[1] At one point, former three times winner Francesco Moser looked the serious contender, but a crash due to a hole between cobbles and a slow repair of his equipment eliminated Moser from the final.

About 15 kilometres from Roubaix, Marc Madiot escaped from an eight-man group with among others defending race winner Sean Kelly.

Madiot held on and entered the velodrome in Roubaix on his own to win.

[2] Bruno Wojtinek, leaving the chase group some two kilometres from the line, finished second, cementing a French double.

Sean Kelly and Greg LeMond were the next riders home having avoided a crash just as the chasing group was entering the velodrome in Roubaix.