Cycling Oddities: What's In A Name? Paris-Roubaix 2026
· Yahoo Sports
Paris-Roubaix is one of cycling’s oldest races and one of the sport’s five prestigious Monument one-day classics, yet in 2026 it carries a slightly different name.
Visit asg-reflektory.pl for more information.
Known as the "Hell of the North" and the "Queen of the Classics," the race is famed for its brutal 260-kilometer route, including more than 50 kilometers of cobbles.
First raced in 1896, this year marks the 123rd edition, with past winners including Fausto Coppi, Eddy Merckx, Roger De Vlaeminck, Bernard Hinault, Tom Boonen, Fabian Cancellara and Mathieu van der Poel.
Paris-Roubaix Name Change Reflects Sponsorship Reality
For the first time, the race will be officially known as Paris-Roubaix Hauts-de-France, reflecting regional sponsorship.
Such name changes are a long-standing quirk of cycling.
Gent-Wevelgem has become In Flanders Fields - From Middelkerke to Wevelgem, the Critérium du Dauphiné has been rebranded as the Tour of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and the Three Days of De Panne is now the Classic Brugge-De Panne.
These changes often reflect sponsorship deals or evolving race formats, as seen with the De Panne race transitioning from a multi-day event to a one-day classic.
Historic Race Names Often Defy Geography
Despite its name, Paris-Roubaix has not started in Paris since the 1960s and now begins in Compiègne, around 80 kilometers from the capital.
The women’s edition starts even farther away, in Denain, roughly 200 kilometers from Paris.
Other races show similar quirks. Paris-Tours now begins in Chartres, while Paris-Brussels has evolved into the Brussels Classic, entirely held within Belgium.
Even Italy’s Il Lombardia began life as Milan-Milan before evolving into its current form between Como and Bergamo.
Some races, however, have remained largely unchanged, including Milano-Sanremo and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Perhaps the most ironic example is the Four Days of Dunkirk, which now runs for up to six days but has retained its original name.
Even outside cycling, naming conventions can defy logic. The Dakar Rally has not started in Paris since 2001 or finished in Dakar since 2008, yet the name endures.