The 2015 Paris–Roubaix was 253.5 kilometres (157.5 miles) in length, slightly shorter than the previous editions. Despite the name suggesting that the race started in the French capital, it actually started in Compiègne, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Paris. After a short, neutralised section, the race began in Clairoix. The first 100 kilometres (62 miles) or so were virtually flat and quiet, before the riders hit the 27 cobbled sections that totalled 52.7 kilometres (32.7 miles), the hardest being the Trouée d'Arenberg, Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l'Arbre. Three sections (Quiévy, Saint-Python and Verchain-Maugré) were included in stage 4 of the 2015 Tour de France, held three months later. The last 750 metres (2,460 feet) were held on the Roubaix Velodrome.
As Paris-Roubaix was a UCI World Tour event, all 17 UCI WorldTeams were invited automatically and were obliged to send a squad. Eight Professional Continental teams received wildcard invitations and thus completed the 25-team peloton.
Two former multiple winners of the event missed the race due to injury. Four time winner Tom Boonen was ruled out after dislocating his shoulder in a crash during Paris–Nice in March,[3] whilst three-time winner Fabian Cancellara missed out after fracturing two vertebrae in his lower back in a crash at E3 Harelbeke.[4]
The race was marred by controversy when it emerged that dozens of cyclists had unsafely crossed a level crossing while the barriers were down. Further cyclists were only stopped from crossing when a police motorcyclist intervened. Seconds later, an SNCFTGV high-speed train passed through the crossing.[14]
The SNCF called for police to take action following the incident, stating that there could easily have been a tragedy.[15]
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