A day in hell: Images from a brutal weekend at Paris-Roubaix

Paris-Roubaix has gone from one day in hell to two as the women hit the cobbles of Northern France for the very first time this year.

In the men's edition the weather was atrocious with the riders getting covered from head to toe in mud.

Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) became the first Italian to win the 'Queen of the Classics' since 1999 when Andrea Tafi took the title.

In the women's edition, the weather wasn't quite as apocalyptic as the next day was with the men, but it was still an epic race with Brit Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) taking the inaugural race.  

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Such an epic day in the saddle of course throws up an epic selection of photos too, here are some of the very best we could use.

We start with the obvious and the moment Colbrelli realised he had won the 118th edition of the men's Paris-Roubaix on debut, with two other debutants rounding out the podium. 

The talented 22-year-old Belgian Florian Vermeersch (Lotto-Soudal) took second after being in the breakaway all day and Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) took third.

Keeping with the obvious starter pictures, Deignan put on one of the finest performances ever seen on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix with a solo move lasting over 80km all the way to the line.

We often see this shot every year but the past 19 years, excluding 2020, saw plumes of dust, instead this year the view is of mud and near-unidentifiable riders.

The joy after making sporting history. Lizzie Deignan was quick to embrace Italian champion Elisa Longo-Borghini as the Trek-Segafredo team-mates finishes first and third.

We have seen this pose from Mathieu van der Poel time and time again, but usually after an incredible victory. This time, it was third place that the man from the Netherlands had to settle for.

One of the greatest cyclists of all time, Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma), just left it a bit too late to try and close the gap to Deignan and had to make do with second for the second race in a row after losing out to Elisa Balsamo (Valcar-Travel & Service) at the World Championships.

It was a brutal day for the men with riders looking like stone men at the end of their efforts. 

Canadian champion, Guillaume Boivin (Israel Start-Up Nation), put in a truly staggering performance to take ninth place, which could have been better if not for a late crash.

The first day racing as world champion was a brutal one for Balsamo finished in 57th place, 12 minutes behind Deignan.

It was clear that the damp cobbles were not the Italian's thing as she now focusses on The Women's Tour.

How many emotions can be seen pouring out of this photo? Relief and joy are likely the top two with pain, disbelief and more joining the list. A warrior like effort.

There's always room for arty shots. This one is particularly well done, albeit a tad confusing for the eyes. 

What could have been for former winner, Greg Van Avermaet (Ag2r-Citroën), a couple of moments of bad luck saw him fall out of contention and finish over nine minutes down on the winner. 

Both races were absolutely brutal, even though the women's race didn't have the huge amounts of mud, they were still battered with plenty of crashes and wet cobblestones.

The forest of Arenberg is probably the most famous section of cobbles in the world and it did not disappoint in this year's edition of the men's race. Sadly not used in the women's event.

Van der Poel riding at full tilt on the cobbles as they tried to chase down the sole leader of Gianni Moscon (Ineos Grenadiers).

The front selection riding on the Orchies sector of cobbles. One of the most taken shots of the race.

Eventual second place finisher, Vermeersch, in the centre of the image put in an amazing debut ride.

Gianni Moscon (Ineos Grenadiers) looked as though he was going to take the victory solo, but a puncture and a crash proved too much for the Italian.