A Saturday in Hell

Human Powered Health conquers Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift

They call Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift the โ€˜Queen of the classicsโ€™, and itโ€™s easy to see why. A race quite unlike any other in the sport, the second edition of this fabled monument weaved a new chapter into the fabric of a race revered for its difficulty.

The fortunes of Human Powered Health were as unpredictable as the cobblestones themselves. As the teamโ€™s top finisher, Lily Williams explained afterwards, sometimes the pavรฉ gods bite back.

โ€œParis-Roubaix was the hardest flat race Iโ€™ve ever done and itโ€™s the epitome of a bike race because itโ€™s about 50% skill and fitness and 50% luck and equipment and we were super dialled today but we just had a bit of bad luck.โ€

Keeping mental resolve in these periods is vital.

โ€œThereโ€™s going to be a time when it goes your way and the majority of the time it doesnโ€™t go your way and itโ€™s just part of the sport,โ€ Williams said of her battle back to the head of a chasing group following mid-race adversity.

The real beauty of Paris-Roubaix can be found in its iconic finish at the Vรฉlodrome Andrรฉ-Pรฉtrieux. Lined with fans, three deep at times, a cauldron effect is created with the cheers of the boisterous crowd carrying the Hell of the Northโ€™s gladiatorial finishers across the line.

โ€œRacing with crowds again and having people being there and cheering was something that I really missed and had forgotten it is something that is so exciting and motivating,โ€ Williams ended.

The dayโ€™s racing written across dusty faces, cracked lips and the one thousand-yard stares of its finishers, only they truly know what it takes to carry rider and machine across the gruelling 17 sectors of pavรฉ. A bond shared, tales from every kilometer and a new generation of cyclists inspired to conquer any challenge on two wheels. 

Relive the action and bask in the atmosphere of this iconic race with our gallery of images from a day characterized by cobbles, dust and fierce racing.

With the cobbled classics behind them, the team resumes racing at the Ardennes classics at Flรจche Wallone on April 20 before โ€˜La Doyenneโ€™ (The Old Lady), Liรจgeโ€“Bastogneโ€“Liรจge, the oldest of the monuments on April 25.

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Mathew Mitchell
Mathew Mitchellhttp://procyclinguk.com
My name is Mathew Mitchell, 30-something from Staffordshire, UK. Over the last few years, I've got more and more into cycling, from the first innocent Sportive events to Audaxes, Go-Races, British Cycling racing, Time Trials and now Cyclocross.

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