Its final climb is not the Bosberg. Its bricks lack the treachery of the Arenberg’s pavé. It’s a hair shorter than Milan-San Remo.

Nonetheless, Saturday’s Hillsboro-Roubaix, the Hell of Downstate, has earned its reputation as a spring classic in these parts, and it’s not a huge surprise that so many fields sold out on the first day of registration. In one race report, Mark Swartzendruber (Lucas Oil) described it as “86 miles of narrow back roads that would make the stoutest of Belgians feel right at home. Except for the deep piles of gravel dropped here and there the roads show no evidence of visits from a county maintenance crew in years.”

The course’s defining landmark is the circuit through town that closes each 22-mile lap. It starts with two short climbs. There are other short climbs on the course, but I don’t recall any having as much impact as these. The first bump contains the feedzone, which should be necessary only for those doing three or more laps. If you’re taking a bottle, move to the right; otherwise, stay the heck out of the way. (Etiquette says not to attack in the feed zone, and the promoter is calling that stretch neutral.) The second climb is steeper and just a few riders wide. Cones will mark the centerline, and weaving around them will risk disqualification.

Turning left off the climb, a steep, straight descent on dodgy pavement sends you screaming into the bricks -- uneven, jutting, deterioriating bricks. Stay loose and turn a big gear. A lot of riders position their hands near their stem to limit the vibrations.

After a few blocks of the bricks, a left turn puts you onto a slightly longer stretch of similar bricks, and finally another left turn puts you back on solid ground, about 100 meters from the start/finish.

Many of the roads are narrow; think MGA Proving Grounds. The larger races should expect congestion until the herd thins after a lap or so. Don’t even think about crossing the centerline to gain position, whether the line is painted or not. There will be moments when crossing the line is unavoidable, but to do it for tactical purposes is foolish and unsafe, and should elicit shame from the pack, if not disqualification from the officials.

There’s a fair amount of bumpy pavement and gravel. Don’t be surprised if people flat; the promoter recommends new tires. (There may be a follow vehicle with wheels, but good luck catching back on.)

There are more than 20 turns, and each one is a good opportunity to get dropped if you’re at the back and not paying attention, especially when turning into a headwind.  Wind is often a major factor, particularly as crosswinds whip across some of the unsheltered roads, but it’s pegged at only 10 mph out of the east. Temperature is forecast to be in the upper 40s to low 50s. Dress accordingly.

The morning will start with a parade lap through town at 10:40 a.m. The racing starts in waves at 11, with each field getting a neutral rollout out of town. Afterward, the top three riders in each field get a trophy fashioned from a brick.

Saturday
Hillsboro-Roubaix
USCF road race
Hillsboro, Ill.
Distance from Chicago: 3.5 hours