"If I am fit, maybe I could try" - Tadej Pogacar admits Paris-Roubaix course was easier than expected as open flirtation with potential 2025 participation continues
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar riding Paris-Roubaix in 2025 is a rumour that just refuses to go away. In truth though, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG leader's continued open flirtation with the 'Hell of the North' is only fanning the flames of speculation.
A recent guest on the Bartoli Time show with former tennis star Marion Bartoli for RMC, Pogacar was openly asked about his trip to the cobbles and the Arenberg Forest. "I did a reconnaissance for Paris-Roubaix. I must say that it caught my attention," the world champion admits openly, clearly having had a positive ride alongside his UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammate, Tim Wellens.
This led Bartoli to ask the big question. Reconnaissance for an appearance on the cobbles in 2025 or merely with one eye on the future? "Maybe in the near future, yes there is a big chance that I will take part. I can't say this year or the one after... This year? I can't say, no," Pogacar intriguingly answers, refusing to outright confirm or deny. "There is always a chance. We will see. Let's leave it as a surprise. I really love racing. I thought it was too hard for me but when I did the reconnaissance, I saw that I could. If I am fit, maybe I could try. I think the decision will be made after Milano-Sanremo (on March 22)," he concludes.
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He will only do it if he wins Milan San Remo, if he wins, he could complete the 5 monuments this year by winning Paris Roubaix. Then that box is ticked. Would he risk TDF to finish all 5 monuments this year? Most people would say no, but this is POG.
Completing the 5 monuments if he pulls it off is frankly more impressive to me than another TdF win
At least it’s good press. And also, the guy likes to race, and probably isn’t lying about using condition to make the decision. That they would decide after San Remo, without having done Flanders yet, is interesting. Would he ride all 5 monuments in a single year? When was the last time someone did that?
He’s definitely capable and it still leaves enough time to be fit for the Tour but he won’t win them all then. Not a surprise to hear he found it easier than expected because (and I hope he realises it or someone reminds him) that a large part of the difficulty lies in 1. doing it in a large group at full speed. 2. weather conditions and 3. the extra complications of latching back on in case of mechanicals, etc. Of course, if he plans to do another of his 80km solos, most of those issues evaporate ;-)
No idea who did it last or how many have but Eddy did it 4x including 3 years in a row during which he also won the Tour each time and winning 3 monuments per year in two of those years.
My guess is that nobody has done it since Sean Kelly in 1989 (had to find that one), but I could be wrong. I kind of avoided biking during the worst of the Armstrong era, and mostly don't believe performance or participation results from 1996 or so through 2010 or so. I don't think anyone has done it (with the hopes of winning the race) since 2010.
Kind of weird it’s so hard to find info on this seeing as it’s pretty rare.
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- Yawn! There were no ther top class sprinters there so he better have won! Let me know when he beats Jasper or Merlier or Milan!frieders309-04-2025
- Yes, I get that but it wasn’t exactly a good comparison if you ask me, circumstances and competition were very different. Also crashing whilst staying up front is pretty different from crashing and being left behind.Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- Pidcock was riding at a hard enough pace until the sector where Pogacar made up something like 20 seconds in something like... 20 seconds. Pidcock was quite a bit ahead, and suddenly he wasn't. At that point, clearly he would get caught, so might as well get caught sooner and work together. That's just good cycling. (I think the point is, plenty of people win even after they've come down in a crash - Van der Poel crashed at the worlds and won, anyway, for example).RidesHills08-04-2025
- Great sprint, Ineos set him up at exactly the right time, they protected the corners through the turns, and he did the job he was supposed to do. Nice to see him win again.RidesHills08-04-2025
- When Vingo, Rogla, and Wout were all at the height of their powers, a sight to behold.mobk08-04-2025
- To quote the article: riders from Arkéa - B&B Hotels and a few others seized the moment to launch an attack, increasing the pace as Pogacar was briefly off the bike. Not coolmij08-04-2025
- I don’t think it was a matter of easing up. I think it was a matter of attacking. And MVDP said his team would respect similar situations. Perhaps not on the penultimate climb, but I believe they would. To accelerate is a jerk move.mij08-04-2025
- His basic attitude always has been (and we know age often reinforces inherent values), if I’m going down I’m going to try taking you with me.Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- I know it’s tradition and nice but to make the discussion more interesting, if an Arkea rider had driven up to tell Alpecin or UAE to ease off for Mozzato or Vauquelin having a P, would they have been as gentlemanly?Mistermaumau08-04-2025
- That’s probably about right although if they’d talked it over it would have been in all their interests to work together to chase Pog down because those 4 arriving at the finish in that scenario would have left all 4 with a chance of victory.Mistermaumau08-04-2025