"It’s not an obsession..." - Tadej Pogacar ready to take on Paris-Roubaix as he looks to complete monument setlist

UAE Team Emirates - XRG have travelled to Roubaix with the World Champion in its lineup. Tadej Pogacar has a day that can change his career this Sunday, as he takes on Paris-Roubaix, the only monument that he is yet to win.

“I don’t have that much experience, since I’ve only raced it once. But I hope I’ve learned something from last year and can fight for the win again, even if it’s not an obsession,” Pogacar said at the team presentation this Saturday afternoon. The World Champion finished second in his debut 12 months ago, showing immediate adaptation to the brutal roads of northern France where usually the heavy classics specialists thrive in.

The speeds are so high nowadays however that endurance has become an even more key aspect to the race, which plays in his favour. The UAE rider is still unbeaten this year, having raced Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders. Last week he went on to race into an almost unchallenged Flanders victory, as his rivals collaborated with him before he launched his winning move once again on the Oude Kwaremont.

However in Roubaix there are no climbs to take advantage of, and so his battle against Mathieu van der Poel - as well as the likes of Wout Van Aert, Mads Pedersen and Filippo Ganna - will be more even.

“It’s no secret, Paris-Roubaix is ​​one of the big goals at this point in the season. The few races I’ve done so far have gone perfectly, so the motivation is high but the pressure is low," he said ahead of the 'Hell of the North'."

"I’m going to enjoy it regardless of the result and I’m looking forward to a good race weekend. We have a strong team, with riders who have already been on the podium here, so I’m not the only one who can get a good result.”