Several riders have crashed on the cobbles in recent years
|
Cycling's Paris-Roubaix race will avoid the cobbled Arenberg section this year because of safety concerns.
The one-day classic, scheduled for 10 April, will take another route.
"Organisers have decided not to ride on the 2,400m of the famous Arenberg 'tranche' for safety reasons," said a statement from organisers.
"The condition of the road has seriously deteriorated in recent years and a 200m section has collapsed and turned into a pool."
The Arenberg 'tranche' is one of the most spectacular cobbled sections in a race dubbed the "Hell of the North" and many riders have crashed trying to navigate it.
Six-times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has yet to win the Paris-Roubaix and it could be one of his main goals in 2005, especially if the American decides in April not to race the Tour this year.
~RS~a~RS~Domestic~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~27~RS~){kind=small}
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend
Printable version
