The 2024 Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, also known as “The Hell of the North,” will take place on Saturday, April 6. This iconic Women’s World Tour race is renowned for its challenging cobblestone sectors, making it one of the toughest one-day races on the calendar. CANYON//SRAM Racing’s roster for the fourth edition includes Zoe Bäckstedt, Elise Chabbey, Tiffany Cromwell, Soraya Paladin, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka, and Alice Towers.

The 2024 Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift route spans 148.5km and features 17 cobbled sectors covering 29.2km of pavé. The race will commence in Denain and conclude at the famous Roubaix velodrome. The course includes challenging cobblestone sectors, such as the 3km long Mons-en-Pévèle and the 2.1km long iconic Carrefour de l’Arbre, which hold a five-star rating for their difficulty.

With their varying lengths and ratings, the cobblestone sectors present a grueling test of endurance, bike handling skills, mental strength and determination for the riders. The finish line at the Roubaix velodrome offers a grand and historic conclusion in what’s anticipated as another epic battle. It’s a race that CANYON//SRAM Racing Sport Director Magnus Bäckstedt knows well. This weekend will mark twenty years since he crossed the line in the Roubaix velodrome victorious.

“It’s a special day regardless of your role or how you twist or turn it. Growing up watching Roubaix was special. Winning it in 2004 was undoubtedly the biggest highlight of my riding career. Being there in 2023 with CANYON//SRAM Racing, my first time as DS, was special.”

“We’ve done our recons, tested our equipment and prepared for this day. We’re confident that the team is dialled in and that each rider has the best set-up to give us a chance of winning that cobblestone.”

RIDER QUOTES

Elise Chabbey: “Every recon you do of Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, you learn more about each sector. It’s such a unique race that is different to any other race on the calendar. The cobbles are harder to understand and are more unpredictable but we’re confident with our preparations.”

“This race suits me well because it’s a lot about positioning, but most of all, it’s a mental thing; you need to accept the pain and keep pushing. Alongside Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, it’s one of the most iconic races. Winning it would be a career highlight.”

Zoe Bäckstedt: “I’m excited to be racing my second Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift. There’s a lot of hype about it; it’s Roubaix. There’s no way to describe the race other than to say there’s nothing else quite like it.”

“There’s a lot of talk about my dad being the Sport Director, and it’s also the 20th anniversary of his win in 2004. But in the end, it’s a bike race. He’s our DS, and our team is here to win. That’s our only focus.”

“In the future, it could be a race that I would like to target to win. It’s a dream for many cyclists. But I need more years of experience and probably need to adjust my cyclo-cross calendar to target this one day. For Saturday, I aim to have the best race possible, help my teammates as much as possible, and bring home the win for our team.”

Tiffany Cromwell: “Roubaix is a battlefield—the cobbles, the tactics, the fighting for positioning. There’s so much going on that you need to be able to manage for yourself and your teammates. The battle to enter the first sector is epic because from then on, it’s just a few kilometres between each sector. There’s no chance to breathe, no chance to recover, and very few opportunities to change the race situation.”

“I’m looking forward to Saturday. I’ve been to all three editions so far, and there’s something extraordinary about this race. We’re aiming for the win and are confident that we have the team to achieve it.”

HOW TO WATCH

The 2024 Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift starts at 13:35CEST on Saturday, April 6. Fans can follow the race on X with #ParisRoubaixFemmes and a broadcast on France TV, SBS, VRT, RTVE, NOS, ESPN, Eurosport Asia, Eurosport, RBTF, RAI, Flobikes, SuperSport, KKTV3, TV2, Peacock, Abu Dhabi Sports, and J Sports.

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