'HELL OF THE NORTH' RACE LOOMS

Cyclists wary of more broken bones and mangled wheels despite precautions

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Defending champion Mathieu van der Poel goes into his title defence at the muddy, cobbled Paris-Roubaix bike race on April 7 sceptical over new safety measures in a week when several of the sport's biggest stars were hospitalised.

Miles of mud and millions of cobbles have lent the race the name "Hell of the North" and a reputation of the most gruelling one-day race in cycling.

In 2018, Belgian rider Michael Goolaerts was found slumped dead by the roadside after heart failure, and the peloton will pass a memorial to him along the route.

First run in 1896, broken wheels and broken bones have been part of the annual race due to the hefty hunks of cobble that surface around 56km of the 260km route.

As part of safety measures, organisers this week introduced a Uturn to slow the riders ahead of their entry into the legendary section outside the 650m-deep Arenberg coal mine.

Van der Poel, who is the road race world champion and one-day racing's hottest star, asked on social media platform X: "Is this a joke?"

The Dutchman, 29, added: "I think it's good that they're trying something. But, in my opinion, the chicane is not the right solution and also to do it in the week before the race is not the best option either."