POLL | So... Is Tadej Pogacar the favourite for Paris-Roubaix or not?
Cycling
Much has been said already about the 2025 Paris-Roubaix, but the truth is now we enter the countdown to what is one of the very best and most exciting races of the year. Furthermore, this year could be a memorable one, as all of the main favourites enter the race in great form and uninjured, and with Tadej Pogacar's wildcard status there is a whole aspect of the race that will be an unknown.
A lot of spectators and pundits argued that Mathieu van der Poel was the favourite to win the Tour of Flanders, despite Pogacar's form and history on climbs such as the Koppenberg and the Oude Kwaremont. The World Champion made the difference once again, however in Roubaix he won't have climbs to make the difference. He will have the legs, but will he be able to make the difference?
Over the coming days there will be insight from all the favourites for the race, but with five days to go, who do you consider the main favourite to win the race?
Poll
Who will win the 2025 Paris-Roubaix?
Nice to see you again, cobbles 😏
— Paris-Roubaix (@parisroubaix) April 8, 2025
Ravi de vous revoir 🤩
📍 Sector 28 - Fontaine au Tertre #ParisRoubaix pic.twitter.com/PKSnHt2uKR
Just in
Play for FREE! Fantasy Paris-Roubaix
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
Popular news
Latest comments
- If we're playing the "what if" game - I'd go further back to Mads getting a puncture and possibly being a favourite to win the race. He would have likely beat Tadej and MVDP in a sprint at the Velodrome. He appeared to be one of the stronger riders who faced some bad luck. But, that's just cycling. Wout could have very well won Paris-Roubaix in 2023 if he hadn't punctured in the last 10km. I wish Tadej hadn't crashed or would've caught up so all these stories of how Tadej should have won wouldn't exist, I think MVDP was the stronger rider in this particular race.JBlake16-04-2025
- There might be some truth to Visma's psychology being hurt by last year's crashes. But, definitely - Itzulia was a boycott because of the Organizer's and comments made by them this year again proves it is necessary. The crash profoundly changed the course of the season for several of the top riders, yet they got blamed for not being careful, going too fast, or. not knowing the roads enough.JBlake16-04-2025
- Someone else may be able to give better local context, but I don't think these type of incidents only happen to MVDP - although, it does seem to happen more often to him. Eli Iserbyt had beer thrown at him earlier this year, or Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard had chips thrown in their face during last year's Tour de France. The common theme is alcohol between most incidents, combined with being outdoors for a prolonged period of time. MVDP is also not very well-liked by many Belgian fans for his success, particularly against a rider like Wout. It's likely a combination of today's society, alcohol, some dislike towards the rider, and just being stupid. Hopefully real consequences might dissuade others from doing similar things.JBlake16-04-2025
- Yeah, but MVDP actually isn't. If Pog goes up the road, it is his responsibility to run it down, and everyone knows he has the most to lose. It's just rare that anyone calls him on it.acem8216-04-2025
- In almost any other sport the culprit would be banished and banned from the event venue, either temporarily or permanently.. Giving the perpetrators of this terrible behavior a mere verbal warning accomplishes absolutely nothing, and is insulting to the riders subjected to these type of abuses as well.
santiagobenites16-04-2025 - Itzulia? Are you sure it wasn’t more a boycott? Didn’t see many others going who crashed last year, out of the dozen of the crash only Cras I think.Mistermaumau16-04-2025
- MVDP also had a late bike change, so in theory a chance for Pogi to reel some time back. But by that point MvdP was strongermobk16-04-2025
- l don’t live in europe, i live in southern california. can someone explain why this stuff happens to van der poel and seemingly ONLY van der poel? i don’t need anyone to say it’s wrong or awful or whatever. i’m looking for a real cultural explanation of this phenomenon from someone who has a much deeper understanding of the forces at play than i do. thanks in advance.OCexile15-04-2025
- A MVDP victory certainly did not seem "inevitable" before the crash, with TP, MVDP and Philipsen leaving the peloton behind.. Pogi attacked to drop Philipsen, with Mathieu understandably unwilling to help, and he was surely attempting to put MVDP on the limit later by attacking again, until the crash derailed his efforts. Still the gap was manageable, and he was slowly trimming it down, but then a mechanical forced him to change bikes and that was the final straw. Kudos to TP for making it exciting, rather than just a walk in the park for MVDP.FredMan15-04-2025
- nice idea, but as analysis point out over and over, mvdp is more willing than anyone to lose a race in order to win it. why do you think smart riders like wout, ganna and mads end up doing his dirty work over and over? because he’s almost impossible to manipulate.OCexile15-04-2025