Cobblestones are stones that were frequently use in the pavement of early streets. "Cobblestone" is derived from the very old English word "cob", which had a wide range of meanings, one of which was "rounded lump" with overtones of large size. "Cobble", which appeared in the 15th century, simply added the diminutive suffix "le" to "cob", and meant a small stone rounded by the flow of water, essentially a large pebble. It was these smooth "cobbles", gathered from stream beds, that paved the first "cobblestone" streets. They are typically either set in sand or similar material, or are bound together with mortar. Paving with cobblestones allows a road to be heavily used all year long. It prevents the buildup of ruts often found in dirt roads. It has the additional beneficial advantage of not getting muddy in wet weather or dusty in dry weather. A disadvantage is that when compared with modern surfaces, cobblestone paving is quite loud with carriage wheels, horse hooves and modern automobiles. In England for example, it was the custom to strew the cobbles outside the house of a sick or dying person with straw, so as to dampen the sound. Cobbled streets are highlights in several cycling competitions such as the final Champs-Élysées stage of the Tour de France and the Paris-Roubaix road race as they are technically more challenging to ride on than asphalt.