Following Christian Prudhomme and Jean-François Pescheux's reconnaissance of the course on April 2, the organisers have rated the difficulty of the 27 cobbled sectors in the race according to their length, the unevenness of the cobbles, the overall condition of the sectors and their locations.

This time round, the changes made to the course could very well bring forward the showdown among the favourites to win the race, as the peloton will enter the Trouéed'Arenberg after 158 km (14 km earlier than in 2012). Shortly after, the riders will reach the sector known as "Pont Gibus", which is making its comeback after a four-year absence. Another consequence of the overhaul is that Paris–Roubaix will once again feature the sector from Hornaing to Wandignies, which at 3.7 km is the longest in the race.

Some of the riders will no doubt remember tackling it in the opposite direction in the 2010 Tour de France, but not all memories will be sweet, as Sylvain Chavanel reminisces about the puncture that cost him the yellow jersey. If he manages to navigate the sector successfully this time round, there will still be two five-star cobblestone sections between him and a top-place finish at the Roubaix Velodrome, one in Mons-en-Pévèle and the other at the Carrefour de l'Arbre.

The 27 cobbled sectors of Paris–Roubaix:

27. Troisvilles (km 98.5 – 2,200 m) +++

26. Viesly (km 105 – 1,800 m) +++

25. Quiévy (km 107.5 – 3700 m) ++++

24. Saint-Python (km 112.5 – 1,500 m) ++

23. Vertain (km 120 – 2,300 m) +++

22. Verchain-Maugré (km 130 – 1,600 m) +++

21. Quérénaing– Maing (km 133 – 2,500 m) +++

20. Monchaux-sur-Ecaillon (km 136.5 – 1,600 m) +++

19. Haveluy (km 149.5 – 2,500 m) ++++

18. Trouée d'Arenberg (km 158 – 2,400 m) +++++

17. Wallers - Hélesmes, aka "Pont Gibus" (km 164 – 1,600 m)

16. Hornaing (km 170.5 – 3,700 m) +++++

15. Warlaing - Brillon (km 178 – 2,400 m)

14. Tilloy - Sars-et-Rosières (km 181.5 – 2,400 m) +++

13. Beuvry-la-Forêt - Orchies (km 188 – 1,400m) +++

12. Orchies (km 193 – 1,700 m) +++

11. Auchy-lez-Orchies - Bersée (km 199 – 2,600 m) +++

10. Mons-en-Pévèle (km 205 – 3,000 m) +++++

9. Mérignies - Avelin (km 211 – 700 m) ++

8. Pont-Thibaut (km 214.5 – 1,400 m) +++

7. Templeuve - Moulin de Vertain (km 220.5 – 500 m) ++

6. Cysoing - Bourghelles (km 227 – 1,300 m) +++

Bourghelles- Wannehain (km 229.5 – 1,100 m) +++

5. Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 234 – 1,800 m) ++++

4. Le Carrefour de l'Arbre (km 236.5 – 2,100 m) +++++

3. Gruson (km 239 – 1,100 m) ++

2. Hem (km 246 – 1,400 m) ++

1. Roubaix (km 256.5 – 300 m) +

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