Sometimes life seems pretty hard, and all you can see are incoming, insurmountable challenges, almost as if you’re riding a conveyer belt of endless wet pavé that just gets faster and faster. That’s when it’s important to remember that the joy of achievement is greater than anything in front of you. Let’s face it: if everything was easy then the sense of satisfaction would be dulled into oblivion. The harder the graft, the bigger the reward. And nowhere does this ring truer than the infamous Paris-Roubaix, whose brutal teachings can form the foundation for the rest of your life.

As revered as it is feared, these hallowed sectors of pavé send jolts of excitement up and down the spine of any cyclist. L’Enfer du Nord, the Hell of the North, is a mean beast that exacts its toll not only on your bike but your body too. As you battle through those brutal, cobblestone-littered kilometres, you’re already aware that Paris-Roubaix isn’t any regular ride. A people’s celebration in the truest sense of the phrase, this fatiguing race in the coal mining regions of Northern France brings idols to their knees in exhaustion as millions flank the roadsides, cheering and clapping their heroics as others fawn over their gritty performances from the comfort of their sofas. Paris-Roubaix is more demanding, more exacting than many other races and those six hours of racing over 18 sectors of pavé offer nowhere to hide until the crowning finish at the velodrome in Roubaix.

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Amateur or pro, this challenge doesn’t discriminate. The twisted desire to suffer sees amateurs descend on the same stretches of road one day before the pros, meaning a jekyl-and-hyde weekend on these hallowed roads: Saturday spent suffering, and Sunday experiencing a celebration of live pro cycling.

Yet we’re not preaching about pros, nor raving about the legendary Spring Classics, now all but a faded memory as the Grand Tours enter the scene. Paris-Roubaix is a byword for hard work, grit and determination – lessons that apply outside of cycling, lessons that–when heeded–might lead to progress in other facets of your life.

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To be successful, you’ve got to be prepared to push your limits, attempt things that might prompt scorn and contempt for others who just don’t get it. So don’t see Paris-Roubaix exclusively as a test of endurance and commitment; it’s a catalyst. Those who conquer the cobbles have resilience – and that exact same resilience is equally as profitable for marathon meeting sessions at work, as it is during long weekend rides with the club. Think about it: when else is your perseverance put through the wringer as thoroughly and as intensely as it is during those final cobble sections? Once you’ve done Paris-Roubaix, then you’ve arguably done it all.

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But are endurance and resilience enough to win the race? While important, don’t overlook luck and tactics. Luck plays a small role (see Terpstra 2014), and tactics an even bigger one (see Mapei 1996). But while there’s only one name on people’s lips after the race, he’d never have made it over the finish without his hardworking teammates. Fundamental to any victory, the team lay themselves out on the road as a sacrifice, rendering the climbs doable and guiding their leader through the race. Each one has a definite role, knowing exactly where their expertise and endurance are required over the route.

The better team with the best leader wins; every drop of preserved energy is drawn upon in the decisive moments of the race. And that’s the same story in the everyday as well. Rather than pummeling the way for you and your ego through the daily grind (see Matt Hayman 2016), compile a team (think Merckx’s Molteni team), rely on team spirit rather than egotism, work together rather than against each other and see how much further it gets you. Good teams produce better results, work quicker and have more fun – no matter how tough it gets.

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As the clichéd saying goes, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’, and this definitely applies to the Hell of the North. Once completed, freshly showered and massaged, you can return home with new perspectives. Confirmation that any limit is within reach – and that it’s always worth a try. After all, Paris-Roubaix isn’t won with muscle power alone; it’s the head that counts.

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Words: Robin Schmitt Photos: Daniel Geiger, Noah Haxel