Fresh off his dominant victory at Strade Bianche earlier
this month, Tadej Pogacar now turns his attention to Milano-Sanremo, where he
will attempt to win the Monument for the first time. With Mathieu van der Poel
and other top contenders standing in his way, the world champion will need to
be at his best to claim victory.
But beyond La Primavera, there remains an even bigger
question: Will Pogacar race Paris-Roubaix?
"It will be a surprise," Pogacar told RMC, keeping
speculation alive about whether he will take on the Hell of the North.
The rumours surrounding Pogacar’s participation in Roubaix
didn’t come from nowhere, they were started by Pogacar himself. A little over a
month ago, he shared a video on social media of him tackling the brutal
cobbles, with several riders reacting in the comments in fear of his potential
participation. This immediately sparked discussion about whether he was
preparing for a shock debut in the race.
But is the triple crown winner just teasing us?
Since then, both Pogacar and his team, UAE Team Emirates –
XRG, have remained vague on the subject, refusing to confirm or deny his
participation. However, after his crash at Strade Bianche, his team made their
position clear: they would rather not see their biggest star take on one of the
most brutal races on the calendar.
Despite UAE Team Emirates’ reservations, Pogacar has been
open about his fascination with Paris-Roubaix, admitting that his reconnaissance
ride gave him a new perspective on the race.
"I have done a reconnaissance. I have to say that it
has caught my attention. Is that enough to start? Maybe in the near future,
yes. There is a big chance that I will be at the start. Whether that is this
year or next year, I cannot say."
While his comments remain intentionally ambiguous, they
suggest that Roubaix is a real possibility, if not this year, then soon.
Until recently, Pogacar didn’t believe he could be
competitive at Roubaix, but his recon ride changed his mind.
"There is always a chance," he said. "We will
see. It will be a surprise. I love the race anyway. At first I thought it would
be too difficult for me to compete for the prizes, but during the
reconnaissance, I saw that it is possible. If I am in shape, maybe I can try. I
think we will make the decision after Milan-San Remo."
This raises the intriguing question, could he actually win
Paris-Roubaix? Given his remarkable versatility, it would be unwise to count
him out. His victories in Flanders, Strade Bianche, and Il Lombardia prove that
he can handle technical, punishing one-day races, and his aggressive, attacking
style is well-suited to making his mark on the unpredictable cobbled Classic.
We all know Pogacar can win just about any race on the planet.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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