It’s well known for its historic open-air Velodrome which has long hosted the finish of the famous Northern Classic. Now the town of Roubaix is seeking to add another, unveiling plans to build a covered 250 metre track close to the existing velodrome.
The foundation stone has been laid and is the start of a project which the backers hope will lead to some Olympic use. It satisfies the requirements for that use, and will be able to accommodate 1,500 spectators. A bid was made several years ago for Paris to host the 2012 Olympic Games in France; this was unsuccessful, but according to Ladepeche.fr, Roubaix’s proximity to London means they hope that the French velodrome might be used by some teams in their final preparations for the Games.
It seems certain that Paris-Roubaix will continue to finish in the old velodrome; the new construction is not seen as a threat to that structure.