MacGregor - To hell on a bike: riding Paris-Roubaix: the toughest race in cycling

Contents

'Paris-Roubaix is the best race in the world and knocks spots off the Tour de France.'
Sir Bradley Wiggins.

The Hell of the North. More than 250 kilometres across an inhospitable landscape, with 28 sections of pav brutal, bone-shaking cobblestones that are dusty in the dry and a muddy morass when it rains. Its a race that terrifies even the most hardened professional (Wiggo apart). For an amateur, its the ultimate cycling challenge.

To Hell on a Bike traces the history and culture of the Queen of the Classics while recounting one mans attempt to get his body and bike to the finish line in Roubaixs iconic velodrome. Since its inception in 1896, the race has produced the most incredible drama, survived two World Wars in which the horror was on its very doorstep, and attracted millions of fans to the roadsides of northern France. And as he lines up in a freezing April dawn with his fellow weekend warriors, Iain MacGregor realizes that this is all he has ever wanted to do...

I have been acquainted with Mr MacGregor for many years and know him to be of unsound mind. When he said he was tackling the Hell of the North, I should have guessed that didnt mean going home for Christmas.
Tim Moore, Author of French Revolutions and Gironimo!

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First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Bantam Press
an imprint of Transworld Publishers
Copyright Iain MacGregor 2015

Iain MacGregor has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologize for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.

All images have been supplied courtesy of the author unless otherwise stated.

Fischer and Coppi both LEquipe/pressesports; Yates Graham Watson; Ditchling Beacon Phil OConnor; Hammond EMPICS/Press Association Images.

2014 ParisRoubaix pro-race action all Press Association Images as follows: peloton Thibault Camus; Wiggins and crash both Eric Lalmand; Boonen/Thomas Pool Bernard Papon; Sky riders Chris Wallis/GodingImages.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781473510371
ISBN 9780593074473

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

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In tribute to my past: Elizabeth and Gordon MacGregor; and, to my present and future: Joanna, Cameron and Isla. With much love.

Great sports are about much more than the rarefied activities of their elites. Their souls come from the mediocre majorities who know how difficult the achievements of the superstars really are The knowledge and passion of the also-rans are what give meaning to the activities of the elite. If the elite arent interested in our perspective, they should be.

(Richard Askwith, Feet in the Clouds A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession)

The very first edition of ParisRoubaix in 1896, as the intrepid cyclists, in armbands, get set for their voyage into the unknown. The race was won by the German Josef Fischer (in the centre above and next image), who was the favourite owing to his having already triumphed in other early endurance events such as ViennaBerlin and MilanMunich.

Josef Fischer

The Italian Serse Coppi, brother of Fausto, was controversially awarded victory in 1949, despite only finishing third in the sprint, before the Frenchman Andr Mah and the Belgian Frans Leenen were disqualified for not following the designated parcours. The records now show a shared victory between Mah and the lesser-known Coppi.

In the era of the great Eddy Merckx, Britains Barry Hoban rode exceptionally well to finish on the podium in the 1972 edition behind the flying gypsy Roger De Vlaeminck, winner for the first but by no means the last time.

My favourite rider of all time is Sean Yates, seen here in 1994. Hard as nails and always riding to win, the ParisRoubaix race was perfectly suited to his ability and mental toughness.

Roger Hammond (right, in the UK national champions jersey) was so close to a dramatic win, losing out in the sprint to Magnus Bckstedt (centre) in 2004. Hammond also finished fourth in 2010, but is he given the credit he deserves?

My local bike shop owner, Vaidas Granauskas, at the top of the Col du Galibier. A former pro, he was a great help in getting me prepared.

Tackling Ditchling Beacon shouldnt be this hard. A tougher day than expected at the Puncheur sportive in March 2014, a month before my big challenge.

Chris Sidwells showing how its done. His guidance for my training proved invaluable.

There are cobbles in England too, you know. Francis Longworth (left), founder of the Tour of the Black Country, out with a colleague on the route he created.