Mathieu van der Poel not worried by Tadej Pogacar Paris-Roubaix rumours: "I don't lose any sleep over it"

Mathieu van der Poel has been the king of the cobbles at Paris-Roubaix over recent years, taking the Monument win in 2023 and 2024. With Tadej Pogacar posting videos of himself in the Arenberg Forest and reconning the cobbles though, could Van der Poel's crown be under serious threat from the current world champion in 2025?

The cycling rumour mill has been in overdrive ever since the videos of Pogacar training on the iconic Paris-Roubaix cobbles emerged. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG has made no secret of his desire to win every race available and although he's yet to try and win the 'Hell of the North', it does only seem a matter of time before we see Pogacar at the startline of Paris-Roubaix. There is yet to be any official confirmation that 2025 will be the year for Pogacar, but regardless, at a press conference announcing his road racing plans for the coming year, Van der Poel was asked about the potential threat from the three-time Tour de France winner.

"I don't know what his plans are for Roubaix," admits the leader of the Alpecin-Deceuninck team and back to back Paris-Roubaix winner, Van der Poel. "If he joins us like in the Tour of Flanders, he will be a tough opponent. But I don't lose any sleep over it."  

As seen in the past though, including at the 2022 Tour of Flanders, Van der Poel has already shown he is capable of beating Pogacar in a head-to-head battle. "The Tour of Flanders has already shown that you have to be 110 percent to beat him," the Dutchman analyses. "I had good legs, but he still dropped me on the Oude Kwaremont. But the more good riders at the start, the better, because then the race will fall into place."