My Paris Roubaix 2026.

I love cycling, and I love watching the professionals race. For me, the best racing is the one-day Classics—particularly Paris-Roubaix. So this year, instead of watching it on TV, I headed to France.

It was an early start from Norfolk. The alarm sounded at 2:30am for a 3:00am departure. The motorbike was packed and ready. I had never ridden this far before, and never in France, so I was nervous and excited all at once. Off I set.

I arrived at the Eurotunnel at 6:30am and boarded the 7:30 train.

Once in France, I headed straight for the nearest patisserie in search of a croissant (well, we are in France). Once fuelled, it was off to Sector 28—a four-star cobbled sector—around 100 miles from Calais.

Along with many others, I stood in anticipation, waiting for the race to arrive. When the helicopters began buzzing overhead, we knew it was close. Then the peloton thundered past—pure power and speed. It was something special. The sound alone was incredible.

After the riders had powered through, it was back on the motorbike for a quick 30-minute ride to the Arenberg Forest. What a place. I remembered riding these cobbles myself back in 2017—now I was about to watch the pros tackle them. I was buzzing.

This is where races can be won or lost, and unfortunately for MVP, that proved true. Two punctures and a botched bike change meant it was game over for him. Watching the speed of Pogačar and Wout was unreal, while the grimaces on other riders’ faces told you just how brutal it was. Once they passed, it was time to move on to the final section.

The Carrefour de l’Arbre—wow. The smell of beer, frites, and dust was epic. I managed to get close to the barriers, giving me a great view of the race approaching. You could see the dust cloud from miles away, so you knew they weren’t far off. Then came the roar from the crowd as the leading riders surged into view—a world champion and Wout. What a battle. What a sight. This was something truly special.

Once they passed, I turned to the big screen—it was only 18km to go. Who was going to win?

As they entered the velodrome, the crowd—and myself—roared into life as Wout sprinted to take first place.

With all the excitement over, it was time to head to the Airbnb for a good night’s sleep before the ride back to Norfolk.

I would absolutely do this again, and I’d strongly encourage anyone thinking about it to go for it.

What a weekend! 🚴‍♂️