Expert doesn't expect Tadej Pogacar to stand on the podium of Paris-Roubaix: "If it rains, the wet pavé specialists have an advantage"

Paris-Roubaix 2025 will paralyze the cycling world this Sunday with a historic edition. Tadej Pogacar will face the Hell of the North for the first time in his career. His main rival should be Mathieu van der Poel, winner of the last two editions.

However, there is a long list of candidates for victory: Mads Pedersen, Wout van Aert, Filippo Ganna, Jasper Philipsen, Biniam Girmay, Jasper Stuyven, Ivan Garcia Cortina, Jonathan Milan, Stefan Kung.... The question is inevitable: who starts as the main candidate for victory?

On Eurosport's Kop over Kop podcast, experts Jeroen Vanbelleghem and Bobbie Traksel have already placed their bets. For Trakstel, the verdict is clear: "I would give Mathieu van der Poel 5 stars. In Flanders he wasn't 100% but he still finished on the podium. That thorn in his side will make him come out on top."

For Vanbelleghem, the prediction is similar to that of his colleague. He also believes that the Dutchman is the main favorite in the pools. However, he goes further, and does not even put Tadej Pogacar in the Top 3, giving 4 stars to Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen.

"If it rains, the wet pavé specialists have an advantage. Van der Poel fits that profile, and so does Pedersen. In those conditions, he has a plus," he explained. "If the race gets harder, Pedersen is the fastest of the 3. Although Van Aert and Van der Poel handle the cobbled sections better, Mads is hard to let go."

What is clear is that the fight for the victory is very exciting. It is very difficult to try to predict a winner. Mathieu van der Poel is the reigning winner, but Pogacar comes from breaking records in his Paris-Roubaix reconnaissance. Mads Pedersen arrives in one of his best moments, and Wout van Aert after a great Tour of Flanders. They will all go for the knife.