anyone has seemingly been weighing in on the big news that was announced on Wednesday night, as Paris-Roubaix confirmed plans to add a chicane prior to the famous Trouée d'Arenberg cobblestone section.
One man whose opinion is worth some weight, is former Paris-Roubaix winner, Niki Terpstra. The Dutchman prevailed back in 2014, winning by 20 seconds ahead of John Degenkolb and Fabian Cancellara and Terpstra is in agreement with race organisers that the chicane was a much needed change in aiding the safety of the riders during the race.
“If you start at the forest with a whole peloton, it's just a bunch sprint. Then you ride onto the lane at 60 km per hour. You then go from beautiful asphalt to pathetically bad stones. Which are also mirror-smooth, as there is always moss on them. It's just really dangerous,” Terpstra explains via the Speed On Wheels podcast. “If someone falls ten positions in front of you, you really can't do anything."
"You actually have to swerve a little and touch your brakes a little," Terpstra continues. "And then hope that you can steer in the right direction, but there are still fences. It is always a dangerous point. Falling on asphalt will cause many abrasions. But if you fall on cobblestones, you will really be in ruins.”
“I'm really in favour of a chicane. I've suggested the idea before, but it wasn't taken seriously at the time. Fortunately now. You simply have enough options for it. There you have the mining museum and a huge parking lot," he concludes. “You turn left and then right 500 meters before you enter the forest. Then you ride into the parking lot and you come out just before the forest. Then you don't start at the Bos with those enormous speeds.”
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