"It will take a truly great Mathieu van der Poel..." - Paris-Roubaix director believes only one man can challenge Tadej Pogacar

Paris-Roubaix is just around the corner and although it is a race that in the past was usually very open, the presence of Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel make it less so this time around. The Hell of the North provides a thrilling spectacle every year however not many will be able to go along with the World Champion when he inevitably goes on the attack in the race's cobbled sectors.

“I think last year we had a lot of doubts about whether Tadej Pogacar could be at the level required for Paris-Roubaix. He proved that he was more than capable, that he was in contention for the win," race director Thierry Gouvenou said in words to the media this Wednesday, as reported by Cyclism'Actu. The 2025 debut saw him finish in second place, losing ground to Mathieu van der Poel only due to a small late crash which saw a gap open up that then wouldn't be closed back down.

But the ability to position, handle the cobbled sectors and drop almost all of the specialists even as a lighter rider was impressive for a debutant. After winning Milano-Sanremo this spring, Roubaix is now the only race that stands in the way of him conquering all monuments, which raises the stakes significantly for the Slovenian. But after winning Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders, he remains unbeated this season. Will this continue.

"It will take a truly great Mathieu van der Poel to be able to compete with him. I think Pogacar will arrive with a desire, almost an obsession, to win this race, and he will be unstoppable," Gouvenou argues. "But it’s still possible. There are still some uncertainties, especially because it’s probably the race that suits him the least: it’s very flat and demands enormous physical power. But mentally, we’ve already seen that he’s very strong, particularly at Milano-Sanremo".

Aside from that, Pogacar is the best attraction that Gouvenou could hope for his race, as not only it brings the rainbow jersey and the best cyclist in the world to the event, but also puts him front and center of every headline; whilst also showing to other riders who don't ordinarily race Roubaix that the lack of experience is not a hurdle that can't be tackled.

"His presence at Paris-Roubaix is ​​very important because it shows that you can target both the Grand Tours and the Classics. It’s excellent for cycling, both in terms of media coverage and for the public. Having him at the start, without any guarantee of victory, brings an incredible suspense, he argues.

However, the weather may have a big saying this weekend, with forecasts of some rain for this Saturday, which can make some sectors more muddy and treacherous. "Several factors could work against him, especially the weather conditions. If it's dry, that could be to his advantage. On the other hand, with a headwind, he might find it harder to make a difference".

"If it's wet, cyclocross skills become essential, and riders like Wout van Aert or Mathieu van der Poel are generally more comfortable than him on the cobbles in those conditions".

Gouvenou believes that Pogacar is indeed up against the ruler of Roubaix, Mathieu van der Poel who is now a three-time consecutive winner, and that the technical aspect of the race combined with the lack of climbing does ultimately favour him. "Right now, we can think that Mathieu van der Poel still has a slight edge over Pogacar on this terrain".