A rather special peloton walked the legendary cobblestones of the Hell of the North on Wednesday. But within it, no runner as fast as Wout van Aert or Dylan van Baarle. No, just about forty goats and sheep. Their pace is perhaps less impressive, the physical feat less resounding, but the beasts are not unworthy. They were responsible for weeding the 2,300 meters of cobblestones in the Arenberg gap, three weeks from Paris-Roubaix (April 9).
A situation which Thierry Gouvenou, the race director, had fun. “Because Paris-Roubaix will never be Wimbledon, goats have been cleaning the Arenberg Gap for a month,” he said on Twitter. Admittedly, Mathieu Van der Poel will not ride on the equivalent of the British Center Court. But the before/after photos of the place confirm the remarkable work done by the goats. The cobblestones, barely identifiable under the blades of grass that covered them, are now exposed.
An association called to weed
This weeding technique is called eco-grazing. It consists of maintaining a natural space in an ecological way by using herbivorous animals. But then, for which team do these goats ride? “Les Biquettes de l’espoir”, one of the integration projects of the Espoir Avenir association. Based in Escautpont in the North, this structure aims to “implement and successfully integrate people with social and professional difficulties”.
The town hall of Wallers-Arenberg has therefore chosen the association to maintain the cobblestones of the mythical gap. Cyclists can be reassured, this year again, the road to the Roubaix velodrome has been pampered. Not sure that the race is a cakewalk for them.