'I hope it's more stupidity than deliberate vandalism' – Sabotage feared after thieves steal Paris-Roubaix cobbles

Stupidity or sabotage? That is the question Guy Mathon, the vice president of the Amis de Paris-Roubaix, is asking himself after a slew of cobbles disappeared from the sectors of Paris-Roubaix.

In recent days, reports have emerged of thieves stealing the cobbles, particularly on the Arenberg sector, where La Voix du Nord estimates around 60 are missing. Cycling Weekly, too, carried out a recon of the sector on Friday, and found deep holes in the road, one of which had been filled with a concrete block, and another with a handful of charcoal.

Mathon, who works for the association responsible for the cobbles’ upkeep, said he first noticed gaps appearing four years ago. He’s now worried that ill-intended foul play is behind the thefts.

“I have two theories; the first is that it's a theft by someone who is a little bit unaware and is taking a souvenir for home, like a collector's item,” Mathon told Cycling Weekly and The Athletic. “Or maybe, and I hope it's not this, a kind of sabotage.

“Why am I saying this? I find it unusual and really very strange that on the Arenberg sector, which is 2.4km long, the cobbles are stolen from the middle of the road, the crown, where the riders ride.

“If it’s a simple theft, then surely they’d take a little bit from the right, a little bit from the left, a little bit in the middle, a little bit from everywhere. But no, it's really in a straight line, and that catches my attention. Why do they do it like that?”

The Amis de Paris Roubaix work throughout the year to repair and replace the cobbles, ensuring they are as safe as possible for race day. Mathon, now in his early sixties, has followed the race since he was a child, and has seen how one protruding stone – or indeed a deep hole – can prove disastrous for riders.

“People don’t realise that when the riders’ carbon wheels hit a hole at 50kph, the wheel can explode or dismantle and cause a serious crash, or maybe even, given the impact, ruin a career, just because someone took a cobble,” he said. “It scares me for the riders and I hope it's more stupidity than deliberate vandalism.”

In light of the spate of thefts, the Amis were out on Friday morning making last-minute repairs to the sectors. Mathon’s colleagues, for lack of time to do a more thorough job, filled gaps with a mixture of cement and sand that will harden by race day.

“Of course even if we do the repairs now, there might be more thefts before Sunday,” he said. “The Arenberg is a forest, where there's no surveillance at night, so [the thieves] can go and look.”

The men’s and women’s Paris-Roubaix races will both take place this Sunday. Only the men’s peloton will visit the Arenberg sector, although cobbles have been reported missing from across the course.