Denain Grand Prix 2025: the route

The official poster for the 2025 Denain Grand Prix

The 66th edition of the Grand Prix de Denain will take place on March 20, 2025. Three months before the event, the organizers presented the route. A slightly modified route with, above all, a new arrival location, more urban center. But he remains faithful to his new philosophy: a finale with 13 cobbled sectors which should make the difference.

This official presentation took place this Saturday, December 14 at the new Mégarama cinema. In the darkness, Dominique Serrano, Eric Bluon and Philippe Cauffiez have detailed the route of the Grand Prix de Denain 2025. It will be very similar to the previous ones, since the cobbles were put on the program in 2018.

For this new edition, the route will still cross Hainaut and a small part of Cambrésis. The peloton will cross 42 municipalities for a journey of four loops and a total of 197.4 km. The first, 27.8 km long, will visit the urban community of Denain to end with a first crossing of the finish line.

A new paved sector

Loops 2 and 3 will each cover 27.1 km around the Porte du Hainaut community of communes. The 4th will of course be the most interesting. 115.4 km long, this time it includes 13 paved sections for a total of 23 km. It will start with the sector Robert Mintkewicz in Avesnes-les-Aubert, to end with the Alain Deloeil pavement in Famars. A new 1.2 km sector on the Denain Grand Prix route.

But the main innovation will be the arrival. The long straight line of rue Arthur-Brunet is over, before the shopping center. This will take place again in the city center, on Boulevard du 8-Mai. “ The new arrival will be more technical, but the runners will have the opportunity to pass there several times to familiarize themselves with the place« , asserts Dominic Serranopresident of the organizing committee. The line will be drawn at the level of the Market Square, which offers all the space necessary for good organization. For this, a roundabout was completely removed by the municipality.

Dominique Serrano, president of the organizing committee of the Denain Grand Prix (photo Pierre Willemetz/Sports 5962)

A cycle hike four days before

Third new feature: a cycle ride will take place four days before, on Sunday March 16. This is a 100 km long sports hike comprising 10 paved sectors, and punctuated by two refreshments. Two other courses of 30 and 60 km, without cobblestones, will also be offered for the less trained.

Three former runners attended this presentation: Laurent Pillon, Robert Mintkewicz et Alain Deloeil. The latter spoke “ of a small Paris-Roubaix, with its 23 km of cobblestones, half of those of Paris-Roubaix. » The Denaisian “Bébert” also mentioned to him “ a magnificent and prestigious race with its cobbled sectors. »

197.4 km long, the 2025 Denain Grand Prix will still be classified in the UCI Pro Series, the 2nd division of international cycling. The last edition was won by the unexpected German Jannik Steimle, right under the nose of the sprinters. These effectively no longer reign over the GPD as at the time of Jan Kirsipuu, or Jimmy Casperwinner 4 times of the northern classic.

Departure will be at 11 a.m. for arrival at 4 p.m. The race will be broadcast live by Eurosport and France 3/Hauts-de-France.

The cobbled sectors of the 2025 Denain Grand Prix

At kilometer 104.8 between Avesnes-les-Aubert and Carnières (2.3 km: Robert-Mintkiewicz sector)
At kilometer 114 between Saint-Hilaire-les-Cambrai and Viesly (2.6 km)
At kilometer 117.4 between Saint-Python and Saint-Python (1.5 km)
At kilometer 125.9 between Vertain and Saint-Martin-sur-Écaillon (2.3 km)
At kilometer 132 between Capelle and Ruesnes (1.6 km)
At kilometer 142.5 between Artres and Famars (1.2 km)
At kilometer 148 between Maing and Quérénaing (2.5 km: Department of the North sector)
At kilometer 151.5 between Quérénaing and Verchain-Maugré (1.6 km: Jean-Luc-Derche sector)
At kilometer 159 between Monchaux-sur-Écaillon and Maing (1.6 km)
At kilometer 167.5 between Thiant and Haspres (1.7 km)
At kilometer 173.7 between Avesnes-le-Sec and Hordain (1.8 km)
At kilometer 184.2 between Mastaing and Mastaing (600 m)
At kilometer 187.4 between Abscon and Abscon (1.6 km: Alain-Deloeil sector)