2006 Paris Roubaix(2006)

Against All Odds

The 2006 Paris-Roubaix cycling classic delivered high drama on the cobblestones of northern France. Held a week after the Tour of Flanders, the race featured an elite field led by World Champion Tom Boonen, who arrived in peak form following his recent victory. American George Hincapie came to Paris-Roubaix with a strong team and genuine ambitions to finally claim the monument he'd long pursued. Yet the race unfolded in unexpected ways. A deep field of contenders—including Peter Van Petegem, Fabian Cancellara, Juan Antonio Flecha, and Steffen Wesemann—kept the pace relentless across the brutal cobbled sectors. The outcome proved memorable for all involved, though not always in the way the favorites had hoped.