Sensational Koch beats Vos and PFP for Roubaix glory
April 12 th 2026 - 18:29
Paris-Roubaix Femmes Hauts-de-France was won in fine style by Franziska Koch (FDJ United - SUEZ) on Sunday evening in the famous Andre-Petrieux Velodrome, as she just beat Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) to the line. Koch’s win in the Hell of the North made it six different winners of six different nationalities in the sixth edition of the race. Last year’s winner Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) finished third at +6'' having ridden hard in the attacking trio for her teammate Vos in the final kilometres, but Koch proved just too strong in the final sprint in front of the buoyant crowds. The top five in the Queen of the Classics was completed by Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) in fourth at +1'30'', just ahead of Megan Jastrab (UAE Team ADQ).
122 riders at the start
There were 122 riders present at the start of the 2026 Paris-Roubaix Femmes Hauts-de-France, representing 21 teams as the action got underway at 2.45pm local time in Denain. Rosa Maria Kloser (Canyon//Sram zondacrypto) created a small gap at km 9 and by the time the peloton reached the first paved sector Alison Jackson (St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93) was at the front of the bunch, 50 seconds behind the solo breakaway rider. The group therefore headed onto the cobbles (km 29.3 - Solesmes à Haussy - Length: 0.8 km - Difficulty:**) en masse.
Battling over the cobbles
Jackson then suffered a puncture but was able to quickly rejoin the bunch as they arrived at the second cobbled sector (km 36.1 - Saulzoir à Verchain-Maugré - Length: 1.2 km - **) 40 seconds adrift of Kloser. As the race reached the fourth paved section (km 60.7 - Hornaing à Wandignies - Length: 3.7 km - ****) Kloser’s lead had been reduced to 15 seconds. Kloser was caught by the bunch before the fifth sector of cobbles (km 68.1 - Warlaing à Brillon - Length: 2.4 km - ***) after a solid effort at the front from the 29 year-old German.
Typical mechanical chaos
Over the rough cobblestones several big name riders suffered mechanical problems, with the likes of Jackson, Elise Chabbey (FDJ United - SUEZ) and Elisa Balsamo (Lidl – Trek) amongst those affected as the peloton was reduced to about 50 riders with 55 km to go.
A four-midable lead group
Franziska Koch (FDJ United - SUEZ) accelerated at the end of the tenth cobbled sector (km 94.5 - Mons-en-Pévèle - Length: 3.0 km - *****) and Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime), Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) responded, to form a strong quartet at the front. Those four attackers were over a minute clear with seven cobbled sectors remaining and with 13 paved sectors already covered.
The race to the hallowed Velodrome
With 24 km to go Koch attacked again, with Vos initially the only rider able to stay with her, before Ferrand-Prevot caught the leading duo with 22 km remaining, as Vas was distanced. With 4.5km remaining Koch and Vos again went clear, with ‘PFP’ appearing to have left it all out there for her Visma colleague, only for Ferrand-Prevot to rejoin them before the trio headed into the velodrome. As the huge crowd roared them on, Koch and Vos pulled away once more but it was the 25 year-old German who got the inside line and ultimately the victory in an enthralling final sprint.
