Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021: A day in cycling history

Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2021: A day in cycling history

This year's Paris-Roubaix Femmes will be remembered as one of the most iconic races in living memory. Here's a gallery of our favourite images from a historic day

Photos: Peter Stuart Racing Words: Peter Stuart

There aren't many days in cycling that could earn the status of a true moment in history. Today Paris-Roubaix marked the first women's edition of the race, and one of the most impressive solo victories the race has ever witnessed.

A picture tells a thousand words, and so here are some images that capture the unique chaos of the first women's Paris-Roubaix.

From the first cobbled sector, 38km into the race, Lizzie Deignan made her winning move – riding 80km solo to victory. Live coverage wasn't recording at the time, but Rouleur happened to be standing at the exact spot it took place.

Behind, an agitated Vos was in the group, presumably assuming it was a passing move.

By the 78km mark, at the Mons-en-Pévèle 5* pave section, the race had been truly blown to pieces.

World Champion Elisa Balsamo made her first appearance in the rainbow jersey, and was within the first (fragmented) batch of riders.

See some of the world's best riders at Rouleur Live this November

A wet velodrome welcomed the riders, for the first time in history, to the finish of a women's Paris-Roubaix.

Related – Lizzie Deignan's radical Paris-Roubaix bike

Photos: Peter Stuart Racing Words: Peter Stuart

READ MORE

Richard Carapaz at the Giro d'Italia

‘Follow your instincts’ - Have the contenders been shown the blueprint to claim the Giro d’Italia?

Richard Carapaz launched an opportunistic move to claim stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia and climb up the GC

Leggi di più
Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 12 preview: A fast finish

Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 12 preview: A fast finish

An opportunity for the sprinters awaits on a flat run into Viadana

Leggi di più
Primoz Roglic

A tight GC and an intriguing parcours: the Giro d'Italia has been left perfectly poised

A rain-soaked time trial has done little to shed light on who will walk away with the maglia rosa in Rome

Leggi di più
Luke Plapp on stage eight of the 2025 Giro d'Italia

Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 11 preview: A testing day in the Apennines

A difficult climbing day will pose a tricky physical and tactical test for the general classification contenders

Leggi di più
Giro d’Italia state of play: Can UAE hold off the fight back from Red Bull?

Giro d’Italia state of play: Can UAE hold off the fight back from Red Bull?

Entering week two, the Giro d’Italia is perfectly poised for aggressive riders like Primož Roglič, Egan Bernal and Richard Carapaz to attack UAE’s youngsters, Juan...

Leggi di più
Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 10 preview: A race against the clock to the Leaning Tower

Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 10 preview: A race against the clock to the Leaning Tower

The second time trial of the Giro could be decisive for general classification contenders

Leggi di più

READ RIDE REPEAT

JOIN ROULEUR TODAY

Get closer to the sport than ever before.

Enjoy a digital subscription to Rouleur for just £4 per month and get access to our award-winning magazines.

SUBSCRIBE