There are 23 days until Paris-Roubaix and this is what some of the cobbled sectors look like
Volunteers work feverishly to prepare the cobbles for the Hell of the North

While the eyes of the cycling world turn to Italy and Milan-San Remo, work is still being feverishly carried out to prepare the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix for the denouement of the Classics season.
The race's 29 sectors of cobbles are maintained by Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix (The Friends of Paris-Roubaix), who carry out work on the pavé to ensure that it is in a good enough state to be raced on in April.
This week the volunteers have been working on the Pont-Thibaut to Ennevelin sector, the ninth from last in the race which the riders will cover with more than 215km in their legs.
From the looks of photos posted online by Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix, the works seem to be fairly extensive, with much of the sector being dug up and a new surface laid underneath, presumably in an attempt to improve drainage and reduce the chances of the sector becoming water-logged if the course is hit with heavy rain and the race run in wet conditions for the first time since 2002.
Since the snow melted a couple of weeks ago, the volunteers have also completed work on the sectors of Tilloy to Sars-et-Rosières and Warlaing to Brillon, which will not only be used in Paris-Roubaix in April, but will also feature in a tricky stage nine of the Tour de France in July.
>>> Paris-Roubaix 2018 start list: Teams announced for Hell of the North
Les Amis de Paris-Roubaix has thousands of members around the world having been set up in the 1980s to maintain the character of Paris-Roubaix after many other races had moved from using cobbled roads to smoother tarmacked roads.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The association works with local authorities to maintain the cobbled sectors, which are often just used by agricultural vehicles travelling between fields for the rest of the year.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
-
'It took everything' - Puck Pieterse outclimbs Demi Vollering to win La Flèche Wallonne
Dutch 22-year-old shows Classics pedigree with first one-day victory
By Tom Davidson
-
Tadej Pogačar flies to dominant victory at La Flèche Wallonne
Slovenian takes second win at Belgian classic ahead of Kévin Vauquelin and Tom Pidcock
By Tom Thewlis
-
I went to Paris-Roubaix Femmes and was shocked at how it is still treated as secondary to the men’s race
The women’s version of the Hell of the North is five years old, but needs to be put more on equal footing with the men
By Adam Becket
-
Broken hips, hands, and collarbones: Paris-Roubaix's lengthy injury list lays bare brutality of race
"It probably wasn't the best idea to continue," says one of weekend's many wounded riders
By Tom Davidson
-
Professional riders need more protection from mindless 'fans' at major races to avoid another Mathieu van der Poel Paris-Roubaix bottle incident
Cycling's authorities must do everything within their power to prevent spectators from assaulting riders
By Tom Thewlis
-
'I'll take a top 10, that's alright in the end' - Fred Wright finishes best of British at Paris-Roubaix
Bahrain-Victorious rider came back from a mechanical on the Arenberg to place ninth
By Adam Becket
-
'This is the furthest ride I've actually ever done' - Matthew Brennan lights up Paris-Roubaix at 19 years old
The day's youngest rider reflects on 'killer' Monument debut
By Tom Davidson
-
'One of the hardest races I've ever done in my life' - Tadej Pogačar finishes runner-up on Paris-Roubaix debut after crash
World champion reacts to 'extremely hard' battle with Mathieu van der Poel
By Tom Davidson
-
'I thought it would be dark by the time I got here' - Joey Pidcock, the last rider to finish Paris-Roubaix, on his brutal day out
Q36.5 rider finishes outside time limit, but still completes race with lap of the Roubaix Velodrome
By Adam Becket
-
'It was like a stone hitting my face' - Mathieu van der Poel calls for 'legal action' after bottle incident at Paris-Roubaix
The winner was hit by a bottle in the face on Templeuve, sector 8b
By Adam Becket