Alberto Contador warns Tadej Pogacar against 'significant risk' of Paris-Roubaix but admits: "He is the only rider in the world capable of winning virtually any race"
Cycling
The bombshell news from the world of cycling continues to reverberate through every corner of the sport. Tadej Pogacar will race Paris-Roubaix for the first time in his career in 2025. The reigning world champion will take on the Hell of the North in pursuit of victory, going head-to-head with Mathieu van der Poel once again.
While the announcement has sparked excitement among cycling fans, it has also raised concerns about the risks Pogacar is taking by tackling the infamous pavé of Paris-Roubaix. One notable voice to highlight these concerns is Alberto Contador, who shared his thoughts with Eurosport.
"They've chosen this year because Pogacar is in top form. It’s a good time for him to take on a race that presents a major challenge," said the Spanish cycling legend. "But there’s a significant risk of crashes. A fall on the cobbles is very different to one on a smooth road."
It’s important to remember that just months after Paris-Roubaix, Pogacar’s primary goal for the season awaits: the Tour de France. An injury sustained in a crash could jeopardise his participation, or at the very least, prevent him from being at his full strength.
For this reason, Pogacar’s decision to race Paris-Roubaix is admirable, showcasing once again his insatiable drive. But does he truly have a shot at victory in the Hell of the North?
"Perhaps others are more experienced than him, such as Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, or Mads Pedersen, who are also stronger on the cobbles. It’s true that Pogacar isn’t your typical Grand Tour rider. He’s a powerful cyclist, but he doesn’t quite match the weight of his rivals. Even so, I wouldn’t rule him out. He’ll certainly be among the favourites," Contador analyses.
Tadej Pogacar 2nd in Milan-San Remo 2025
Pogacar is no stranger to winning, but there are still a few major races left to conquer. The one he seems most obsessed with is Milano-Sanremo, the one monument missing from his list, alongside Paris-Roubaix. If he were to win all five monuments, would he surpass Eddy Merckx as the greatest cyclist in history?
“To be considered the greatest of all time, you need to consistently win the most important races over many years,” Contador remarked. “The five monuments are undeniably significant, and we’re witnessing a Tadej Pogacar with immense hunger. He is the only rider in the world capable of winning virtually any race. But he still has a long way to go before claiming that title.”
Tadej Pogacar on #ParisRoubaix 2025, HERE WE GO! ✅🌈 pic.twitter.com/rHNSneS1Ak
— Paris-Roubaix (@parisroubaix) March 26, 2025
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- exactly, he had an amazing season, but with these overstatements they don‘t do him good.Ketterechts08-11-2026
- More to the point, it isn't his remaining goal.Renz08-11-2026
- lol yeahmij08-11-2026
- I know, their headlines can be so misleading. Pidcock had a great season with 5 wins. and some solid 2nds. no reason to take away from that with a fake headline.mij08-11-2026
- You can clearly see the the posture change from slightly sitting to again out of the saddle while changing of gears in the video of the sprintabstractengineer08-11-2026
- He has already beaten Pogi twice in the TDF. the achievement is over. He cannot beat Pogi now and he only has a few years left at the top. Win Giro and compete in the TDF, maximise palmares.abstractengineer08-11-2026
- Just looked again at the photo. Yeah I stand by that. If MS had fallen over in Brands direction I don’t even think she would have hit her. You must be a UCI race commissioner. I’ll be sure to check my sock height should I ever see you on a ride. Looks like everyone else on here sees what I see.mij08-11-2026
- I said looking at the photo it doesn’t appear she deviated. Chill out, not stating my word is the final judgement. Just commenting that based on the photo I don’t see it. And BTW the Dutch coach even said she didn’t impede her.mij08-11-2026
- Blah Blah Blah !frieders308-11-2026
- MS said she was changing gears so that caused her slight deviation. Nothing was intentional.frieders308-11-2026
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