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.
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
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- It’s quite a limited sport when it comes to stories, they have to try to make news.Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- But you yourself are agreeing the crashing affected his psyche, or is that just me getting the wrong impression?Mistermaumau31-03-2025
- Gee, they cant keep their mouths shut for 15 days! Talk after Roubaix if the man didnt deliver, not now.Caralladas31-03-2025
- hoping wout can “kick start” his season at de ronde just shows why hope is a terrible strategy. the hardest race of the classics season with both pog and mathieu on stratospheric form. good luck. and waiting for mvdp to eventually be “not as good” isn’t a great plan either, i think. matthieu only seems to keep getting BETTER.OCexile31-03-2025
- Too much amatuer psychology. How about this: "he was never as good as when he had not suffered multiple career-threatening injuries." What is happening to him is what happened to Alaphilippe, Bernal, and others. You will notice that his two major peers -- MVDP and Mads - are both at their all time best. You will also note that neither is coming off of anything like the same last 18 months that Wout is. Go back to 2022, then roll the tape forward with Wout remaining healhty and one of them having had multiple traumatic falls. Odds are good he'd be at his dominant best and they would not.MidnightRider31-03-2025
- Raymond Poulidor, Alfredo Binda.... where do we stop. If you want to retitle it is Primoz Roglic the bestr rider never to win the tour in the last ten or 20 years then that might be betterslappers6631-03-2025
- Let me help you. Alfredo BindaUpHill31-03-2025
- He'll certainly last it and prob ride his own race, at the front 😁
leedorney31-03-2025 - Gaio Primus Caesar Roglus, Rome is waiting for you, Imperator :-)).
maria2024202431-03-2025 - And he probably wasn’t even at the limit ;-) Have to wonder how much Mads could catch up if he’d tune his physique to be as sharp as MVDPs’Mistermaumau31-03-2025