Gallery: The first five years of Paris-Roubaix Femmes

Ashley and Jered Gruber

We're just days away from what promises to be another thrilling edition of Paris-Roubaix Femmes. The cobbled farm roads of northern France have long held a special place in the hearts of many cycling fans, with the men's Paris-Roubaix first held back in 1896. But it's only since 2021 that the women's peloton has had its own 'Hell of the North'

As anticipation builds for Sunday's sixth edition of the women's Paris-Roubaix, let's look back at the brief history of the race thus far courtesy of some wonderful photos from the Grubers: Ashley and Jered.

2021

The first edition of the women's Paris-Roubaix was originally set to be held in 2020 but a surge in COVID-19 cases saw the 2020 edition of the race cancelled. And so it was that the race first began in October 2021.

It was an overcast day for the first edition ...... which took the riders 115 km from Denain to Roubaix over 17 cobblestone sectors.

Lizzie Deignan attacked solo on the very first section of cobbles, 80 km from the finish, before live coverage of the race had even begun.Amy Pieters (SD Worx) leads the bunch on one of the few, drier sections of cobbles. This would be Pieters' second-last bike race as a professional. A couple months later she had a major, life-changing crash while training with the Dutch track team. Note Lotte Kopecky in second wheel, then with Liv Racing (the year before joining SD Worx) and Jolien D'Hoore, far right – now a sports director with AG Insurance-Soudal. Lisa Brennauer leads over the slick cobbles ...... as Deignan navigates the treacherous roads with aplomb.Not everyone found the muddy conditions so easy.

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