"It’s not an obsession..." - Tadej Pogacar ready to take on Paris-Roubaix as he looks to complete monument setlist
Cycling
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.”
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
- You'll be the ongoing joke of 2027 with anything you post here!frieders302-11-2026
- Awwww your inside information must be from PogiFanGirl. You two daughters of different mothers?frieders302-11-2026
- Hey PogIFanGirl...wipe that cream from your lips! You're ever loving drooling and whatever you have for Tadej has your brain fried!frieders302-11-2026
- Why should he 'let it go' ! Because you said so? Anytime LA Doper is called out is a win win !frieders302-11-2026
- Geez LeMond...let it go. You're a has been, albeit a former great one. But this is all water under the bridge and just undermines your legacy further.Mshark01-11-2026
- 'The Slovenian has collected four Tour de France titles' ... '[Kieran Wood's] ... reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis'. i would say that is pretty inaccurate accurate coverage, kieran wood ... too bad that AI's knowledge often lags several months behind ... but proof reading is certainly part of accurate coverage, isn't it? but fortunately does Kieran Wood place 'strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.' i would say the fifth tdf title is pretty new (and even verified) information, so feel free to update this article.Ketterechts01-11-2026
- You are wrong, they are already working on his new tt position. And yes, Trump does love you 😂👍🏼awp01-11-2026
- The Erola Jons incident was not isolated. She felt she could do that because that's how everyone treats Tadej. Remember when he said "If I say wait 2 mins do you show the middle finger and walk off angry?" about the supposed fan who did exactly that? There's nothing wrong with the nurses and doctors asking him to give autographs... but do the surgery first
Rafionain-Glas01-11-2026 - Perhaps he has what Mark Cavendish had, the Epstein-Barr Virus. It caused him severe and unexplained chronic fatigue. I hope he gets better.
parisbound0001-11-2026
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