The Trench of Arenberg was first included in
Paris–Roubaix in 1968 and has become an iconic location of the cobbled classic. It is one of three "five star" sections of
pavé, together with the sections of
Mons-en-Pévèle and
Carrefour de l'Arbre which come later in the race. The introduction of the
secteur was in response to the resurfacing of many cobbled roads after World War II with
tarmac or
asphalt. This change had a significant effect on the parcours of the
cobbled classics: by the 1965 edition of Paris-Roubaix cobbled sections only accounted for 22 km of the 265.5 km route. As a result the race was becoming easier, with the 1967 edition being won by
Jan Janssen in a small group sprint of 15 riders. In reaction to this race director
Jacques Goddet asked
Albert Bouvet, a recently retired rider who had been appointed course designer for the race, to find new cobbled
secteurs to add to the parcours. The site was proposed for Paris–Roubaix by former professional cyclist
Jean Stablinski, who had worked in the mine under the woods of Arenberg. The mine closed in 1990 (later being used by director
Claude Berri to shoot his film
Germinal) Despite his desire to increase the difficulty of the race, Goddet was initially reluctant to include the Arenberg due to its extreme difficulty. However it was included in the 1968 race, and the field raced through it without any problems. Despite the lack of complications, it was removed from the race in 1974 and only returned in
1983 as a generally permanent fixture on the parcours. The race's passage through the Arenberg was broadcast on live television for the first time
the following year, where the field was led by
Gregor Braun and Roubaix native
Alain Bondue, who were team-mates on the local
La Redoute team and who both finished in the top five of the race. Consequently, the Trouée d'Arenberg was left out in 2005, as conditions had deteriorated beyond safety limits. Regional and local councils spent €250,000 to restore the road and add 50 cm to its width. The section was included again in 2006. Because of its difficulty, it is considered a crucial site of the race, although at 85 kilometers, it is relatively far from the finish in
Roubaix.
Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, twice a winner of the race, has said that "when you leave the Arenberg badly placed or in the red it’s then that you know that you won’t be in the mix in the final... Once out of the forest you may not have won the race, but you’ll certainly know if you have lost it".
Thierry Gouvenou, a former winner of
Paris–Roubaix Espoirs, suggested that "the race can clearly be split between what happens before and what happens after the Arenberg. Because until you have crossed the threshold of the Trench it’s not even worth thinking about what comes next". In the earlier years of the section's inclusion, riders were often able to avoid riding on the cobbles by using the verges on the edge of the road - Gouvenou claimed that riders only had to ride 400 of the
secteur's 2300 metres on the cobblestones - however in the 1990s the barriers were introduced to prevent crashes. According to Doulcier, over 10,000 fans watch the race on the Arenberg every year. but they also noted that they "do not rule out that we will pass through ... in the future". In 2024, a
chicane was added prior to the entrance of the forest to slow the speed of riders and improve safety. Some criticised the decision, with
Mathieu van der Poel stating "Is this a joke?". ==Tour de France==