Cobbled pave in Europe's cycling mecca's are entwined in the history and romance of road racing there. It is part of cycling culture for anyone who has ridden in France, Belgium etc. I'll be tackling a few iconic cobbled roads myself next week; the Koppenberg being one, when visiting my wife's family in Belgium.
Sure, some of the one-day Classics are far more focussed upon cobbled sections but Le Tour is representative of Professional racing in France, it therefore should - must - be reflective of the country, cycling history and infrastructure. If cobbles were to not feature at all, by rule, then this must come from a joint debate and subsequent vote between the cyclists themselves and the Organisers.
The TDF is considered the premier cycling road event in the World, it attracts the very best teams, the very best riders. Each and every one of them can ride cobbles - how much risk they take when doing so will vary but that is no different to all other aspects such as descents etc.
