Here are 10 reasons why the 257.5km spring Classic, Paris-Roubaix, is our favourite one-day race of the year. – By Whit Yost

4. Oh Man, the Mud!

Mud often plays a role in determining the outcome of Paris-Roubaix, as many of its roads are used primarily by farmers throughout the rest of the year. As a result, by early April the stones are often covered with a layer of thick, slippery mud. If it’s dry, this mud turns to a fine dust that covers the riders and their bikes in a brown, talc-like powder. If it’s wet, they’re coated in a thick, gooey paste of manure and grime that often makes it hard just to tell who’s who.

The mud is so bad this year that race organisers are even thinking of re-routing the race to avoid some of the more treacherous sections. Such a decision would be hated by fans, but welcomed by the peloton.

READ MORE ON: international Paris Roubaix report