There is no talk of a lost sheep in the Trouée d'Arenberg.

No, the famous cobblestone sector of Paris-Roubaix could soon be maintained by sheep.

A consequence of the Covid-19 epidemic.

Kamoulox, you say?

No, we explain to you how sheep can be the future of cobblestones, popular or hated by cyclists. 

Paris-Roubaix was canceled in 2020, and postponed to October in 2021. During these thirty months, the Tourée d'Arenberg, 2,300 meters long and with around 276,000 cobblestones, remained deserted by competition bikes.

“We were taken aback when we realized after two years of non-use that the grass had grown back in incredible amounts.

We had only one solution, to do a deep cleaning to remove all the grass”, explains to AFP Thierry Gouvenou, “Mr. Paris-Roubaix” within ASO, the organizing company.

“We started thinking about other, more ecological solutions.

And so eco-grazing, bringing sheep regularly to the Trouée to eat the grass that grows naturally,” adds the race director.

Expected arrival of the ewes this summer

High place of Paris-Roubaix of which it is the international symbol since 1968, the Trouée d'Arenberg is a classified site, managed by the ONF (National Forestry Office).

Strictly protected, due to a nearby ornithological reserve, forbidden to vehicles and only frequented by walkers.

“In agreement with the ONF, the municipality of Wallers and the agglo community of Porte du Hainaut, we are going to make an attempt.

The ONF is used to working with people who do eco-grazing on certain sites,” explains Thierry Gouvenou.

What volume of herd?

How long is grazing?

What frequency of passage?

"There are still details to settle," replied the race director.

“We are not 100% sure of our shot, but we want to try this operation.

We feel that we are being overtaken by the push of the grass and, if we do nothing, we cannot make the race pass”.

The calendar foresees an implementation as early as this summer, at the time of the most important surge.

“If we arrive at a clean hole at the start of winter, we will be quiet next spring,” says Thierry Gouvenou.

"Then just a little sweeping at the last moment will be enough and it will be much better for everyone, both financially and ecologically."

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