Cycling’s most spectacular and brutal one-day race clicks into gear next Sunday. Here is Paris-Roubaix, by the numbers:
- The first edition took place in 1896 and was won by Germany’s Josef Fischer
- Tom Boonen and Roger De Vlaeminck share the record for the most wins, 4
- Smallest winning margin, 1 centimeter, or about 0.39 inch, when Eddy Planckaert beat Steve Bauer in 1990. Finish-line officials had to study the photo for more than 10 minutes before declaring the winner.
- Roger De Vlaeminck is the rider with the most podium finishes, 9
- 5:21 — Largest winning margin, in minutes, when Eddy Merckx beat De Vlaeminck in 1970
- Slowest Roubaix, 12 hours and 15 minutes, when Henri Pélissier won in 1919 on roads destroyed by World War I.
- Belgium leads the nation standings, with 55 triumphs in 112 editions
- Frédéric Guesdon holds the record for the most starts, 17
- Raymond Impanis and Servais Knaven have the most races completed, 16 each
- 222km — Longest winning breakaway. Dirk Demol won in 1988.
- 45.129kph — Fastest average speed, in 1964: Peter Post, on a slightly different course.
- 22,857kph – Lowest average speed, in 1922
- Marc Madiot is the only cyclist who has won Paris-Roubaix in the U23 ranks and subsequently as a pro
- Stuart O’Grady and Mathew Hayman are the only cyclists from outside of Europe who nabbed the win in Paris-Roubaix
- Oldest winner is Gilbert Duclos-Lassale in 1993, 38 years old
- Youngest winner is Albert Champion in 1899, 20 years old
- First time when the champion received a cobblestone-shaped trophy was in 1977
- Five riders have won Paris-Roubaix after taking the victory in the Tour de France: Louison Bobet, Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx
- In 1949, the victory was awarded to two riders: Serse Coppi and André Mahé
