With the 2018 edition of Paris-Roubaix just around the corner, race organiser ASO has announced the difficulty classifications for each of the 29 sectors of pavé on this year’s route.

Although the start at Compiegne and the finish at the Roubaix velodrome have remained unchanged for nearly 30 years, the route between the two is altered each year as sectors of cobbles are added and taken away depending on the state that they are in.

>>> Five things to look out for at Paris-Roubaix 2018

The 2018 edition of the race will consist of 29 sectors of cobbles totalling 54.5km, each of which have now been rated in terms of difficulty. Five stars are used to designate the toughest sectors, while one star is used for the easiest (a classification which is only twice on the course for “cobbles” which are amount little more than a paved street).

Greg Van Avermaet on the Carrefour de l’Arbre during the 2017 edition of Paris-Roubaix (Credit: Yuzuru Sunada

As usual there are three five-star sectors to look out for, the first of which is the infamous Trouée d’Arenberg where the racing really starts to hot up with just under 100km remaining to the finish. This 2.4km dead-straight section of road features the toughest cobbles on the route, with organisers even ploughing the grass at the side of the cobbles to force the riders onto the pavé.

>>> Icons of cycling: La Trouée d’Arenberg, Paris-Roubaix’s toughest cobbles

The second five-star sector comes at Mons-en-Pévèle with slightly more than 50km remaining, before the often decisive Carrefour de l’Arbre, the fourth from last sector of pavé which comes just 17km from the finish in Roubaix.

Paris-Roubaix 2018 cobbles