This year's edition of the Paris-Roubaix Challenge has been canceled, organisers have confirmed.
The popular sportive allows amateur cyclists to experience the legendary cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, one of cycling's five Monuments.
The sportive is normally held the day before the pro race, which is set to go ahead on 10 April 2021. However, this year for the second time in a row organisers have decided the sportive can't take place in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement on the event website explains: "We all had a difficult 2020 with precious few sporting challenges to tackle!
"Unfortunately, looking at the start of this year, and along with the local authorities, the organisation has made the difficult decision not to organise a Paris-Roubaix Challenge in 2021 and to challenge you to return to the Hell of the North in 2022!
"We hope to return as soon as possible to the cobblestones and the mythical Vélodrome de Paris-Roubaix."
The ongoing pandemic has seen numerous sportives postponed to later in 2021, including the Tour of Flanders which has been pushed back to September from its usual spring spot.
Some of the high-profile date changes include the Tour of Cambridgeshire Granfondo (26 September), the Fred Whitton Challenge (19 September), the Dirty Reiver (11 September), Etape Loch Ness (22 August), Etape Caledonia (19 September) and King's Cup Gravel Festival (3 September).
Other events have been cancelled completely, including the UK's biggest sportive RideLondon, and Ireland's Wicklow 200 and Ring of Clare Cycle.
Classics fans may be wondering about Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the sportive version of which is scheduled for 24 April 2021. At present the event website has been showing the same message for months announcing the cancellation of the 2020 edition.
But, with Flanders and now Paris-Roubaix axed from their planned 2021 dates, it seems increasingly likely LBL will follow suit in weeks to come.
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