Paris-Roubaix 2021 will likely be called off

For the second year in a row, Paris-Roubaix is unlikely to go ahead due to the coronavirus situation in the French region.

On Mar. 19, 16 departments in France went back into lockdown for one month at minimum as cases in the region rise. As with earlier French lockdowns, restrictions include non-essential shop closures and require residents to stay within 10km of their place of living. Paris-Roubaix, scheduled for April 11, falls solidly within this one month lockdown.

“When the time is right”

With ICU beds at an occupancy rate of 120 per cent in the Hauts-de-France department, hospitals in the region are currently overwhelmed. Last year the men’s and inaugural edition of the women’s Paris-Roubaix race were postponed until the fall then ultimately cancelled due to similar public health issues.

“I’ll give you an answer when the time is right, but right now you can guess,” said Michel Lalande, head of the Hauts-de-France region, told France Bleu Nord radio station.

“The sky now looks less blue. I promise you the scoop when there is an answer, but you can guess what it will be,” he said, alluding to the race cancellation.

Lalnade also noted that he doesn’t understand why races in Belgium are still taking place during the public health crisis. Belgian case numbers are rising in a similar pattern, but Driedaagse De Panne, taking place Mar. 24, is still scheduled to go ahead as planned.

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Paris-Nice was able to take place recently, but the eight-day race was working within restrictions. The route, which was modified to avoid the locked-down Nice zone on its final two days, avoided departments under France’s coronavirus “red zone”. In contrast, Paris-Roubaix would take place entirely within one of the 16 departments now under lockdown, and organizers would likely have a difficult time keeping fans away from the famous cobbled segments.