Paris-Roubaix will switch dates yet again, this time moving a week later than planned in 2022.
The cobbled Monument has had a tumultuous time in the last two years, firstly having to move to October in 2020 due to Covid-19, before ultimately being cancelled. The 2021 edition was then, due to a lockdown in France, moved from its April slot to Saturday October 2 for the women's race and Sunday October 3 for the men's.
The race will move dates again in 2022, though will still retain its presence amongst the spring Classics calendar. Due to French elections taking place on Sunday April 10, organiser ASO requested to switch the date of Paris-Roubaix with the Amstel Gold Race, which was scheduled to take place on April 17.
With permission from the UCI and agreement from the Amstel Gold organiser, Paris-Roubaix will now move to the Easter weekend, while Amstel Gold will take place the week prior. That means Amstel Gold will take place immediately after the Tour of Flanders, denying fans the traditional double-header of cobbled Classics. Paris-Roubaix will take place just three days before Flèche Wallonne on the Wednesday, and a week before Liège-Bastogne-Liège, breaking up the usual Ardennes Classics week.
Race director of Amstel Gold Leo van Vliet said on the switch: “Christian Prudhomme called me that the government would not allow Paris-Roubaix to run on April 10 due to the French elections and asked if we were willing to switch dates. In close consultation with the ASO, UCI and our partner municipalities Maastricht and Valkenburg aan de Geul, we have decided to switch weekends with Paris-Roubaix once due to these exceptional circumstances.
"It's great that you can help each other in this way and that everyone is willing to cooperate. Sunday 10 April is also a wonderful place for us in the spring Classics calendar."
Both the women's and men's Amstel Gold Races will take place on the same day, while the same is scheduled for the women's and men's Paris-Roubaix.
The inaugural women's Paris-Roubaix was due to take place on the same day as the men's in 2020, but it's maiden edition will take place a day before the men's in 2021..
